German composition

Section 122. THE STATE OF IRELAND. II.

Reading edition

Let us act in this spirit, and our work is⁠[1] easy. The noble lord (S. 5, N. 2), towards⁠[2] the conclusion of his speech, spoke of the cloud which is at present hanging⁠[3] over Ireland. It is a dark and heavy cloud, and its darkness expands⁠[4] over the feelings of men in all parts of the British Empire. But⁠[5] there is a consolation that we may all take to ourselves. An inspired king, bard, and prophet has left⁠[6] us words which⁠[7] are not only the expression of a fact, but we may take them as the utterance of a prophecy. He says: “To⁠[8] the upright there arises light in the darkness.”

Let us try in this matter to be upright⁠[9]. Let us try to be just, and that cloud will⁠[10] be dispelled; the dangers which we see will vanish; and we⁠[11] may have the happiness of leaving⁠[6] (S. 1, N. 3) to our children the heritage of an honourable citizenship in a united and prosperous⁠[12] empire.—The Right Hon. John Bright.

Notes in this chapter

Note 3 · to finish, beendigen. The Supine is generally used for rendering the English Gerund (i.e. the verbal in -ing) when the latter is governed by Note 2 · after all ... but, doch immer nur; a — thing, etwas Relatives.Note 1 · is easy = will be easy for us (Dat. of persn. pron.).Note 2 · an, contr. with the dat. of the def. art.Note 3 · schweben.Note 4 · sich erstre´cken.Note 5 · Say ‘But one consolation we can all gather from it’. To gather, entnehmen; from, aus. Read S. 4, N. 5, B.Note 6 · hinterlassen, insep. comp. str. v.Note 7 · Say ‘which not merely designate (bezeichnen) a fact (S. 115, N. 2), but (S. 6, N. 10) which we may (= can) also take (hin´nehmen) as a proph Note 8 · “Für den Gerechten erhebt sich ein Licht in der Finsternis”.Note 9 · I think there is but the adj. ‘gerecht’ to render both ‘upright’ and ‘just’ in the underlying sense.Note 10 · wird sich verteilen.Note 11 · we may have = we shall perhaps have; happiness = joy.Note 12 · prosperous, glücklich; empire = state.