1937 Clara Hinderer Letter to Elsa partial transcribing/translating from German cursive to English

Question

This is a letter written by my Grandma to her sister Elsa shortly after their mother died. It is written in English, but there are several phrases in German.  Thanks for your help!

 

 

 

Answer 1

"Eine rechte Nathanaels-Seele
in der kein Falsch ist"

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Mit der(?) 10(?) in
diesem Jammertal. Noch ist dir verborgen was
deiner wacht. In Not + Elend hat dich deine
Mutter geboren, und kein Hoffnungsstrahl(?)
dass der Fluch dieser(?) Aussicht(?) gehoben werden
könnte. U. doch nicht so schlimm wie das Weh
wenn du noch etwas zur Armut tragen sollst.
Ich habe nebenmenschlich daran schon getragen;
übermenschlich geduldet
+ gelitten um Euch geliebte Kinder Entbehrungen
vom Haupte fern zu halten; gebe Endlich
Gott, dass es gelingen möge, denn ich unterliege(?)
bald. - Ach wie lange, ach wie lange
schweigst Du, mein Gott."

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"kamst Du mit
Deinen Eltern von Deutschland"

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Die erbärmliche Schulden können
einen in Boden runter drücken.

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Mehr kann ich jetzt nicht tun(?)

Comments

"A true soul of the kind of Nathanael in which is no wrong" (this is a citation I have only found online. Don't know it otherwise: https://books.google.de/books?id=r0FXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=%22eine+rechte+nathanaels+seele%22&source=bl&ots=R1J9nX2MLN&sig=4RoS3YiJ7SYpN6KspGojTSxnca8&hl=de&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjart6Fn-HaAhUNblAKHbspCsMQ6AEILjAA#v=onepage&q=%22eine%20rechte%20nathanaels%20seele%22&f=false

 

I suspect its an old idiom that fell out of use, but I wouldn't know which Nathanael it refers to. Potentially the original hebrew meaning "God's gift"?)

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With the 10(?) in this valley of sorrow. It's still hidden from you what watches over you. In poverty and hardship you were born by your mother and no glimpse of hope that this curse could be broken. And yet not as bad as the pain if you add something to this poverty. I bore this like a human; tolerated and suffered super-human to keep from you, loved children, destitution; Give God that it may work out since I succumb soon. Oh, how long, how long, do you keep silent, God?

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you came with your parents from Germany

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The wretched debts can push you into the ground

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I can't do(?) more

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Nathanael of Cana in Galilee was a followerer or disciple of Jesus , mentioned only in the Gospel of John in Chapters 1 and 21

Answer 2

Here is something you may wish to consider.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Translate

Comments

By using this tool, the "translation" won't be smooth as speech is, but it will be YOUR translation. It could teach anyone who tries it that learning a second or third language is useful and often necessary.