Writing a Diary 25 (things not to do)

Things not to do

We don’t always make the right decisions and we don’t have to wait till New Year to make resolutions. Sometimes we are given advice and sometimes we are given orders. This uses some of our earlier vocabulary and introduces you to imperatives, mainly of the verb <gwil> do or make, which is:

gwrewgh	do (formal or plural)
na wrewgh	do not:
gwra	do (familiar)
na wra	do not

Extra emphasis may be given by adding the personal pronoun[1].

First some advice, including proverbs.

Na dal dhewgh gwil treven war an treth.	You should not build houses on the sand (beach).
Na wrewgh gara an vorr goth rag an vorr nowedh.	Don’t leave the old road (way) for the new road (way).
Bedhes gweskys diweth ken gweskel eneth.	Be struck twice before striking once.
Na wrewgh whei ostya en chei lebma vo den coth demedhys dhe venyn yonk.	Don’t lodge in a house where there’s an old man married to a young woman.
Na wrewgh eva re, bes evow’  rag ’gas sehes,	Don’t drink too much, but drink for your thirst,
ha hedna, moy po le, vedn gwitha corf en ehes.	and that, more or less, will keep a body in health.
Na wrewgh nakevy.	Don’t forget.

                                     

The Ten Commandments are good examples, which have been translated several times. Here are some examples.

1. Na wra che gawas nahen Duw bes vy.	Thou shalt (not) have no other God but me.
Na wrewgh gawas Duw veth aral bes vy.	Do not have any other God but me.
6. Na wra che ladra.	Thou shalt not steal.
8. Na wra che ladha den'eth.	Thou shalt not kill (any man).

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[1] Nicholas Williams has <na wrêta> for thou shalt not