Ancient Nahuatl Poetry ||| ANOTHER
Category: Ancient Nahuatl Poetry
XI. OTRO.
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XI. ANOTHER.
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1. Nicchocaehua, nicnotlamati, nicelnamiqui ticauhtehuazque yectliya
xochitl yectli yancuicatl; ma octonahuiacan, ma oc toncuicacan cen
tiyahui tipolihui ye ichan, etc.
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1. I lift my voice in wailing, I am afflicted, as I remember that we
must leave the beautiful flowers, the noble songs; let us enjoy
ourselves for a while, let us sing, for we must depart forever, we
are to be destroyed in our dwelling place.
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2. Achtleon ah yuhquimati in tocnihuan cocoya in noyollo qualani
yehua ay oppan in tlacatihua ye ay oppa piltihuaye yece yequi
xoantlalticpac.
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2. Is it indeed known to our friends how it pains and angers me that
never again can they be born, never again be young on this earth?
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3. Oc achintzinca y tetloc ye nican tenahuacan aic yezco on aic
nahuiaz aic nihuelamatiz.
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3. Yet a little while with them here, then nevermore shall I be with
them, nevermore enjoy them, nevermore know them.
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4. In can on nemian noyollo yehua? Can huel ye nochan? Can huel
nocallamanian? Ninotolinia tlalticpac.
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4. Where shall my soul dwell? Where is my home? Where shall be my
house? I am miserable on earth.
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5. Zan ye tocontemaca ye tocontotoma in mochalchiuh, ye on
quetzalmalintoc, zacuan icpac xochitl, za yan tiquinmacayan tepilhuan
O.
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5. We take, we unwind the jewels, the blue flowers are woven over the
yellow ones, that we may give them to the children.
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6. In nepapan xochitl conquimilo, conihuiti ye noyollo niman
nichocaya ixpan niauh in tonan.
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6. Let my soul be draped in various flowers; let it be intoxicated by
them, for soon must I weeping go before the face of our mother.
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7. Zan nocolhuia: ipalnemohua ma ca ximozoma, ma ca ximonenequin
tlalticpac, mazo tehuantin motloc tinemican y, zan ca ye moch ana
ilhuicatlitica.
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7. This only do I ask:—Thou Giver of Life, be not angry, be not
severe on earth, let us live with thee on earth, take us to the
Heavens.
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8. Azo tle nello nicyaitohua nican ipalnemohua, zan tontemiqui y, zan
toncochitlehuaco, nicitoa in tlalticpac ye ayac huel tontiquilhuia ye
nicana.
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8. But what can I speak truly here of the Giver of Life? We only
dream, we are plunged in sleep; I speak here on earth; but never can
we speak in worthy terms here.
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9. In manel ye chalchihuitl, mantlamatilolli, on aya mazo ya
ipalnemohuani ayac hueltic ilhuia nicana.
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9. Although it may be jewels and precious ointments (of speech), yet
of the Giver of Life, one can never here speak in worthy terms.
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NOTES FOR SONG XI.
In a similar strain as in the last poem, the bard bewails the
briefness of human life and friendships. He closes with an appeal to
the Master of Life, of whom no mortal tongue can speak in worthy and
appropriate terms.
6. ihuiti, apparently a form of ihuintia.
tonan; the reference appears to be to Tonantzin, Our Mother,
otherwise known as Cihuacoatl, the Serpent Woman. She was the
mythical mother of the human race, and dispensed afflictions and
adverse fortune. See Sahagun, Hist. de la Nueva Espaсa, Lib. I,
cap. 6. The name is a proof of the antiquity of the poem, which is
throughout in the spirit of the ancient religion.
Tagged as: Nahua
