tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 22 05:41:08 1993

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Subject:  batlh rInmeH Heghta'wI'pu' Qu' vumnIS yIntaHbogh maH Hoch

Not being a christian, I thought I should offer my own translation of a
chosen, non-biblical text. First, I offer the speech in Klingon, then the
line-by-line translation (and justification of the translation), with a 30
line gap for those who do not wish to see the translation before they chew on
it a while):

     chorghmaH Soch ben puH'a'vamDaq wo' chu' chenmoH vavpu'maj

       wo'vetlhDaq tlhab ghajtaH Hoch 'ej potlhtaH Hoch ghot 

               DaH veS'a' wISuvvIS Suv'eghlI' wo'maj

     taHlaHtaH'a' wo'maj vay' wo' raplaw' joq 'e' toblI' noHvam

                    veSvam may'puH'a'Daq maghomlI'

yInlaHtaHmeH wo'vam Heghta'bogh neghvetlh DImolmeH puHvetlh yoSHomvam
wIpotlhmoH wIneH

      QaQ Hechghachmaj 'ach puHvam wIpotlhmoHlaHbe' maH'e'

potlhtaH yoSvam naDev Suvta'mo' yIntaHbogh SuvwI'pu' yoH naDev Heghta'bogh
SuvwI'pu' yoH je

 tugh naDev mu'mey wIjatlhta'bogh lij Hoch, 'ach not may'vetlh lIj vay'

     batlh rInmeH Heghta'wI'pu' Qu' vumnIS yIntaHbogh maH Hoch 
...
[the promised translation is about 30 lines below]



























     chorghmaH Soch ben puH'a'vamDaq wo' chu' chenmoH vavpu'maj

       wo'vetlhDaq tlhab ghajtaH Hoch 'ej potlhtaH Hoch ghot 

"Eighty seven years ago, at this great land, our fathers formed a new empire.
In that empire, everyone has freedom and all people are important."

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a
new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal. 

[I realized that "all people are created equal" really means that everyone is
important, not that everyone is the same. Meanwhile, I feel uncertain about
whether it should be "Hoch ghot" or "ghot Hoch".]

               DaH veS'a' wISuvvIS Suv'eghlI' wo'maj

    taHlaHtaH'a' wo'maj vay' wo' raplaw' joq 'e' toblI' noHvam

"Now, our empire is in the process of fighting itself at the great war. Can
our empire or any similar (apparently same) empire continue to endure? This
war is in the process of conclusively testing that."

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any
nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.

[The 'e' reference to an interrogative is not something that I can remember
seeing in cannon, but it makes the most sense to me in my attempt to convey
the meaning of the original text.]

                    veSvam may'puH'a'Daq maghomlI'

"We now gather at a great battle-land of this war."

We are met on a great battlefield of that war. 

[I chose "this" over "that" in order to increase the sense of proximity.]

yInlaHtaHmeH wo'vam Heghta'bogh neghvetlh DImolmeH puHvetlh yoSHomvam
wIpotlhmoH wIneH

"We want that we make important this small area of that land for the purpose
that we bury those soldiers who died for the purpose that this empire can
continue to live."

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for
those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

         QaQ Hechghachmaj 'ach puHvam wIpotlhmoHlaHbe' maH'e'

"Our intention is good, but WE cannot make this area important."

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. 

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot
hallow this ground. 

potlhtaH yoSvam naDev Suvta'mo' yIntaHbogh SuvwI'pu' yoH naDev Heghta'bogh
SuvwI'pu' yoH je

"This place is important because those who fought here: the brave fighters
who intentionally died here and the brave fighters who continue to live."
[This could also be translated:] "This place is important because of those
who fought here who continue to live and those who intentionally died here."

The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far
above our poor power to add or detract. 

  tugh naDev mu'mey wIjatlhta'bogh lij Hoch, 'ach not may'vetlh lIj vay'

"Soon, everyone will forget the words we said here, but never will anyone
forget that battle."

The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can
never forget what they did here. 

      batlh rInmeH Heghta'wI'pu' Qu' vumnIS yIntaHbogh maH Hoch 

"All of us who continue to live must work honorably for the purpose that the
task of the dead be finished."

It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

[I leave the last sentence for those more skilled than myself to complete:]

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before
us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under
God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.



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