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!  

No comments:

Post a Comment