2.  Alas! alas!  I sing in grief as I recall the children.  Would that I could turn back again; would that I could grasp their hands once more; would that I could call them forth from the land of the dead; would that we could bring them again on earth, that they might rejoice and we rejoice, and that they might rejoice and delight the Giver of Life; is it possible that we His servants should reject him or should be ungrateful?  Thus I weep in my heart as I, the singer, review my memories, recalling things sad and grievous.

3.  Manozo zan nicmati in nechcaquizque intla itla yectli cuicatl niquimehuili in ompa ximohuayan, ma ic niquipapacti, ma ic niquimacotlaza inin tonez inin chichinaquiliz in tepilhuan.  Cuix on machiaz?  Quennel nihualnellaquahua?  Aquen manian ompa niquimontocaz?  Ano niquin nonotztaciz in ye yuh quin in tlalticpac.

3.  Would only that I knew they could hear me, there in the land of the dead, were I to sing some worthy song.  Would that I could gladden them, that I could console the suffering and the torment of the children.  How can it be learned?  Whence can I draw the inspiration?  They are not where I may follow them; neither can I reach them with my calling as one here on earth.

IX.

OTRO TLAOCOLCUICA OTOMITL.

AN OTOMI SONG OF SADNESS.

1.  In titloque in tinahuaque nimitzontlaocolnonotzaya, nelcicihuiliz mixpantzinco noconiyahuaya, ninentlamati in tlalticpac ye nican nitlatematia, ninotolinia, in ayc onotechacic in pactli, in necuiltonolli ye nican; tlezannen naicoyc amo y mochiuhyan, tlacazo atle nican xotlacueponi in nentlamachtillia, tlacazo zan ihuian in motloc in monahuac; Macuelehuatl ma xicmonequilti ma monahuactzinco oc ehuiti in noyolia, ninixayohuatzaz in motloc monahuac tipalnemohuani.

1.  To thee, the Cause of All, to thee I cried out in sadness, my sighs rose up before thy face; I am afflicted here on earth, I suffer, I am wretched, never has joy been my lot, never good fortune; my labor has been of no avail, certainly nothing here lessens one’s suffering; truly only to be with thee, near thee; may it be thy will that my soul shall rise to thee, may I pour out my tears to thee, before thee, O thou Giver of Life.

2.  Quemachamiqueo in motimalotinemi co y in tlalticpac in ayac contenmatio in atlamachilizneque o tlacazo can moztla cahuia on in [)a]mitztenmati in titloque in tinahuaque inic momatio ca mochipa tlalticpac, nemizqueo ninotlamatli motlaliao niquimittao, tlacazo mixitl tlapatl oquiqueo ic nihualnelaquahua in ninotolinia o tlacazo ompa in ximohuayan neittotiuh o, cazo tiquenamiqueo quiniquac ye pachihuiz ye teyolloa.

2.  Happy are those who walk in thy favor here on earth, who never neglect to offer up praise, nor, leaving till to-morrow, neglect thee, thou Cause of All, that thou mayest be known in all the earth; I know that they shall live, I see that they are established, certainly they have drunk to forgetfulness while I am miserable, certainly I shall go to see the land of the dead, certainly we shall meet where all souls are contented.