Senjecas - Book I, Chapter 1

Pronunciation table

peműko (labial)								riisűko (dental)								muitűko (alveolar)								vainűko (palatal)							ṡ̨uuše̋nos (vowels)								nı̋þo ṡ̨uuše̋nos (weak vowels)
p	b	f	v	m̃	m			t	d	þ	ð	ɫ	l			ṡ	ż	s	z	r	n			k	g	x	ƣ	h	ȝ			š	s̨			i	e	a	ǫ	o	u			ĭ	ĕ	ŭ
/p/	/b/	/ɸ/	/β/	/m̥/	/m/			/t/	/d/	/θ/	/ð/	/l̥/	/l/			/ʦ/	/ʣ/	/s/	/z/	/ɾ̥/	/n/			/k/	/g/	/ç/	/ʝ/	/j̊/	/j/			/sʷ/	/sʲ/			/i/	/e/	/ä/	/ɒ/	/o/	/u/			/ɪ/	/ɛ/	/ʊ/

Glossing abbreviations

1s/p = 1st person singular/plural	ABL = ablative suffix	COL = collective	F = feminine	INT = intensive prefix	PRV = privative prefix	SUP = supine
2s/p = 2nd person singular/plural	ABS = absolutive (an unmarked modifying adjective)	DES = desiderative	FRQ = frequentative	LAT = lative suffix	PST = past	TRZ = transitivizer
3 = 3rd person	ADV = adverb	DIM = diminutive	FUT = future	LOC = locative suffix	REV = reversive	VOC = vocative particle
A(.s/p) = accusative (singular/plural)	AG = agent	ELIS = elision	IMP = imperative	M = masculine	Q = interrogative particle
G(.s/p) = genitive (singular/plural)	AP = agent (active) participle	ELT = elative	INC = inchoative	OCC = occupation suffix	QUOT = direct quotation
N(.s/p) = nominative (singular/plural)	AUG = augmentative	EP = epenthesis	IND = indicative	PP = patient (past) participle	RPR = recent perfective
V(.s/p) = vocative (singular/plural)	CAUS = causative	EQU = equative degree	INS = instrument	PRF = perfect	SBJ = subjunctive

Text

atősk̬e m̃aka̋sk̬e lűvo – Tao Te Ching

The Book of the Way and the Power

Ursula K. LeGuin kía ange̋lo tarne̋xaþo

English Translation by Ursula K. LeGuin

Chapter One – þűnto þı̋ro

• Tao (The Way) that can be spoken of is not the Constant Tao.
• va̋a̋aþa a̋ta ṡűra a̋ta e̋sa ne:

va̋a̋-a-þa-Ø	a̋t-a	ṡűra-Ø	a̋t-a	e̋s-a	ne
discuss-IND-PP-ABS	way-N.s	constant-ABS	way-N.s	be-IND	not

• The name that can be named is not a Constant Name.
• fe̋e̋taþo fe̋e̋to ṡűro fe̋e̋to e̋sa ne:

fe̋e̋t-a-þo-Ø	fe̋e̋t-o	ṡűro-Ø	fe̋e̋t-o	e̋s-a	ne
name-IND-PP-ABS	name-N.s	constant-ABS	name-N.s	be-IND	not

• Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth.
• d̨em̃a̋sk̬e v̌ętősk̬e tődo fĭfe̋e̋to e̋sa:

d̨em̃-a̋s=k̬e	v̌eet-ős=k̬e	tőd-o	fĭ~fe̋e̋t-o	e̋s-a
heaven-G.s=and	earth-G.s=and	origin-N.s	PRV~name-N.s	be-IND

• The named is the Mother of all things.
• fe̋e̋taþo őro m̃ekőm ma̋a̋ma e̋sa:

fe̋e̋t-a-þ-o	őro-Ø	m̃ek-őm	ma̋a̋m-a	e̋s-a
name-IND-PP-N.s	all-ABS	thing-G.p	mother-N.s	be-IND

• Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence.
• ítu ṡűra m̃a̋a̋nta m̃e̋e̋ra e̋sram ge̋þu tííðumĕ ma̋ƣa:

ítu	ṡűra-Ø	m̃a̋a̋nt-a	m̃e̋e̋ra-Ø	e̋sr-am	ge̋þ-u	tííð-um-ĕ	ma̋ƣ-a
thus	constant-ABS	void-N.s.	true-ABS	essence-A.s	observe-SUP	one-A.s-EP	be.able-IND

• The constant being enables one to see the outward manifestations.
• ṡűra e̋su pűűsa te̋iðranĕ na̋ku tííðumĕ ma̋ƣa:

ṡűra-Ø	e̋s-u	pűűsa-Ø	te̋iðr-an-ĕ	na̋k-u	tííð-um-ĕ	ma̋ƣa
constant-ABS	be-SUP	outward-ABS	manifestation-A.p-EP	see-SUP	one-A.s-EP	be.able-IND

• These two come paired from the same origin.
• i-d̬ő sőmo todős éha ȝe̋maþos ǧe̋ma:

i=d̬ő	sőmo-Ø	tod-ős	éha	ȝe̋m-a-þ-os	ǧe̋m-a
this=two	same-ABS	origin-G.s	from	pair-IND-PP-N.p	come-IND

• But when the essence is manifested, It has a different name.
• ésti—méti e̋sra te̋idaþa ı̋la—gőȝo fe̋e̋to eȝás o e̋sa:

ésti	méti	e̋sr-a	te̋id-a-þ-a	ı̋l-a	gőȝo-Ø	fe̋e̋t-o	eȝ-ás	o	e̋s-a
but	when	essence-N.s	manifest-IND-PP-N.s	become-IND	different-ABS	name-N.s	3-G.s	to	be.IND

• This same origin is called "The Profound Mystery."
• sómo i-tődo ṡa̋la ƣűƣa fe̋e̋taþa ı̋la⁝

sómo-Ø	i=tőd-o	ṡa̋la-Ø	ƣűƣ-a	fe̋e̋t-a-þ-a	ı̋l-a
same-ABS	this=origin-N.s	profound-ABS	mystery-N.s	call-IND-PP-N.s	become-IND