The Christ Hymn in the 2nd chapter of the book of Philippians is one of the oldest texts in the New Testament. The book of Philippians assumes that this hymn is already known to the congregation in Philippi. The hymn poetically condenses the core of the Christian faith.
5 sona ni o lon sina: ona li lon jan Jesu pi telo sewi.
lipu tawa kulupu Pilipi
6 ona li lon sijelo sewi la ona li wile ala lanpan e sama sewi.
7 taso ona li ala e ona, li kama lon sijelo pi mani jan, li lukin sama jan.
8 ona li anpa e ona, li kama kute tawa moli, tawa moli palisa kin.
9 ni la sewi li sewi mute e ona, li pana e nimi ni tawa ona: ona li lon sewi pi nimi ale.
10 sewi en ma en anpa ma la noka ale o anpa lon nimi pi jan Jesu.
11 uta ale o toki wawa sama e ni: jan Jesu pi telo sewi li lawa, tawa pona pi sewi mama!
sona ni o lon sina: ona li lon jan [jo esun..] pi(telo sewi)
lipu tawa kulupu [pilin..pi:]
ona li lon sijelo sewi la
zz zz ona li wile ala lanpan e sama sewi
taso ona
zz li ala e ona
zz li kama lon sijelo pi(mani jan)
zz li lukin sama jan
ona li anpa e ona
zz li kama kute tawa moli
zz zz zz zz tawa moli palisa kin
ni la
zz sewi li sewi mute e ona
zz zz li pana e nimi ni tawa ona
zz zz zz zz ona li lon sewi pi(nimi ale)
sewi en ma en anpa ma la
zz noka ale o anpa lon nimi pi(jan [jo esun..])
zz uta ale o toki wawa sama e ni
zz zz zz jan [jo esun..] pi(telo sewi) li lawa tawa pona pi(sewi mama)
This is excellent!
I especially like:
“moli palisa” = “stick death” = “death on cross”
“noka ale o anpa” = “all feet, go down!” = “every knee shall bow”
“li kama kute tawa moli” = “came listening to death” = “was obedient even to death”
It’s inspired. And I appreciate the original source more having read this translation. It made me have to understand the original better.
It’s really good. One part tripped me up:
“li kama lon sijelo pi mani jan” = “he came in the body of human money/cattle” = “he took the form of a servant”
I think the intention is like “human cattle” or “human property”, in that it’s a low station, kind of like saying slave. My issue is that, for one, mani means “valuable” or “money”, so it evokes something positive and wealth-related to my ears. I first read it as “human wealth”. It’s an absolutely reasonable rendering of “slave”, but it shifts the focus, I feel, away from the obedience.
For me, I propose the following:
“li kama lon sijelo pi kute jan” = “he came in the body of human ear/listener/obeyer” = “he took the form of a servant”
I find this more natural, because it focuses on what a servant _does_ not what he _is_. It also sets up the next verse where “kute” would again be used to mean obeys. Cattle/money/property doesn’t typically obey, except when made to. A willing servant, an ear, is made to listen. It is its form and its function. Just a thought.
Again, this is great work! toki pona! kute pona!