Pitjantjatjara, often pronounced Pitjantjara, (emphasis on the first syllable) is one of the Western Desert family of languages found in Central and Western Australia. Speakers of the closely related language, Yankunytjatjara, will also be able to understand this Bible. It was originally spoken in the North West Corner of South Australia spilling over into Western Australia and the Northern Territory although, of course, then, there were no state borders. Today it is still widely spoken in that area particularly in what is now called the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia. Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa are important sites of the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara people. The 2010 census puts the number of speakers at 2,363 but it also admits that figure is too low. The figure is more likely to be between 3,000 and 4,000. Translation of the Pitjantjatjara New Testament began in the early 1940s not long after the commencement of the Presbyterian Mission at Ernabella. The Gospel of Mark was completed at the end of 1945 and was finally published by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1949. Work continued over the next 20 years resulting in the publication of a shorter New Testament in 1969 containing Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Ephesians, James and 1 John published by the same society, now renamed Bible Society in Australia. There was a period, then, of about 10 years in which no more translation was completed. In 1978, at the initiation of a local interest group in Ernabella, translation recommenced with portions of the Old Testament with the support of Bible Society Australia, Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Uniting Church in Australia and the Lutheran Church of Australia. This Pitjantjatjara Bible Translation Project became an incorporated association in 1981 and for the next 20 years, many Pitjantjatjara translators worked together with Wycliffe amp Bible Society translation advisors and consultants to complete a new translation of the New Testament and about 15% of the Old Testament. This volume was first published by the Bible Society in 2002. Reprints were done in 2007 (including some revisions), 2009, and 2014. In 2011 a new project to translate the rest of the Old Testament was initiated by a new generation of Pitjantjatjara translators –daughters and sons of the translators of the New Testament. There are currently over 20 translators working on various books of the Old Testament. The first book to be published in this new era was Daniel in 2015. In 2017-18 members of the Pitjantjatjara Bible Translation Project partnered with Bible Society Australia and Faith Comes by Hearing to do a dramatized multi-voice recording of the Pitjantjatjara New Testament. In the process a number of revisions were made and this edition reflects those changes.

Bible text: Pitjantjatjara © Bible Society Australia 2002, 2007, 2018 www.biblesociety.org.au Recording of the Bible ℗ Hosanna, 2018

Tjukurpa Palya

Munuya palulanguṟu paluṟu tjana uwankarangku pakaṟa Jesunya ma-katingu Pilate-alakutu.
Munuya palunya Pilate-ala miṟangka kuranmankula wangkangi nyanga alatji, “Nganaṉa nyangu wati nyanga palunya aṉangu tjuṯa kuraṟa katinyangka. Panya paluṟu tjananya wituwituningi nyuntunya munu nyuntumpa mayatja nyara Rome-ala nyinanytjanya wantinytjaku. Munu paluṟu alatji wangkangi, ‘Uti nganaṉa Rome-aku mayatja mani ungkuwiyangku wantima paluṟu ngatjinnyangka.’ Mununku nyangangku walytjangku wangkangi paluṟu kunyu Christanya Wankaṟunkupainya Godalanguṟu nganampa mayatja puḻka.”
Ka Pilate-alu tjapinu Jesunya, “Nyuntu wanyu mulapa Jew tjuṯaku mayatja puḻka?”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Uwa, pala wangkanyin.”
Ka Pilate-alu wangkangu wati panya tjukurtjara kuranyitja tjuṯangka munu aṉangu tjuṯangka kuḻu, “Ngayulu wati nyanga palunya puṯu kura ngurkantananyi pungkunytjikitjangku.”
Kaya piṟukuṯu wangkangi, “Palu wati nyanga paluṟu aṉangu tjuṯa rawangku wangkara kuraningi munu paluṟu para-wangkaṟinangi ngura tjuṯangka Judeala munu ngura uwankarangka. Paluṟu ngura nyara Galileela rawangku para-ngaṟala wangkangi munu kuwari nyanga ngura nyangangka ngapartjilta kuraṉi.”
Ka Pilate-alu kulinu tjana alatji wangkanyangka munu tjapinu, “Wati nyanga paluṟu wanyu mulapa Galileenya nguraṟa?” Kaya uwanmanu. Ka paluṟu kuliningi, “Utiṉa palunya Iṟatalakutu iyanma ngura Galileeku mayatjakutu panya paluṟu kuwari nyanga nyinanyi Jerusalemala.” Munu paluṟu mulapaṯu ma-iyaṉu Jesunya Iṟatalakutu.
Ka Iṟatalu Jesunya nyakula puḻkaṟa pukuḻaringu, panya paluṟu Jesunya kutjupangku tjakultjunkunyangka kutju kulilpai nyakunytja wiyangku munu rawa mukuringangi palunya nyakunytjikitja. Munu paluṟu mukuringangi Jesulu palula miṟangka kutjupa kutjupa witulya puḻkangku palyannyangka nyakunytjikitja. Munu Iṟatalu Jesunya rawangku tjapiningi tjukurpa kutjupa kutjupa tjuṯa, palu Jesunya wangka wiya alatjiṯu ngaṟangi. Kaya wati tjukurtjara kuranyitja tjuṯa munu wati Moseku tjukurpa nintilpai tjuṯa tjungu ngaṟanytjatjanu puḻkaṟa mirpaṉaringi munuya Jesunya puntuṟa wangkara kuranmanangi. Ka Iṟatalu munu palumpa tjaultji tjuṯangku kuḻu Jesunya anaṟa wangkangi munuya mayatja puḻkaku tiṟitja puṟunytja waṟa puḻkangka tjarpatjunkula maḻakungku palunya iyaṉu Pilate-alakutu. Palu panya ngaṉmanypa Pilate-anya pula Iṟatanya pikaringkupai, palu tjiṉṯu nyara palula aṟa pula kalyparingu munu pula maḻparingu.


Ka Pilate-alu aḻṯingu aṉangu panya tjuṯa tjunguringkunytjaku wati panya tjukurtjara kuranyitja tjuṯangka munu Jewku mayatja kutjupa tjuṯangka kuḻu. Munu paluṟu wangkangu tjanala, “Panya wati nyanga palunya nyura ngalya-katingu ngayulakutu munu nyura wangkangu alatji, ‘Wati nyanga paluṟu aṉangu tjuṯa wituwituningi nyuntunya munu nyuntumpa mayatja Rome-ala nyara nyinanytja wantinytjaku.’ Palu ngayulu panya palunya tjapinu kuwari nyanga nyurala miṟangka, munuṉa palumpa kura puṯu ngurkantananyi nyura panya wangkanytjitjangka. Ka Iṟatalu kuḻu palunya puṯu kura ngurkantaṟa maḻakungku iyaṉu ngayulakutu. Nyawa, paluṟu kura kutjupa kutjupa palyantja wiyaṯu kala nyaaku palunya iluntankuku. Palu palyaṉa tjaultji tjuṯangka wangkanyi palunya wiipangka puḻkaṟa alkantjaku munuṉa palulanguṟumpa maḻalta wantir'iyalku. Palya?”
Palu aṉangu uwankarangkuya mirara wangkangi, “Wiya, wati nyanga palunya iluntara munu Paṟapatjanya walatjura.” (Wati nyanga paluṟu kunyu ngaṉmanytju wati kutjupa tjuṯangka tjunguringkula kamantaku pikaringangi Rome-aku tjaultji tjuṯaku munu panya wati kutju iluntanu, kaya palunya witiṟa tjailangka tjarpatjunu.)
Ka Pilate-anya mukuringangi Jesunya walatjunkunytjikitja munu piṟuku tjanala tjapiningi. Kaya aṉangu tjuṯangku rawangku mirara wangkangi, “Wiya, puṉu kaṯakutjarangka wakaṟa utitjura! Puṉu kaṯakutjarangka wakaṟa utitjura!”
Ka Pilate-alu tjanala piṟuku tjapinu, “Palu nyaanguṟu? Kura nyaa wanyu paluṟu palyaṉu? Palunyaṉa kura puṯu ngurkantananyi iluntankunytjikitjangku. Palyantiṉa tjaultji tjuṯangka wangkaku palunya wiipangka alkaṟa wantir'iyantjaku.”
Palu puḻkaṟaya mirara palunya wituwituningi Jesunya puṉu kaṯakutjarangka wakaṟa utitjunkunytjaku. Ka Pilate-alu puṯu wangkara palyanmanu paluṟu tjana mukuringkunytja. Panya tjana mukuringangi Paṟapatjanya walatjunkunytjaku. Ka wati panya miriputju palunya Pilate-alu wangaṉarangku tjailanguṟu walatjunu, munu Jesunya wakaṟa utitjunkunytjaku palyanmanu aṉangu tjuṯa mukuringkunyangka.


Ka tjaultji tjuṯangku Jesunya witiṟa katingu. Ka nyara palula aṟangka wati kutjupa ini Simonnga kuwari kutju ngalya-tjarpangi waḻikutu ilytjinguṟu. Wati paluṟu ngura ini Tjaiṟininya nguraṟa. Kaya tjaultji tjuṯangku wati nyanga palunya witiṉu munuya puṉu kaṯakutjara palula piningka tjunkula wangkangu tjaḻiṟa katira Jesunya maḻawanungku waṉantjaku. Kaya aṉangu tjuṯa mulatu palunya waṉaningi minyma tjuṯangku kuḻu munuya puḻkaṟa tjituṟu-tjituṟurira ulangi.
Palu Jesulu maḻakukutuṟa nyangu munu wangkangu, “Minyma Jerusalemanya nguraṟa, wantima ngayuku ulawiyangku munuyanku nyura walytja ulama munu nyurampa tjitji tjuṯaku kuḻu. Panya ngula nyurampa tjituṟu-tjituṟu puḻka mulapa ngaṟaku. Ka nyara palula aṟangka nyura tjituṟu-tjituṟurira puḻkaṟa ulaku munuya alatji wangkaku, ‘Pukuḻpayanku nyinanyi tjitji wiyatjara tjuṯa munuyanku pukuḻpa nyinanyi iṯi ampuṟa kanyilwiya.’ Munu nyara palula aṟangka nyura wangkaku apu murpu puḻka tjuṯangka, ‘Punkala nganaṉala katu munulanya puṟuntara.’ Munu nyura piṟuku apu tjukutjuku tjuṯangka kuḻu alatji wangkaku, ‘Punkaṟalanya tjutula.’ Panya nyanga kuwariṉiya ngayunya tjukaṟuru nyinanyangka iluntananyi. Palu nyura ngayunya puṟunypa palya mulapa wiya, kaya nyuranya wanyu wantiku? Wiya, ngula tjituṟu-tjituṟu puḻka mulapa nyurala utiringkuku waintaṟa mulapa. Ka nyura uti walytja ulama, ngayuku wiya.” Alatji Jesulu minyma tjuṯangka wangkangu.
Kaya nyara palula aṟa tjaultji tjuṯangku wati kutjara kutjupa kuḻu Jesula tjungu katingu iluntankunytjikitjangku, panya kura kutjara. Munuya ngura ini Kata Tarkala wirkaṟa Jesunya puṉu kaṯakutjarangka wakaṟa utitjunu munuya wati panya kura kutjara kuḻu puṉu kutjupa kutjarangka wakaṟa utitjunu palula tjungu, kutju kampa wakungka munu kutju kampa tjampungka.
Ka Jesulu tjaultji tjuṯa walunyakula kulinu munu palumpa Mamangka wangkangu, “Mama, nyanga tjanampa ngaḻṯuringkula tjananya kalypangku wantima, panya tjana ninti wiya munuṉiya ngurpangku nyanga alatjingaṉi.”
Kaya tjaultji tjuṯa palumpa mantaraku puṉu nampatjara katu waṉira inkangi kutjungku kutjungku winamilaṟa mantjintjikitjangku.
Kaya aṉangu tjuṯangku ngaṟala nyangangi Jesunya, kaya Jewku mayatja tjuṯangku palumpa ikaringkula anaṟa wangkangu, “Nyara paluṟu panya kutjupa tjuṯa ilunyangka wankaṉu. Nyangamala wanyu kanku paluṟunku wankala, panya paluṟu kunyu Christanya Wankaṟunkupainya Godalu ngurkantankunytja.” Kaya tjaultji tjuṯangku kuḻu palunya anaṟa ikaringangi munuya wama kurakura tjaa patja-patjalpai mantjiṟa katuṟa palula nintiṟa wangkangu, “Nyuntu wama nyangatja tjikintjikitja mukuringanyi?” Munuya palulanguṟu piṟuku wangkangi, “Nyuntu Jew tjuṯaku mayatja puḻka nyinarampa nyuntunku walytjangku wankala!”
Ka walkatjuṟa utitjunkunytja palula katangka katu ngaṟangi alatji,
Nyangatja Jew Tjuṯaku Mayatja Puḻka.
Ka panya palula itingka wakaṟa utitjunkunytja kutjungku palu puṟunypaṯu Jesunya anaṟa wangkangi alatji, “Nyuntu panyan Christanya Wankaṟunkupainya? Utinkun walytjangku wankanma ngalinya kuḻu.”
Palu wati kutjupangku puṉu kaṯakutjara kutjupanguṟu palunya painu munu wangkangu, “Wantima! Nyuntu uti Godaku nguḻuringama panya nyuntunya nganaṉanya wakaṟa utitjunu ilunytjaku. Ngalinyaya kura palyannyangka utitjunu, palu wati nyangangku kura palyantja wiya alatjiṯu, kaya ngunti palunya iluntananyi.”
Munu wati panya paluṟu wangkangu Jesula, “Jesu, ngula ngura ilkaṟitjangka ngayunya mayatja puḻkangku ngaḻṯunytjungku kulinma.”
Ka Jesulu palula wangkangu, “Wiya, kuwari nyanga alatjiṯu nyuntu ngayula tjunguringkula nyinaku ngura nyara wiṟungka.”


Ka palulanguṟu tjiṉṯu panya katuringkula katu ngaṟanyangka ngura uwankarangka maṟuringu munu munga puṟunypa ngaṟala mungartji-mungartji kutju tjiṉṯungku piṟuku irnyaningi. Ka maṟu ngaṟanyangka mantara panya timpula unngu waṟaly-waṟalyngaṟanytjanya tjilpiraraṟa kutjararingu. Ka Jesulu puḻkaṟa mirara wangkangu, “Mama, kurunpaṉi mantjila.” Munu nyanga alatji wangkara ngaalypa wiyaringkula ilungu.
Ka wati tjaultji tjuṯaku mayatjangku nyanga alatjirinyangka nyakula Godanya waḻkuṉu munu wangkangu, “Wati nyanga paluṟu palya mulapa kura palyantja wiya alatjiṯu.” Ka aṉangu panya tjuṯa mulapa nyara palula ngaṉmanypa tjunguringu Jesunya ilunyangka nyakunytjikitja. Munuya uwankarangku ilunyangka nyakula ulatjarangku tjananku piḻpirpa punga-pungangi tjituṟu-tjituṟu puḻkangku, munuya palula maḻangka ngurakutu anu. Palu palumpa panya maḻpa tjuṯangku nyara palulaṯu ngaṟala nyangangi paṯunguṟu, munu minyma tjuṯangku kuḻu panya palula tjunguya pitjangu Galileelanguṟu.


Ka wati kutjupa nyara palula ngaṟangi wati ini Josephanya ngura Aṟima-tjiyanya nguraṟa. (Aṟima-tjiyanya panya tawunu tjukutjuku Jerusalemala itingka.) Wati nyanga paluṟu wiṟuṟa nyinapai tjukaṟuru mulapa. Munu paluṟu rawa paṯaningi Godalu aṉangu tjuṯa walytjanmaṟa mayatjangku kanyintjaku. Paluṟu panya wati kantjula nyinangi munu Jewku kantjula kutjupa tjuṯangka mitingiku tjunguringkupai. Palu paluṟu tjanala tjungungku palyanmankunytja wiyaṯu tjana Jesunya iluntankunytjikitjangku wangkanyangka. Munu wati panya paluṟu anu Pilate-alakutu munu palula ngatjinu Jesunya puntu mantjintjikitjangku. Munu palyanmankunyangka paluṟu ankula Jesunya puntu puṉunguṟu mantjiṟa ukalilyinu, munu karpinu mantara piṟanta munu kuḻpi kuwari nyarkaṟa wantinytjitjangka palunya katira tjuṉutjunu, panya aṉangu kutjupaya nyara palula ngaṉmanytju tjunkunytja wiyaṯu. Ka tjiṉṯu nyanga paluṟu panya Friday Jesunya ilunytja-aṟa. Ka panya tjiṟirpi ma-tjarpanyangka Saturday-ringu tjiṉṯu panya pakuwiyaringkunytjaku.
Kaya minyma panya Galileelanguṟu Jesula tjungu pitjanytja tjuṯangku Josephanya waṉaṉu Jesunya puntu kuḻpikutu katinyangka. Munuya kuḻpingka wirkaṟa nyangangi Jesunya puntu ngaritjunkunyangka kuḻpi unngu. Munuya nyakula wiyaringkula maḻaku anu ngurakutu paṉṯi wiṟu nyiṯilpai ngaṉmanytju mantjiṟa riti palyaṟa tjunkunytjikitja. Munuya tjiṉṯu tjarpanyangka nyinara pakuwiyaringangi tjiṉṯu panya Saturday wirkankunyangka, panya Moseku tjukurtu alatji pakuwiyaringkunytjaku wangkapai.

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