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The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments — Page 4

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

Lane's appreciation of this picture, and the wealth of illustration lavished upon it in his Notes, that render his edition the most complete commentary we possess on Muslim life and manners, religion and literature, and make it an indispensable supplement to his famous _Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians_.

La apreciación de Lane de este cuadro, y la riqueza de ilustraciones prodigadas en sus Notas, son las que hacen de su edición el comentario más completo que poseemos sobre la vida y las costumbres musulmanas, la religión y la literatura, y lo convierten en un suplemento indispensable para su famosa _Descripción de los Usos y Costumbres de los Egipcios Modernos_.

The poetry of Eastern life is rapidly fading away under the effacing touch of European civilisation; the characteristic society in which an Haroon-Er-Rasheed, an Aboo-Nuwas, a Káfoor, a Saladin, or a Kaït-Bey, revelled and jested and conquered, is fast becoming matter of history rather than of experience, a field for the antiquary instead of the traveller; and it is well that we can reconstruct it in the pages of the _Thousand and One Nights_, whose compiler saw it when it was still almost in its Golden Prime, and in the _Modern Egyptians_, whose author knew it when it still preserved the romantic character which has charmed and fascinated readers of every age and condition.

La poesía de la vida oriental se está desvaneciendo rápidamente bajo el efecto devastador de la civilización europea; la sociedad característica en la que un Harún al-Rashid, un Abú Nuwas, un Káfoor, un Saladino o un Kaït-Bey se regocijaban, bromeaban y conquistaban, se está convirtiendo velozmente en materia de historia más que de experiencia, en un campo para el anticuario en lugar del viajero; y es bueno que podamos reconstruirla en las páginas de las _Mil y una noches_, cuyo compilador la vio cuando todavía se hallaba casi en su Edad de Oro, y en los _Egipcios Modernos_, cuyo autor la conoció cuando aún conservaba el carácter romántico que ha encantado y fascinado a lectores de todas las épocas y condiciones.

STANLEY LANE-POOLE.

STANLEY LANE-POOLE.

THE DAY OF TELL-EL-KEBEER, 1882.

EL DÍA DE TELL-EL-KEBEER, 1882.

THE EDITOR'S PREFACE.

PREFACIO DEL EDITOR.

A new edition of this work having been required, Mr. Lane was requested to undertake the correction of the press.

Habiéndose requerido una nueva edición de esta obra, se le pidió al señor Lane que se encargara de la corrección de imprenta.

But severe literary labours allowing him no leisure for this object, he named me, as his pupil in the study of Arabic, familiar with his writings, and for many years resident with him in Cairo, to fill, in some measure, his place.

Pero como sus arduas labores literarias no le dejaban tiempo libre para este propósito, me designó a mí, en calidad de su discípulo en el estudio del árabe, familiarizado con sus escritos y residente junto a él en El Cairo durante muchos años, para ocupar, en cierta medida, su lugar.

Vocabulary

apreciación
Appreciation or recognition of value or quality
este
Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning 'this'
cuadro
Picture, painting, or descriptive tableau
riqueza
Richness, wealth, or abundance of something
ilustraciones
Illustrations or images accompanying a text
prodigadas
Lavishly provided or generously distributed throughout
Notas
Notes or annotations added to a text
edición
Edition or published version of a book
comentario
Commentary or explanatory remark on a text
completo
Complete, thorough, or comprehensive in coverage
poseemos
First-person plural of 'poseer,' meaning 'we possess'
vida
Life or way of living of a person or group
costumbres
Customs, habits, or traditions of a community
musulmanas
Adjective meaning 'Muslim' or relating to Islam
religión
Religion or system of spiritual belief and practice
literatura
Literature or body of written works of a culture
convierten
Third-person plural of 'convertir,' meaning 'make' or 'turn into'
suplemento
Supplement or additional material complementing a work
indispensable
Indispensable or absolutely necessary and essential
famosa
Famous or widely known and celebrated
_Descripción
Description or detailed account of something observed
Usos
Uses or established practices and customs of a people
Costumbres
Customs or traditional practices of a social group
Egipcios
Egyptians or relating to Egypt and its people
Modernos_
Modern or relating to contemporary times and society
poesía
Poetry or literary art expressed in verse form
oriental
Eastern or relating to the Orient and its cultures
desvaneciendo
Fading away, disappearing, or vanishing gradually
rápidamente
Rapidly or quickly, in a fast manner
bajo
Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath'
efecto
Effect or result produced by a cause or action
devastador
Devastating or causing great destruction and damage
civilización
Civilization or advanced stage of human social development
europea
European or relating to Europe and its culture
sociedad
Society or organized community of people sharing culture
característica
Characteristic or distinguishing feature of something
regocijaban
They rejoiced or delighted, past imperfect of 'regocijarse'
bromeaban
They joked or jested, past imperfect of 'bromear'
conquistaban
They conquered or won over, past imperfect of 'conquistar'
convirtiendo
Converting or transforming into something else, gerund form
velozmente
Swiftly or at great speed, in a rapid manner
materia
Matter, subject, or material content of a study
historia
History or the recorded past events of humanity
experiencia
Experience or knowledge gained through direct involvement
campo
Field or domain of study, or countryside landscape
anticuario
Antiquarian or specialist in antiques and historical artifacts
lugar
Place, location, or site where something occurs
viajero
Traveler or person who journeys to different places
bueno
Good or of positive quality, character, or nature
podamos
First-person plural subjunctive of 'poder,' meaning 'we can'
reconstruirla
To reconstruct it, rebuild or recreate something lost
páginas
Pages or leaves of a book or document
noches_
Nights or periods of darkness between sunset and dawn
cuyo
Relative possessive pronoun meaning 'whose' or 'of which'
compilador
Compiler or person who gathers and organizes texts
todavía
Still or yet, indicating continuation of a state
hallaba
Past imperfect of 'hallar,' meaning 'was found' or 'was'
casi
Almost or nearly, very close to but not quite
Edad
Age or era, as in a historical period of time
Oro
Gold or golden, used metaphorically for a glorious era
autor
Author or writer who creates a literary work
conoció
Preterite of 'conocer,' meaning 'met' or 'came to know'
aún
Still or yet, expressing continuation with accent mark
conservaba
Past imperfect of 'conservar,' meaning 'preserved' or 'retained'
carácter
Character or distinctive nature and quality of something
romántico
Romantic or relating to romance, idealism, and imagination
encantado
Enchanted or charmed, past participle of 'encantar'
fascinado
Fascinated or captivated, past participle of 'fascinar'
lectores
Readers or people who read texts or books
épocas
Epochs or historical periods of time and civilization
condiciones
Conditions or circumstances of life or social standing
DÍA
Day or a twenty-four hour period of time
PREFACIO
Preface or introductory section written before main text
EDITOR
Editor or person who prepares a text for publication
Habiéndose
Having been, reflexive perfect gerund of 'haber'
requerido
Required or demanded, past participle of 'requerir'
nueva
New or fresh, feminine form of 'nuevo'
obra
Work or literary and artistic creation of an author
pidió
Preterite of 'pedir,' meaning 'asked' or 'requested'
señor
Mister or gentleman, respectful title for a man
encargara
Past subjunctive of 'encargar,' meaning 'to take charge'
corrección
Correction or process of fixing errors in a text
imprenta
Printing press or print shop where books are made
arduas
Arduous or demanding, requiring great effort and energy
labores
Tasks or labors, work requiring sustained effort
literarias
Literary or relating to literature and written composition
dejaban
Past imperfect of 'dejar,' meaning 'left' or 'allowed'
tiempo
Time or weather, depending on context of use
libre
Free or available, not occupied or restricted
propósito
Purpose or intention behind an action or decision
designó
Preterite of 'designar,' meaning 'designated' or 'appointed'
calidad
Quality or capacity in which one acts or serves
discípulo
Disciple or student who follows and learns from someone
estudio
Study or the act of learning and examining a subject
árabe
Arabic or relating to the Arab language and people
familiarizado
Familiarized or acquainted with something through experience
escritos
Writings or written works produced by an author
residente
Resident or person living in a particular place
junto
Next to or together with, indicating proximity
durante
During or throughout a period of time
muchos
Many or a large number of, masculine plural form
años
Years or periods of twelve months each
ocupar
To occupy or take up a position or role
cierta
Certain or a particular, feminine form of 'cierto'
medida
Measure or extent to which something applies
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