John 11 in English and Krio

While I was in Sierra Leone, I needed some major help learning the lingua franca of Sierra Leone, Krio. Krio is the primary language of communication among Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad. Being the blonde apatoo (white girl) that I was it took me a little while to get the hang of it.

Alfred, the man helping me learn, supplied me with passages of scripture, translated into English to assist my learning. So if you ever wondered how John 11 might look like in Krio here it is. 

Alfred, witnessing in Kenema

John 11 English and Krio

v.1 - Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

·         Now one man be sick, E name Lazarus way day na Bethany, de town of Mary en E sister Martha.

v.2 - (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

·         Ner Dar Mary way E bee bless de Lord with oil, an wipe en foot with E hair, way E brother Lazarus be sick.

 

v.3-4 - Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

·         So for that En sister dem sen to ram say Lord, Ee wan way you be like E sick. Way Jesus yere E say, Dis sickness noto for die but for gee glory to God, that God En piken go get glorified for that.

v.5 - Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

·         Now Jesus lik Martha, and En sister and Lazarus

v.6 - When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

·         Way E bee don yere say E don sick, E stay two days still na de same place Hu-sie E ben day.

v.7 - Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

·         Then after that E say to E disciple den, Huna lewe go na Judea again

v.8 - His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

·         E disciples day to ram, Master the Jews dem be want for stone you, an go day again?

v.9 - Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

·         Jesus asnswered, Noto twelve hours day hav de day? If any man walk na de day E no go buck E foot because E day see de light of de world.

v.10 - But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

·         But if man, walka, na nit, e go buck E foot because light no day inside ram

v.11 - These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

·         Na dis tin E say after dat E day to dem, We padi Lazarus day sleep; but A day go so that a go waka kam from de sleep

v.12 - Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

·         Den E disciples day, Lord if E day sleep, E day do fine!

v.13 - Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

·         Howbeit Jesus be day tulk bout E die wan: but dem been day think say E been day tulk bout E sleep

 

v.14 - Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

·         Den Jesus tulk kam now one tam say, Lazarus don die.

v.15 - And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

·         An A be glade for Huna sakes way a no be day, so that huna go believe anyway; lewe go to ram.

v.16 - Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

·         Then Thomas way den day call Didymus say to En compin den, Huna lewe go day so that we go die with tam.

v.17 - Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

·         Den way Jesus cam E found dat E be day inside de grave four day already.

 v.18 -  Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

·         Now Bethany been close to Jerusalem like one and half mile so.

v.19 - And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

·         An buku-buku Ju came to Martha en Mary an comfort den about den brother.

v.20 - Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

·         Den Martha as soon as E yere say Jesus da come, E go an met Em; but Mary ceedown still inside de house.

v.21 - Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

·         Den Martha say to Jesus, Lord if you been day eyh me brother no for died.

v.22 - But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

·         But I no, That even now, anytin so far you ask God, God go gee you.

v.23 - Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

·         Jesus say to ram, you brother go greap again.

v.24 - Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

·         Martha say to ram, A no that E go greap again in de resurrection na de last day.

v.25 - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

·         Jesus say to ram, I am de resurrection an de life, who da believe in me even do E be don die, E go get life.

v.26 - And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

·         And anybody so for get life an believe in me E no day die. You believe dis?

 

v.27 - She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

·         E say to ram, yea Lord: I believe that thou art De Christ, God en Pekin, way for come na de world.

v.28 - And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

·         An way E don say so: E go E way and call Mary an En sister secretly saying, De Master don come an day call for you.

v.29 - As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

·         As soon as E yere that, E greap quick an come to ram.

v.30 - Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.  

·         Now Jesus no been don come yet na de town, but E been day na de place husie Marthat met tam.

v.31 - The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

·         De Ju den way been day with tam, na de house an comforted her, way den see Mary, way E greap up quick an go out den folowa an say E day go na de grave for cry.

v.32 - Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

·         Den way Mary come husie, Jesus been day, an see ham, E fo down na E foot, say to ram, Lord, if you been day here my brother no for died.

 

v.33 - When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

·         Way Jesus therefore see her say cry, an de Ju den also cry way den come with tam, E sorry inside de Spirit an was troubled.

v.34 - And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

·         An say, husie huna La Em? Den say to ram, Lord, come and see

v.35 - Jesus wept.

·         Jesus cry

v.36 - Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

·         Den de Ju den say, Behold how E lik Em.

v.37 - And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

·         And some of them say, Noto dis man, way open de blind man E eyes, E for don make dis man no die?

v.38 - Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

·         Jesus be feel inside ram way E came na de grave, na be hole an stone lay don un ta pa.

v.39 - Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for E hath been dead four days.

·         Jesus say, Huna take de stone. Martha de sister of him way been don die, say to ram, Lord by dis tem E don rote, because E been don die four days.

v.40 - Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

·         Jesus say to ram, Say I no been don tell you if you believe, you go see de glory of God?

v.41 - Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

·         Den dey take away de stone from de place husie de die man been lay don. An Jesus hase E eyes up an say Papa, I tell you tenki because you don yere me.

v.42 - And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

·         An I no say you da yere me always, but because of de people dem way Timap near me I say dat so dey go believe say no you send me.

v.43 - And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

·         An way E be don tulk, he shout say Lazarus, come na doe.

v.44 - And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

·         An En way been don die cam na doe E hand tie, E foot tie with grave klose: an E face been tie with a klose. Jesus say to dem loose him, huna lefa make E go.

v.45 - Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

·         Den buku-buku Ju way cam to Mary, an see de tin way Jesus do, believed pa na.

v.46 - But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

·         But some of dem go den ways to de Pharisees an tell dem watin Jesus don do.

v.47 - Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

·         Den gathered de Chief priests an de Pharisees a council, an say “Watin na we? For dis man don do buku miracles.

v.48 - If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

·         If we lef ham so, all man Daniel believe Em an de Romans dan go cam an take Em away both we place an nation.

v.49 - And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

·         An one of den, E named Caiaphas, way na de high priest na same year, say unto dem, Una no no nothing at all,

v.50 - Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

·         Una no day think say E better for wi dat one man for die for de people, for mak de whole nation no suffer.

v.51 - And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

 

·         An dis na En E tulk, but noto for E self, but na E na de high priest na year, E tulk say Jesus for die for na nation.

v.52 - And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

·         An noto for dat nation only, but dat also E go gather together in wan de children of God day way skater far.

v.53 - Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

·         Den from na day den ceedon together an tulk for mak den kill Em.

v.54 - Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

·         So for dat Jesus no waka again openly among de Ju’s, but E go na wan country near de wilderness, na a city called Ephraim, an E been da-da with En disciples

v.55 - And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

·         An de Ju’s Passover been don near: an buku go out of de country up to Jerusalem before de Passover; for mak den clean denselves

v. 56 - Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

·         Den, den begin look for Jesus, an tulk among denselves way den ceedon na de temple, watin you think, dat E no da cam na de party?

 v.57 - Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

·         Now both, de Chief priests an de Pharisees don gee a commandment, dat, if any man no husie E da, for mak dem tak Em.