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

The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments — Page 3

English → Pt Preface Level 7/10

It is not merely a scholar's edition, though no oriental student can afford to be without it; but beyond this narrow circle it has ever appealed to the wide audience that cares to know the famous books of the world in their most perfect and faithful reflections.

Não é meramente uma edição acadêmica, embora nenhum estudante oriental possa se dar ao luxo de não tê-la; mas além desse círculo restrito, ela sempre atraiu o vasto público que se interessa em conhecer os livros famosos do mundo em suas reflexões mais perfeitas e fiéis.

The actual moment is an opportune one for the reappearance of the work.

O momento atual é oportuno para o reaparecimento da obra.

Egypt just now holds a foremost place in the eyes of the world, and it is of Egypt that the _Thousand and One Nights_ have most to tell.

O Egito ocupa agora um lugar de destaque aos olhos do mundo, e é sobre o Egito que as _Mil e Uma Noites_ têm mais a contar.

Indian or Persian as many of the tales are in their origin, their setting is almost purely Egyptian; and though the place may be nominally Baghdád or India, or even furthest China, it is in mediæval Cairo, in the days of the Memlooks, that the scene of the Arabian Nights is really laid.

Embora muitos dos contos sejam de origem indiana ou persa, seu cenário é quase puramente egípcio; e embora o lugar possa ser nominalmente Bagdá ou a Índia, ou mesmo a China mais distante, é no Cairo medieval, nos dias dos Mamelucos, que a cena das Noites Árabes se passa de fato.

The people described are not Hindoos or Chinese, but Arabs and Egyptians as they lived and moved in the fifteenth century, when some of the beautiful mosques and tombs, that still make Cairo the delight of artists, were being built, and the devastating hand of the Ottoman Turk had not yet been laid on the land of the Pharaohs.

As pessoas descritas não são hindus ou chineses, mas árabes e egípcios como viveram e se movimentaram no século XV, quando algumas das belas mesquitas e túmulos, que ainda fazem do Cairo a delícia dos artistas, estavam sendo construídos, e a mão devastadora do turco otomano ainda não havia sido imposta sobre a terra dos faraós.

For a minute picture of Arabian society as it was in the Middle Ages, the _Thousand and One Nights_ have no rival, and it is Mr.

Para um retrato minucioso da sociedade árabe tal como era na Idade Média, as _Mil e Uma Noites_ não têm rival, e é o Sr.

Vocabulary

Não
Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
é
Third person singular of 'ser'; means 'is'
meramente
Merely, simply, only, nothing more
uma
Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
edição
Edition or publication of a book or work
acadêmica
Academic; relating to scholarly or university study
embora
Although, even though; introduces a concessive clause
nenhum
No, none, not any; negative determiner
estudante
Student; a person engaged in learning or study
oriental
Eastern, oriental; relating to the East or Orient
possa
Subjunctive form of 'poder'; may or can
se
Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves
dar
To give; also used in expressions like 'afford'
ao
Contraction of 'a' and 'o'; to the
luxo
Luxury; something expensive or indulgent
de
Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'
não
Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
tê-la
To have it; contracted form with enclitic pronoun
mas
Conjunction meaning 'but'; introduces a contrast
além
Beyond, in addition to; past a certain limit
desse
Contraction of 'de' and 'esse'; of that
círculo
Circle; a group of people sharing common interests
restrito
Restricted, limited, narrow in scope or membership
ela
Third person feminine pronoun; she or it
sempre
Always, ever; at all times without exception
atraiu
Past tense of 'atrair'; attracted or drew in
o
Masculine definite article; the
vasto
Vast, immense, very large in size or extent
público
Public, audience; group of people reached by media
que
Relative pronoun or conjunction; that, which, who
interessa
Is interested; third person of 'interessar'
em
Preposition meaning 'in', 'at', or 'on'
conhecer
To know, to get acquainted with, to meet
os
Masculine plural definite article; the
livros
Books; written or printed works bound together
famosos
Famous, well-known, celebrated widely by many people
do
Contraction of 'de' and 'o'; of the
mundo
World; the Earth or all people on it
suas
Feminine plural possessive pronoun; their or your
reflexões
Reflections; thoughts or meditations on a subject
mais
More, most; comparative or superlative adverb
perfeitas
Perfect, flawless; feminine plural of 'perfeito'
e
Conjunction meaning 'and'; joins words or clauses
fiéis
Faithful, accurate, loyal; plural of 'fiel'
O
Masculine definite article; the
momento
Moment, time; a particular point or period
atual
Current, present-day; existing or happening now
oportuno
Opportune, timely; occurring at a favorable moment
para
Preposition meaning 'for', 'to', or 'in order to'
reaparecimento
Reappearance; the act of appearing again
da
Contraction of 'de' and 'a'; of the (fem.)
obra
Work; a literary, artistic, or musical creation
Egito
Egypt; country in northeastern Africa
ocupa
Occupies; holds or takes up a position or space
agora
Now; at the present time or moment
um
Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
lugar
Place, position, location; a particular spot
destaque
Prominence, highlight; standing out from the rest
aos
Contraction of 'a' and 'os'; to the (pl.)
olhos
Eyes; organs of sight used to perceive visually
sobre
Preposition meaning 'about', 'on', or 'over'
as
Feminine plural definite article; the
_Mil
Thousand; part of the title 'One Thousand Nights'
Uma
One; feminine numeral, part of famous story title
Noites_
Nights; part of the title 'One Thousand and One Nights'
têm
Third person plural of 'ter'; have or has
a
Feminine definite article or preposition; the, to
contar
To tell, to count; to narrate or relate stories
Embora
Although, even though; introduces a concessive clause
muitos
Many, a lot of; large number of things or people
dos
Contraction of 'de' and 'os'; of the (pl.)
contos
Short stories, tales; brief fictional narratives
sejam
Subjunctive of 'ser'; be; used in subordinate clauses
origem
Origin, source; the beginning or starting point
indiana
Indian; relating to India, feminine adjective
ou
Conjunction meaning 'or'; presents an alternative
persa
Persian; relating to Persia or Iran
seu
Possessive pronoun; his, her, its, or your
cenário
Setting, scenario; background or scene of events
quase
Almost, nearly; very close to but not quite
puramente
Purely, entirely; in a pure or unmixed manner
egípcio
Egyptian; relating to Egypt or its culture
ser
To be; fundamental verb denoting identity or state
nominalmente
Nominally; in name only, not in reality
Índia
India; large country in South Asia
mesmo
Even, same; used for emphasis or comparison
China
China; large country in East Asia
distante
Distant, far away; located far from a reference point
no
Contraction of 'em' and 'o'; in the
medieval
Medieval; relating to the Middle Ages period
nos
Contraction of 'em' and 'os'; in the (pl.)
dias
Days; periods of 24 hours or daytime hours
cena
Scene; a place, setting, or dramatic situation
das
Contraction of 'de' and 'as'; of the (fem. pl.)
Noites
Nights; plural of 'noite', hours of darkness
Árabes
Arabs; people of Arab origin or culture
passa
Passes, takes place; third person of 'passar'
fato
Fact; something known to be true or real
As
Feminine plural definite article; the
pessoas
People, persons; human beings considered collectively
descritas
Described; past participle of 'descrever', feminine plural
são
Third person plural of 'ser'; are
hindus
Hindus; followers of Hinduism or people from India
chineses
Chinese; people from China or of Chinese origin
árabes
Arabs; people of Arab ethnicity or culture
egípcios
Egyptians; people from Egypt, masculine plural
como
As, how, like; used for comparison or manner
viveram
Lived; past tense plural of 'viver'
movimentaram
Moved around, stirred; past tense of 'movimentar'
século
Century; a period of one hundred years
quando
When; at the time that, conjunction of time
algumas
Some, a few; feminine plural indefinite pronoun
belas
Beautiful, lovely; feminine plural of 'belo'
mesquitas
Mosques; Muslim places of worship and prayer
túmulos
Tombs, graves; burial structures or monuments
ainda
Still, yet, even; continuing up to a given time
fazem
Make, do; third person plural present of 'fazer'
delícia
Delight, pleasure; something that gives great joy
artistas
Artists; people who create art or perform creatively
estavam
Were; past imperfect of 'estar', third person plural
sendo
Being; gerund of 'ser', used in progressive tenses
construídos
Built, constructed; past participle of 'construir'
mão
Hand; the body part at the end of the arm
devastadora
Devastating, destructive; causing great damage or ruin
turco
Turkish; relating to Turkey or the Ottoman Turks
otomano
Ottoman; relating to the Ottoman Empire
havia
Had; past imperfect of 'haver', auxiliary verb
sido
Been; past participle of 'ser', used in compounds
imposta
Imposed; past participle of 'impor', feminine form
terra
Land, earth, ground; soil or a particular territory
faraós
Pharaohs; ancient rulers of Egypt
Para
Preposition meaning 'for', 'to', or 'in order to'
retrato
Portrait, depiction; a detailed representation of something
minucioso
Detailed, thorough, meticulous; paying close attention
sociedade
Society; the community of people living together
árabe
Arab, Arabic; relating to Arab people or culture
tal
Such, such a; used to indicate a specific quality
era
Was; past imperfect of 'ser', third person singular
na
Contraction of 'em' and 'a'; in the (fem.)
Idade
Age; a period of history or era, as in Middle Ages
Média
Middle; used in 'Idade Média' meaning Middle Ages
rival
Rival; a competitor or opponent in any contest
Sr
Abbreviation for 'Senhor'; Mr. or Sir
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