tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 30 20:01:24 2009

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Comments sought on Klingon poem

Christopher Doty ([email protected])



Alright, here is my go at translating the bit of the <paqbatlh> read
at Klingon wedding ceremonies regarding the killing of the gods.  It's
in the meter I described earlier, which in my head I am calling
<batleH>, since a stanza looks like a bit like a <batleh>, sticking
out on either end. (Also, what is bat'leth in Klingon?  The iPhone app
gives "batleH," and TKD gives "betlheH" as "a kind of hand weapon,"
but nowhere can I find <batlheH>, which is what I thought it was...)

I've also included a copy of the English version I worked from below
it.  There are some differences, based on lack of vocabulary, etc.,
but it should be pretty close...

Comments welcome/appreciated! (Even you think everything I said makes
no sense at all :p)

1. tlhingan tiq  luchenmoHpu' Qunpu',
2. qul baD je  lulo'pu'.
3. nom moq'egh.
4. Dun tiq wab.
5. 'ej jach Qun:  <DaHjaj tiq
6. wIchenmoHbogh HoS law' Hoch HoS puS.

1. HoSDajDaq Qamvip Hoch.> 'ach pujchoH
2. tlhingan tiq. roD moq'egh
3. rintaH, 'ej
4. jatlh Qun: <qatlh
5. bIpujchoH?  pIchenmoH
6. 'ej SoH HoS  law' Hoch HoS  puS.> <jImob>

1. jatlh tiq. bachHa'pu' 'e'  luSov Qun.
2. qulDaq chegh  Qun, 'ej pa'
3. tiq cha'Dich
4. luqem Qun
5. roD moq'egh tiq cha'Dich,
6. 'ej ghaH HoS law' tiq wa'Dich HoS puS.

1. HoSDaj ghal tiq wa'Dich. 'ach Do' val
2. tiq cha'Dich. <nItebHa'
3. maHtaHvIS,
4. wImevlaH
5. pagh.> jatlh tiq cha'Dich. 'ej
6. nItebHa' moq'egh 'e'  lutaghbej.

1. 'ej nItebHa' moq'eghtaHvIS, vaj
2. 'u' teb wabchaj qabqu'. not vay''e'
3. ghajpu' Qun,
4. 'ach DaH tiq
5. ghajchoH Qun. Haw' 'e' nID
6. Qun, 'ach HIV 'e' lutagh tlhingan tiq.

1. chenmoHbogh Qun HoH tlhingan tiqpu'.
2. 'ej 'u' lumeQpu' tiq.
3. qulvo' Hov
4. qIjghach je
5. chenmoHpu' tiq. DaHjaj,
6. moq'eghbogh tlhingan tiq qaDlaH pagh.

(English:
"With fire and steel did the gods forge the Klingon heart.
So fiercely did it beat,
so loud was the sound, that the gods cried out,
'On this day we have brought forth the strongest heart in all the heavens.

None can stand before it without trembling at its strength.'
But then the Klingon heart weakened,
its steady rhythm faltered and the gods said,
'Why do you weaken so? We have made you the strongest in all of creation.'

And the heart said... 'I am alone.'
And the gods knew that they had erred.
So they went back to their forge and brought forth another heart.
But the second heart beat stronger than the first,
and the first was jealous of its power.

Fortunately, the second heart was tempered by wisdom.
'If we join together, no force can stop us.'
And when the two hearts began to beat together,
they filled the heavens with a terrible sound.

For the first time, the gods knew fear.
They tried to flee, but it was too late.
The Klingon hearts destroyed the gods who created them
and turned the heavens to ashes.
To this very day, no one can oppose the beating of two Klingon hearts.")






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