Why have I chosen to translate Numbers 21:4-9?
Recently, I acquired a Catholic Mass and Prayer Book. After I finished doing my Dyirbal translations of scattered verses from Proverbs and Job, I decided I should do a single, continuous section.
The day was Tuesday the 28th of March, 2023, and it included a section from Numbers, and one from the Gospel of John. (I write and schedule my newsletters many weeks in advance. I can make several posts, one per day, in a continuous burst of creativity and motivation, whereafter I can take a break with no interruption of output.)
I chose the one from Numbers, because it was listed first.
As well as using Dixon’s Grammar of the Yidiñ Language, I have also used the Interlinear function on BibleHub in order to take inspiration from the original Hebrew.
Here is the full Extract, presented in three Editions:
King James Bible:
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
New Jerusalem Bible:
They left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lost patience.
They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the desert? For there is neither food nor water here; we are sick of this meagre diet.’
At this, God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.
The people came and said to Moses. ‘We have sinned against Yahweh and against you. Intercede for us with Yahweh to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people,
and Yahweh replied, ‘Make a fiery serpent and raise it as a standard. Anyone who is bitten and looks at it will survive.’
Moses then made a serpent out of bronze and raised it as a standard, and anyone who was bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent survived.
My Yidiñ Translation:
Bama walbam Bondam gabaañdya banaa Dyirgarr-ñalaa burgiiñ gaŋgu Bulurr dyuŋgana. Bama mundu gabaañdya gulidagaañ.
Bulmbaa bimbii ñaŋgaadyiñu bamaa Maybaa. “Wañdyaagu ñunduuba ŋañdyiiñ bulmbam Mijrayiimu gilgii warriilda daybiil? Wunaaŋ ŋudyu mayi ŋudyu gumarri; mayiiŋ gidiildu ŋañdyiimba munduuba daliyi wigiil.”
Yawaaŋ burri bamaa wurru yumbaañ bamaanda badyaanbidyidyiñu ŋabi bulmbaa Yilgunuu wulaañ.
Bama Maybaanda ñaŋgaadyiŋadañu: “Yaawaa wara ŋañdyi ñunindyila ñaŋgaadyiiñu. Wurruyida ŋañdyiingu yaymi Yaawaagu.” Maybaaŋ bamaagu yaymiil,
Yaawa wuyubaadyiñu, “Balga burri wurri, wiraa wurruu dyarra. Badyaalñum wawalñunda ŋadya dyanaŋ.”
Maybaaŋ balgaal budyiliñ wurru dyarraal wiraa wurruu, yiñdyuuñ wurruuŋ badyaalñum, yiñdyuuŋ budyiliñ wawaalñunda, yiŋu dylibugabi dyanaañ.
The last thing I shall say now is that any inconsistencies in the spelling come from me and me alone. I simply hope that there are not too many.
A number of verses had to be split into several parts due to length. Thus, the six verses give birth to ten newsletters.
Gana gaymbarrna!
Try to keep up!
Amazing work!
Wow. It’s a beautiful looking language.