Récit de la vie de Frederick Douglass

Predgovor

Preface

U mjesecu kolovozu

In the month of August,

1841.

1841,

prisustvovao sam proturobovlasničkoj skupštini u Nantucketu,

I attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket,

na kojoj sam imao sreću upoznati

at which it was my happiness to become acquainted with

Fredericka Douglassa,

Frederick Douglass,

pisca sljedećega Životopisa.

the writer of the following Narrative.

Bio je stranac gotovo svakom članu tog tijela;

He was a stranger to nearly every member of that body;

no,

but,

budući da je nedavno umaknuo iz južnjačke tamnice ropstva,

having recently made his escape from the southern prison-house of bondage,

i osjećajući kako mu je pobuđena znatiželja da razabere načela i djelovanje abolicionista —

and feeling his curiosity excited to ascertain the principles and measures of the abolitionists, —

o kojima je, dok je bio rob, slušao pomalo nejasne opise —

of whom he had heard a somewhat vague description while he was a slave, —

bio je ponukan da se pojavi,

he was induced to give his attendance,

u spomenutoj prigodi,

on the occasion alluded to,

premda je u to vrijeme živio u New Bedfordu.

though at that time a resident in New Bedford.

Sretan,

Fortunate,

presretan slučaj! —

most fortunate occurrence! —

sretan za milijune njegove okovane braće,

fortunate for the millions of his manacled brethren,

koja još uzdišu za izbavljenjem iz svojega strašnog jarma! —

yet panting for deliverance from their awful thraldom! —

sretan za stvar osvobođenja crnaca,

fortunate for the cause of negro emancipation,

i za sveopću slobodu! —

and of universal liberty! —

sretan za zemlju njegova rođenja,

fortunate for the land of his birth,

za čije je spasenje i blagoslov već toliko učinio! —

which he has already done so much to save and bless! —

sretan za širok krug prijatelja i znanaca,

fortunate for a large circle of friends and acquaintances,

čije je suosjećanje i privrženost čvrsto stekao mnogim patnjama koje je pretrpio,

whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by the many sufferings he has endured,

krepkim crtama svojega značaja,

by his virtuous traits of character,

svojim neprestanim sjećanjem na one koji su u okovima,

by his ever-abiding remembrance of those who are in bonds,

kao da je i sam s njima svezan! —

as being bound with them! —

sretan za mnoštva,

fortunate for the multitudes,

u raznim krajevima naše republike,

in various parts of our republic,

čije je umove prosvijetlio o predmetu ropstva,

whose minds he has enlightened on the subject of slavery,

i koja je svojom dirljivošću rastopio u suze,

and who have been melted to tears by his pathos,

ili raspalio na pravedno negodovanje svojom potresnom govorničkom snagom protiv onih koji porobljuju ljude! —

or roused to virtuous indignation by his stirring eloquence against the enslavers of men! —

sretan za njega samoga,

fortunate for himself,

jer ga je odjednom iznio na polje javne koristi,

as it at once brought him into the field of public usefulness,

„pružio svijetu jamstvo ČOVJEKA“,

“gave the world assurance of a MAN,”

probudio uspavane snage njegove duše,

quickened the slumbering energies of his soul,

i posvetio ga velikom djelu lomljenja šibe tlačiteljeve,

and consecrated him to the great work of breaking the rod of the oppressor,

i puštanja potlačenih na slobodu!

and letting the oppressed go free!