der Sinn: sense (mind, meaning, purport, significance)
begabt: capable, able, gifted (talented, apt)
das Genie: genius (whiz, wizard)
einverleiben: to incorporate, to assimilate
der Zugang: access right to entry (approach, admission, entry, receipt)
offenstehen: to be open (to remain unpaid)
die Weisheit: wisdom (saw, sapience)
verbünden: to ally (to confederate)
Über sich selber lachen, wie man lachen müßte, um aus der ganzen Wahrheit heraus zu lachen, dazu hatten bisher die Besten nicht genug Wahrheitssinn und die Begabtesten viel zu weing Genie! Es gibt vielleicht auch für das Lachen noch eine Zukunft! Dann, wenn der Satz "die Art ist alles, einer ist immer keiner"--sich der Menschheit einverleibt hat und jedem jederzeit der Zugang zu dieser letzten Befreiung und Unverantwortlichkeit offensteht. Vielleicht wird sich dann das Lachen mit der Weisheit verbündet haben, viellecht gibt es dann nur noch "fröhliche Wissenschaft."
To laugh at oneself as one would have to laugh in order to laugh out of the whole truth--to do that even the best so far lacked sufficient sense for the truth, and the most gifted had too little genius for that. Even laughter may yet have a future. I mean, when the proposition "the species is everything, one is always none" has become part of humanity, and this ultimate liberation and irresponsibility has become accessible to all at all times. Perhaps laughter will then have formed an alliance with wisdom, perhaps only "gay science" will then be left.
To laugh at oneself as one would have to laugh in order to laugh from the whole truth--for that, not even the best have had enough sense of truth, and the most gifted have had far too little genius! Perhaps even laughter still has a future--when the proposition 'the species is everything, an individual is always nothing' has become part of humanity and this ultimate liberation and irresponsibility is accessible to everyone at all times. Perhaps laughter will then have formed an alliance with wisdom; perhaps only 'gay science' will remain.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
1 (c)
der Mitmensch: fellow being, fellow human, fellow man
überhaupt: anyway (generally, absolutely, altogether, ever)
zuungunsten: to the detriment of..., to the disadvantage of...
unvernünftig: unreasonable, illogical (irrational, unsound, brainless)
ausgestorben: extinct (dead, obsolete)
die Begierde: desire, lust (eagerness, avidity, concupiscence)
zugrunde gehen: to decay, to perish
irgendwie: anyway (somehow, kinda)
der Förderer: booster, sponsor, promoter, patron
der Wohltäter: benefactor, philanthropist
der Lobredner: blazoner, eulogist, panegyrist
daraufhin: subsequently (consequently, thereupon)
ebenso: likewise, equally (alike, also, as, similary)
der Spötter: mocker, derider, sneerer, taunter
verspotten: to ridicule, to mock (to taunt, lampoon, ride, deride)
grenzenlos: immeasurable, unlimited (infinite, boundless)
die Armseligkeit: misery, wretchedness (beggariness, meagerness)
genügend: sufficient, ample (enough, satisfactory)
vertragen: to stand, to stomach, to tolerate
Ich weiß nicht mehr, ob du, mein lieber Mitmensch und Nächster, überhaupt zuungunsten der Art, also "unvernünftig" und "schlecht" leben kannst; das, was der Art hätte schaden können, ist vielleicht seit vielen Jahrtausenden schon ausgestorben und gehört jetzt zu den Dingen, die selbst bei Gott nicht mehr möglich sind. Hänge deinen besten oder deinen schlechtesten Begierden nach und vor allem: geh zugrunde!--in beidem bist du wahrscheinlich immer noch irgendwie der Förderer und Wohltäter der Menschheit und darfst dir daraufhin deine Lobredner halten--und ebenso deine Spötter! Aber du wirst nie den finden, der dich, den einzelnen, auch in deinem Besten ganz zu verspotten verstünde, der deine grenzenlose Fliegen- und Frosch-Armseligkeit dir so genügend, wie es sich mit der Wahrheit vertrüge, zu Gemüte fuhren könnte!
I no longer know whether you, my dear fellow man and neighbor, are at all capable of living in a way that would damage the species; in other words, "unreasonably" and "badly." What might have harmed the species may have become extinct many thousands of years ago and may by now be one of those things that are not possible even for God. Pursue your best or your worst desires, and above all perish! In both cases you are probably still in some way a promoter and benefactor of humanity and therefore entitled to your eulogists--but also to your detractors. But you will never find anyone who could wholly mock you as an individual, also in your best qualities, bringing home to you to the limits of truth your boundless, flylike, froglike wretchedness!
I no longer know whether you, my dear fellow man an neighbour, are even capable of living in a way which is damaging to the species, i.e. 'unreasonably' and 'badly'. What might have harmed the species may have become extinct many thousands of years ago and may by now belong to the things that are no longer possible even for God. Pursue your best or your worst desires, and above all, perish! In both cases you are probably still in some way a promoter and benefactor of humanity and are thus entitled to your eulogists -- as well as to your mockers! But you will never find someone who could completely mock you, the individual, even in your best qualities, someone who could bring home to you as far as truth allows your boundless, fly- and frog-like wretchedness!
überhaupt: anyway (generally, absolutely, altogether, ever)
zuungunsten: to the detriment of..., to the disadvantage of...
unvernünftig: unreasonable, illogical (irrational, unsound, brainless)
ausgestorben: extinct (dead, obsolete)
die Begierde: desire, lust (eagerness, avidity, concupiscence)
zugrunde gehen: to decay, to perish
irgendwie: anyway (somehow, kinda)
der Förderer: booster, sponsor, promoter, patron
der Wohltäter: benefactor, philanthropist
der Lobredner: blazoner, eulogist, panegyrist
daraufhin: subsequently (consequently, thereupon)
ebenso: likewise, equally (alike, also, as, similary)
der Spötter: mocker, derider, sneerer, taunter
verspotten: to ridicule, to mock (to taunt, lampoon, ride, deride)
grenzenlos: immeasurable, unlimited (infinite, boundless)
die Armseligkeit: misery, wretchedness (beggariness, meagerness)
genügend: sufficient, ample (enough, satisfactory)
vertragen: to stand, to stomach, to tolerate
Ich weiß nicht mehr, ob du, mein lieber Mitmensch und Nächster, überhaupt zuungunsten der Art, also "unvernünftig" und "schlecht" leben kannst; das, was der Art hätte schaden können, ist vielleicht seit vielen Jahrtausenden schon ausgestorben und gehört jetzt zu den Dingen, die selbst bei Gott nicht mehr möglich sind. Hänge deinen besten oder deinen schlechtesten Begierden nach und vor allem: geh zugrunde!--in beidem bist du wahrscheinlich immer noch irgendwie der Förderer und Wohltäter der Menschheit und darfst dir daraufhin deine Lobredner halten--und ebenso deine Spötter! Aber du wirst nie den finden, der dich, den einzelnen, auch in deinem Besten ganz zu verspotten verstünde, der deine grenzenlose Fliegen- und Frosch-Armseligkeit dir so genügend, wie es sich mit der Wahrheit vertrüge, zu Gemüte fuhren könnte!
I no longer know whether you, my dear fellow man and neighbor, are at all capable of living in a way that would damage the species; in other words, "unreasonably" and "badly." What might have harmed the species may have become extinct many thousands of years ago and may by now be one of those things that are not possible even for God. Pursue your best or your worst desires, and above all perish! In both cases you are probably still in some way a promoter and benefactor of humanity and therefore entitled to your eulogists--but also to your detractors. But you will never find anyone who could wholly mock you as an individual, also in your best qualities, bringing home to you to the limits of truth your boundless, flylike, froglike wretchedness!
I no longer know whether you, my dear fellow man an neighbour, are even capable of living in a way which is damaging to the species, i.e. 'unreasonably' and 'badly'. What might have harmed the species may have become extinct many thousands of years ago and may by now belong to the things that are no longer possible even for God. Pursue your best or your worst desires, and above all, perish! In both cases you are probably still in some way a promoter and benefactor of humanity and are thus entitled to your eulogists -- as well as to your mockers! But you will never find someone who could completely mock you, the individual, even in your best qualities, someone who could bring home to you as far as truth allows your boundless, fly- and frog-like wretchedness!
1 (b)
aller-: very (single most)
nützlich: useful (handy, valuable, utilitarian, advantageous)
die Hinsicht: regard (respect)
sich unterhalten: to chat, to chatter, to converse, to confer
die Wirkung: impact, effect, virture (appeal, force, consequence)
der Trieb: urge, instinct, desire (shoot, sprout, drive (psych))
längst: long since, long ago
der Raub: robbery (heist, rape, deprivation, predation)
die Herrschsucht: imperiousness (bossiness, domineering nature)
nennen: to mention, to name, to call (to dub, to state)
erstaunlich: amazing, astonishing (marvelous, admirable, astounding)
die Arterhaltung: conservation (or preservation) of the species
freilich: "True,...",certainly, admittedly (however, of course)
kostspielig: costly, expensive (pricey, sumptuous)
verschwenderisch: lavish, wasteful (profligate, luxurious, prodigal)
töricht: foolish, silly, fatuous (asinine)
bewiesenermaßen: to prove (s.t) *not in dict.cc, but other online sources point to this and er- rather than be- prefix is translated on dict to be "prove or evidentially"
das Geschlecht: gender (sex, house, species, race)
bisher: yet (hitherto, heretofore)
erhalten: to obtain, to receive, to maintain (to get, preserve, retain, gain)
Auch der schädlichste Mensch ist vielleicht immer noch der allernützlichste, in Hinsicht auf die Erhaltung der Art; denn er unterhält bei sich oder, durch seine Wirkung, bei andern Triebe, ohne welche die Menschheit längst erschlafft oder verfault wäre. Der Haß, die Schadenfreude, die Raub- und Herrschsucht und was alles sonst böse gennant wird: es gehört zu der erstaunlichen Ökonomie der Arterhaltung, freilich zu einer kostspieligen, verschwenderischen und im ganzen höchst törichten Ökonomie--welche aber bewiesenermaßen unser Geschlecht bisher erhalten hat.
Even the most harmful man may really be the most useful when it comes to the preservation of the species; for he nurtures either in himself or in others, through his effects, instincts without which humanity would long have become feeble or rotten. Hatred, the mischievous delight in the misfortunes of others, the lust to rob and dominate, and whatever else is called evil belongs to the most amazing economy of the preservation of the species. To be sure, this economy is not afraid of high prices, of squandering, and it is on the whole extremely foolish. Still it is proven that it has preserved our race so far.
Even the most harmful person may actually be the most useful when it comes to the preservation of the species; for he nurtures in himself or through his effects on others drives without which humanity would long since have become feeble or rotten. Hatred, delight in the misfortunes of others, the lust to rob and rule, and whatever else is called evil: all belong to the amazing economy of the preservation of the species, an economy which is certainly costly, wasteful, and on the whole most foolish--but still proven to have preserved our race so far.
nützlich: useful (handy, valuable, utilitarian, advantageous)
die Hinsicht: regard (respect)
sich unterhalten: to chat, to chatter, to converse, to confer
die Wirkung: impact, effect, virture (appeal, force, consequence)
der Trieb: urge, instinct, desire (shoot, sprout, drive (psych))
längst: long since, long ago
erschlaffen: to slacken (to go limp)
verfaulen: to rot (to decay, to fester)der Raub: robbery (heist, rape, deprivation, predation)
die Herrschsucht: imperiousness (bossiness, domineering nature)
nennen: to mention, to name, to call (to dub, to state)
erstaunlich: amazing, astonishing (marvelous, admirable, astounding)
die Arterhaltung: conservation (or preservation) of the species
freilich: "True,...",certainly, admittedly (however, of course)
kostspielig: costly, expensive (pricey, sumptuous)
verschwenderisch: lavish, wasteful (profligate, luxurious, prodigal)
töricht: foolish, silly, fatuous (asinine)
bewiesenermaßen: to prove (s.t) *not in dict.cc, but other online sources point to this and er- rather than be- prefix is translated on dict to be "prove or evidentially"
das Geschlecht: gender (sex, house, species, race)
bisher: yet (hitherto, heretofore)
erhalten: to obtain, to receive, to maintain (to get, preserve, retain, gain)
Auch der schädlichste Mensch ist vielleicht immer noch der allernützlichste, in Hinsicht auf die Erhaltung der Art; denn er unterhält bei sich oder, durch seine Wirkung, bei andern Triebe, ohne welche die Menschheit längst erschlafft oder verfault wäre. Der Haß, die Schadenfreude, die Raub- und Herrschsucht und was alles sonst böse gennant wird: es gehört zu der erstaunlichen Ökonomie der Arterhaltung, freilich zu einer kostspieligen, verschwenderischen und im ganzen höchst törichten Ökonomie--welche aber bewiesenermaßen unser Geschlecht bisher erhalten hat.
Even the most harmful man may really be the most useful when it comes to the preservation of the species; for he nurtures either in himself or in others, through his effects, instincts without which humanity would long have become feeble or rotten. Hatred, the mischievous delight in the misfortunes of others, the lust to rob and dominate, and whatever else is called evil belongs to the most amazing economy of the preservation of the species. To be sure, this economy is not afraid of high prices, of squandering, and it is on the whole extremely foolish. Still it is proven that it has preserved our race so far.
Even the most harmful person may actually be the most useful when it comes to the preservation of the species; for he nurtures in himself or through his effects on others drives without which humanity would long since have become feeble or rotten. Hatred, delight in the misfortunes of others, the lust to rob and rule, and whatever else is called evil: all belong to the amazing economy of the preservation of the species, an economy which is certainly costly, wasteful, and on the whole most foolish--but still proven to have preserved our race so far.
Friday, February 14, 2014
1 (a)
das Dasein: entity, being (entities, existence, subsistence)
das Wesen: entity, essence (being, character, nature, substance, beings, kernel)
pflegen: to maintain, to foster, to tend, to treasure (to attend, cherish, care, nurse)
die Abrechnung: deduction (settlement, account)
böse: vicious (wicked, evil)
frommen: to be of use to (s.b.)
säuberlich: neat (neatly, cleanly)
die Erhaltung: conservation (preservation, maintenance)
der Schritt: pace (step, stride)
das Ganze: ensemble, entirety, totality, the whole thing
mißtrauisch: warily, leery (askance, wary, distrustful, mistrustful)
auseinander: apart (asunder)
zwar: indeed (admittedly)
eben: even (smooth, level, just)
die Herde: flock, herd (drove, fold, stoves)
schädlich: harmful, detrimental (noxious, pernicious, mischievous, deleterious)
üblich: common, usual (customary, conventional)
der Nächste: neighbor
die Zwecke: purposes
unerbittlich: relentless, unrelenting (adamant, inexorable, merciless, implacable)
insonderheit: in particular (particularly)
der Blick: glimpse, sight (look, glance)
die Aufgabe: task, assignment (purpose, exercise)
menschlich: human (kind, humane, manlike, humanly)
unüberwindlich: impregnable (insurmountable)
die Gattung: type, species (genre, genus, kind)
Die Lehrer vom Zwecke des Daseins. -- Ich mag nun mit gutem oder bösem Blick auf die Menschen sehen, ich finde sie immer bei einer Aufgabe, alle und jeden einzelnen insonderheit: das zu tun, was der Erhaltung der menschlichen Gattung frommt. Und zwar wahrlich nicht aus einem Gefühl der Liebe für diese Gattung, sondern einfach, weil nichts in ihnen älter, stärker, unerbittlicher, unüberwindlicher ist als jener Instinkt--weil dieser Instinkt eben das Wesen unserer Art und Herde ist. Ob man schon schnell genug mit der üblichen Kurzsichtigkeit auf fünf Schritt hin seine Nächsten säuberlich in nützliche und schädliche, gute und böse Menschen auseinanderzutun pflegt, bei einer Abrechnung im großen, bei einem längeren Nachdenken über das Ganze wird man gegen dieses Säubern und Auseinandertun mißtrauisch und läßt es endlich sein.
The teachers of the purpose of existence --Whether I contemplate men with benevolence or with an evil eye, I always find them concerned with a single task, all of them and every one of them in particular: to do what is good for the preservation of the human race. Not from any feeling of love for the race, but merely because nothing in them is older, stronger, more inexorable and unconquerable than this instinct--because this instinct constitutes the essence of our species, our herd. It is easy enough to divide our neighbors quickly, with the usual myopia, from a mere five paces away, into useful and harmful, good and evil men; but in any large-scale accounting, when we reflect on the whole a little longer, we become suspicious of this neat division and finally abandon it.
The teachers of the purpose of existence -- Whether I regard human beings with a good or with an evil eye, I always find them engaged in a single task, each and every one of them: to do what benefits the preservation of the human race. Not from a feeling of love for the race, but simply because within them nothing is older, stronger, more inexorable and invincible than this instinct--because this instinct constitutes the essence of our species and herd. One might quickly enough, with the usual myopia from five steps away, divide one's neighbours into useful and harmful, good and evil; but on a large-scale assessment, upon further reflection on the whole, one grows suspicious of this tidying and separating and finally abandons it.
das Wesen: entity, essence (being, character, nature, substance, beings, kernel)
pflegen: to maintain, to foster, to tend, to treasure (to attend, cherish, care, nurse)
die Abrechnung: deduction (settlement, account)
böse: vicious (wicked, evil)
frommen: to be of use to (s.b.)
säuberlich: neat (neatly, cleanly)
die Erhaltung: conservation (preservation, maintenance)
der Schritt: pace (step, stride)
das Ganze: ensemble, entirety, totality, the whole thing
mißtrauisch: warily, leery (askance, wary, distrustful, mistrustful)
auseinander: apart (asunder)
zwar: indeed (admittedly)
eben: even (smooth, level, just)
die Herde: flock, herd (drove, fold, stoves)
schädlich: harmful, detrimental (noxious, pernicious, mischievous, deleterious)
üblich: common, usual (customary, conventional)
der Nächste: neighbor
die Zwecke: purposes
unerbittlich: relentless, unrelenting (adamant, inexorable, merciless, implacable)
insonderheit: in particular (particularly)
der Blick: glimpse, sight (look, glance)
die Aufgabe: task, assignment (purpose, exercise)
menschlich: human (kind, humane, manlike, humanly)
unüberwindlich: impregnable (insurmountable)
die Gattung: type, species (genre, genus, kind)
Die Lehrer vom Zwecke des Daseins. -- Ich mag nun mit gutem oder bösem Blick auf die Menschen sehen, ich finde sie immer bei einer Aufgabe, alle und jeden einzelnen insonderheit: das zu tun, was der Erhaltung der menschlichen Gattung frommt. Und zwar wahrlich nicht aus einem Gefühl der Liebe für diese Gattung, sondern einfach, weil nichts in ihnen älter, stärker, unerbittlicher, unüberwindlicher ist als jener Instinkt--weil dieser Instinkt eben das Wesen unserer Art und Herde ist. Ob man schon schnell genug mit der üblichen Kurzsichtigkeit auf fünf Schritt hin seine Nächsten säuberlich in nützliche und schädliche, gute und böse Menschen auseinanderzutun pflegt, bei einer Abrechnung im großen, bei einem längeren Nachdenken über das Ganze wird man gegen dieses Säubern und Auseinandertun mißtrauisch und läßt es endlich sein.
The teachers of the purpose of existence --Whether I contemplate men with benevolence or with an evil eye, I always find them concerned with a single task, all of them and every one of them in particular: to do what is good for the preservation of the human race. Not from any feeling of love for the race, but merely because nothing in them is older, stronger, more inexorable and unconquerable than this instinct--because this instinct constitutes the essence of our species, our herd. It is easy enough to divide our neighbors quickly, with the usual myopia, from a mere five paces away, into useful and harmful, good and evil men; but in any large-scale accounting, when we reflect on the whole a little longer, we become suspicious of this neat division and finally abandon it.
The teachers of the purpose of existence -- Whether I regard human beings with a good or with an evil eye, I always find them engaged in a single task, each and every one of them: to do what benefits the preservation of the human race. Not from a feeling of love for the race, but simply because within them nothing is older, stronger, more inexorable and invincible than this instinct--because this instinct constitutes the essence of our species and herd. One might quickly enough, with the usual myopia from five steps away, divide one's neighbours into useful and harmful, good and evil; but on a large-scale assessment, upon further reflection on the whole, one grows suspicious of this tidying and separating and finally abandons it.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
About this blog
I hope this blog will in someway aid in the understanding and scholarship of The Gay Science. Personally, it fulfills two important goals: improve my knowledge of the German language and translation abilities and improve my understanding of Nietzsche's philosophy.
Each blog post will tackle around 3 sentences. The first part of each blog post are going to be vocabulary words that I struggled with when trying to read the German. I will put the most commonly used english translations next to them with some lesser used translations in parentheses. dict.cc has numbers showing how often each translation is used or approriate. Of course, that does not mean that the higher the number the more likely it is that this is the meaning Nietzsche intended--but, if nothing else, it helps me understand some of the connotations of the word and a little bit more how it is used in contemporary German.
The full, original, German version of the text is available online here. I am using a hardcover print copy of the German my girlfriend bought me while in Germany.
Each blog post will tackle around 3 sentences. The first part of each blog post are going to be vocabulary words that I struggled with when trying to read the German. I will put the most commonly used english translations next to them with some lesser used translations in parentheses. dict.cc has numbers showing how often each translation is used or approriate. Of course, that does not mean that the higher the number the more likely it is that this is the meaning Nietzsche intended--but, if nothing else, it helps me understand some of the connotations of the word and a little bit more how it is used in contemporary German.
The second part (in blue) is the original German text I typed out from my hard copy.
The third part will be Walter Kaufmann's translation.
The fourth part will be Josefine Nauckhoff's translation.
If I have comments to make regarding interpretation of the section, translation choices, or other scholarship done on the section I will put those as comments in the comment section and highly encourage others to do the same!
My ultimate dream come true would be for this to be a collaborative place that becomes the definite online place for Gay Science scholarship. But I am realistic and will consider it a success to the extent I meet my personal goals.
I would love to inspire someone to do the same sort of thing for other works and would gladly link to them!
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