The Birth of Christ, in Chinook Jargon (part 3)

(View & hear Dale McCreery reading parts 1-6 aloud!)

(Back to: Part 1.  Part 2.)

Mari klatwa nanish iaka kosin Ilisabit.
Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

      Lisash kilapai kopa sahali
The angel returned to

ilihi pi Mari aiak klatwa kopa
heaven and Mary went straight to

mawntin, kah mitlait Ilisabit iaka
the country, where Elizabeth’s

haws. Iaka klatwa nanish Ilisabit
house was.  She went to visit Elizabeth

pus hilp iaka kopa iaka mamuk.
to help her with her work.

Pus Mari k’o kopa haws, iaka
When Mary arrived at the house, she

wawa klahawiam kopa iaka tilikom.
said hello to her relatives.

Chi Ilisabit k’olan Mari iaka wawa,
Once Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice,

iaka tomtom chako halak; chako
her heart opened up; it became

yutl ukuk tanas mitlait kopa
happy, that baby that was in

iaka. ST SS mamuk nanish
her.  God the Holy Spirit showed

kopa Ilisabit kata haha iaka
Elizabeth how holy his

mamuk kopa Mari, pi Ilisabit
work with Mary was, and Elizabeth

wawa: “Maika ilip tlus kopa
said: “You’re the best of

kanawi kluchmin, pi ilip tlus
all women, and [also] best is

ukuk tanas chi maika tlap.
the baby that you’ve just gotten [pregnant with].

Klaksta naika pus ST iaka
Who am I for God’s

mama chako nanish naika?”
mother to be coming to visit me?”

      Mari chako patl kopa ST
Mary was filled with

iaka lagras. Chako kakwa pus
God’s grace.  It became as if

paia iaka tomtom kopa ST
on fire, her heart, for God

pi iaka wawa: “Naika mamuk
and she said: “I

[right column:]

aias ST; yutl naika tomtom
respect God, my heart is glad

kopa iaka; iaka nanish naika
for him; he sees I’m

kaltash, iaka nanish naika kakwa
worthless, he sees I’m like

ilaiti pi iaka iskom naika, pi iaka
a slave but he accepts me, and he

mamuk haha kopa naika: alki kanawi
has done a holy thing with me: some day every-

tilikom chako yutl klaska tomtom
one will come to feel glad

pus klaska komtaks ikta ST
when they understand what God

mamuk kopa naika.”
has done with me.”

      Tlun mun Mari mitlait kopa
For three months Mary stayed at

Ilisabit iaka haws. Iaka hilp Ilisabit
Elizabeth’s house.  She helped Elizabeth

kopa kanawi ikta mamuk kopa haws.
with all kinds of chores around the house.

Tlun mun kopit Mari kilapai kopa Nasarit
At the end of three months, Mary went back to Nazareth

kah mitlait iaka haws: iawa iaka
where her house was: there she

mitlait kakwa ankati, kwanisim kikuli
lived as before, always

iaka tomtom, kwanisim paia
humble, always

iaka tomtom kopa ST, pi kopa
enthusiastic for God, and for

styuil. Wik iaka kuli kopa ayu
prayer.  She didn’t go around to many

haws: iaka tlus nanish iaka
houses: she took care of her

haws; iaka tlus nanish Shosip
house; she took care of

iaka iktas pi Shosip iaka makmak.
Joseph’s property and Joseph’s food.

— Kamloops Wawa #117 (June 1894)