German composition

Section 122 The State of Ireland. — II

Let us act in this spirit, and our work is⁠1 easy. The noble lord (S. 5, N. 2), towards⁠2 the conclusion of his speech, spoke of the cloud which is at present hanging⁠3 over Ireland. It is a dark and heavy cloud, and its darkness expands⁠4 over the feelings of men in all parts of the British Empire. But⁠5 there is a consolation that we may all take to ourselves. An inspired king, bard, and prophet has left⁠6 us words which⁠7 are not only the expression of a fact, but we may take them as the utterance of a prophecy. He says: “To⁠8 the upright there arises light in the darkness.”

Let us try in this matter to be upright⁠9. Let us try to be just, and that cloud will⁠10 be dispelled; the dangers which we see will vanish; and we⁠11 may have the happiness of leaving⁠6 (S. 1, N. 3) to our children the heritage of an honourable citizenship in a united and prosperous⁠12 empire.—The Right Hon. John Bright.

Notes

1 is easy = will be easy for us (Dat. of persn. pron.).

2 an, contr. with the dat. of the def. art.

[3] schweben.

4 sich erstre´cken.

5 Say ‘But one consolation we can all gather from it’. To gather, entnehmen; from, aus. Read S. 4, N. 5, B.

6 hinterlassen, insep. comp. str. v.

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 prophecy (read App. § 18)’.

8 “Für den Gerechten erhebt sich ein Licht in der Finsternis”.

9 I think there is but the adj. ‘gerecht’ to render both ‘upright’ and ‘just’ in the underlying sense.

10 wird sich verteilen.

11 we may have = we shall perhaps have; happiness = joy.

12 prosperous, glücklich; empire = state.