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Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None — Page 11

English → Fr Preface Level 9/10

During the month of August 1881 my brother resolved to reveal the teaching of the Eternal Recurrence, in dithyrambic and psalmodic form, through the mouth of Zarathustra.

Au cours du mois d'août 1881, mon frère résolut de révéler l'enseignement de l'Éternel Retour, sous forme dithyrambique et psalmodique, par la bouche de Zarathoustra.

Among the notes of this period, we found a page on which is written the first definite plan of "Thus Spake Zarathustra":—

Parmi les notes de cette période, nous avons trouvé une page sur laquelle est écrit le premier plan définitif d'« Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra » :—

"MIDDAY AND ETERNITY."

« MIDI ET ÉTERNITÉ. »

"GUIDE-POSTS TO A NEW WAY OF LIVING."

« JALONS VERS UNE NOUVELLE FAÇON DE VIVRE. »

Beneath this is written:—

En dessous est écrit :—

"Zarathustra born on lake Urmi; left his home in his thirtieth year, went into the province of Aria, and, during ten years of solitude in the mountains, composed the Zend-Avesta."

« Zarathoustra né sur le lac Ourmi ; quitta sa demeure en sa trentième année, se rendit dans la province d'Aria, et, durant dix ans de solitude dans les montagnes, composa l'Avesta. »

"The sun of knowledge stands once more at midday; and the serpent of eternity lies coiled in its light—: It is YOUR time, ye midday brethren."

« Le soleil de la connaissance se tient une fois encore au zénith ; et le serpent de l'éternité gît enroulé dans sa lumière— : C'est VOTRE heure, ô frères du midi. »

In that summer of 1881, my brother, after many years of steadily declining health, began at last to rally, and it is to this first gush of the recovery of his once splendid bodily condition that we owe not only "The Gay Science", which in its mood may be regarded as a prelude to "Zarathustra", but also "Zarathustra" itself.

Durant cet été de 1881, mon frère, après de nombreuses années de santé déclinant régulièrement, commença enfin à se rétablir, et c'est à ce premier élan du recouvrement de sa condition physique autrefois splendide que nous devons non seulement « Le Gai Savoir », qui par son atmosphère peut être considéré comme un prélude à « Zarathoustra », mais aussi « Zarathoustra » lui-même.

Just as he was beginning to recuperate his health, however, an unkind destiny brought him a number of most painful personal experiences.

Cependant, alors qu'il commençait à recouvrer la santé, un destin cruel lui apporta un certain nombre d'expériences personnelles des plus douloureuses.

Vocabulary

Au: Contraction of 'à le', meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
cours: Course, flow; 'au cours de' means 'during'.
du: Contraction of 'de le', meaning 'of the'.
mois: Month of the year.
d': Contraction of 'de' before a vowel, meaning 'of'.
août: The eighth month of the year, August.
mon: Possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
frère: A male sibling; brother.
résolut: Past tense of 'résoudre'; decided or resolved to do something.
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'to'.
révéler: To reveal or disclose something previously hidden.
l': Definite article 'le' or 'la' elided before a vowel.
enseignement: Teaching, instruction, or doctrine conveyed to others.
Éternel: Eternal, lasting forever without end.
Retour: Return; coming back to a previous state or place.
sous: Preposition meaning 'under' or 'in the form of'.
forme: Form, shape, or manner of expression.
et: Conjunction meaning 'and'.
par: Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'via'.
la: Feminine definite article meaning 'the'.
bouche: The mouth; opening used for speaking or eating.
Parmi: Preposition meaning 'among' or 'amongst'.
les: Plural definite article meaning 'the'.
notes: Written notes or annotations jotted down for reference.
cette: Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning 'this'.
période: A period or span of time.
nous: First-person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'.
avons: First-person plural of 'avoir'; we have.
trouvé: Past participle of 'trouver'; found or discovered.
une: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
page: A single side of a leaf in a book or document.
sur: Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'about'.
laquelle: Relative pronoun meaning 'on which' or 'which' (feminine).
est: Third-person singular of 'être'; is.
écrit: Past participle of 'écrire'; written down.
le: Masculine definite article meaning 'the'.
premier: Adjective meaning 'first' or 'foremost'.
plan: A plan, outline, or draft of a project.
définitif: Definitive, final, or conclusive in nature.
Ainsi: Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'.
parlait: Imperfect tense of 'parler'; was speaking or spoke.
MIDI: Noon; the middle of the day, twelve o'clock.
ET: Conjunction meaning 'and'.
ÉTERNITÉ: Eternity; infinite or unending time.
JALONS: Milestones or markers indicating progress along a path.
VERS: Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of'.
UNE: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
NOUVELLE: New, novel; something recently introduced or different.
FAÇON: Way, manner, or style of doing something.
DE: Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'.
VIVRE: Infinitive verb meaning 'to live'.
En: Preposition meaning 'in', 'on', or 'by'.
dessous: Underneath or below; beneath a surface or text.
né: Past participle of 'naître'; born at a particular place.
lac: A large inland body of still water; lake.
quitta: Simple past of 'quitter'; left or departed from a place.
sa: Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
demeure: Dwelling, home, or residence where someone lives.
en: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'by'.
trentième: Ordinal number meaning 'thirtieth'.
année: A full calendar year of twelve months.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', or 'oneself'.
rendit: Simple past of 'se rendre'; went or made one's way.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in', 'inside', or 'within'.
province: A region or administrative division of a country.
durant: Preposition meaning 'during' or 'throughout a period'.
dix: The number ten.
ans: Years; plural of 'an', a unit of time.
solitude: The state of being alone, isolated from others.
montagnes: Plural of 'montagne'; mountains or high elevated terrain.
composa: Simple past of 'composer'; composed or wrote a work.
Le: Masculine definite article meaning 'the'.
soleil: The sun, the star at the center of our solar system.
connaissance: Knowledge, understanding, or acquaintance with a subject.
tient: Third-person singular of 'tenir'; holds or stays in place.
fois: Time or instance; 'une fois' means 'once'.
encore: Again, still, or yet; continuing or repeating something.
au: Contraction of 'à le', meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
zénith: The highest point in the sky directly overhead; zenith.
serpent: A snake or serpent; a legless reptile.
éternité: Eternity; time without beginning or end.
enroulé: Coiled or wound around something in a spiral.
lumière: Light; radiant energy visible to the human eye.
C': Contraction of 'ce' before 'est'; meaning 'it is' or 'this is'.
VOTRE: Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (formal or plural).
heure: Hour; a unit of time or a specific moment.
ô: Exclamatory interjection 'O' used in solemn address.
frères: Plural of 'frère'; brothers or fellow members of a group.
midi: Noon; twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
Durant: Preposition meaning 'during' a specific period of time.
cet: Masculine demonstrative adjective before a vowel, meaning 'this'.
été: Summer, the warmest season of the year.
après: Preposition meaning 'after' or 'following'.
nombreuses: Numerous or many; a large quantity of something.
années: Plural of 'année'; years of time elapsed.
santé: Health; the general condition of one's body or mind.
déclinant: Declining, deteriorating, or gradually worsening over time.
régulièrement: Regularly, consistently, or at steady intervals.
commença: Simple past of 'commencer'; began or started something.
enfin: Finally, at last, after a long wait or effort.
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
rétablir: To restore or recover health or a previous condition.
c': Contraction of 'ce' before a vowel; 'it' or 'this'.
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'.
élan: Momentum, enthusiasm, or surge of energy and vitality.
recouvrement: Recovery or restoration of health or a previous state.
condition: Condition, state, or circumstances of a person or thing.
physique: Physical; relating to the body rather than the mind.
autrefois: Formerly, in the past, in earlier times.
splendide: Splendid, magnificent, or impressively beautiful and grand.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'than'.
devons: First-person plural of 'devoir'; we must or owe.
non: Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not'.
seulement: Only, merely, just; limiting to a single case.
Gai: Gay, cheerful, joyful; full of happiness and mirth.
Savoir: Knowledge; also infinitive meaning 'to know'.
qui: Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'.
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
atmosphère: Atmosphere; the prevailing mood or tone of a work.
peut: Third-person singular of 'pouvoir'; can or is able to.
être: Infinitive meaning 'to be'; fundamental verb of existence.
considéré: Past participle of 'considérer'; considered or regarded as something.
comme: Conjunction or preposition meaning 'as', 'like', or 'such as'.
un: Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
prélude: A prelude; an introductory piece or event foreshadowing something.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', introducing a contrast or exception.
aussi: Also, too, as well; in addition to something else.
lui: Third-person singular pronoun meaning 'him', 'her', or 'it'.
même: Same; also used as 'himself', 'itself' for emphasis.
Cependant: However, nevertheless, yet; introducing a contrasting statement.
alors: Then, at that time, or so; temporal or logical connector.
qu': Contraction of 'que' before a vowel, meaning 'that' or 'when'.
il: Third-person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'.
commençait: Imperfect of 'commencer'; was beginning or starting something.
recouvrer: To recover or regain something lost, such as health.
destin: Destiny or fate; the predetermined course of events.
cruel: Cruel, harsh, or causing suffering and pain to others.
apporta: Simple past of 'apporter'; brought or delivered something to someone.
certain: Certain, a certain; an unspecified but particular number.
nombre: Number or quantity of people or things.
expériences: Experiences; events lived through or experiments conducted.
personnelles: Personal; relating to or affecting a particular individual.
des: Plural indefinite article or contraction of 'de les'.
plus: More; to a greater extent or degree.
douloureuses: Painful, distressing, or causing emotional or physical hurt.

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