< 4: Hatasoe by Patrick Dunn Watakassí by Nik Taylor 6: Nzva by Joe Mondello >

Translated by: Nik Taylor
Torch:
Wafkassissái waflássyasai pifnattáidu yánisnav
Lusnaváutasva wazunípaka líwanal piflítilwai
Ku liizlutátasva wasakátiv laláaka wabiikadíz
Zi kláitasva-bu sutakí zibútasva waniilástaz? 
Smooth translation:
Birds' songs concerning important events
The Heron washes its clothes in the dew
And the Lark worships the sky in the evening.
But does anyone exist who understands birdhood?
Translation of previous torch Missing
Interlinear
Waf-kassissá-i waf-lássyasa-i   pif-nattá-i-du
G6Pl-song-Pl   G6Pl-of.birds-Pl G7Pl-event-Pl-ELL

yánis-na-v
be.important-3PlIrr-Hab

Birds' songs concerning important events
("events that are important")

Lu-s-naváu-tas-va        wa-zu-nípa-ka   l-íwan-al
Cause-be-clean-3SRat-Hab G6-Dim-water-In G5-heron-Erg

pif-líti-lwa-i
G7Pl-clothes-its-pl

"Little water" means "dew"

The Heron washes its clothes in the dew ("in the little water")

Ku  lizlutá-tas-va    wa-sakáti-v    la-láka wa-bikadí-z
And worship-3SRat-Hab G6-evening-Loc G5-lark G6-sky-DAT

And the Lark worships the sky (literally: "place of the sun") in the evening.

Zi  klái-tas-va-bu          su-takí  zibú-tas-va
But live-3SRat-Hab-Question G3-being understand-3SRat-Hab

wa-ni-lásta-z?
G6-nature.of-bird-DAT

ni- is roughly equivalent to English -ness.

But does anyone exist who understands birdhood?
(I should probably have glossed _klái_ as "live, exist")
Glossary/mini dictionary
Abbreviations

G# = Gender#
Pl = Plural
S = Singular
ELL = Ellative, in the only occurrence of it herein, it's used to indicate
"concerning"
Irr = Irrational (non-sentient)
Hab = Habitual
Rat = Rational (sentient; human/divine, the birds are being personified
herein)
Dim = Diminutive
In = Inessive (in)
Erg = Ergative
DAT = Dative 
Grammar notes
Pronunciation

Apostrophe before a syllable indicates high pitch, periods indicate
syllable-divisions.

Wafkassissái waflássyasai pifnattáidu yánisnav
[wAf.kA.S:i's:aj wA'fla'S:a'saj pef.na't:aj'du 'jA.neS.nav]

Lusnaváutasva wazunípaka líwanal piflítilwai
[los.na'vAw'tas'vA wA.zu'ni'pA'kA 'li.wA.nal pi'fli'tSi'lwaj]

Ku lizlutátasva wasakátiv laláka wabikadíz
[ku li.zru'ta'tas'vA wA.sa'kA'tSev la'la'kA wA.bi.kA'deZ]

Zi kláitasva-bu sutakí zibútasva wanilástaz?
[Zi 'klaj.tas.vA.bu su.ta'Ci Zi'bu'tas'vA wA.ni'las'taz]

[C] = voiceless palatal fricative

Some brief notes: the fourth line was modified to fit into the normal poetic
pattern of Watakassí, which is four lines of four "major words" (words that
contain an accent). In a less poetic translation, the last line would've been
something like: Zi zibútasva subaa waniilástaz? (note: one change was making ni-
into nii-), which contains only two major words. (Lit: But understands who
birdhood?), so I changed the minor word subaa (who?) into the two major word
phrase kláitasva-bu sutakí (does anyone exist?)