Early versions of the Lord’s Prayer in Abenaki, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy
[Each passage is given first in the orthography of the source, then in a phonemic transcrption, and then in translation.]
1. Abenaki – 1832
(Desfossés 1832: 9-10)
<Kezôgmômna alaiami-/hot.
Nemitôksena spemkik aiian, sôgmo-/ual meguad ch aliuisian, ketebaldamuô-/gan paiômuich, kolaldamuôgan likitôgua-/dich tali kik tahôlaui tali spemkik, mô-/milina nikuôbi pamgiskak nedattasgis-/kuai abônmena, ta anahaldamauina ne-/balalokauôgannenaual tahôlaui niuna ali anahaldamauôak palikadôguagik, ta akui losalina uenemihoduôganek, ueji kadni-/nahadaki toni majigek, Nialach.>
Kəsąkəmąməna alayamihot.
Nəmihtąkwsəna, spəmkik ayian, sąkəmąwaləməkwatəc aliwisian. Kətəpalətaməwąkan payąməwic; kolalətaməwąkan li-kihtąkwatəc tali kkik tahąlawi tali spəmkik. Mąmilina nikwąpi paməkiskahk nətahtahsəkiskwai-apąnəməna, tta anahalətamawina nəpalalohkawąkanənawal tahąlawi niona ali anahalətamawąak palihkatąkwakik, tta ahkwi-lohsalina wənəmihotəwąkanək, wəci-katəninah=ətahki tąni macikək. Ni alac.
‘How one prays to our Lord.
Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered chiefly. May your dominion come; may your good intentions be heeded on earth as in heaven. Give each of us now today our daily bread, and forgive us our misdeeds as we forgive those who have acted improperly to us, and do not lead us to temptation, but take us away from what is evil. So be it.’
2. Penobscot A – 1834
(Romagne 1834: 15)
<Kemitanksena spomkik ayan waiwaiselmo quatch ayiliwisian amantai paitsiwai witawaikai ketepelta mohanganeck aylikitankouak kete-/lailtamohangan spomkik tali yo nampikik pai-/tchi kik tankouataitche mamilinai yo paimi gisgak daitaskiskouai aiponmena yopa hatchi anaihail tama wihaikai kaissikakan wihiolai-/kaipan aliniona kisi anaihailtamakokaik kai-/kanwia kaitaipanik mosak kaita litchi kitawi-/kaik tampamohutchi sagihouemihinamaikai oulahamistakai sagihousouhaminai mamaitchi-/kill Nialest.
Kəmihtαkwsəna, spəmkik eyəyan, wewehseləməkwahc eli-wisəyan; αmαnte peči-wewihtaweke kətəpelətaməwαkanək eli-kihtαkwahk kətəlelətaməwαkan. Spəmkik tali yo nαpi kkik peči-kihtαkwatəč. Mαmiline yo peməkiskahk nətehtahsəkiskwi-apαnəməna, yo=pa ahci αnehelətamawəyeke kehsi-kakαwiholekəpan, eli- nəyona -kisi-αnehelətama[wokət] kekαwihiyakətəpanik. Mosahk kehtα-li-čikiktawihkek tα[mα=p]a wəči-saki-wənəmihinaməke, wəlαmis take sαkhewsamine mαmačikil. Ni alec.
‘Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered sacred; we hope it may come to be known in your dominion, so that your will be heeded. In heaven as here on earth, may it come to be heeded. Give each of us this day our daily bread, and may you also forgive us the many times we have made you angry, as we have forgiven those who have angered us. Do not leave us somewhere out in front where we may be severely tempted, but rather lead us now out of all that is evil. So be it.’
3. Penobscot B – 1856
(Vetromile 1856: 19-20)
<Kezogmomna alaiamihot.
K’mitanqsenà, spomkìk eyan, wewe/selmoquotch eliwisian, amànte neghè petsiwewitawèkpane ketepeltamohan-/ganèck; èli kìktanguàk ket’letamohàn/gan; spomkik tali yo nampikìk petchi/kiktanguatètche. Mamilìne yo pemighis/gàk ètaskiskué n’tapònmenà, yopahat/chi aneheldamawihèk kessi kakanwihio/lek’pàn, èli nyona kisi aneheldamahokèt kekanwiàk’tepanik; mosak ketali tchi/kiktawighèk tamambàutchi saghihunmi/hinam’ke, ulahamist’kè saghehusuhaminè mematchikìl. Nialetch.>
Kəsαkəmαməna elayamihot.
Kəmihtαkwsəna, spəmkik eyəyan, wewehseləməkwahc eli-wisəyan; αmαnte neke peči-wewihtawekpane kətəpelətaməwαkanək eli-kihtαkwahk kətəle[lə]taməwαkan. Spəmkik tali yo nαpi kkik peči-kihtαkwatəč. Mαmiline yo peməkiskahk ehtahsəkiskwi-nətapαnəməna, yo=pa ahci αnehelətamawəyek kehsi-kakαwiholekəpan, eli- nəyona -kisi-αnehelətamawokət kekαwihiyakətəpanik. Mosahk kehtα-li-čikihtawihkek tαmα=pa wəči-saki-wənəmihinaməke, wəlαmis take sαkhewsamine memačikil. Ni alec.
‘How one prays to our Lord.
Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered sacred; we hope that as it long ago came to be known in your dominion, so may your will be heeded. In heaven as here on earth, may it come to be heeded. Give each of us this day our daily bread, and may you also forgive us the many times we have made you angry, as we have forgiven those who have angered us. Do not leave us somewhere out in front where we may be severely tempted, but rather lead us now out of all that is evil. So be it.’
4. Penobscot C – 1856
(Vetromile 1856: 31-32)
<K’SANGMANMEN ZEZUS EYMIEWAGHEN.
N’miktankùsena, Spemkik èyane, wè/wèsèlmogwodetch èliwizyane, ketepèl-/temwàngan pètzussewitch; keteleltem-/wàngan ùli kìktangwadetch tali kik tahanlàho tè Spemkìk. Manmiline nik/wambi bèmghiskak ètaskiskwè n’tapan/’mena, tè anèhèltamawinè nepalalokkè-/wangannawal, tahanlawi nyona èli anèhèltamahuyèku ewanpallelokèdjik; tè èkkwi èlossaline unemihòtwanganèk, wetchi kighèhièku tannil madzikkil. Nialetch.>
Kəsαkəmαməna Sesohs ayamihewαkan.
Nəmihtαkwsəna, spəmkik eyəyan, wewehseləməkwatəč eli-wisəyan. Kətəpelətaməwαkan pečohsewič. Kətəlelətaməwαkan wəli-kiktαkwatəč tali kkik tahαlaw-tte spəmkik. Mαmiline nikwαpi peməkiskahk ehtahsəkiskwey nətaponəməna, tte αnehelətamawine nəpalalohkewαkanənawal, tahαlaw nəyona eli-αnehelətamawek ewαpalalohkečik; tte ehkwi-alohsaline wənəmihotəwαkanək, weči-kikehəyek tαnil mačikkil. Ni aleč.
‘A prayer for our Lord Jesus.
Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered sacred. May your dominion come. May your will be done well on earth as in heaven. Give each of is now today our daily bread, and
forgive us our misdeeds, as we forgive those who act improperly; and do not lead us into temptation, so that you may save us from all things that are evil. So be it.’
5. Maliseet (“Mareschite”) – 1856
(Vetromile 1856: 20-21)
<Nemiktakusen, spemkik èyne. Sagman/welmegudets eliwizyan; Ketepèltemwaghen pètsussewitch; Keteleltemwaghen uli tsiksetagudets yuttel Ktakkemigook, tahalo tè Spemkik. Miline tekètch bemghiskak etaskiskuè n’taponemen, tè anèhèltemohuyèku n’tuabellokèwaghene-/nuùl tahalo nilon èli anèhèltemohuyèku ewabellokedjìk; tè ekkui losseline une/miotwaghenek, wedji ghighihè tannik medzikkil. Nialetch.>
Nmihtakwsə̀n, spə́mkik èyyən, sakəmaweləmə̀kwətəc eliwìsəyən. Ktəpeltəməwákən pecohsewic. Ktəleltəməwákən wəli-ciksətàkwətəc yòt tə̀l ktahkəmíkok tahálo=te spə́mkik. Milíne təkèc pemkískahk ehtahsəkiskwèy ntəpanəmə̀n, te aneheltəməwíyekw ntowapələlohkewakənə̀nəwəl tahálo nilòn eli-aneheltə̀məwekw ewapələlohkécik, te ehkwi-lohsəlíne wənəmihotəwàkənək. Wci-kikihíne táni[l] mecíkkil. Ni álec.
‘Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered chiefly. May your dominion come. May your will be well heeded here on earth as in heaven. Give us now today our daily bread, and forgive us our misdeeds just as we forgive those who act improperly, and do not lead us into temptation. Keep us safe from all things that are evil. So be it.’
6. Passamaquoddy – 1856
(Vetromile 1856: 268-269)
<N’miktakusen Spemkik èhine Sagman-/welmegudets èliwiziyìn; ketepeltemwa-/ghen petzussewitch; keteleltemwaghen uli tsiksetagudets yuttel ktahkemigook, tahalo te Spemkik. Miline tekètch bemghiskak etaskiskwè n’tapanemen, te anehèltemohuyeku n’twabellokewaghe-/nenuòol tahalo nilon èli aneheltemohu-/yeku ’ewabellokedjik; te ekkwi losseline unemiotwaghenek, wedji ghighihine tan-/nik mèdzikkil. Nialètch.>
Nmihtakwsə̀n, spə́mkik éyyən, sakəmaweləmə́kwətəc eliwísəyən. Ktəpeltəməwákən pecohséwic. Ktəleltəməwákən wəli-ciksətákwətəc yòt tə̀l ktahkəmíkok tahálo=te spə́mkik. Milíne təkèc pemkískahk ehtahsəkiskwèy ntəpanəmə̀n, te aneheltəməwíye[k] ntowapələlohkewakənə́nəwəl tahálo nilòn eli-aneheltə́məwe[k] ewapələlohkécik; te ehkwi-lohsəlíne wənəmihotəwákənək. Wci-kikihine táni[l] mecíkkil. Ni álec.
‘Our father, who are in heaven, may your name be considered chiefly. May your dominion come. May your will be well heeded here on earth as in heaven. Give us now today our daily bread, and forgive us our misdeeds just as we forgive those who act improperly, and do not lead us into temptation. Keep us safe from all things that are evil. So be it.’
Sources
1. Desfossés, Basilide. 1832. Kagakimzouiasis ueji Uo’banakiak adali kimo’gik aliuitzo’ki Za Plasua. (Small catechism for Abenakis who are studying in a place called St. Francis.) Quebec: Fréchette.
2. Romagné, J.B. 1834. The Indian prayer book: Compiled and arranged for the benefit of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes. Boston: H.L. Devereux.
3. Vetromile, Eugene. 1856. Indian good book: For the benefit of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, St. John’s, Micmac, and other tribes of the Abnaki Indians. New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother.