The Ik language belongs to the Kuliak family, and is likely to be the only one that will survive into the next century.
This is the end of a 3-part miniseries on Mark 1. Here are the previous 2 parts:
Sources for Ik:
Schrock, Terrill B.
- The Ik language: Dictionary and grammar sketch (Berlin: Language science Press 2017)
A grammar of Ik (Icé-tód) (Utrecht: University Press 2014
KJV. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
Ik. Atsini odoicikaa sini atsa Birasima napei Buɓetonuo Tsiɓulakoni nda ilumosa sabee na iŋoɗyaimeta Birikeso.
it came to pass in those days that = atsini odoicikaa sini
atsini = and they came
odooicikaa = days
sini = those [days] that
sini is another example of the Removed Past.
Here, I use it to highlight the difference between the world before Christ and the world that came after.
Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee = atsa Birasima napei Buɓetonuo Kiɓiɓiloni
atsa = came
Birasima = Jesus
napei = from
Buɓetonuo = from Nazareth
Kiɓiɓiloni = of Galilee
Scholars do not agree on the root of the name Nadzareth’ (Ναζαρέτ).
Some claim it comes from sprout/shoot (נצר).
Other scholars claim it comes from watchtower or sentinel (both נצרת, with dots beneath are different).
Nazareth lies in the region of Galilee, which lay in Northern Palestine. Thus, it shares borders with Syria, Sidon and Tyre, among others. It was a very fertile region.
As a result, it contained many Gentile populations.
In his book Jesus of Nazareth, the late Pope Benedict XVI explains that during the Roman occupation, Galilee was the most paganised region in the whole of Palestine.
Because Jesus came from Nazareth, many could not believe that He was the Messiah.
Galilee is a border state, the front line between Palestine and potential enemies. This is the place where watchtowers sprout out of the ground itself.
But before I reveal my trick, I must explain the difference between /b/ and /ɓ/.
/ɓ/ is like /b/ except you suck air into your mouth while doing so.
Buɓetoni Nazareth is the combination of two words:
rubetoni = germinate/sprout
ruɓetoni = collapse/fall (of buildings/trees/fences).
When the Gentiles invade the Jews, they chop down trees in order to build barracks and watchtowers
When the Jews invade the Gentiles, they chop down trees and used them to build barracks and watchtowers.
Nazareth contains populations of both – for both good and ill.
and was baptised in the Jordan by John = nda ilumosa sabee na iŋoɗyaimeta Birikeso
nda = and
ilumosa = was baptised
sabee = in the river
na = that
iŋoɗyaimeta = descends into chaos
Birikeso = by John.
Galilee comes from the Greek Galilah’yah (Γαλιλαία). This comes from the Hebrew gawleel’ (גליל), which means cylinder or rod as well as district.
This comes from gawlal’ (גלל), which means roll (away).
Kiɓiɓiloni has two components:
1. kija = land/country.
2. aɓiɓilanon = roll around.
Thus, it means something like the land that rolls around.
It also sounds similar to Babylon – referring to the Babylonian Exile which loomed large in the Jewish consciousness at this time of Roman dominion.
Also, it will not be long until the Romans destroy the Second Temple, and the Jews once again become exiles.
KJV. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Ik. Nda ɗir totirie kimatso cuaakuo, enio ɗusie didigwariya nda ntsie kidzimie Sugura ɗita biba.
and at once, as he came up out of the water = nda ɗir totirie kimatso cuaakuo
nda = and
ɗir = straight away
totirie = he ascending
kimatso = with a step
cuaakuo = out of the water
“coming up out” comes from the Greek anabah’eeno (αναβαίνω), which has two components:
1. ανα- = up/back
2. βαίνω = walk.
βαίνω has the same root as bas’ece (βάσις), which means foot or step.
It is based on this that I include kimatso (with a step). I wanted to specify that, being fully human (as well as fully divine), he walked out of the Jordan like the rest of us.
he saw the heavens open = enio ɗusie didigwariya
enio = he saw
ɗusie = opening
didigwariye = of heaven
“heavens” comes from the Greek ooranos’ (ουρανός), which refers to heaven, the sky and the atmosphere, among similar things.
However, it did not escape my notice that this sounds like Ουρανός, the Greek God of the Sky and the grandfather of Zeus.
Thus, I decided to invoke the name of Didi-gwari (lit. weather-top), the king of the original Ik pantheon. He is mostly responsible for weather patterns, both good and bad.
It invokes the idea of there being something behind the visible sky. (Space is merely above the sky. This is behind.)
and the spirit descend upon him like a dove = nda ntsie kidzimie Sugura ɗita biba
nda = and
ntsie = upon him
kidzimie = descending
Sugura = Spirit
ɗita = like
biba = a dove
“descend/descending” comes from the Greek katabah’eeno (καταβαίνω). This has two components:
1. κατα- = down/against.
2. βαίνω = walk.
ανα- and κατα- are opposites. The former means bring up completely, while the latter means bring down completely.
Ik does not have this system of Verb Prefixes.
kimatso is the fourth word in this verse, and kidzimie is the fourth from the other end.
They share a /k/ and /m/ - and to oversimplify, /ts/ is just a whispered /dz/.
There are six words between kimatso and kidzimie – so the whole verse really pivots around these two words. The human Jesus steps up, and the Holy Spirit descends down – the Old Creation rising upwards, and the New Creation coming down to meet it.
KJV. AAnd there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Ik. Nda atsa morokua nee didigwari: “Iyida bia Ɲcie Tigaramatsuo minesuk; bie cionuƙotia.”
and a voice came out of the heavens = nda atsa morokua nee didigwari:
nda = and
atsa = came
morokua = a voice
nee = out
didigwari = of heaven
“You are my Son, the beloved, = Iyida bia Ɲcie Tigaramatsuo minesuk
Iyida = you are
bia = you
Ɲcie = my
Tigaramatsuo = Heir
minesuk = the beloved
mines has several meanings:
1. love/cherish
2. cure/heal
3. affix on a tool/handle.
Jesus came down to heal a broken creation, and during his ministry he heals many sick people.
He is also nailed to the cross – the tool which God used to show His power over Death.
in you I am well pleased.” = bie cionuƙotia.”
bie = in you
cionuƙotia = I am satisfied
cionuƙotia has four components:
1. cion = be full/sated/satisfied.
2. -uƙot = become
3. -i = I
4. -a = am.
This is a departure from the Greek youudokeh’o (ευδοκέω), which means think well of or be well-pleased.
With the arrival of Jesus on Earth, the Holy Trinity is well and truly complete.
KJV. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Ik. Nda atsa morokua nee didigwari: “Iyida bia Ɲcie Tigaramatsuo minesuk; bie cionuƙotia.”
In Mark 1:4, we saw the introduction of John the Baptiser.
The name John comes from the Hebrew Yehhokhawnawn’ (יהוחנן), which means “the Lord has been gracious”.
This has two components:
1. Yhvh (יהוה) = Yahweh/Yehovah.
2. khawnan’ (חנן) = show favour/be gracious.
By itself, the Hebrew Yhvh means something like the One who is always becoming, or simply the becoming.
My original Ik translation of John is Birekesi. This is a combination of:
1. bireteke = Yehovah
2. tereties = separate/show favouritism.
Bireteke has three components:
1. bir = give help.
2. -et = become.
3. -eke = one who does X.
I think this is what I meant. For the purpose of honesty, I must disclose that I did not write down my working the first time round.
If I ever need to translate Yahweh into Ik as part of a full passage, I will do it differently.
After I finished writing the Ik section, something new occurred to me: a different translation of John, this being Didigwets’i.
Didigwets’i has three components:
1. didi = weather
2. gwari = top
3. tereties = separate/show favouritism.
Didigwari is the head of the traditional Ik pantheon.
I will now address the Elohim Question?
Within the Old Testament, the Jews refer to God as El/Eloah/Elohim and Yah/Yahweh.
(If a Hebrew name ends in –el, it refers to El. If a Hebrew name ends in –iah, it refers to Yah(weh).)
Ten generations separate Noah from Adam.
Why did God choose Noah to build the Ark?
Genesis 6:9 (BSB)
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.
Ten generations separate Noah from Abram.
Genesis 12:1 & 4
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.”
So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him…
Was Abram a righteous man, like Noah?
Was he blameless in his generation, like Noah?
Did he walk with God?
The text does not include these words.
Nine men, each a father and a son, stand between Noah and Abram.
Did any of these nine men walk with God?
The text does not say.
Nine men, each a father and a son, stand between Noah and Abram.
Whom did they worship?
The text does not say.
Can we assume that they worshipped false gods – idols and images?
It is safe to assume.
Read again Genesis 12:1.
God chose Abram.
When Abram gazed into the sky as a child, he saw El and Yah and all the other gods his parents worshipped.
God came down to Abram. He saw Yah and El combine into one, and then he saw the greater, glorious infinity which undergirds them.
Twenty generations separate Adam from Abram. Is this important?
After his baptism, Jesus spends forty days in the desert, where Satan tries to tempt him.
Forty is twice twenty.
Christ became man in order to rebuild creation anew.
Eden was a first creation.
Israel was a second creation.
The Death and Resurrection were a third creation.
The full passage in Ik:
1. Itsyaketonio na maraŋa emutie Birasimae Ŋƙwaae, Tigaramatsie Ɲakuji.
2. Iƙirosie Biritee Ntodie noo taa: “Enes, eregia deaamaa ɲcie ekwee bie, na beresie ɲasaparia bie.”
3. Morokaa ikilie naloŋizatak: “Iɗimesuo ɲasaparia Amazeama, itnitetuo deamuceikaa Ntsi.”
4. Atsuo Biretse ilumuo naloŋizatee, nda siranuo ilumesuƙotia toluutesuƙotie paka eregesukoti ɲaseconi.
5. Nda atsuo keŋana ntsie kijoo Goosokijoo nda Loŋazutwama, nda ilumosatie saboo na iŋoɗyaimeta, bolesuƙotata ɲaseconie amutsak.
6. Ŋabuo Birekesa ɲakaasa ɲakaalee nda ɲamisipa ɦyojejek, ƙidzuo girwaa nda gafariyoo ɗaɗahwaa rowao
7. Siranuo, todetuo taa: “Atsa ntsi seamucee ɲcie na ŋixona ɲcu – nta ŋabonuƙota dugumetonie nda hoɗesie ƙiwee ŋaɗetaiyee Ntsi.
8. Ilumia bee bitia cwo, iluma bitia taa Suguro na Da
9. Atsini odoicikaa sini atsa Birasima napei Buɓetonuo Tsiɓulakoni nda ilumosa sabee na iŋoɗyaimeta Birikeso.
10. Nda ɗir totirie kimatso cuaakuo, enio ɗusie didigwariya nda ntsie kidzimie Sugura ɗita biba.
11. Nda atsa morokua nee didigwari: “Iyida bia Ɲcie Tigaramatsuo minesuk; bie cionuƙotia.”