The Tower of Babel

The following is a translation of the Tower of Babel story, chosen for its irony with respect to conlanging. I used the Greek version of Genesis 11:1-9 as the source for this translation, supplemented by the King James Version (English).

11.1

Te

tari

tar,

e’ik

a

yat

i

sires

te

yiket

i

tahin.

LOC

time

that

PFV-exist

ABS

one

GEN

NMLZ-speak

LOC

all

GEN

world

(=language)

At that time, there was one language in all the world.

11.2	Kiyes	kaqueyi-ti	soo	kiyen,
	while	PROG-arrive=3PL.NOM	ABL	east
	As they were arriving from the east,

	eyetin-ti	a	yotar	te	ques	to	ekesise	a	Sinar	ya	tir
	PFV-find-TR=3PL.NOM	ABS	plain	LOC	land	REL	PFV-AC-name	ABS	(name)	DAT	this
	they found a plain in the land named Shinar

	ir	enahir-ti	sata.
	and	PFV-settle=3PL.NOM	there
	and they settled there.

11.3	Eyik-ti	ya	kari-te,
	PFV-say=3PL.NOM	DAT	self=3PL.POSS
	They said to each other,

	"Katik	saa	kihanin-wo	a	hok	i	tsesi-sikenat."
	PROG-must	COMP	IRR-gather-TR=1PL.NOM	ABS	some	GEN	piece=NMLZ-build
	"We should gather some building materials."

	Ir	eresa-ti.
	and	PFV-do:PFV=3PL.NOM
	And they did.

11.4	Eyan,	eyik-ti,
	S-linker	PFV-say=3PL.NOM
	Next, they said,

	"Katik	saa	kikenatin-wo	a	aran	ni	tates
	PROG-must	COMP	IRR-build-TR=1PL.NOM	ABS	city	and	tower
	"We should build a city and tower

	to	sik	tsiquos	ena	sakir
	REL	be.able	up-go	as.far.as	sky
	that can go up to the sky

	kat	rokerinsa	a	sise-we
	so.that	FUT-AC-remember	ABS	name=1PL.POSS
	so that our name will be remembered

	sas	kikehaana-wo	ya	yiket	i	hasin	i	tahin."
	before	IRR-AC-scatter=1PL.NOM	DAT	all	GEN	surface	GEN	world
	before we might be scattered to the entire surface of the world."

11.5	Enowor	a	Tsan-Taran	wisor	ki’ok	ya	aran	ni	tates
	PFV-down-go:PFV	ABS	Divinity-Chief	in.order	IRR-see	DAT	city	and	tower
	Chief Divinity went down to see the city and tower

	to	ekenatin	tsa	saasakar	i	tanko-riyos.
	REL	PFV-build-TR	ERG	PL~child	GEN	race-being
	that the children of humanity had build.

11.6	Eyik	a	Tsan-Taran,	"Ok,	ik	te	teken	a	yat	i	sires
	PFV-say	ABS	Divinity-Chief	see.IMP	exist	LOC	3PL	ABS	one	GEN	language
	Chief Divinity said, "See, they have one language

	ir	sik-ti	ak	a	tir,
	and	be.able	do	ABS	this
	and they can do this,

	ir	waha,	koni-ti	ronati	te	koser	to	royok-ti	ya	tar.
	and	now	NEG=3PL.NOM	FUT-fail	LOC	nothing	REL	FUT-try=3PL.NOM	DAT	RESUMP
	and now, they will not fail at anything that they will try.

11.7	Ronotsaa-ha	sata	ir	rohiran-ha	a	sires-te
	FUT-down-go:IRR=1SG.NOM	there	and	FUT-mix.up-TR=1SG.NOM	ABS	language=3PL.POSS
	I'm going to go down there and mix up their language

	wisor	koni-ti	kisik	aket	a	kari-te."
	in.order	NEG=3PL.NOM	IRR-be.able	comprehend	ABS	self=3PL.POSS
	so that they won't be able to comprehend each other."

11.8	Eyan,	ehaanaate	tsa	Tsan-Taran	ya	yiket	i	hasin	i	tahin
	S-linker	PFV-scatter-3PL.ACC	ERG	Divinity-Chief	DAT	all	GEN	surface	GEN	world
	The, the Chief Divinity dispersed them to the entire surface of the world

	ir	eriitowetiite	te	sikenat	i	aran	ni	tates.
	and	PFV-CAUS-abandon-3PL.ACC	LOC	NMLZ-build	GEN	city	and	tower
	and He caused them to abandon the building of the city and tower.

11.9	Soo	sores	tir,	ekesise	a	Wawel	ya	wisa,
	ABL	event	this	PFV-AC-name	ABS	Babel	DAT	place
	Because of this event, the name Babel was given to the place,

	wisor	ehiran	sata	tsa	Tsan-Taran	a	sires	i	yiket	i	tahin
	because	PFV-mix.up-TR	there	ERG	Divinity-Chief	ABS	language	GEN	all	GEN	world
	because there the Chief Divinity mixed up the language of all the world

i

	ir	ehaanaate	ya	yiket	i	hasin	tahin.
	and	PFV-scatter-3PL.ACC	DAT	all	GEN	surface	GEN	world
	and He scattered them to the entire surface of the world.