Here is a sample text in Syriac Aramaic transliteration:
ܡܥܡܐ ܕܥܚܕܬܐ ܠܫܠܝ̈ܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܪܝܐ ܒܗܦܛܘܢܝܬܐ ܘܫܡܥܘ ܠܐܝܬ ܠܥܝܢܝܐ ܘܐܠܐ ܠܥܠܡܝܬܐ ܘܠܡܢ ܟܦܘܫܗܘܢ ܢܫܪܐ ܕܐܢܬܧܢܝܢ ܐܢܬ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܚܘܒܬܐ ܕܝܬ ܬܐܬܐ ܘܐܠܗܝܢܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܗܘܐ ܟܢܘܢ ܝܘܡܝܐ ܘܝܥܩܘܒܬܐ ܗܘܐ ܓܝܪ ܗܘ ܘܐܬܥܡܘܢ ܠܘܬ ܐܪܥܐ ܪܡܫܝܐ ܕܩܘܪܝܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܥܩܘܒܬܐ
Transliteration: Ma'ma d'akhda'ta lešliya Yeshua marya b'haftunyata wšma'u la'ith le'enya w'alma'ya w'lmana kafushhun nšara d'antqenin ant nuhara d'hobta d'yat tatta w'alhaina alaha d'marya hawa kanun yawmaya wyaqubta hawa gayar hu wat'emmun lot ar'a ramsheya d'qoriya hawa dyaqubta
Translation: The conversation between Jesus the Lord and His pure mother Mary in the town of Nazareth. And they did not pay attention to anyone, neither to the world nor its people, even though the Jews had already spread rumors that the Son of the Father was born of a virgin. And the Lord Jesus was in the form of man like any human being, and He was called the Son of God and they worshiped Him every day. And Jacob was His relative, and they used to pray and read the Holy Book of the Jews together.
Syntax and Grammar Analysis:
- The text starts with a relative pronoun "d'akhda'ta" (that which belongs to) which introduces the subject of the conversation.
- The verb "lešliya" (in the town) is in the prepositional form and is followed by the proper noun "Yeshua marya" (Jesus the Lord) in the genitive case indicating possession.
- The conjunction "w" (and) joins the two nouns "haftunyata" (His pure mother) and "šma'u" (they did not pay attention).
- The negation particle "la'" is used to negate the verbs "ith" (to anyone) and "alma'ya" (to its people).
- The adverb "kafushhun" (already) modifies the verb "nšara" (had spread).
- The relative pronoun "d'antqenin" (that of a virgin) introduces the description of the Son of the Father.
- The noun "alaha" (Lord) is preceded by the determiner "d'marya" (of Mary) in the genitive case.
- The verb "kanun" (they worshiped) is in the past tense, and the direct object "hu" (Him) is in the third person masculine singular.
- The proper noun "Ya'qubta" (Jacob) is the object of the preposition "dyaqubta" (of Jacob) and is in the genitive case.
- The conjunction "wa" (and) is used to join the verbs "pursa" (they used to pray) and "qara'a" (they used to read) to their direct object "ktaba" (the holy book).
- The preposition "l" (to) is used with the personal pronoun "hu" (Him) to indicate the direct object of the verb "at'emmun" (they used to listen to).
Exercise:
Translate the following sentences into Syriac Aramaic:
1. They talked about the miracles of Jesus.
2. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem.
3. The disciples followed Jesus wherever He went.
Key at the end of the post.
Questions:
1. Who is having a conversation in the text?
2. Where did the conversation take place?
3. What rumors had the Jews already spread?
4. How did the people regard Jesus?
5. Who was Jacob to Jesus?
6. What did Mary and Jacob do together?
7. What does the text say about Jesus' physical form?
8. Was Mary married to Joseph at the time of Jesus' birth?
9. Did the disciples follow Jesus only in certain places?
10. What language and script is the text written in?
Key at the end of the post.
Vocabulary List with Transliteration and Translation:
ܥܚܕܬܐ - ʿaḥdātā - doctrine
ܫܠܝ̈ܐ - šelyā - Church
ܝܫܘܥ - yešūʿ - Jesus
ܡܪܝܐ - māryā - Lord
ܐܝܬ - ʾīt - one
ܥܝܢܝܐ - ʿenyā - family
ܥܠܡܝܬܐ - ʿalmāytā - friends
ܟܦܘܫ - kappūš - enemy
ܚܘܒܬܐ - ḥwbtā - love
ܬܐܬܐ - tătā - fellow human beings
ܢܘܗܪܐ - nwhrā - light
ܩܘܪܝܐ - qr̄yā - kingdom
ܝܥܩܘܒܬܐ - yaʿqabbtā - eternal life
ܐܪܥܐ - ʾarʿā - pain
ܪܡܫܝܐ - rmšyā - sorrow
ܢܫܪܐ - našrā - death
Key to Exercise and answers to questions.
exercise:
1. ܝܠܝܦܘܬܗܘܢ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܝܫܘܥ ܕܡܚܐܐܐܐ
2. ܡܪܝܡܐ ܘܝܘܣܦ ܠܒܝܬ ܚܘܪܐܐܐ
3. ܟܠܗܘܢ ܕܡܪܘܢ ܠܝܫܘܥ ܐܢܐ ܕܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܩܒܠ
questions:
1. Jesus and Mary
2. In the town of Nazareth
3. That the Son of the Father was born of a virgin
4. They worshiped Him every day
5. His relative
6. They used to pray and read the Holy Book of the Jews together
7. He was in the form of man like any human being
8. Yes
9. No, they followed Him wherever He went
10. Syriac Aramaic