sirdsapziņa

Coined by Atis Kronvalds in the 1870s, from sirds (“heart”) +‎ apziņa (“awareness, consciousness”). It became dominant in the 1890s, replacing the use of the simple word sirds in the spoken language. In the written language, various authors had used and proposed various combinations of words from the 17th century on, apparently attempting to translate German Gewissen: apzināšana, zināma sirds, zinoša sirds, apzināma sirds, sirdsprāts.^[1]

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sirdsapziņa f (4th declension)

1. conscience (the human capacity for moral self-control, to judge oneself morally; a person's basic set of moral principles)

   sirdsapziņas brīvība ― freedom of conscience

   sirdsapziņas pārmetumi ― remorse (lit. conscience reproaches, scoldings)

   tīra sirdsapziņa ― a clean conscience

   pēc labākās sirdsapzinās ― after one's best conscience (= conscientiously, honorably)

   Leonam Paeglem bija jāsadeg... viņa sirdsapziņa neļāva kļūt par renegātu ― Leons Paegls had to burn... his conscience did not allow (him) to become a renegade

   bet tad ierunājās viņa sirdsapziņas balss, asa, apsudzoša: “tu tomēr esi nelietis! tevis dēļ aizgāja bojā tāds cilvēks!” ― but then the voice of his conscience spoke, sharp, accusatory: “but you are the villain! such a (good) person died because of you!”

   labi, turpmāk viņš uzslavās neklausīsies... pēc sirdsapziņas pildīs savu pienākumu un - miers ― OK, from now on he will not listen to praise... following his conscience he will fulfil his duty and (then): peace