Texts: Hard Times (sample)

This page presents the complete ‘Hard Times’ text. The text is provided in literal and idiomatic translations. To read and listen to the individual lines of the text, refer to the Hard Times line-by-line page.

Full-Text Version

ᑳᒌ ᐊᔨᒥᐦᒡ(**)

ᒌ ᒥᔅᑲᐌᒉᓂᒡ, ᐁᐅᒄ ᐊᓂᔮ ᐱᓕᐱᓴ ᒌ ᐃᔑᓂᐦᑳᓲ᙮
ᒌ ᑲᐅᐦᑲᑌᒉᓂᒡ, ᐁ ᒌᐐ ᒦᒋᓱᐙᑯᐸᓀᓂᒡ᙮
ᐁᒄ ᑳ ᒥᔅᑲᒫᐦᒡ ᐊᓂᔮ ᐃᔅᑴᐤ ᐊᓐᑦ(**) ᒦᒍᐙᐦᐱᐦᒡ᙮
ᐁᒄ ᐊᓂᔮ ᓈᐯᐤ ᓇᒧᐃ ᓅᐦᒋ ᒥᔅᑫᓈᓐ᙮
ᐋᑐᐐ ᑮᐹ ᒌ ᐊᑯᐦᑎᓄᐙᑯᐸᓀᓐᐦ(**) ᑯᔅᑲᓈᐲᐦ᙮
ᐁᑯᑦ ᐋᑦ ᓂᔮᓂᑐᐌᐃᐦᑕᒫᐦᒡ ᐊᓂᔮ ᓈᐯᐤ᙮
ᔖᔥ ᒌ ᒥᐦᒉᑎᔫ ᐅᑕᐙᔒᒻᐦ᙮
ᒌ ᒋᓄᑳᐳᔫ ᒫᒃ ᔖᔥ ᐊᓂᔫ ᐅᑯᓴ᙮
ᓇᒧᐃ ᓅᐦᒋ ᒥᔅᑯᐙᓈᓐ ᑲᔦ ᐊᓐ ᓈᐯᔥ᙮
ᒌ ᐊᑯᑌᐤ ᒫᒃ ᐊᓐᑦ(**) ᑌᔑᐱᑖᑲᓐ, ᐁᑯᑦ ᐁᑯᑌᔨᒡ ᐊᓂᔫ ᐅᑕᔫᓐ ᐊᓂᔮ ᓈᐯᐤ᙮

Kaachii ayimihch

Chii miskawechenich, eukw aniyaa Pilipisa chii ishinihkaasuu.
Chii kauhkatechenich, e chiiwii miichisuwaakupanenich.
Ekw kaa miskamaahch aniyaa iskweu ant miichuwaahpihch.
Ekw aniyaa naapeu namui nuuhchi miskenaan.
Aatuwii kiipaa chii akuhtinuwaakupanenh kuskanaapiih.
Ekut aat niyaanituweihtamaahch aniyaa naapeu.
Shaash chii mihchetiyuu utawaashiimh.
Chii chinukaapuyuu maak shaash aniyuu ukusa.
Namui nuuhchi miskuwaanaan kaye an naapesh.
Chii akuteu maak ant teshipitaakan, ekut ekuteyich aniyuu utayuun aniyaa naapeu.

Hard Times [literal English translation]

They found them, that one the late Philips was his name.
They had starved, they had wanted to eat.
Then we found it (body) the late woman in the teepee.
But the late man we didn’t find it (body).
At least but they were in-the-water nightlines.
There even we looked for it (body) the late man.
Already there were many his children.
He was tall already his son.
Not we did not find him also that boy.
There was a cache hanging there, that is where it was hanging that his furs the late man.

Hard Times [idiomatic English translation]

A family was found dead.
They found the woman and the children in the tent.
But they couldn’t find the man and his oldest son.
They looked everywhere.
And where they stored their food for the winter, they only found his furs.