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The Prodigal Returns
The Prodigal Returns

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns is here in full — 109 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Prodigal Returns
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.
The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.
I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.
My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.
All day, often half the night, I worship Him.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Prodigal Returns

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns is here in full — 109 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.
/æt læst maɪ ˈlɪtəl ˈsʌfərɪŋ laɪf ɪz ˈʃeltərd ɪn ðə noʊn ðə felt prəˈtekʃən ʌv ðə ˌɪˈnefəbəl ənd ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl ˈbiːɪŋ/
Line 2
The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.
Line 3
I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.
/aɪ æsk noʊ ˈkwestʃənz aɪ æm ɪn noʊ heɪst ʌv ˈæŋkʃəs ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/
Line 4
My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.
/maɪ hɑːrt ənd maɪ maɪnd ənd maɪ soʊl stænd stɪl ənd drɪŋk ɪn ðə ˈɡlɔːri ʌv ðɪs ˈhæpinəs/
Line 5
All day, often half the night, I worship Him.
/ɔːl deɪ ˈɔːfən hæf ðə naɪt aɪ ˈwɜːrʃəp hɪm/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

communicates verb US /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪts/

third-person singular of “communicate” — transmit information

From this reading “The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.”

Ineffable adjective US /ˌɪˈnefəbəl/

defying expression or description

From this reading “At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.”

Invisible adjective US /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/

impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye

From this reading “At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.”

learning noun US /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading “I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.”

protection noun US /prəˈtekʃən/

the activity of protecting someone or something

From this reading “At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.”

revealing adjective US /rɪˈviːlɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading “The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.”

sheltered adjective US /ˈʃeltərd/

protected from danger or bad weather

From this reading “At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.”

worship verb US /ˈwɜːrʃəp/

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading “All day, often half the night, I worship Him.”

All words in this reading · 60

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

all-sufficing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/

eagerly desirous

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

communicatesverbUS /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪts/

third-person singular of “communicate” — transmit information

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

drinkverbUS /drɪŋk/

take in liquids

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

glorynounUS /ˈɡlɔːri/

a state of high honor

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

hastenounUS /heɪst/

overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

HimpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

HimselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

IneffableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnefəbəl/

defying expression or description

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

inexpressibleadjective

defying expression

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

InvisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/

impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

learningnounUS /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

protectionnounUS /prəˈtekʃən/

the activity of protecting someone or something

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading I ask no questions: I am in no haste of anxious learning.

revealingadjectiveUS /rɪˈviːlɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/

protected from danger or bad weather

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading At last my little suffering life is sheltered in the known, the felt, protection of the Ineffable and Invisible Being.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading My heart and my mind and my soul stand still and drink in the glory of this happiness.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

WhopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

worshipverbUS /ˈwɜːrʃəp/

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading All day, often half the night, I worship Him.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading The Being Who, without revealing Himself to me by sight or sound, yet communicates Himself to me in some divine manner at once all-sufficing and inexpressible.

Chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns by Lilian Staveley holds 109 sentences, grouped into 22 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns contain?

Chapter 2 holds 109 sentences of The Prodigal Returns, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns by Lilian Staveley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 109 sentences, grouped into 22 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of The Prodigal Returns?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Prodigal Returns

Common questions about reading The Prodigal Returns by Lilian Staveley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Prodigal Returns?

Yes. All 1357 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29450 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Prodigal Returns is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29450, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Prodigal Returns take to read?

About 113 minutes of reading across 272 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Prodigal Returns section by section

How to work through The Prodigal Returns section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Prodigal Returns to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Prodigal Returns

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Prodigal Returns, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Lilian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prodigal Returns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Staveley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prodigal Returns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prodigal Returns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Golden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prodigal Returns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.