Jamaican Creole Bible - More Fire!

On 16th June one of our leading newspapers, the Jamaican Observer, revealed the Bible Society of the West Indies’ (BSWI) plan to translate the Christian Scriptures into the heart-language of the Jamaican people. To read the article click here.

As I expected, the proposal has created a firestorm - Jamaicans, both here and in the Diaspora, have voiced opinions for and against the project. Persons “for,” sometimes accuse those “against” of being unpatriotic, ashamed of our Jamaican culture, Euro-centric, elitists, and the like; those “against,” usually characterise Jamaican enthusiasts as being sacrilegious, globally insensitive, economically disadvantageous, anti-progressive, anti-English language, self-aggrandisers and a host of other emotive expressions.

I think the thing persons have really taken an issue with is the proposed cost - $60 million JMD! ($5 million per annum). The money, it is generally argued could be used to promote a million and one needy social initiatives. I do not deny the project is expensive and that the Church could use that amount of money to quench the financial thirst being experienced by many individuals and charity organisations in our country.

Some of questions are, however: “how much money/resources does the Jamaican Church spend on national development each year?” Think of all the learning institutions, medical facilities and programmes, housing initiatives, food programmes, community activities, social services, etc, etc… Can we not spend some money to enhance our understanding our understanding of God's word? Does not having the Scriptures in our language have "social" benefits as well?.....

I'll make the various articles and responses available soon. So far, one of the better contributions to the debate has been that of R. Anthony Lewis. To read Anthony's article click here.

23rd Psalm in Jamaican Patois - Good Try

Two Jamaican schoolgirls recite the 23rd Psalm in (semi)Jamaican.

They are SO cute!

To see the vid, click here.

Di Disaipl Dem Preyaz (Luuk 11:1-13)

1 Wan taim Jiizas wen de prie a waa plies. Aafta Ii don se ii prayaz, wan a Ii disaipl dem se tu Im, “Laad, tiich wi fi prie, jos laka ou Jan-i-baptis tiich fi’im disaipl dem” fi prie.”

2 So Jiizas se tu dem, "Wen unu prie, se:
‘Faada, mek piipl ha nof ripek fi yu niem,
Mek yu ruulaship kom.
3 Gi wi'i fuud wi niid fi it ebri die.
4 Figiv wi sin dem, fa wi figiv ebribadi ou sin gens wi tu.
No kya wi wichaat temtieshan de.’"

5 Den Ii se tu dem, “Supuozn wan a unu go tu ii fren iina miggl nait an se, ‘Fren, len mi trii bred de, 6 kaaz wan a mi fren dem we a paas chuu i ieria stap a mi yaad, an mi no ha nohtn fi ii nyam.' 7 [Ahn wa if] i fren ansa fraa iina ii ous (ahn se), “No bada mi. Mi lak mi duo aredi, ahn mi ahn mi pikini dem de a wi bed. Mi kyaa git-op fi gi yu [nohtn nou]'?

8 Mi tel unu, di man naa go git-op [outa ii bed] fi gi'im i bred, sieka dem a fren. Bot bikaaz ii no waa i piipl dem iina i komuuniti fi krai dong siem paa im, ii gwai git-op an gi ii fren ebriting ii aks fa."

9 So, mi a tel unu: "aks, ahn unu wi get; saach, ahn unu wi fain; nak, ahn i duo wi opng fi unu. 10 Fa ebribadi ou aks get; an i smadi ou saach faim; an fi'i smadi ou nak, I duo wi opin fi'im.

11 Wich faada de mongs unu a go gi'ii son waa shiek aalduo ii son aks im fi waa fish? 12 Ar gi'ii son waa skaapian, aalduo ii son aks im fi waa eg? 13 So den, ef unu kyaa bi so wikid ahn siem taim unu nuo ou fi gi unu pikni dem gud prezent, ou moch muo i Faada ina evn gwaii gi'i Uoli Spirit tu enibadi ou asks im?!”


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------I preached on this text yesterday at Grace Reformed Baptist church. I read the text in Jamaican (Patois) & delivered much of the sermon in Jamaican. Here are some of the responses I got:

• Stimulating
• Yu big wi op! (You've elevated us / made us feel important/respected/recognised)
• Let's not be ashamed of our Patois
• I rejista man, i rejista (It registered)
• Mi kyaa tel di laas taim mi laaf iina choch (I can't remember when last I laughed in Church)
• Very dynamic message
• Unusual
• A oup se yu kom bak (I hope you come again)

2 Jan

Below is preliminary translation of 2 John into Jamaican/Patois. The spelling system used is the one approved by UWI - the Cassidy/Le-Page spelling system. It is very phonetic…as you read, don’t try pronouncing the words the way you would in English.

2 JAN

HOUDI

1 Fam di elda, tu di liedi huu Gad chuuz an tu har pikni dem, buot a huu mi lov ina di chuut. Ana mi a di ongl wan huu lov unu; ebribadi huu nuo di chuut lov unu tu, 2 bikaaz di chuut dehn wid wi an it gwai tan wid wi fi eva. 3 Gries, mersi, an piis ago com tu wi – ina chuut an ina lov- faa Gad di Faada an fram Im Son, Jiizas Krais.

CHUUT AN LOV

4 Mi rijais nof nof wen mi fain out dat som a yu pikni dem a waak ina di chuut, jus laik ou di Faada tel wi fi waak. 5 Nou, mi a aks yu, mi liedi, fi mek wi lov wan anada. A no even fi seh dat mi a rait yu bout somting nue, kaaz a laang taim nou wi get dis ya komaanment ya.6 Lov miin dat wi obiea Gad komaanment dem. Laik yu hier fraa lang taim, Gad koman a dat unu shuo lov.7 Nof a dem ou woo tap trai fuul piiple gaan out ina di werl. Dem no biliiv dat Krais wehn kom ina ihn flesh. Di smadi ou biliiv dat a di disiiva an im a di antikrais. 8 Unu wach out so dat yu kiyaa get unu ful riwaad an no luuz wa unu werk fa.9 Enibadi ou gaan bout im oun bizniz an no stie ina Krais tiichin no hab Gad; di smadi ou stie ina di tiichin hab buot di Faada an di Son.10 If smadi kom tu yu an im no tek dis ya tiichin wid im, duo mek im kom ina unu ous an duo even chech out yu han fi griit im. 11 Enibadi ou griit im a tek paat ina im iivel werk.

LAAS HOUDI

12 Aalduo mi hab nof ada tingz dat mi waa fi taak tu unu bout, mi no waa fi dwiit wid piepa an ink. Mi huop fi vizit unu an taak tu unu fies tu fies, so dat di tuu a wi jaay mait ful op.13 Di pikni dem a yu sista ou Gad chuuz seh houdi.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Aland, Barbara, et al, The Greek New Testament UBS 4th rev.ed (Stuttgart 80: Deutsche Bibelgesellshaft, 1993); De Jonge, Haas, and Swellengrebel, J. L., A Translator’s Handbook on the Letters of John (London: UBS, 1972); Marshall, I. Howard, The New International Commentary on the New Testament – The Epistles of John (Grand Rapids: WM. B. Eerdmans, 1978); NET Bible www.bible.org; Smalley, Stephen S., Word Biblical Commentary – 1, 2, 3 John (Dallas: Word Incorporated, 1981); Zerwick, Max, and Grosvernor, Mary, A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament 3rd rev.ed (Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1988)