This translation contains a grammatical error. I realised this long after I made it. I kept it in because I like the ambiguity it carries.
NJV. This is what Lord Yahweh showed me: Lord Yahweh summoning fire in punishment; it had devoured the great Abyss, and was encroaching on the land,
Wardaman. Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi ŋanjewurriya: ŋarlgba Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi yanarri yiñeñbi wujawarra, ŋundi dodbagay dodban gabarri ŋundi bujbujin.
this is what Lord Yahweh showed me, and behold = Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi ŋanjewurriya
Jinjiyujbañi = Lord
Ñanayi = Yahweh
ŋanjewurriya = He showed me thus
ŋanjewurriya has four components:
1. ŋan- = He does to me.
2. jewu = show.
3. -rri = did.
4. -ya = Narrative Past Tense.
-ya is my translation for lo/behold.
It is very common in Wardaman, but only in elicited responses.
I use it sparingly, for effect.
Lord Yahweh called a fire in punishment = ŋarlgba Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi yanarri yiñeñbi wujawarra
ŋarlgba = call
yanarri = He said
yiñeñbi = body hit (i.e. the House of Jacob)
wujawarra = with fire/fierily
and it consumed the great Abyss and a share of the land = ŋundi dodbagay dodban gabarri ŋundi bujbujin
ŋundi = it ate it [x2]
dodbagay = uncrossable
dodban = deep
gabarri = also
bujbujin = black land
dodban means deep/depth.
dodba means to cross.
“share of the land” was a much meatier challenge.
Its origin is the verb khawlak’ (חלק), which means divide or share.
God made the entire world – humans came along and divided it into separate territories. To what degree these divisions are valid is a question for another time.
bujbujin means black ground.
Black ground is typically the most fertile ground, filled with nitrates and carbon.
The Wardaman for dig is buju.
The House of Jacob worked the land and made it fertile and productive. In punishment for their sins, God threatens to destroy it with fire.
KJV. Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Wardanam. Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi ŋanjewurriya: ŋarlgba Jinjiyujbañi Ñanayi yanarri yiñeñbi wujawarra, ŋundi dodbagay dodban gabarri ŋundi bujbujin.