Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None — Page 5
He assumes that Christianity, as a product of the resentment of the botched and the weak, has put in ban all that is beautiful, strong, proud, and powerful, in fact all the qualities resulting from strength, and that, in consequence, all forces which tend to promote or elevate life have been seriously undermined.
Er nimmt an, dass das Christentum, als ein Produkt des Ressentiments der Verpfuschten und der Schwachen, alles, was schön, stark, stolz und mächtig ist, tatsächlich alle aus der Stärke hervorgegangenen Eigenschaften, in die Acht erklärt hat, und dass infolgedessen alle Kräfte, die dazu neigen, das Leben zu fördern oder zu erhöhen, ernsthaft untergraben worden sind.
Now, however, a new table of valuations must be placed over mankind—namely, that of the strong, mighty, and magnificent man, overflowing with life and elevated to his zenith—the Superman, who is now put before us with overpowering passion as the aim of our life, hope, and will.
Nun jedoch muss eine neue Wertetafel über die Menschheit gestellt werden – nämlich die des starken, mächtigen und prächtigen Menschen, der von Leben überfließt und zu seinem Zenit erhoben ist – der Übermensch, der uns jetzt mit überwältigender Leidenschaft als Ziel unseres Lebens, unserer Hoffnung und unseres Willens vor Augen gestellt wird.
And just as the old system of valuing, which only extolled the qualities favourable to the weak, the suffering, and the oppressed, has succeeded in producing a weak, suffering, and "modern" race, so this new and reversed system of valuing ought to rear a healthy, strong, lively, and courageous type, which would be a glory to life itself.
Und so wie das alte Wertesystem, das nur die den Schwachen, den Leidenden und den Unterdrückten günstigen Eigenschaften pries, es vermocht hat, eine schwache, leidende und „moderne" Rasse hervorzubringen, so sollte dieses neue und umgekehrte Wertesystem einen gesunden, starken, lebhaften und mutigen Typus heranziehen, der dem Leben selbst zur Ehre gereichen würde.
Stated briefly, the leading principle of this new system of valuing would be: "All that proceeds from power is good, all that springs from weakness is bad."
Kurz gesagt, das Leitsatz dieses neuen Wertesystems wäre: „Alles, was aus der Macht hervorgeht, ist gut; alles, was aus der Schwäche entspringt, ist schlecht."
This type must not be regarded as a fanciful figure: it is not a nebulous hope which is to be realised at some indefinitely remote period, thousands of years hence; nor is it a new species (in the Darwinian sense) of which we can know nothing, and which it would therefore be somewhat absurd to strive after.
Dieser Typus darf nicht als eine phantastische Gestalt betrachtet werden: Er ist keine nebulöse Hoffnung, die in irgendeiner unbestimmt fernen Zeit, Tausende von Jahren von jetzt an, verwirklicht werden soll; noch ist er eine neue Art (im Darwinschen Sinne), von der wir nichts wissen können und nach der zu streben daher einigermaßen absurd wäre.
Vocabulary
- Er
- Third person singular masculine pronoun: he
- nimmt
- Third person singular present of nehmen: takes
- an
- Separable prefix or preposition meaning on, at, to
- dass
- Subordinating conjunction introducing a clause: that
- das
- Neuter definite article or demonstrative pronoun: the, that
- Christentum
- Noun: Christianity, the Christian religion and its beliefs
- als
- Conjunction or preposition meaning as, than, when
- ein
- Indefinite article for masculine and neuter nouns: a, an
- Produkt
- Noun: product, result, or outcome of a process
- des
- Genitive singular definite article for masculine and neuter: of the
- Ressentiments
- Noun (genitive): resentment, deep-seated bitterness toward others
- der
- Definite article for feminine nominative or genitive plural: the
- Verpfuschten
- Noun/adjective: the botched ones, those whose lives are ruined
- und
- Coordinating conjunction: and
- Schwachen
- Adjective used as noun: the weak ones, feeble people
- alles
- Indefinite pronoun: everything, all things
- was
- Relative or interrogative pronoun: what, that which
- schön
- Adjective: beautiful, lovely, attractive in appearance
- stark
- Adjective: strong, powerful, robust in body or force
- stolz
- Adjective: proud, having a strong sense of self-worth
- mächtig
- Adjective: mighty, powerful, having great strength or authority
- ist
- Third person singular present of sein: is
- tatsächlich
- Adverb: actually, indeed, in reality or in fact
- alle
- Indefinite pronoun or adjective: all, every one of
- aus
- Preposition indicating origin or exit: from, out of
- Stärke
- Noun: strength, power, vigor of body or character
- hervorgegangenen
- Participial adjective: emerged from, originating from a source
- Eigenschaften
- Noun plural: qualities, characteristics, or properties of something
- in
- Preposition indicating location or direction: in, into
- die
- Definite article for feminine or plural nouns: the
- Acht
- Noun: outlawry, ban; in die Acht erklären means to outlaw
- erklärt
- Past participle of erklären: declared, explained, proclaimed
- hat
- Third person singular present of haben: has
- infolgedessen
- Adverb: consequently, as a result of that circumstance
- Kräfte
- Noun plural: forces, powers, energies driving action
- dazu
- Adverb: to that, for that purpose, in addition
- neigen
- Verb: to tend, incline, or have a disposition toward
- Leben
- Noun: life; the state of being alive and active
- zu
- Preposition or infinitive particle: to, toward, too
- fördern
- Verb: to promote, support, or advance something forward
- oder
- Coordinating conjunction: or, presenting an alternative
- erhöhen
- Verb: to raise, elevate, or increase in level or degree
- ernsthaft
- Adverb or adjective: seriously, earnestly, in a grave manner
- untergraben
- Verb (past participle): undermined, secretly weakened or subverted
- worden
- Auxiliary past participle of werden used in passive constructions
- sind
- Third person plural present of sein: are
- Nun
- Adverb: now, at this point in time or argument
- jedoch
- Adverb or conjunction: however, yet, nevertheless
- muss
- Modal verb: must, expressing necessity or obligation
- eine
- Indefinite article for feminine nouns: a, an
- neue
- Adjective: new, recently created or not previously existing
- Wertetafel
- Noun: table of values, a system of moral principles
- über
- Preposition: over, above, about, across
- Menschheit
- Noun: humanity, all human beings considered collectively
- gestellt
- Past participle of stellen: placed, set, positioned somewhere
- werden
- Auxiliary or full verb: to become, will, be made
- nämlich
- Adverb: namely, that is to say, specifically
- starken
- Adjective (inflected): strong, powerful, relating to strength
- mächtigen
- Adjective (inflected): mighty, powerful, of great authority
- prächtigen
- Adjective (inflected): magnificent, splendid, impressively grand
- Menschen
- Noun plural or genitive singular: people, human beings
- von
- Preposition: of, from, by, indicating origin or possession
- überfließt
- Verb: overflows, spills over abundantly in great amounts
- seinem
- Possessive pronoun (dative masculine/neuter): his, its
- Zenit
- Noun: zenith, highest point of development or achievement
- erhoben
- Past participle of erheben: raised, elevated, lifted up
- Übermensch
- Noun: Overman, Nietzsche's ideal of superior human being
- uns
- Personal pronoun dative or accusative plural: us
- jetzt
- Adverb: now, at this present moment in time
- mit
- Preposition: with, together with, by means of
- überwältigender
- Adjective (inflected): overwhelming, overpowering in intensity or scale
- Leidenschaft
- Noun: passion, intense emotional enthusiasm or desire
- Ziel
- Noun: goal, aim, target of effort or desire
- unseres
- Possessive pronoun genitive: our, belonging to us
- Lebens
- Noun (genitive): of life, relating to one's existence
- unserer
- Possessive pronoun (genitive feminine/plural): our
- Hoffnung
- Noun: hope, expectation of something desired or positive
- Willens
- Noun (genitive): of the will, of volition or determination
- vor
- Preposition: before, in front of, ahead of
- Augen
- Noun plural: eyes; vor Augen means before one's eyes
- wird
- Third person singular present of werden: will, becomes
- Und
- Coordinating conjunction: and, connecting clauses or words
- so
- Adverb or conjunction: so, thus, in this way
- wie
- Conjunction or adverb: as, how, like
- alte
- Adjective (inflected): old, ancient, of long standing
- Wertesystem
- Noun: value system, organized set of moral principles
- nur
- Adverb: only, merely, exclusively and nothing more
- den
- Definite article dative plural or accusative masculine: the
- Leidenden
- Noun/adjective (inflected): the suffering ones, those in pain
- Unterdrückten
- Noun/adjective (inflected): the oppressed, those suppressed by power
- günstigen
- Adjective (inflected): favorable, advantageous, beneficial in effect
- pries
- Past tense of preisen: praised, celebrated, extolled highly
- es
- Personal pronoun neuter: it
- vermocht
- Past participle of vermögen: managed, been able to accomplish
- schwache
- Adjective (inflected): weak, lacking strength or vitality
- leidende
- Adjective (inflected): suffering, enduring pain or hardship
- moderne
- Adjective (inflected): modern, belonging to the current era
- Rasse
- Noun: race, breed; a group sharing inherited characteristics
- hervorzubringen
- Infinitive: to bring forth, produce, generate something new
- sollte
- Past subjunctive of sollen: should, ought to, was supposed to
- dieses
- Demonstrative pronoun genitive or neuter: this, of this
- umgekehrte
- Adjective (inflected): reversed, opposite, inverted in direction
- einen
- Indefinite article accusative masculine: a, an
- gesunden
- Adjective (inflected): healthy, sound, vigorous in body or mind
- lebhaften
- Adjective (inflected): lively, vivacious, full of energy
- mutigen
- Adjective (inflected): courageous, brave, willing to face danger
- Typus
- Noun: type, kind, a representative form or model
- heranziehen
- Verb: to raise up, cultivate, or bring forward someone
- dem
- Definite article dative masculine or neuter: the
- selbst
- Pronoun or adverb: self, even, oneself emphasizing identity
- zur
- Contraction of zu der: to the, for the
- Ehre
- Noun: honor, esteem, high regard or distinction earned
- gereichen
- Verb: to redound to, serve as credit or honor
- würde
- Conditional form of werden: would; also dignity as noun
- Kurz
- Adjective or adverb: short, brief; kurz gesagt means in short
- gesagt
- Past participle of sagen: said; kurz gesagt means in short
- Leitsatz
- Noun: guiding principle, leading maxim or fundamental rule
- neuen
- Adjective (inflected): new, of the new, recently created
- Wertesystems
- Noun (genitive): of the value system, of moral principles
- wäre
- Subjunctive II of sein: would be, expressing hypothetical state
- Alles
- Indefinite pronoun: everything, all that exists or occurs
- Macht
- Noun: power, might, authority or force over others
- hervorgeht
- Verb: emerges from, results from, comes forth from
- gut
- Adjective or adverb: good, morally right, of high quality
- Schwäche
- Noun: weakness, lack of strength, feebleness of character
- entspringt
- Verb: springs from, originates from, has its source in
- schlecht
- Adjective or adverb: bad, evil, poor in quality or morality
- Dieser
- Demonstrative pronoun masculine: this one, this person
- darf
- Modal verb: may, is allowed to, has permission to
- nicht
- Negation adverb: not, used to negate a verb or phrase
- phantastische
- Adjective (inflected): fantastical, imaginary, existing only in fantasy
- Gestalt
- Noun: form, figure, shape; a structured whole entity
- betrachtet
- Past participle of betrachten: regarded, considered, viewed as
- keine
- Negative article: no, not any, none of a thing
- nebulöse
- Adjective (inflected): nebulous, vague, hazy and unclear
- irgendeiner
- Indefinite pronoun: some, any one, of some unspecified kind
- unbestimmt
- Adjective: indefinite, indeterminate, not clearly defined
- fernen
- Adjective (inflected): distant, far away in space or time
- Zeit
- Noun: time, a period or point in time
- Tausende
- Noun: thousands, a very large number of things
- Jahren
- Noun (dative plural): years, periods of twelve months
- verwirklicht
- Past participle of verwirklichen: realized, actualized, made real
- soll
- Modal verb: shall, is supposed to, is intended to
- noch
- Adverb or conjunction: still, yet, nor, in addition
- er
- Personal pronoun: he, third person singular masculine
- Art
- Noun: type, kind, species, manner or sort
- im
- Contraction of in dem: in the
- Darwinschen
- Adjective (inflected): Darwinian, relating to Darwin's theory
- Sinne
- Noun (dative): sense, meaning; im Sinne means in the sense
- wir
- Personal pronoun: we, first person plural subject
- nichts
- Indefinite pronoun: nothing, not anything at all
- wissen
- Verb: to know, to have knowledge or information about
- können
- Modal verb: can, to be able to do something
- nach
- Preposition: after, toward, according to, following
- streben
- Verb: to strive, aspire, or aim toward a goal
- daher
- Adverb: therefore, hence, for that reason
- einigermaßen
- Adverb: somewhat, to some extent, reasonably or fairly
- absurd
- Adjective: absurd, completely unreasonable or illogical
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