May an English native speaker proofs this, please?
Only the English translation is mine.
No sólo hay necesidad de combatir la ignorancia, sino de afianzar la moral. Es lo que significa su frase tan simple y tan incomprendida: “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades”. Lo que pensaba Bolívar era que con “hombres virtuosos” todo lo demás nos sería dado por añadidura (. . . .) Los mejores hombres de su tiempo tuvieron noción precisa del mal moral que afectaba al país. El llamado a las virtudes es un treno de angustia que se repite con dolorosa insistencia a lo largo de nuestra historia (. . . .) Toro, González, Acosta abundan también en la condenación del daño moral (. . . .) Acosta es de los que piensa, ante aquel panorama, que es “el progreso moral el más importante de todos”.
There is not only necessity of combating ignorance, but also of consolidating morality. It is what means his so simple and misunderstood phrase: “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades.” Bolivar believed that with “virtuous men” everything else would be added unto us (. . . .) The best men of his time had an exact notion of the moral evil that affected the country. The call to virtues is a lamentation repeated with painful insistence down through our history (. . . .) Toro, González, and Acosta also abound in the condemnation of the moral damage (. . . .) Acosta is among those who think, in light of that scene, that “the moral progress is the most important of all.”
Although I prefer to leave the quotation in the original language (the audience knows Spanish), it could be translated “Moral and lights are our first needs/necessities.”
4 Answers
Hola Guigo. I had read this yesterday but there were a few translation issues that I was unsure of so I didn't answer. Since nobody else has helped yet I'll do my best:
There is not only the necessity to combat ignorance, but also to strengthen morality. This is the meaning of his simple yet misunderstood phrase: “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades.” Bolivar believed that with “virtuous men” everything else would ?be additionally given to us? (. . . .) The best men of his time had an exact notion of the moral evil that affected the country. The call to virtues is a lamentation repeated with painful insistence down through our history (. . . .) Toro, González, and Acosta also agreed with the condemnation of damage to morality (. . . .) Acosta is among those who think (thought?) ?in that background?, that “moral progress is the most important thing of all.”
The parts in the question marks I couldn't work out the exact sentiment sorry, so I have guessed. Also, if this is a scholarly work, I'd either leave both quotes in Spanish, or translate both, but that is just me. On that note I think the last translation you did give should be “Morality and intelligence are our first needs.”
Also, as an alternative opening (if the subject has not already been established) I'd probably go with:
It is not only necessary to combat ignorance, but also to strengthen morality. This is the meaning of Bolivar's simple yet misunderstood phrase: “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades.” He believed ...
Here's another that corrects only your grammar errors Guigo. It should help identify them more clearly:
There is not only the necessity of combating ignorance, but also of consolidating morality. This is what his so simple and misunderstood phrase means. Bolivar believed that with “virtuous men” everything else would be added unto us (. . . .) The best men of his time had an exact notion of the moral evil that affected the country. The call to virtues is a lamentation repeated with painful insistence down through our history (. . . .) Toro, González, and Acosta also abound ["abound" used directly with people means the people are abundant. The sentiment here could be that their words or their beliefs abound] in the condemnation of moral damage (. . . .) Acosta is among those who think, in light of that scene, that “moral progress is most important of all.”
Re formatting Guigo, there is a link for the Markdown codes Here. I'm pretty sure SD uses most if not all of these.
Here is my effort.
It is not only necessary to combat ingnorance, but to secure morality. That is what his so simple and misunderstood phrase means. Morals (morality) and light (clarity-transparency) are our primary needs. What Bolívar thought was that with “virtuous men” everything else would be for us a simple addition.
The best men of his time had the precise notion of the poor morals (morality) that affected the country. What was called virtue is a circle of anguish that repeats itself with painful insistence throughout our history (-------) Toro, González,and Acosta also abound in the condemnation of the moral damage. Acosta is one of those who thinks-against that panorama that “moral progress” is the most important of all.
I know I'm late to this party, but if you don't mind, I'd like to suggest a few things. Jellonz did a great job of changing literal translations into more natural sounding English phrasing. If I put anything different to Jellonz, it is not because I think he is wrong, but just another alternative to consider.
It is not only necessary (I think it sounds a little better) to combat ignorance, but also to reinforce morality. This is the meaning of his simple yet misunderstood phrase: “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades.” Bolivar believed that through “virtuous men” everything else would be given to us as well (. . . .) The best men of his time had a precise sense of the immoralty that was affecting the country. The call to virtuosity is a mournful song repeated with painful persistence down through our history (. . . .) Toro, González, and Acosta also expound on the condemnation of decline of morality (. . . .) Acosta is among those who think, faced with this outlook, that “the advancement of morality" is the most important challenge of all.”
As for the quoted part, “Moral y luces son nuestras primeras necesidades,” I would translate "luces" as "enlightenment."
Just a few suggestions.
Hi.
I generally agree with jellonz.
It might be a difference between New Zealand and United States English, or just stylistic preference, but for me, this sounds fine... even preferable to the change that jellonz made:
There is not only the necessity of combating ignorance, but
also of strengthening morality.
I like the sound of this, and think that it's faithful to the original Spanish:
What Bolivar thought was that with “virtuous men” all the rest would
be given to us in addition.
Lament, not lamentation.
You prefer to leave one quotation in Spanish; how about the other?
Acosta is among those who think, against that backdrop, that
“el progreso moral el más importante de todos.”
Of course, the bottom line is that I have no right to be trying to translate the Spanish!
