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Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None — Page 12

English → Spanish Preface Level 9/10

His friends caused him many disappointments, which were the more bitter to him, inasmuch as he regarded friendship as such a sacred institution; and for the first time in his life he realised the whole horror of that loneliness to which, perhaps, all greatness is condemned.

Sus amigos le causaron muchas decepciones, que le resultaron tanto más amargas cuanto que consideraba la amistad como una institución tan sagrada; y por primera vez en su vida tomó conciencia de todo el horror de esa soledad a la que, quizás, toda grandeza está condenada.

But to be forsaken is something very different from deliberately choosing blessed loneliness.

Pero ser abandonado es algo muy diferente a elegir deliberadamente la bienaventurada soledad.

How he longed, in those days, for the ideal friend who would thoroughly understand him, to whom he would be able to say all, and whom he imagined he had found at various periods in his life from his earliest youth onwards.

Cuánto anhelaba, en aquellos días, al amigo ideal que lo comprendiera plenamente, a quien pudiera decirle todo, y a quien imaginaba haber encontrado en distintos momentos de su vida desde su más temprana juventud.

Now, however, that the way he had chosen grew ever more perilous and steep, he found nobody who could follow him: he therefore created a perfect friend for himself in the ideal form of a majestic philosopher, and made this creation the preacher of his gospel to the world.

Ahora bien, a medida que el camino que había elegido se volvía cada vez más peligroso y escarpado, no encontró a nadie que pudiera seguirle: por ello se creó un amigo perfecto bajo la forma ideal de un majestuoso filósofo, y convirtió a esta creación en el predicador de su evangelio ante el mundo.

Whether my brother would ever have written "Thus Spake Zarathustra" according to the first plan sketched in the summer of 1881, if he had not had the disappointments already referred to, is now an idle question; but perhaps where "Zarathustra" is concerned, we may also say with Master Eckhardt: "The fleetest beast to bear you to perfection is suffering."

Si mi hermano habría escrito alguna vez «Así habló Zaratustra» según el primer plan esbozado en el verano de 1881, de no haber tenido las decepciones ya mencionadas, es ahora una pregunta ociosa; pero quizás en lo que respecta a «Zaratustra», también podamos decir con el Maestro Eckhardt: «La bestia más veloz para llevarte a la perfección es el sufrimiento».

My brother writes as follows about the origin of the first part of "Zarathustra":—"In the winter of 1882–83, I was living on the charming little Gulf of Rapallo, not far from Genoa, and between Chiavari and Cape Porto Fino.

Mi hermano escribe lo siguiente sobre el origen de la primera parte de «Zaratustra»: «En el invierno de 1882-83, vivía en el encantador y pequeño golfo de Rapallo, no lejos de Génova, entre Chiavari y el cabo de Porto Fino.

Vocabulary

Sus
Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their,' or 'your'
amigos
Friends; people with whom one has a friendly relationship
le
Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him,' 'to her,' 'to you'
causaron
They caused; past tense of causar, to cause
muchas
Many; a large number of (feminine plural form)
decepciones
Disappointments; feelings of dissatisfaction after unmet expectations
que
That; relative or conjunction word connecting clauses
resultaron
They resulted; past tense of resultar, to result or turn out
tanto
So much; to such a degree or extent
más
More; indicating a greater degree or quantity
amargas
Bitter; painful or harsh in feeling or taste (feminine plural)
cuanto
As much as; in proportion to how much
consideraba
He/she considered; imperfect tense of considerar, to consider
la
The; definite article for feminine singular nouns
amistad
Friendship; the bond of mutual affection between people
como
As; like; used for comparison or equivalence
una
A, an; indefinite article for feminine singular nouns
institución
Institution; an established organization or social practice
tan
So, as; used before adjectives or adverbs for emphasis
sagrada
Sacred, holy; deserving great respect or reverence (feminine)
y
And; conjunction joining words, phrases, or clauses
por
For, by, through; preposition with multiple uses in Spanish
primera
First; the ordinal number before all others (feminine)
vez
Time, instance; an occurrence of something happening
en
In, on, at; preposition indicating location or time
su
His, her, its, your, their; possessive adjective (singular)
vida
Life; the existence and experiences of a living being
tomó
He/she took; past tense of tomar, to take or become aware
conciencia
Awareness, consciousness; realization or moral sense
de
Of, from; preposition indicating origin, possession, or composition
todo
All, everything; the complete extent of something
el
The; definite article for masculine singular nouns
horror
Horror; intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust
esa
That; demonstrative adjective for feminine singular nouns
soledad
Solitude, loneliness; the state of being alone
a
To, at; preposition indicating direction, recipient, or time
quizás
Perhaps, maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility
toda
All, every; the entirety of something (feminine singular)
grandeza
Greatness; the quality of being great, magnificent, or noble
está
Is; third person singular of estar, to be (state)
condenada
Condemned, doomed; destined for a negative outcome (feminine)
Pero
But; conjunction introducing a contrast or exception
ser
To be; infinitive of the verb indicating identity or essence
abandonado
Abandoned; left behind or forsaken by others (masculine)
es
Is; third person singular of ser, to be (identity)
algo
Something; an unspecified thing or matter
muy
Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs
diferente
Different; not the same, distinct from something else
elegir
To choose, select; to make a deliberate decision
deliberadamente
Deliberately; done on purpose with careful intention
bienaventurada
Blessed, blissful; experiencing or conferring great happiness (feminine)
Cuánto
How much; exclamatory word expressing degree or intensity
anhelaba
He/she longed for; imperfect tense of anhelar, to yearn
aquellos
Those; demonstrative adjective for masculine plural nouns (distant)
días
Days; periods of twenty-four hours
al
To the; contraction of 'a' and 'el'
amigo
Friend; a person with whom one has a close relationship
ideal
Ideal; perfect, existing as a perfect standard or model
lo
Him, it; direct object pronoun for masculine nouns
comprendiera
Who might understand; imperfect subjunctive of comprender
plenamente
Fully, completely; in an entire and thorough manner
quien
Who; relative pronoun referring to a person
pudiera
Who could; imperfect subjunctive of poder, to be able
decirle
To tell him/her; infinitive of decir plus indirect object pronoun
imaginaba
He/she imagined; imperfect tense of imaginar, to imagine
haber
To have; auxiliary infinitive used in compound tenses
encontrado
Found; past participle of encontrar, to find or encounter
distintos
Different, distinct; various, not the same (masculine plural)
momentos
Moments; brief periods of time or significant instances
desde
Since, from; preposition indicating starting point in time or space
temprana
Early; occurring before the usual or expected time (feminine)
juventud
Youth; the period of being young, early life stage
Ahora
Now; at the present time or moment
bien
Well; in a good or satisfactory manner; also 'but' in 'ahora bien'
medida
Measure; extent, degree; 'a medida que' means 'as, the more'
camino
Road, path, way; a route or course of action
había
There was/were; imperfect of haber as auxiliary or existential
elegido
Chosen; past participle of elegir, to choose or select
se
Reflexive pronoun; used with reflexive or pronominal verbs
volvía
Was becoming; imperfect of volverse, to become or turn
cada
Each, every; referring to each individual member of a group
peligroso
Dangerous; involving or causing risk or harm
escarpado
Steep, rugged; having an abrupt or difficult incline
no
No, not; negation word in Spanish
encontró
He/she found; preterite of encontrar, to find or meet
nadie
Nobody, no one; no person whatsoever
seguirle
To follow him; infinitive of seguir plus direct object pronoun
ello
It; neuter pronoun referring to a concept or situation
creó
He/she created; preterite of crear, to create
un
A, an; indefinite article for masculine singular nouns
perfecto
Perfect; without flaw, complete, ideal in every way
bajo
Under, beneath; preposition indicating position below something
forma
Form, shape; the way something appears or is structured
majestuoso
Majestic; having impressive dignity or grandeur
filósofo
Philosopher; a person who studies fundamental nature of knowledge
convirtió
He/she converted; preterite of convertir, to transform or become
esta
This; demonstrative adjective for feminine singular nouns
creación
Creation; the act of making something new or the result
predicador
Preacher; one who delivers sermons or proclaims a doctrine
evangelio
Gospel; a message of good news, especially religious doctrine
ante
Before, in front of; preposition indicating presence or confrontation
mundo
World; the earth and all people and things upon it
Si
If; conjunction introducing a conditional clause
mi
My; first person singular possessive adjective
hermano
Brother; a male sibling or close associate
habría
Would have; conditional of haber used in compound conditionals
escrito
Written; past participle of escribir, to write
alguna
Some, any; an unspecified one of something (feminine singular)
Así
Thus, so, like this; in this manner or way
habló
Spoke; preterite of hablar, to speak or talk
según
According to; in accordance with a source or standard
primer
First; ordinal number before all others (masculine, before noun)
plan
Plan; a proposed course of action or scheme
esbozado
Sketched, outlined; roughly drafted or drawn (past participle)
verano
Summer; the warmest season of the year
tenido
Had; past participle of tener, to have
las
The; definite article for feminine plural nouns
ya
Already, now; indicating something has happened or emphasis
mencionadas
Mentioned; previously referred to or named (feminine plural)
ahora
Now; at this present moment in time
pregunta
Question; an inquiry or query seeking information
ociosa
Idle, pointless; unnecessary or unproductive (feminine singular)
pero
But; conjunction showing contrast between two ideas
respecta
Concerns, regards; third person of respectar, to concern
también
Also, too; in addition to what has been mentioned
podamos
We can; present subjunctive of poder, to be able to
decir
To say, tell; infinitive expressing verbal communication
con
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
Maestro
Master, teacher; a person of great skill or authority
La
The; definite article for feminine singular nouns
bestia
Beast; a wild or fierce animal, sometimes used metaphorically
veloz
Swift, fast; moving or capable of moving at high speed
para
For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose or destination
llevarte
To take you; infinitive of llevar with second person pronoun
perfección
Perfection; the state of being without flaw or deficiency
sufrimiento
Suffering; the experience of pain, distress, or hardship
Mi
My; first person singular possessive adjective
escribe
Writes; third person singular present of escribir, to write
siguiente
Following, next; coming immediately after in order
sobre
About, on, over; preposition indicating topic or position
origen
Origin; the beginning or source from which something comes
parte
Part; a portion or section of a larger whole
En
In, on, at; preposition indicating location or time
invierno
Winter; the coldest season of the year
vivía
He/she lived; imperfect of vivir, to live or reside
encantador
Charming, delightful; very pleasing or attractive
pequeño
Small, little; of less than average size or extent
golfo
Gulf; a large inlet of the sea into the land
lejos
Far, far away; at or to a great distance
entre
Between, among; preposition indicating position in the middle
cabo
Cape; a headland projecting into the sea
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