Senatola

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10 October 2026 · from German · 6 sentences

Psalm 23

Source: Psalm 23, Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), text from bibel-online.net. The English verses follow the King James Version (1611, public domain); where Luther differs, the Senatola follows Luther, and the notes say so. Proper names stay unchanged (David). “The LORD” = lavema (God), as in the Tower of Babel.

Literal: NOT = ne, FUT = vi, PL = ma. Compounds with hyphens.

Whole text in one piece

senaduka David. lavema lute dorovara mi. nomu tama vufale vi fu mi. lo namene mi di nibora limi, su lo vukipe mi va nima geki. lo velene panesa mi. lo vukipe mi ru fara rali fu meba lo luti. mi nubatase di vutaka vulumi, ho mi dute ne di tama vurala, ke tu fale ga mi. veba beni tu sepene mi. tu gepene nama he guka fu mi le ma vunuva mi. tu gepene nolesa he rila mi, su tu lamene lapota mi. rala su pirarala kipe vi mi ru lusa vela nali mi, su mi fane vi nalo di dova lavema.

Ein Psalm Davids. Der HERR ist mein Hirte; mir wird nichts mangeln. Er weidet mich auf grüner Aue und führet mich zum frischen Wasser. Er erquicket meine Seele; er führet mich auf rechter Straße um seines Namens willen. Und ob ich schon wanderte im finstern Tal, fürchte ich kein Unglück; denn du bist bei mir, dein Stecken und dein Stab trösten mich. Du bereitest vor mir einen Tisch im Angesicht meiner Feinde. Du salbest mein Haupt mit Öl und schenkest mir voll ein. Gutes und Barmherzigkeit werden mir folgen mein Leben lang, und ich werde bleiben im Hause des HERRN immerdar.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Sentence by sentence (6 sentences)

Verse 1

senaduka David. lavema lute dorovara mi. nomu tama vufale vi fu mi.

speak-music David. God same-be sheep-person I. zero thing be-missing FUT for I

Ein Psalm Davids. Der HERR ist mein Hirte; mir wird nichts mangeln.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Notes (4)
  • Present tense without a time word; vi where Luther has a future.
  • The heading is a short sentence: “Song of David”. The name specifies the noun before it.
  • “Is my shepherd” = lute dorovara mi, like “He is my friend”. shepherd = dorovara (from “The Shepherd Boy”).
  • “I shall not want” = nothing will be missing for me (vufale = be missing).

Verse 2

lo namene mi di nibora limi, su lo vukipe mi va nima geki.

he eat-make I in field green, and he lead I to water clean

Er weidet mich auf grüner Aue und führet mich zum frischen Wasser.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Notes (2)
  • “Make to lie down in pastures” (Luther: “pastures me”) = namene (feed, from “The Raven and the Fox”). “Pasture” = nibora limi (green field).
  • Luther has “fresh water” = nima geki (clean water); nima guni (new water) would fit less well.

Verse 3

lo velene panesa mi. lo vukipe mi ru fara rali fu meba lo luti.

he live-make soul I. he lead I through path good for name he self

Er erquicket meine Seele; er führet mich auf rechter Straße um seines Namens willen.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Notes (3)
  • “Restore” = velene (live + -en-: revive), a new term.
  • “In the paths of righteousness” (Luther: “on the right road”) = ru fara rali (along the good path; ru = through, along the way).
  • “For his name's sake” = fu meba lo luti; lo luti points to the subject, that is, to God.

Verse 4

mi nubatase di vutaka vulumi, ho mi dute ne di tama vurala, ke tu fale ga mi. veba beni tu sepene mi.

I walk in valley dark, but I afraid-be NOT in matter bad-thing, because you be-located with I. wood long you calm-make I

Und ob ich schon wanderte im finstern Tal, fürchte ich kein Unglück; denn du bist bei mir, dein Stecken und dein Stab trösten mich.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Notes (6)
  • “Though” is rearranged and joined with ho (paraphrase): I walk in the dark valley, but I am not afraid. Luther has “the dark valley”, which the Senatola follows.
  • “Fear something” = dute (be afraid) + di tama, because a quality verb has no object.
  • The ke clause comes directly after the ho clause and belongs to it.
  • “Be with me” = fale ga mi.
  • “Rod and staff” is a pair for one thing, the shepherd's staff: veba beni (long wood). As with “tongue and language” in the Tower of Babel, it stands for one idea.
  • “Comfort” = sepene (calm + -en-: soothe), a new term.

Verse 5

tu gepene nama he guka fu mi le ma vunuva mi. tu gepene nolesa he rila mi, su tu lamene lapota mi.

you lay food on table for I before PL enemy I. you lay oil on head I, and you fill drinking-glass I

Du bereitest vor mir einen Tisch im Angesicht meiner Feinde. Du salbest mein Haupt mit Öl und schenkest mir voll ein.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Notes (2)
  • “Prepare a table” = lay food on the table. “In the presence of mine enemies” = le ma vunuva mi (before my enemies).
  • “Anoint” = lay oil on the head. “My cup runneth over” (Luther: “you pour me a full cup”) = lamene lapota mi (you fill my glass).

Verse 6

rala su pirarala kipe vi mi ru lusa vela nali mi, su mi fane vi nalo di dova lavema.

good-thing and heart-good follow FUT I through time life whole I, and I stay FUT always in house God

Gutes und Barmherzigkeit werden mir folgen mein Leben lang, und ich werde bleiben im Hause des HERRN immerdar.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Notes (3)
  • “Mercy” = pirarala (heart + good).
  • “All the days of my life” = ru lusa vela nali mi, like “for the rest of her days” in “The Star Money”.
  • “For ever” = nalo; the adverb comes directly after the verb and the time word.