EL RAYO QUE NO CESA. 2 – 2023
Lest ~ a negative particle of intention or purpose, introducing a subjunctive clause;
after verbs of fearing or phrases indicating apprehension or danger, introducing
a subjunctive clause expressing the event that is feared
= for fear that, in case, in order to avoid or prevent something from happening
EXAMPLES:
1.Lest they be caught in the storm brewing on the horizon, they gathered up their picnic things and got into the car.
Por temor a quedar atrapados en la tormenta que se avecinaba en el horizonte, recogieron sus cosas de picnic y se subieron al coche.
- Lest he be accused of stealing, he made up the missing cash from his own pocket.
Para no ser acusado de robar, repuso el dinero que faltaba de su propio bolsillo.
- Lest they be overheard, they started to whisper.
Para no ser escuchados, comenzaron a susurrar.
- He quickly got out of the way, lest he be trampled by the running bulls.
Rápidamente se apartó del camino, para que los toros no lo pisotearan.
- He has to stay in bed for at least a fortnight, lest he suffer a relapse.
Tiene que permanecer en cama por lo menos quince días, para no sufrir una recaída.
- They meekly obeyed orders, lest they be punished by the boss.
Obedecían mansamente las órdenes, para no ser castigados por el capataz.
“Recessional”
“God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine –
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget – lest we forget!”
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,*
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
Far called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!**
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord!
Rudyard Kipling, 1897
While not particularly religious himself, Kipling understood the value of sacred traditions and processions in English history. As a poet, he drew on the language of the Authorised Version of the Bible, familiar to most of his English-speaking readers, in order to reach a deeper level of response.
The phrase “lest we forget” forms the refrain of “Recessional”. It is taken from Deuteronomy 6,12:
“Then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt”.
*The reference to the “ancient sacrifice” as a “humble and a contrite heart” is taken from the Miserere (Psalm 51)
- **Lest we forget: Para que no nos olvidemos. (en la traducción oficial, o más extendida, del poema de Kipling , Lest we forget se traduce por “Haznos recordar”)
‘cuídate de no olvidarte de Jehová, que te sacó de la tierra de Egipto, de casa de servidumbre.’
Deuteronomio 6:12
AÑADIDO MBi
Lest he catch* me unprepared →
Para que no me coja desprevenido.
*Insistiendo en que es subjuntivo: = siempre bare infinitive= infinitivo sin “to” to catch.
I didn’t do it, lest somebody should object →
No lo hice por temor a que alguien pusiera alguna objeción.
