Meine lieben Studenten!
Ich bin sehr beschaeftigt und erschoepft gewesen.
I am very busied and exhausted been.
I have been very busy and exhausted.
Die AAT-Arbeit ist eine Anstrengung.
The AAT-work is an exertion.
Vielen Dank an Ned Brockwell und Eric Stefanski
Much Gratitude to Ned Brockwell and Eric Stefanski
fuer diese Worte Dr. Luthers am Reichstag zu Worms
for these words of Dr. Luther at the Diet at Worms
im Jahre 1521
in the year 1521,
und fuer den Vorschlag,
and for the suggestion,
dass ich seine teure Worte erklaeren.
that I his precious words explain.
That I explain his precious words.
[Ich wuenchse Ihnen allen] ein gesegnetes Reformationsfest!
[I wish to you all] a blessed Reformation festival!
"Wenn ich nicht durch Zeugnisse der Schrift
If I not through testimonies of the Scripture
If I am not convinced through testimonies of Scripture
Note: meaning same as "Unless I am convinced . . ."
und klare Vernunftgründe ueberzeugt werde;
and clear rational grounds convinced be[come],
and clear grounds of reason,
denn weder dem Papst noch den Konzilien allein glaube ich,
then neither the Pope nor the councils alone believe I.
then I believe neither the Pope nor the Councils alone,
da es feststeht, dass sie oefter geirrt
since it stands first that they often erred
Since it is firm that they have often erred
und sich selbst widersprochen haben,
and themselves contradicted have,
and contradicted themselves.
so bin ich durch die Stellen der heiligen Schrift,
so am I through the passages of the holy Scripture,
Then I am conquered by the passes of Holy Scriptures
die ich angefuehrt habe,
which I cited have,
which I have cited,
ueberwunden in meinem Gewissen
overcome/conquered in my conscience
[above]
und gefangen in dem Worte Gottes.
and captured in the Word of God.
and captive to the Word of God.
Daher kann und will ich nichts widerrufen,
Therefore can and will I nothing recall [recant],
Therefore I am able and willing to recant nothing,
weil wider das Gewissen etwas zu tun
because against the conscience something to do
because to do something contrary to conscience
weder sicher noch heilsam ist.
neither secure nor wholesome is.
Is neither safe nor beneficial.
Gott helfe mir, Amen!"
God help me, Amen!
May God help me, Amen!
Note: Some accounts, but apparently not the oldest ones, end:
Hie stehe ich; ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen."
Here stand I; I cannot [do] otherwise. God help me. Amen."
Naehere Erklaerung:
More detailed [literally: closer] explanation:
Wenn -- Wenn means "if" in most cases; it means "when" [cognate] only when the context dictates -- and only with the present tense.
das Zeugnis [plural: Zeugnisse] testimony.
die Schrift -- from schreiben -- Scripture.
Note: the verb "schreiben" and the derived noun "die Schrift" come from the Latin "scribo." The original Germanic writing was done by tearing into beech bark -- tear is "reissen" whence we get both "rip" and "write." Beech is "die Buche" whence we get "das Buch" and "book."
klar -- clear -- cognates.
Vernunftgründe -- compound word.
die Vernunft -- reason in the sense of rationality, the ability to reason.
der Grund (plural: die Gruende) -- ground -- cognates -- figuratively a reason (ground, basis) to believe or do something.
ueberzeugt -- past participle of ueberzeugen -- over-testify, that is, to convince someone of something. Related to das Zeugnis
werde -- be[come] -- first person singular present indicative of werden, which means "to become" but is used for the passive voice -- as here.
denn -- for -- coordinating conjunction, verb NOT at end.
weder . . . noch -- neither . . . nor
der Papst -- Pope, "dem" indicates dative case, which is used for the object of the verb "glauben" "believe."
das Konzil -- council -- den Konzilien -- dative plural.
allein -- alone, cognate.
glauben -- believe -- cognates (yes!) -- glaube ich, first person singular present indicative.
da -- since, subordinating conjunction -- verb at end of clause. This word also means "there" when used as an adverb.
feststehen -- stand firm.
"stehen" is cognate to "stand" -- also to Latin "sto, stare," and to Greek: "istemi."
"fest" is cognate to "fast" in the sense of "firm."
dass -- that -- subordinating conjunction -- verb at end (haben).
sie -- they
oefter or: oefters -- often -- cognates -- adverb.
geirrt -- past participle of irren, to err. -- Both from Latin.
sich selbst -- themselves. Sich is the reflexive pronoun for ALL third person uses -- plural and singular, masculine, feminine, neuter.
"Selbst" is cognate to "self" -- used without change for "selves."
widersprochen -- past participle of "widersprechen" -- meaning "to contradict -- literally: "contrary-speak."
haben -- have -- third person plural present indicative -- used as the helping verb for the perfect tense (they have erred and contradicted themselves).
so -- so -- cognates -- meaning here more like: then
bin ich -- I am
durch -- through -- cognates -- preposition taking the accusative case.
die Stelle -- the place -- plural: die Stellen -- place or passages in Scripture.
die heilige Schrift -- the holy Scripture -- heilig is holy.
der heiligen Schrift -- genitive; "of"
die ich angeführt habe, relative clause, verb at end.
die -- definite article used as relative pronoun -- "which"
angefuehrt -- past participle of "anfuehren" -- "in/on-lead" -- used for quoting or citing something. One could be fancy and translate it as "adduce," which would replicate the etymology from Latin.
ueberwunden -- past participle of ueberwinden -- overcome, conquer.
in meinem Gewissen
in my conscience
das Gewissen -- conscience.
gefangen -- past participle of "fangen," "catch," "capture."
in dem Worte Gottes.
in the Word of God. The "e" is added to dative singular in archaic German -- sometimes in modern German if you want to be elegant.
Daher -- therefore -- adverb, not conjunction.
kann -- can -- cognates -- koennen is the verb; kann is first person singular present indicative.
will -- be willing, want -- cognates -- but NOT future! Indicates one's will, not future time. Wollen is the verb; will is first person singular present indicative.
nichts -- nothing -- "s" added to "nicht," "not."
widerrufen -- recant --
wider -- against, contrary -- as in widersprechen above.
rufen -- to call, but NOT to recall -- rather more like "taking something back," so here it is "to recant."
weil -- because -- subordinating conjunction -- verb at end -- "ist."
wider das Gewissen
against the conscience (wider is preposition taking the accusative case).
etwas zu tun
something to do -- that is, to do something. zu and tun are cognates: "to" and "do"
weder . . . noch neither . . . nor
sicher -- safe, secure.
heilsam -- cognate to "wholesome" -- helpful, beneficial, salutary.
Hie or hier -- here -- cognates, adverb.
stehe ich; I stand -- first person singular present indicative of stehen.
ich kann nicht anders.
anders -- "s" added to "ander" -- "other" -- cognates. Adverb meaning: "otherwise." The verb "tun" is omitted as understood.
Gott helfe mir, Amen!"
helfen -- help -- cognates -- helfe is third person singular present SUBJUNCTIVE -- indicating a wish or, here, a prayer: May God help me.
Nochmals: Ein gesegnetes Reformationsfest!
Again: A blessed Reformation Festival!
Christo befohlen!
John M. "Herr Professor Pastor Doktor" Drueckhammer, Lakeview, Oregon
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