This is the second book of the Meqabyan (also known as Ethiopian Maccabees), distinct from the Maccabees books found in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. It is canonical only in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The text presents a unique language and theology, combining elements from the Old Testament with local Ethiopian traditions.
Maqabyan II
Chapter 19
O Earth who gathered the nobles an the kings an rich ones an elders an dawtaz who were attractive an beauties who were attractive - woe arisin from thee- I.
O Earth who gathered persons who were warriors - them who have comeliness - an them who were fine of leg - an them who have reasonin an knowledge - an them whose words have words that were beautiful like unto a hummin harp an like unto a lyre an a violin beat...
an them who have a tune that mek Irie like unto grape drink mek Irie - an them whose eyes shine like unto a mornin star...
an them who sketch what were firm like unto them right hands lift up what are given an withheld an like unto them were - an them whose feet were beautiful fe sight up - an them who run like unto rushin wheels - woe arisin from thee- I.
O death who separated attractive persons souls from them flesh - woe arisin from thee- I - fe thou have been sent by JAH Accord.
As thou have gathered many persons whom JAH produced from thee- I an returned toward thee- I - thou Earth - woe arisin from thee- I ~ InI were found from thee- I ~ InI returned toward thee- I by Accord of JAH ~ InI were Irie over thee- I by JAH Accord.
Thou became a carpet fe InI corpses ~ InI recurred over thee- I - an InI were buried within thee- I ~ InI ate thy fruit - an thou ate InI flesh.
An InI drank the Water found from thy springs - an thou drank InI blood springs ~ InI ate the fruit found from thy Earthliness - an thou ate InI body flesh.
Like unto JAH commanded thee- I fe be InI food - InI ate grain from thy Earthliness that have beautiful dew - an thou raceived InI flesh comeliness an made it dust fe thy food like unto JAH commanded thee- I.
O death who gathered the nobles an the kings who were powerful - woe arisin from thee- I ~ thou didn't fear arisin from them famousness an them frightenin - like unto JAH Who Irated them commanded thee- I ~ o death - woe arisin from thee- I - an thou didn't scorn the sufferah.
An thou weren't nice fe persons whose features are beautiful - an thou didn't quit powerful ones an warriors ~ thou didn't quit poor nor rich ones - neither kind nor evil ones - neither children nor elders - neither dawtaz nor males.
Thou didn't quit persons who think a goodly thing an who didn't depart from the LAW - an thou didn't quit them who were like unto animals ina them Work - who think a evil thing - who were totally beautiful ina them features comeliness - ina them thing flavour an ina them words ~ o death - woe arisin from thee- I.
Thou didn't quit persons whose words were angry an whose mouths were full of curses ~ thou gathered persons who live in darkness an ina light an them souls ina thy places ~ o death - woe arisin from thee- I.
An Earth gathered the persons flesh who live whether ina cave or ina Earth - up til a drum are beaten an persons who dead arise.
As persons who dead shall arise quickly like unto a eye wink by JAH Command an pon a drum bein beaten - persons who worked evil Work shall raceive them hardship ina them sin abundance measure that them worked it - an persons who worked goodly Work shall be Irie.