Friday 22 February 2008

Saam 23 (Preliminary Translation)

"1. Wan A Dievid Saam Dem.
Yaawe a mi shepad, mi no gwai wahn notng.
2. Im mek mi li dong ina fresh griin kaman,
jenkl jenkl im kiyari mi go wichpaat [nais] waata deh.
3. Im pu laif bak ina mi suol;
Im liid mi pan di rait chak dem
sieka im gud niem

4. Aal ef mi [go] waak ina wahn daak daak plies,
mi no gwai fried a notng [bad],
kaaz Yu deh wichaat mi deh;
Yu rad an yu staaf,
dem mek mi fiil sief


5. [Rait] in front a mi enim dem fies,
Yu set op waa tiebl a fuud bifuo mi,
Yu rob-op mi ed wid ail,
mi kop ful op tu i brim.
6. Fi chuu, pie gudnis an kainis a go ron mi dong
ebri die a mi laif;
an mi a go liv ina Yaawe ous
fi di res a mi laif."


I've just come across a video on godtube.com in which two Jamaican gyal pikny recite this Psalm in "patois." That's where I got the expression "rob-op mi ed wid ail" from. Enjoy.

No comments :