Barwar: The Monk Who Wanted to Know When He Would Die

0:00

Transcribed by	Source	Speakers
Geoffrey Khan	Khan, Geoffrey. The Neo-Aramaic Dialect of Barwar. 3 vols. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2008, vol. 3	Dawiḏ ʾAdam

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	xa-ràbbən xéna,ˈ ràbbən,ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾíman mɛ̀ṯena.ˈ mbùqrɛleˈ mbŭ́tətɛle ʾáxxa-w tàmmaˈ mə́re ʾíṯən xàʾaˈ hóle gu-Kàrkuk,ˈ ʾáw yằḏeˈ ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ ʾáwwa yàlaˈ Dàwiḏ-wewa šə́mme.ˈ ʾo-Dáwiḏ mòdi šúle díye?ˈ máxewa daṛmànaˈ l-ṣàwleˈ xáyəṭwa ṣàwle.ˈ ṯíṯɛla xa-bràtaˈ mxáya ṣáwla díya daṛmàna.ˈ xə́zyəlla ʾáqla díya ʾàxxa.ˈ ʾáw qìmɛleˈ ʾɛ́ne díye wíḏəlla k̭òre.ˈ qəm-maxéla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ́ne dìye.ˈ ʾámər qa-mó gắrəg ʾázəl kúlla páxri gu-nùra,ˈ gu-jăhànnam?ˈ bas-ʾɛ́ni t-xzéla ʾày xoš-ʾáza gu-jahànnam.ˈ qəm-păréla ʾɛ̀ne.ˈ píšle Dáwiḏ k̭òra.ˈ ʾáwwa náša ràbbənˈ šmíle gu-d-o-Dàwiḏ:ˈ ʾə́n ʾàmərˈ ṭúra mšanéle m-àxxaˈ mšanéle tămàha,ˈ ma-t-wéwa krəstyàna,ˈ mhamənána b-ʾalàha.ˈ ʾo-rábbən zílle mṭéle l-Kàrkuk.ˈ mboqə̀rreˈ yába ʾɛ̀kɛleˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òra,ˈ ʾɛ́kɛle măḥálle dìyeˈ ʾáxxa-w tàmma.ˈ mṭèleˈ l-maḥálle dìye.ˈ ʾímət mṭèle,ˈ dréle šlàma,ˈ qəm-xazèleˈ dréle šláma ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ šláma llɛ̀xu!ˈ b-šɛ́na b-ṭawàṯa!ˈ mə́re páqəḏ tù!ˈ tìwle.ˈ mə́re há xḕr,ˈ mòdi bắyət?ˈ mə́re b-álaha hon-ʾə̀ṯyaˈ ʾána bắyən ʾítli xáčča šùla mə́nnux.ˈ mə́re mà-yxaləf.ˈ parqə́nne šùliˈ ʾu-ṱ-ásqəx l-bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ mára qìmɛleˈ hal-ʾaṣə́rta plìxɛle.ˈ ʾo-pəlxána ṱ-íle plìxəlleˈ ho-nášela ʾə̀ṯyeˈ kə́sle dìyeˈ ʾu-qímela sìqe.ˈ qám d-áyya qə̀ṣṣətˈ t-miràliˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òraˈ dbíšla bábe-w yə́mme bìyeˈ mə́ra ʾə́lla magurə̀xlux.ˈ yába kízle ʾáxxa-w tàmma,ˈ là-gawrēnˈ mò-hoyali gwárta-w?ˈ là-băyən,ˈ ʾána là-gorən.ˈ kízla bíye dìye,ˈ mə́ra ʾə̀lla gáwrət.ˈ mə́re b-gàwrən?ˈ magurìtuli?ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ qímela zíle xə̀zyeˈ ʾa-bràta.ˈ xa-bráta xə̀zyəllaˈ mùṯyəlla.ˈ mə́ra ʾáyya ṭalbəxlà-llux.ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bràta,ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bráta ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ mbùrxəlla.ˈ xàrṯaˈ ʾámər ʾə́lla dìyaˈ ṱ-amrə́nnəx xa-mə̀ndi.ˈ mə́ra mùr.ˈ mə́re lɛ́wət ʾàtiˈ ʾɛ-bráta ṱ-in-ʾána wíḏəlla gáni k̭óra b-rèšəx,ˈ mə́xyəlla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ̀ni?ˈ mə́ra yèhe.ˈ mə́re xzá ṱ-amrə̀nnəx.ˈ la-ʾámrəx ʾána w-áti gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ ṱ-ámrəx ʾána w-àtiˈ xóna-w xàṯa.ˈ mbúrxəllən l-ġḏàḏeˈ ka-xóna ʾu-xàṯa,ˈ lá ka-gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ mə́re la-ʾàmrətˈ ṭla-ʾàp-xa.ˈ ʾáxni xòna-w xáṯɛwəx.ˈ mára qìmɛle,ˈ báṯər hàdəx,ˈ ṯéle sìqleˈ kəs-Dáwiḏ k̭óra ʾó ràbbən.ˈ mə́re ʾána bắyən t-yắḏən ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re ma-yxàləfˈ basìṭɛla.ˈ xílela xa-ràmšaˈ ʾu-prìqela,ˈ ʾu-də́ryəlle šwìṯa.ˈ dmíxɛle Dáwiḏ k̭óra làxxaˈ ʾu-báxta dmíxtɛla làxxaˈ ʾu-ʾo-rábbən dmíxɛle làxxa.ˈ múttela xa-sállət mìya.ˈ múttela qam-ʾaqlaṯèy.ˈ sállət míya yắḏət mɛ̀la?ˈ béna míya kə́lye gu-sàlla?ˈ béna ʾàwˈ ma-ṱ-íwa hal-hàdəx,ˈ băyéwa qa-ʾalàhaˈ ʾu-ʾaláha băyèwale,ˈ ʾap-míya muklèle gu-d-ɛ-sálla.ˈ ʾánna lɛ́la dmìxe,ˈ ʾo-rábbən múttəlla ʾáqle díye rš-ắqəl bàxta.ˈ rrrrrrˈ míya ṣə́lyela b-rešèy.ˈ mə́re há xàzəxˈ mù wídlux rábbən?ˈ mə́re čù-məndi,ˈ xḏárənwa l-ày-goti,ˈ ʾáqli tíwla š-ʾáqlət bàxta.ˈ mə́re qu-plúṭ m-àxxa!ˈ ʾáti xa-náša xăràmət.ˈ mə́re ʾúp ʾaláha la-yắḏe ʾáti ʾìman mɛṯéti.ˈ ʾu-ṭríḏəlle m-gu-bɛ̀ṯaˈ zìlɛle.ˈ xa-ràbbən xéna,ˈ ràbbən,ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾíman mɛ̀ṯena.ˈ mbùqrɛleˈ mbŭ́tətɛle ʾáxxa-w tàmmaˈ mə́re ʾíṯən xàʾaˈ hóle gu-Kàrkuk,ˈ ʾáw yằḏeˈ ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ ʾáwwa yàlaˈ Dàwiḏ-wewa šə́mme.ˈ ʾo-Dáwiḏ mòdi šúle díye?ˈ máxewa daṛmànaˈ l-ṣàwleˈ xáyəṭwa ṣàwle.ˈ ṯíṯɛla xa-bràtaˈ mxáya ṣáwla díya daṛmàna.ˈ xə́zyəlla ʾáqla díya ʾàxxa.ˈ ʾáw qìmɛleˈ ʾɛ́ne díye wíḏəlla k̭òre.ˈ qəm-maxéla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ́ne dìye.ˈ ʾámər qa-mó gắrəg ʾázəl kúlla páxri gu-nùra,ˈ gu-jăhànnam?ˈ bas-ʾɛ́ni t-xzéla ʾày xoš-ʾáza gu-jahànnam.ˈ qəm-păréla ʾɛ̀ne.ˈ píšle Dáwiḏ k̭òra.ˈ ʾáwwa náša ràbbənˈ šmíle gu-d-o-Dàwiḏ:ˈ ʾə́n ʾàmərˈ ṭúra mšanéle m-àxxaˈ mšanéle tămàha,ˈ ma-t-wéwa krəstyàna,ˈ mhamənána b-ʾalàha.ˈ ʾo-rábbən zílle mṭéle l-Kàrkuk.ˈ mboqə̀rreˈ yába ʾɛ̀kɛleˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òra,ˈ ʾɛ́kɛle măḥálle dìyeˈ ʾáxxa-w tàmma.ˈ mṭèleˈ l-maḥálle dìye.ˈ ʾímət mṭèle,ˈ dréle šlàma,ˈ qəm-xazèleˈ dréle šláma ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ šláma llɛ̀xu!ˈ b-šɛ́na b-ṭawàṯa!ˈ mə́re páqəḏ tù!ˈ tìwle.ˈ mə́re há xḕr,ˈ mòdi bắyət?ˈ mə́re b-álaha hon-ʾə̀ṯyaˈ ʾána bắyən ʾítli xáčča šùla mə́nnux.ˈ mə́re mà-yxaləf.ˈ parqə́nne šùliˈ ʾu-ṱ-ásqəx l-bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ mára qìmɛleˈ hal-ʾaṣə́rta plìxɛle.ˈ ʾo-pəlxána ṱ-íle plìxəlleˈ ho-nášela ʾə̀ṯyeˈ kə́sle dìyeˈ ʾu-qímela sìqe.ˈ qám d-áyya qə̀ṣṣətˈ t-miràliˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òraˈ dbíšla bábe-w yə́mme bìyeˈ mə́ra ʾə́lla magurə̀xlux.ˈ yába kízle ʾáxxa-w tàmma,ˈ là-gawrēnˈ mò-hoyali gwárta-w?ˈ là-băyən,ˈ ʾána là-gorən.ˈ kízla bíye dìye,ˈ mə́ra ʾə̀lla gáwrət.ˈ mə́re b-gàwrən?ˈ magurìtuli?ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ qímela zíle xə̀zyeˈ ʾa-bràta.ˈ xa-bráta xə̀zyəllaˈ mùṯyəlla.ˈ mə́ra ʾáyya ṭalbəxlà-llux.ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bràta,ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bráta ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ mbùrxəlla.ˈ xàrṯaˈ ʾámər ʾə́lla dìyaˈ ṱ-amrə́nnəx xa-mə̀ndi.ˈ mə́ra mùr.ˈ mə́re lɛ́wət ʾàtiˈ ʾɛ-bráta ṱ-in-ʾána wíḏəlla gáni k̭óra b-rèšəx,ˈ mə́xyəlla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ̀ni?ˈ mə́ra yèhe.ˈ mə́re xzá ṱ-amrə̀nnəx.ˈ la-ʾámrəx ʾána w-áti gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ ṱ-ámrəx ʾána w-àtiˈ xóna-w xàṯa.ˈ mbúrxəllən l-ġḏàḏeˈ ka-xóna ʾu-xàṯa,ˈ lá ka-gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ mə́re la-ʾàmrətˈ ṭla-ʾàp-xa.ˈ ʾáxni xòna-w xáṯɛwəx.ˈ mára qìmɛle,ˈ báṯər hàdəx,ˈ ṯéle sìqleˈ kəs-Dáwiḏ k̭óra ʾó ràbbən.ˈ mə́re ʾána bắyən t-yắḏən ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re ma-yxàləfˈ basìṭɛla.ˈ xílela xa-ràmšaˈ ʾu-prìqela,ˈ ʾu-də́ryəlle šwìṯa.ˈ dmíxɛle Dáwiḏ k̭óra làxxaˈ ʾu-báxta dmíxtɛla làxxaˈ ʾu-ʾo-rábbən dmíxɛle làxxa.ˈ múttela xa-sállət mìya.ˈ múttela qam-ʾaqlaṯèy.ˈ sállət míya yắḏət mɛ̀la?ˈ béna míya kə́lye gu-sàlla?ˈ béna ʾàwˈ ma-ṱ-íwa hal-hàdəx,ˈ băyéwa qa-ʾalàhaˈ ʾu-ʾaláha băyèwale,ˈ ʾap-míya muklèle gu-d-ɛ-sálla.ˈ ʾánna lɛ́la dmìxe,ˈ ʾo-rábbən múttəlla ʾáqle díye rš-ắqəl bàxta.ˈ rrrrrrˈ míya ṣə́lyela b-rešèy.ˈ mə́re há xàzəxˈ mù wídlux rábbən?ˈ mə́re čù-məndi,ˈ xḏárənwa l-ày-goti,ˈ ʾáqli tíwla š-ʾáqlət bàxta.ˈ mə́re qu-plúṭ m-àxxa!ˈ ʾáti xa-náša xăràmət.ˈ mə́re ʾúp ʾaláha la-yắḏe ʾáti ʾìman mɛṯéti.ˈ ʾu-ṭríḏəlle m-gu-bɛ̀ṯaˈ zìlɛle.ˈ	Another monk, a monk, said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He asked, he investigated here and there. He said ‘There is somebody in Kirkuk who knows when I shall die. He is a lad called David.’ What is the profession of that David? He used to polish shoes and sew shoes. A girl came to have her shoes polished. He saw her leg here. He got up and made his eye blind. He stuck the needle into his eye. He said ‘Why should all my body go to the fire, to Hell? Let only my eye, which saw it, go to Hell’. He burst his eye. He became blind David. The monk had heard about that David that if he says he will move a mountain from here, he will move it there, so (devout) a Christian was he, so believing in God. The monk went to Kirkuk. He asked ‘Now, where is blind David? Where is his place (of work)?’ and so forth. He reached his place. When he arrived, he greeted him, he saw him and greeted him ‘Greetings to you!’ ‘You are welcome!’ He said ‘Please sit down!’ He sat down. He said ‘Now, what do you want?’ He said ‘By God, I have come, since I have some business I’d like to do with you’. He said ‘Fine. I’ll finish my job, then we shall go up to the house’. So, he worked until the evening. He did the work. People came to him and went away. Before this story that I have told you, the father and mother of blind David pressed him and said ‘We must marry you’. He tried to (avoid it), in this way and that (and said) ‘I shall not marry. What (good) would marriage be to me? I don’t want it. I shall not marry’. They tried (to persuade) him, saying ‘You must marry’. He said ‘Shall I marry? Will you marry me?’ They said ‘Yes’. They went to find the girl. They found a girl and brought her. They said ‘We shall ask for her to be betrothed to you’. When they brought that girl, when they brought that girl to him, they wedded her (to him). Afterwards he said to her ‘I’d like to say something to you’. She said ‘Tell me’. He said ‘Are you not the girl on account of whom I made myself blind, by puttinng the needle into my eye?’ She said ‘Yes’. He said ‘Look, let me say (this) to you: Let’s not say that I and you are husband and wife. Let us say that I and you are brother and sister. They have wed us together while we are brother and sister, and not husband and wife’. She said ‘Yes’. He said ‘Do not tell anybody. We are are brother and sister.’ So, after this the monk came up to visit blind David. He said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He said ‘Fine. It is easy’. They ate dinner and finished (the meal), then he made him up a bed. Blind David slept here, the woman slept here and the monk slept here. They had put out a basket of water, they put it in front of their legs. Do you know what a basket of water is? But, can water stay in a basket? He was so (holy), he loved God and God loved him, that he made even water stay in the basket. While they were asleep, the monk put his leg onto the leg of the woman, rrrrr, the water came down onto their heads. He said ‘Oh look, what have you done, monk?’ He said ‘Noth-ing. I was turning over to my (other) side and my leg fell on the leg of the woman’. He said ‘Get up and get out of here! You are a villainous person’. He said ‘Even God does not know when you will die’. He drove him from the house and he went away.

show raw texts

Transcription:

xa-ràbbən xéna,ˈ ràbbən,ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re bắyən t-yắḏən ʾána ʾíman mɛ̀ṯena.ˈ mbùqrɛleˈ mbŭ́tətɛle ʾáxxa-w tàmmaˈ mə́re ʾíṯən xàʾaˈ hóle gu-Kàrkuk,ˈ ʾáw yằḏeˈ ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ ʾáwwa yàlaˈ Dàwiḏ-wewa šə́mme.ˈ ʾo-Dáwiḏ mòdi šúle díye?ˈ máxewa daṛmànaˈ l-ṣàwleˈ xáyəṭwa ṣàwle.ˈ ṯíṯɛla xa-bràtaˈ mxáya ṣáwla díya daṛmàna.ˈ xə́zyəlla ʾáqla díya ʾàxxa.ˈ ʾáw qìmɛleˈ ʾɛ́ne díye wíḏəlla k̭òre.ˈ qəm-maxéla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ́ne dìye.ˈ ʾámər qa-mó gắrəg ʾázəl kúlla páxri gu-nùra,ˈ gu-jăhànnam?ˈ bas-ʾɛ́ni t-xzéla ʾày xoš-ʾáza gu-jahànnam.ˈ qəm-păréla ʾɛ̀ne.ˈ píšle Dáwiḏ k̭òra.ˈ ʾáwwa náša ràbbənˈ šmíle gu-d-o-Dàwiḏ:ˈ ʾə́n ʾàmərˈ ṭúra mšanéle m-àxxaˈ mšanéle tămàha,ˈ ma-t-wéwa krəstyàna,ˈ mhamənána b-ʾalàha.ˈ ʾo-rábbən zílle mṭéle l-Kàrkuk.ˈ mboqə̀rreˈ yába ʾɛ̀kɛleˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òra,ˈ ʾɛ́kɛle măḥálle dìyeˈ ʾáxxa-w tàmma.ˈ mṭèleˈ l-maḥálle dìye.ˈ ʾímət mṭèle,ˈ dréle šlàma,ˈ qəm-xazèleˈ dréle šláma ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ šláma llɛ̀xu!ˈ b-šɛ́na b-ṭawàṯa!ˈ mə́re páqəḏ tù!ˈ tìwle.ˈ mə́re há xḕr,ˈ mòdi bắyət?ˈ mə́re b-álaha hon-ʾə̀ṯyaˈ ʾána bắyən ʾítli xáčča šùla mə́nnux.ˈ mə́re mà-yxaləf.ˈ parqə́nne šùliˈ ʾu-ṱ-ásqəx l-bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ mára qìmɛleˈ hal-ʾaṣə́rta plìxɛle.ˈ ʾo-pəlxána ṱ-íle plìxəlleˈ ho-nášela ʾə̀ṯyeˈ kə́sle dìyeˈ ʾu-qímela sìqe.ˈ qám d-áyya qə̀ṣṣətˈ t-miràliˈ Dáwiḏ k̭òraˈ dbíšla bábe-w yə́mme bìyeˈ mə́ra ʾə́lla magurə̀xlux.ˈ yába kízle ʾáxxa-w tàmma,ˈ là-gawrēnˈ mò-hoyali gwárta-w?ˈ là-băyən,ˈ ʾána là-gorən.ˈ kízla bíye dìye,ˈ mə́ra ʾə̀lla gáwrət.ˈ mə́re b-gàwrən?ˈ magurìtuli?ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ qímela zíle xə̀zyeˈ ʾa-bràta.ˈ xa-bráta xə̀zyəllaˈ mùṯyəlla.ˈ mə́ra ʾáyya ṭalbəxlà-llux.ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bràta,ˈ ʾímə ṱ-íla múṯyəlla ʾa-bráta ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ mbùrxəlla.ˈ xàrṯaˈ ʾámər ʾə́lla dìyaˈ ṱ-amrə́nnəx xa-mə̀ndi.ˈ mə́ra mùr.ˈ mə́re lɛ́wət ʾàtiˈ ʾɛ-bráta ṱ-in-ʾána wíḏəlla gáni k̭óra b-rèšəx,ˈ mə́xyəlla ʾurə̀dxaˈ gu-ʾɛ̀ni?ˈ mə́ra yèhe.ˈ mə́re xzá ṱ-amrə̀nnəx.ˈ la-ʾámrəx ʾána w-áti gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ ṱ-ámrəx ʾána w-àtiˈ xóna-w xàṯa.ˈ mbúrxəllən l-ġḏàḏeˈ ka-xóna ʾu-xàṯa,ˈ lá ka-gáwṛa-w bàxta.ˈ mə́ra hè.ˈ mə́re la-ʾàmrətˈ ṭla-ʾàp-xa.ˈ ʾáxni xòna-w xáṯɛwəx.ˈ mára qìmɛle,ˈ báṯər hàdəx,ˈ ṯéle sìqleˈ kəs-Dáwiḏ k̭óra ʾó ràbbən.ˈ mə́re ʾána bắyən t-yắḏən ʾìman mɛ́ṯən.ˈ mə́re ma-yxàləfˈ basìṭɛla.ˈ xílela xa-ràmšaˈ ʾu-prìqela,ˈ ʾu-də́ryəlle šwìṯa.ˈ dmíxɛle Dáwiḏ k̭óra làxxaˈ ʾu-báxta dmíxtɛla làxxaˈ ʾu-ʾo-rábbən dmíxɛle làxxa.ˈ múttela xa-sállət mìya.ˈ múttela qam-ʾaqlaṯèy.ˈ sállət míya yắḏət mɛ̀la?ˈ béna míya kə́lye gu-sàlla?ˈ béna ʾàwˈ ma-ṱ-íwa hal-hàdəx,ˈ băyéwa qa-ʾalàhaˈ ʾu-ʾaláha băyèwale,ˈ ʾap-míya muklèle gu-d-ɛ-sálla.ˈ ʾánna lɛ́la dmìxe,ˈ ʾo-rábbən múttəlla ʾáqle díye rš-ắqəl bàxta.ˈ rrrrrrˈ míya ṣə́lyela b-rešèy.ˈ mə́re há xàzəxˈ mù wídlux rábbən?ˈ mə́re čù-məndi,ˈ xḏárənwa l-ày-goti,ˈ ʾáqli tíwla š-ʾáqlət bàxta.ˈ mə́re qu-plúṭ m-àxxa!ˈ ʾáti xa-náša xăràmət.ˈ mə́re ʾúp ʾaláha la-yắḏe ʾáti ʾìman mɛṯéti.ˈ ʾu-ṭríḏəlle m-gu-bɛ̀ṯaˈ zìlɛle.ˈ

Translation:

Another monk, a monk, said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He asked, he investigated here and there. He said ‘There is somebody in Kirkuk who knows when I shall die. He is a lad called David.’ What is the profession of that David? He used to polish shoes and sew shoes. A girl came to have her shoes polished. He saw her leg here. He got up and made his eye blind. He stuck the needle into his eye. He said ‘Why should all my body go to the fire, to Hell? Let only my eye, which saw it, go to Hell’. He burst his eye. He became blind David. The monk had heard about that David that if he says he will move a mountain from here, he will move it there, so (devout) a Christian was he, so believing in God. The monk went to Kirkuk. He asked ‘Now, where is blind David? Where is his place (of work)?’ and so forth. He reached his place. When he arrived, he greeted him, he saw him and greeted him ‘Greetings to you!’ ‘You are welcome!’ He said ‘Please sit down!’ He sat down. He said ‘Now, what do you want?’ He said ‘By God, I have come, since I have some business I’d like to do with you’. He said ‘Fine. I’ll finish my job, then we shall go up to the house’. So, he worked until the evening. He did the work. People came to him and went away. Before this story that I have told you, the father and mother of blind David pressed him and said ‘We must marry you’. He tried to (avoid it), in this way and that (and said) ‘I shall not marry. What (good) would marriage be to me? I don’t want it. I shall not marry’. They tried (to persuade) him, saying ‘You must marry’. He said ‘Shall I marry? Will you marry me?’ They said ‘Yes’. They went to find the girl. They found a girl and brought her. They said ‘We shall ask for her to be betrothed to you’. When they brought that girl, when they brought that girl to him, they wedded her (to him). Afterwards he said to her ‘I’d like to say something to you’. She said ‘Tell me’. He said ‘Are you not the girl on account of whom I made myself blind, by puttinng the needle into my eye?’ She said ‘Yes’. He said ‘Look, let me say (this) to you: Let’s not say that I and you are husband and wife. Let us say that I and you are brother and sister. They have wed us together while we are brother and sister, and not husband and wife’. She said ‘Yes’. He said ‘Do not tell anybody. We are are brother and sister.’ So, after this the monk came up to visit blind David. He said ‘I want to know when I shall die’. He said ‘Fine. It is easy’. They ate dinner and finished (the meal), then he made him up a bed. Blind David slept here, the woman slept here and the monk slept here. They had put out a basket of water, they put it in front of their legs. Do you know what a basket of water is? But, can water stay in a basket? He was so (holy), he loved God and God loved him, that he made even water stay in the basket. While they were asleep, the monk put his leg onto the leg of the woman, rrrrr, the water came down onto their heads. He said ‘Oh look, what have you done, monk?’ He said ‘Noth-ing. I was turning over to my (other) side and my leg fell on the leg of the woman’. He said ‘Get up and get out of here! You are a villainous person’. He said ‘Even God does not know when you will die’. He drove him from the house and he went away.