Seeing as how the Christmas season is now upon us, I thought you might enjoy hearing how the nativity story sounds in Enga. This is especially timely since we just recently finished the consultant check of the book of Luke. So here is a very literal back-translation of the nativity story in Enga from Luke 1:1-20. (Note: The brackets indicate words that are not in the Enga but are added to smooth out the English back-translation. The curly brackets { } indicate indirect speech.)
When the man [whom people] call Kurinius stood [as] governor of the land [of] Siria, the chief government ruler [whom people] call Agustas wrote a new law, saying {all the people [who] dwell, shall set [their] names on paper}, and then he sent it into all his lands [that] he ruled. Because he did that, all the people [who] stood in other lands went to their origin lands, saying their names {shall be set}. Then Josepe, because he [was] born of Dapiti's tribe, stood [in] Nasarete town in the land [of] Galilea and went to Dapiti's town, called Beteleme, in the land [of] Judia. That Maria [who was just mentioned], Josepe said he would take her as [his] woman, and he stood wooing her; because of that, while she sat, child in utero, they two went together, saying {we shall set [our] names}. After going and arriving in Beteleme and then looking, the houses [where] strangers sleep were full. Because that happened, when they two went and slept in a house [where] cows sleep, [and] when Maria's child bearing time came, she bore her first child, a male. Maria wrapped the child and then set [him] in the place [where] cows eat food, and then sat taking care of [him].
At that night time, some men [who] stand and take care of sheep were standing and taking care of sheep there at [the] Beteleme land boundary. As they stood, an angel of the Lord came and then suddenly stood with the men. When the light of [the] Lord distributively shone, the men saw and then died [figuratively] with great fear. When they did that, the angel spoke to them and said, “Feel ye not fear! This good word I am coming to tell you, all the people will hear and then feel great joy. Now, at this night time, in Beteleme, the town of Dapiti, [the] Lord Kraisa, [who] will save you, has been born. The child [is] wrapped with cloth, lying in a place [where] cows eat food. When you have sought and seen the child, you will think, saying [that] this word I am saying [is] true." When the angel had said that, a very big gathering [of] angels of heaven came and suddenly stood [where] he lay and then praised God, singing this: "We are praising the God [Who] Stands In The Top-Most Sky. In this down below land, his people [concerning whom] he feels pleasure are receiving lightness [of] heart."
When the angels had said that and had gone upon [the] sky, the men [who] stand and take care of sheep spoke to one another and said, "Let's go quickly [to] Beteleme to see what [the] Lord said to us, saying {something happened}. After saying that, they felt eagerness and went and then saw Maria with Josepe sitting and taking care of the child in the place [where] cows eat food. After seeing [them], they revealed, saying the things they heard when the angel spoke words to them about the child. When they revealed and spoke, all the people [who] heard that word were amazed. When they did that, Maria heard and then took and carried all those words in her heart and then sat thinking. As those [who] stand and take care of sheep were returning, they said [that] the things they heard the angel say to [them] and [the things] they went and saw [were] obviously true and then they returned, praising God.
Praise God for the good news in Enga that Christ the Savior is born! Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Merry Christmas to you all!
When the man [whom people] call Kurinius stood [as] governor of the land [of] Siria, the chief government ruler [whom people] call Agustas wrote a new law, saying {all the people [who] dwell, shall set [their] names on paper}, and then he sent it into all his lands [that] he ruled. Because he did that, all the people [who] stood in other lands went to their origin lands, saying their names {shall be set}
At that night time, some men [who] stand and take care of sheep were standing and taking care of sheep there at [the] Beteleme land boundary. As they stood, an angel of the Lord came and then suddenly stood with the men. When the light of [the] Lord distributively shone, the men saw and then died [figuratively] with great fear. When they did that, the angel spoke to them and said, “Feel ye not fear! This good word I am coming to tell you, all the people will hear and then feel great joy. Now, at this night time, in Beteleme, the town of Dapiti, [the] Lord Kraisa, [who] will save you, has been born. The child [is] wrapped with cloth, lying in a place [where] cows eat food. When you have sought and seen the child, you will think, saying [that] this word I am saying [is] true." When the angel had said that, a very big gathering [of] angels of heaven came and suddenly stood [where] he lay and then praised God, singing this: "We are praising the God [Who] Stands In The Top-Most Sky. In this down below land, his people [concerning whom] he feels pleasure are receiving lightness [of] heart."
When the angels had said that and had gone upon [the] sky, the men [who] stand and take care of sheep spoke to one another and said, "Let's go quickly [to] Beteleme to see what [the] Lord said to us, saying {something happened}
Praise God for the good news in Enga that Christ the Savior is born! Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Merry Christmas to you all!
