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

Kaya Paṟatji tjuṯangku kulinu Jesunya waṉalpai tjuṯaringkunyangka munu tjananya baptise-katinyangka. Panya Jesunya waṉalpai ma-tjuṯa mulararingi ka Johnnga waṉalpai ma-maṉkuraringu. (Palu Jesulu tjananya baptise-katinytja wiya panya nintintja tjuṯangku kutjuya tjananya baptise-katingi.) Ka Jesulu kulinu Paṟatji tjuṯangku wangkanytja munu palulanguṟu Judeanya wantikatira Galileelakutu maḻaku anu palumpa nintintja tjuṯatjara. Ka iwara kutju Tjamiṟiyalawanu ma-ngaringi Galileelakutu. Ka paluṟu tjana Tjamiṟiyalawanu ankula ngura nguṟuritjangka wirkanu tawunu ini Tjikala. Ngura nyanga palula itingka panya manta kutjupa ngaṟangi panya Jacobalu katja Josephanya iriti ungkunytja. Ka Jacobaku well ngaṟangi ngura nyara palula.
Ka Jesunya iwarangka ankula kaḻaḻarinytjatjanu pakuringkula wellangka itingka nyinakatingu. Kaya nintintja tjuṯa kuranyu anu waḻikutu mai payamilantjikitja.
Palu minyma Tjamiṟiyanya nguraṟa waḻinguṟu pitjangu mina tjutintjikitja. Ka Jesulu palula ngatjinu, “Ungamaṉi mina tjikintjaku!”
Ka minyma panya paluṟu urulyaraṟa wangkangu, “Nyaakuṉin ngayula minaku ngatjini? Nyuntu Jew, ka ngayulu Tjamiṟiyalanguṟu.” (Alatji minyma paluṟu wangkangu panya Jew tjuṯa Tjamiṟiyanya nguraṟa tjuṯangka tjunguringkupai wiya, waṟu kutjungka tjikilpai wiya.)
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Nyuntu ngurpa Mama Godalu nyuntunya ungkunytjitjaku munun puṯu kulini, nganalunta wanyu ngatjini minaku. Palu nyuntu ninti ngaṟalampa ngayula ngatjila, kaṉanta mina kutjupa ungkuku kurunpa wankalpai.”
Ka minymangku wangkangu, “Palu pakitanku yaaltji mina tjutintjaku? Piṯi nyangatja ngaṯi puḻka, parari mulapa. Yaaltjinguṟun mina wanka palunya nyuntu pala wangkanytjanya tjutilku? Nganampa tjamungku Jacobalu piṯi nyangatja tjawaṉu palumpa katjapitiku tjamupitiku kuka tjuṯaku kuḻu, kaya tjikiningi mina nyanga palunya. Nyara paluṟulampa puḻkangku tjawaṟa wantingu piṯi nyangatja, kantin nyuntulta puḻka mulapalta pitjangu maḻawanulta.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Mina piṯi nyanganguṟu tjikintjatjanun piṟuku ngula iluringkuku. Palu ngayulu ungkunytja tjikiṟampan piṟuku iluringkunytja wiya nyinaku. Panya mina paluṟu tiṯutjara ngariku aṉangungka, ka aṉangu mina palunyatjara nyinara wanka tiṯutjara nyinaku Godala tjungu.”
Ka minyma panya paluṟu wangkangu, “Ala, mina nyara palunyaṉi wanyu uwa, kaṉa piṟuku iluringkula iwarakatinytja wiya ma-nyinama.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Ankulanku wati kuri aḻṯira ngalya-kati!”
Ka minymangku wangkangu, “Ngayulu kuri wiya.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Uwa palya nyuntu kuri wiya, palu ngayulu ninti nyuntu panyan wati kutjupaku mukuringkula palula ngaripai alatjiṯu. Munuṉa ninti panya nyuntunya ngaṉmanytju wati kuri 5-ngku kanyiningi. Ka panyan kuwari wati panya palulaṯu kampangkaṯu ngarinyi, nyuntumpa kuri mulapa wiyangka.”
Ka minymangku kuliṟa wangkangu, “Munta-uwa, nyuntu alatjiṯu-manti Godaku wangkatjarampa nyinanyi. Nganampa tjamupitingkuya puḻi nyangangka Godanya waḻkulpai, ka nyura Jew tjuṯangku wangkapai, ‘Wiya, utila Jerusalemala kutjungka Godanya waḻkunma.’ ”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Minyma, tjukaṟurungkuṉanta wangkanyi, ka kulinma nyanganpa ngayulu wangkanyangka. Kuwari nguwanpa aṉangu tjuṯangku Mama Godanya waḻkulku apu murpu nyangangka wiya Jerusalemala kuḻu wiya, palu tjukaṟurungkuya palunya waḻkulku Kurunpa Miḻmiḻṯu witulyangku nintinnyangka kutju, ngura winkingka. Nyanga alatjiku Godanya mukuringanyi Kurunpa Miḻmiḻngatjararingkula tjukaṟurungku palunya waḻkuntjaku. Panya Godanya kurunpa alatjiṯu nyinanyi. Ka aṉangungku walytjangku kuliṟa puṯu tjukaṟurungku palunya waḻkuṉi, palu Kurunpa Miḻmiḻṯu witulyangku nintinnyangka kutju paluṟu tjukaṟurungku palunya waḻkulku. Nyura Tjamiṟiyanya nguraṟa tjuṯangku Godaku ngurpangku ngunti watarku waḻkulpai, ka nganaṉa Jew tjuṯangku Godaku nintingku waḻkulpai, panya Godalu Jew tjuṯawanungku aṉangu tjuṯa wankaṟunkuku manta winkingka.” Nyanga alatji Jesulu minymangka wangkangu.
Ka minyma panya paluṟu wangkangu alatji, “Ngayulu kulinu panya Wankaṟunkupainya kunyu pitjaku Godalu panya iriti kalkuntjanya. (Nganaṉa panya palunya wangkapai Christanya). Munu kunyu nyara paluṟu pitjala nganaṉala uwankara tjakultjunkuku.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Pala paluṟu ngayulu, pala nyuntun wangkanyi, Godalu panya kalkuntjanya.”
Ka Jesulu nyinara minymangka wangkanyangka palumpa nintintja tjuṯa maḻaku wirkanu, munuya nyakula urulyaraṉu minymangka wangkanyangka. Munuya minyma nyanga palula tjapintjikitjangku kuliningi alatji, “Nyaakun Jesula wangkangi?” Munuya palu puṟunypaṯu kuliningi Jesula tjapintjikitjangku alatji, “Nyaakun minyma Tjamiṟiyanya nguraṟangka wangkangi?” Palu wantinguya unngu kutju kuliṟa.
Kanku minymangku mina panya tjutiṟa katinytja wiyaṯu piti wantikatira tawunukutu maḻaku anu munu aṉangu nguratja tjuṯangka ma-tjakultjunu, “Pitjalaya wanyu nyawa! Wati nyarangku ngayulu iritinguṟu kuwari kuḻu kurantja uwankara tjukaṟurungku wangkangi. Tjinguṟu nyara paluṟu Christanya, panya Wankaṟunkupai Godalu kalkuntjanya.” Kaya nyanga palunya kuliṟa tawununguṟu uwankara anu Jesunya nyakunytjikitja.
Ka minyma panya paluṟu waḻikutu tjakultjunkunytjikitja ankunyangka maḻangka palumpa nintintja tjuṯangku Jesunya wituwituningi mai ngalkuntjaku. Ka Jesulu tjanala wangkangu, “Ngayulu mai kanyini ngalkuntjikitjangku, palu mai nyara palumpa nyura ngurpa.”
Kayanku nintintja tjuṯangku wangkangi, “Kutjupangku-manti mai katira ungu, kampangkaṯumpa.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Panya ngayunya iyantjalu wangkanyangka wangaṉarangku palyaṟaṉa paḻtjaringanyi, palumpa waṟka palyaṟa wiyaṟa. Nyara paluṟu ngayuku mai, panya Mamala wangaṉarangku kuliṟa palyantja. Nyura panya mai uṉinypa kaanangka tjunkula waṉantjatjanungku wangkapai, ‘Uwa, kuwarila piṟa kutjara kutjara paṯalku mai kuṟuringkunytjaku munula palulanguṟulta uralku.’ Palu ngayuluṉa nyurala wangkanyi ngura tjuṯangka para-nyakula waṉantjaku, panya aṉangu tjuṯa mulapa paṯaṉi kutjupa tjuṯaku pitjala tjanala Tjukurpa Palya tjakultjunkunytjaku, ka nganalu tjana ankula palula tjanala Tjukurpa Palya tjakultjunkuku? Panya wati kutjupangku tjukurpa ngaṉmanytju tjanala tjakultjunu, ka ngula wati kutjupangku pitjala wangkanyangkaya tjuṯa mulapa Godaku mulamularingkuku wanka tiṯutjara nyinanytjikitja. Ka pula kutjaraṯu mulamularingkunyangka nyakula puḻkaṟa pukuḻariku wati nyara ngaṉmanytju tjakultjunkunytjanya pula maḻawanu pitjala wangkanytjanya kuḻu.
“Tjurkultuya aṉangu wangkapai alatji, ‘Watingku uṉinypa tjunkula waṉalpai, ka kutjupangku ngula mai kuṟuringkunyangka uraṟa waṉalpai.’ Ka ngayulu nyuranya iyaṉi ngura kutjupa tjuṯakutu mai kuṟuringkunyangka nyakula urantjaku. Palu nyura mai pala palunya tjawaṟa tjunkula waṉantja wiyaṯu, kutjupa tjuṯangkuya tjunkula waṉaṟa wantingu. Ka nyura tjana pakaltjingantja tjuṯa kuṟuringkunyangka mantjiṟa pukuḻariku.” Alatji Jesulu wangkangi palumpa nintintja tjuṯangka.
Ka panya ngura nyara palula Tjamiṟiyanya nguraṟa tjuṯa Jesuku mulamularingu minyma panyangku tjakultjunkunyangka alatji, “Wati nyara paluṟu ngayulu kurantja uwankara tjukaṟurungku wangkara utinu.” Kaya kuliṟa pitjangu Jesulakutu munuya palunya markuningi tjanala rawa nguwanpa nyinanytjaku. Ka Jesunya mulapaṯu tjanala nyinangi tjiṟirpi kutjara munu tjanala tjukurpa wangkangi. Aṉangu tjuṯa panya palumpa ngaṉmanypa mulamularingu minyma panyangku wangkanyangka, palu Jesulu piṟuku wangkanyangka kuliṟaya winki mulapa mulamularingu. Munuya wangkangu minyma panya palula, “Ngaṉmanypala Jesuku mulamularingu nyuntu wangkanyangka kuliṟa, palu kuwarila puḻkaṟa mulamularinganyi palunya nyakula walytjangku kulintjatjanu, munula kulini mulapa nyangatja Wankaṟunkupainya aṉangu manta winkitjaku.”

Ka tjiṟirpi kutjara wiyaringkula Jesulu palumpa nintintja tjuṯatjarangku ngura palunya wantikatira ma-pakaṉu ngura walytjakutu, Galileelakutu. (Munu Jesulu ngaṉmanytju wangkangu tjanala, “Nyangatja ngayuku ngura, palu tjakangkuya nguraṟitja tjuṯangku Godaku wangkatjara kuliṟa wantipai.”) Munuya palulanguṟu ngura panya palula wirkanu, kaya Galileenya nguraṟa tjuṯa Jesuku pukuḻaringu, panya tjana palunya Jerusalemala mungaṯu nyangu paluṟu witulya puḻkangku palyannyangka, inma panya Katuwanu Ankunytjala tjunguringkula, munuya nyara palulanguṟu ngurangka wirkankunyangka nyakula pukuḻaringi.
Kaya Jesunya tjana anu tawunu panya Kainalakutu uṟu Galileela wiluṟara. Ngura nyara palula panya Jesulu minanguṟu waina palyaṉu. Ka wati kutjupa nyinangi ngura ini Kapunimala Kainala kakaraṟa. Paluṟu mayatja puḻka munu kamantaku waṟkaripai. Ka wati nyara palumpa katja pika puḻka mulapa ngaringi ngurangka. Ka wati panya paluṟu Jesunya Judealanguṟu pitjanyangka kuliṟa anu Jesula wangkanytjikitja palumpa katja pitjala palyaṟunguntjaku. Munu tjapinu palula, “Ngaḻṯuriwatju! Ngayuku katja pika puḻka ngarinyi munu nguwanpa ilunyi. Wanyun Kapunimalakutu pitjala palunya palyaṟungulku?”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu palula, “Nyura panya kuliṟa mulamularingkuwiyangku wantipai munu miracle witulya puḻkangku palyannyangka nyakula kutju nyura mulamularingkupai.”
Ka wangkangu, “Uwa Mayatja, palu pitjalatju nyawa ilunytjaku-tawara.”
Ka Jesulu wangkangu, “Palya ngurakutu ma-pitja. Nyuntumpa katja wankaringkuku.” Ka wati panya paluṟu mulamularingu Jesulu wangkanyangka munu ngurakutu maḻaku anu.
Ka mungawinki paluṟu ngurakutu ma-ilaringkunyangka palumpa waṟkaripai tjuṯa ngalya-ngaparikatingu, munuya palula tjakultjunu, “Nyuntumpa katja palyaringu.”
Ka tjanala tjapinu, “Yaalaṟa nguwanpa palyaringu?”
Kaya wangkangu, “Mungartji wiltja muṯungka pika waṟu panya wiyaringu.”
Ka wati panya paluṟu kulinu, “Munta-uwa, panya palula aṟangkaṉi Jesulu wangkangu, ‘Nyuntumpa katja wankaringkuku.’ ” Munu paluṟu, munu palumpa walytja tjuṯa, munu waṟkaripai tjuṯa kuḻu Jesuku mulamularingu.
Uwa, nyangatja Jesulu kutjara-aṟangku miracle palyaṉu Judealanguṟu Galileelakutu pitjanytjatjanungku.

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