< 21: Wenetaic by Paul Bennett Teonaht by Sally Caves

Translated by: Sally Caves
Torch:
Le vahdva ebra:
"Ha Hteuim Htavejyvar! Toõl plebuaz sy plebuama imbe tsobplebuamarem."

Le teuim ebra:
"Airy panhtois ta nimra hdo hoja ai olan.
Imral mip oua, dho memwa winnyf ai vergo.
Bommouan rairy vemuis, on memdys olan,
    send lo timaartys omlo cosa.
Eton rendaruo, send on oua.
Esry ebra: 'Hal htavveja: syl ouarem ry dehsan nery airy benda!'
Hadole tamolin omdwa vryda, ma rinmal omon mip ke.
Al htavveja omai mip ke uontso cel ennopte, dam oljo.
Esry ebra: 'Hal htavveja: syl kerem ry dehsan nery airy benda!'" 
Smooth translation:
The seer says:
"O god creator! You word me a word that is yet to be worded!"

The god says:
"A strong thing, it grows swift as the wind...
A soul begins to hear, as water gives sustenance.
Hearing a far-off thing, one is anxious, and closes up his ears.
A tree grows, one hears.
I will say: 'O my creation! I want you to hear that I am a good thing!'
Children fear the dark, but an adult begins to see.
My creation will see that we are wedded, I and she.
I will say: 'O my creation! I want you to see that I am a good thing!"
Translation of previous torch Missing
Interlinear Missing
Glossary/mini dictionary Missing
Grammar notes
Issytra has made some slight departures from the Wenetaic: She considered "I
ought to say" to be belittling for a god to utter, so she translated "I will
say."

For some reason, Issytra has transposed lines 5 and 6. Oh well.

"Clearly," she writes, "this poem in the beautiful Wenetaic is about a
conversation betwen a priest and his god. Marks of quotation have been supplied
for lines five and eight only, but Issytra has re-enclosed them: the seer
addresses the god, who has given him a prophetic word; the god then replies that
this word will be misinterpreted by anxious men. Visonary men, unlike children
who fear the dark, will understand that they and their creator are one." Issytra
was moved to ponder whether this is a kind of Mithraic or Christian avatar,
Christ as Word: offering living water, a growing tree, married to his creation,
but doubted and feared by his detractors. "From cynicism faith; from Bastet the
God of Love." A good round!"

Thank you, Issytra!