← Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None

Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None — Page 13

English → Fr Preface Level 9/10

My health was not very good; the winter was cold and exceptionally rainy; and the small inn in which I lived was so close to the water that at night my sleep would be disturbed if the sea were high.

Ma santé n'était pas très bonne ; l'hiver était froid et exceptionnellement pluvieux ; et la petite auberge dans laquelle je vivais était si proche de l'eau que la nuit mon sommeil était troublé lorsque la mer était agitée.

These circumstances were surely the very reverse of favourable; and yet in spite of it all, and as if in demonstration of my belief that everything decisive comes to life in spite of every obstacle, it was precisely during this winter and in the midst of these unfavourable circumstances that my 'Zarathustra' originated.

Ces circonstances étaient assurément tout le contraire de favorables ; et pourtant, malgré tout cela, et comme pour illustrer ma conviction que tout ce qui est décisif prend vie en dépit de tous les obstacles, c'est précisément pendant cet hiver et au milieu de ces circonstances défavorables que mon « Zarathoustra » vit le jour.

In the morning I used to start out in a southerly direction up the glorious road to Zoagli, which rises aloft through a forest of pines and gives one a view far out into the sea.

Le matin, je partais en direction du sud par la glorieuse route de Zoagli, qui s'élève à travers une forêt de pins et offre une vue plongeant au loin sur la mer.

In the afternoon, as often as my health permitted, I walked round the whole bay from Santa Margherita to beyond Porto Fino.

L'après-midi, aussi souvent que ma santé me le permettait, je faisais le tour de toute la baie depuis Santa Margherita jusqu'au-delà de Porto Fino.

This spot was all the more interesting to me, inasmuch as it was so dearly loved by the Emperor Frederick III.

Cet endroit m'était d'autant plus cher qu'il était si tendrement aimé par l'empereur Frédéric III.

In the autumn of 1886 I chanced to be there again when he was revisiting this small, forgotten world of happiness for the last time.

À l'automne de 1886, je me trouvai par hasard là-bas à nouveau alors qu'il visitait une dernière fois ce petit monde oublié du bonheur.

It was on these two roads that all 'Zarathustra' came to me, above all Zarathustra himself as a type;—I ought rather to say that it was on these walks that these ideas waylaid me.

C'est sur ces deux routes que tout « Zarathoustra » me vint, et surtout Zarathoustra lui-même en tant que type ; — je devrais plutôt dire que c'est au cours de ces promenades que ces idées me tendirent une embuscade.

Vocabulary

Ma
My (feminine singular possessive adjective).
santé
Health; physical or mental well-being.
était
Was; past tense of être (to be).
pas
Not; negative particle used with verbs.
très
Very; adverb indicating high degree or intensity.
bonne
Good; feminine form of bon (adjective).
hiver
Winter; coldest season of the year.
froid
Cold; low temperature or chilly weather.
et
And; conjunction connecting words or clauses.
exceptionnellement
Exceptionally; in an unusual or remarkable manner.
pluvieux
Rainy; characterized by much rain.
la
The; feminine singular definite article.
petite
Small; little (feminine form of petit).
auberge
Inn; small hotel or lodging establishment.
dans
In; inside or within a place.
laquelle
Which; relative pronoun referring to feminine noun.
je
I; first person singular subject pronoun.
vivais
Lived; past tense of vivre (to live).
si
So; such or to such a degree.
proche
Close; near or nearby in distance.
de
Of; preposition showing possession or relationship.
eau
Water; liquid essential for life.
que
That; relative or subordinating conjunction.
nuit
Night; period of darkness after sunset.
mon
My; masculine singular possessive adjective.
sommeil
Sleep; state of rest or unconsciousness.
troublé
Troubled; disturbed or disrupted.
lorsque
When; at the time that or as.
mer
Sea; large body of salt water.
agitée
Agitated; restless or turbulent.
Ces
These; plural demonstrative adjective.
circonstances
Circumstances; conditions or situations.
étaient
Were; past tense plural of être.
assurément
Assuredly; certainly or without doubt.
tout
All; everything or the whole.
le
The; masculine singular definite article.
contraire
Contrary; opposite or opposed.
favorables
Favorable; advantageous or beneficial.
pourtant
Yet; nevertheless or however.
malgré
Despite; in spite of or notwithstanding.
cela
That; this thing or matter.
comme
As; in the capacity of or like.
pour
For; in order to or indicating purpose.
illustrer
To illustrate; to make clear or exemplify.
conviction
Conviction; strong belief or firm persuasion.
ce
This or that; demonstrative pronoun.
qui
Who or which; relative pronoun.
est
Is; present tense of être (to be).
décisif
Decisive; conclusive or determining outcome.
prend
Takes; present tense of prendre (to take).
vie
Life; existence or living organisms.
en
In; preposition of location or manner.
dépit
Spite; malice or deliberate unkindness.
les
The; plural definite article.
obstacles
Obstacles; barriers or hindrances.
précisément
Precisely; exactly or with accuracy.
pendant
During; throughout the time of something.
cet
This or that; masculine demonstrative adjective.
au
To the or at the; contraction.
milieu
Middle; center or midst of something.
défavorables
Unfavorable; disadvantageous or hostile.
vit
Saw or lived; past tense of voir/vivre.
jour
Day; period of light or 24 hours.
Le
The; masculine singular definite article.
matin
Morning; early part of day.
partais
Left; past tense of partir (to leave).
direction
Direction; course toward a place.
sud
South; cardinal direction opposite of north.
par
By or through; preposition of agency.
glorieuse
Glorious; magnificent or illustrious.
route
Road or route; path for travel.
élève
Elevated or high; raised upward.
travers
Across; through or by way of.
une
A or an; feminine singular indefinite article.
← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →