IV.

MEXICA OTONCUICATL.

AN OTOMI SONG OF THE MEXICANS.

1.  Nicchalchiuhtonameyopetlahuaya, nictzinitzcanihuicaloaya, niquilnamiquia nelhuayocuicatla, nic zacuanhuipanaya yectli yancuicatl nicuicani, nicchalchiuhtlazonenelo ic nichualnextia in xochicueponallotl ic nicellelquixtia in tloque in nahuaque.

1.  I, the singer, polished my noble new song like a shining emerald, I arranged it like the voice of the tzinitzcan bird, I called to mind the essence of poetry, I set it in order like the chant of the zacuan bird, I mingled it with the beauty of the emerald, that I might make it appear like a rose bursting its bud, so that I might rejoice the Cause of All.

2.  Zacuantlazoihuiticaya tzinitzcan tlauquechol ic nicyaimatia, nocuicatzin teocuitlatzitzilini nocuic nitoz; miahuatototl nocuica cahuantimania, nicehuaya xochitzetzelolpa ixpan in tloque nahuaque.

2.  I skillfully arranged my song like the lovely feathers of the zacuan bird, the tzinitzcan and the quechol; I shall speak forth my song like the tinkling of golden bells; my song is that which the miaua bird pours forth around him; I lifted my voice and rained down flowers of speech before the face of the Cause of All.

3.  Qualli cuicanelhuayotlo, teocuitlaquiquizcopa nicehuaya, ilhuicac cuicatlo nictenquixtia, nitoz miahuatototl, chalciuhtonameyotica, niccueponaltia yectli yancuicatlo, nicehuaya xochitlenamaquilizticaya ic nitlaahuialia nicuicani ixpan in tloque nahuaque.

3.  In the true spirit of song I lifted my voice through a trumpet of gold, I let fall from my lips a celestial song, I shall speak notes precious and brilliant as those of the miaua bird, I shall cause to blossom out a noble new song, I lifted my voice like the burning incense of flowers, so that I the singer might cause joy before the face of the Cause of All.

4.  Teoquecholme nechnananquilia in nicuicani coyolicahuacaya yectli yacuicatlan, cozcapetlaticaya chachalchiuhquetzalitztonameyo xopaleuhtimania xopan xochicuiatl onilhuica ahuiaxtimanio, xochiahuachtitlan nihualcuicaya nicuicani.

4.  The divine quechol bird answers me as I, the singer, sing, like the coyol bird, a noble new song, polished like a jewel, a turquoise, a shining emerald, darting green rays, a flower song of spring, spreading celestial fragrance, fresh with the dews of roses, thus have I the poet sung.

5.  Nictlapalimatia nicxoxochineloaya yectli yancuicatlan cozcapetlaticaya, etc.

5.  I colored with skill, I mingled choice roses in a noble new song, polished like a jewel, etc. (as in v. 4).

6.  Nocontimaloaya nocontlamachtiao xochiteyolquima cuicatlan poyomapoctli ic ye ahuian ye noyollo, nihualyolcuecuechahuaya, nicinecuia ahuiaca, xocomiqui in noyolia, nicinecuia yectliya xochitla netlamachtiloyan, xochi ye ihuinti noyolia.