|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Lord's acquaintances ascend to power [lit., press down on and guard the mat and chair]. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
But with regard to this [child], are we worthy [lit., Are we weepers? Are we sad ones?] Will we succeed? [lit., Will we have a reward and a recompense?]? Will he become perceptive? Will he become sensible? Perhaps this will not have happened. [And in that case,] oh how unfortunate will we old men and old women be! Would that you truly accept him! Would that you take him! May he follow the sons who have been reared and trained and those who are worthy sons, the worthy warriors [lit., the worthy eagles, the worthy jaguars].
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The priests, in granting the petition and accepting the responsibility for the child, answered: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You do us honor [lit., Your hearts have granted things]. Indeed we listen here for the war god [lit., our Lord, the Lord, the Youth, Night-and-Wind, Honored Enemy]. But, in fact, he is the one whom you entreat, whom you call to. Verily, he is the one to whom you give your son [lit., your jewel, your quetzal-plume], your engendered one. We do no more than accept him, we take the one whom you give to our Lord. We are only his representatives [lit., We only hear things for him]. But we do not know what the god wants of your son [lit., How is he wanting him?]. We do not know what plans he has for him [lit., How is he who is our Lord desiring it for your son (lit., your jewel, your quetzal-plume)?]. We are ignorant of such things [lit., Truly people say that we humans (lit., we who are commoners) are unhappy. It is in the darkness that we speak]. What endowments does the child have [lit., How and with what is our Lord, the Ever-present, distributing it to the child? How was he adorned?]? What program of life was assigned to him [lit., How was he commanded in the darkness?]? What role will he play in life [lit., With what was he dressed? What did he come carrying when he was born?]? And what will his fate be [lit., What is his day-sign? And, furthermore, on which one was he washed?]? How will he fare [lit., What is the child's recompense? What is his reward?]? Truly people say that we humans [lit., we who are commoners] ponder such things uselessly [lit., uselessly invent it]. But will they not from somewhere later on earth be fulfilled? From the first we come carrying our apportioned lot [lit., our property]. Right off from the darkness it goes along with us. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
And as for this one, may he enter into the service of the god [lit., enter into sweeping, tidying things up, setting things in order out of the way, and laying fires]. Would that he serve [lit., use hands upon the belly and upon the throat of] our Lord, Night-and-Wind. We hope his potential will be realized [lit., Would that his gift be placed there above in the place of light, (his gift) with which he comes clothed, how he arose, wherewith he was adorned in the darkness]. But perhaps he will die young [lit., he will lose everything]; perhaps it is our reward; perhaps it is our recompense. Or perhaps he will live a long life [lit., Perhaps Tonatiuh will pursue him in common]. Or per- |
|
|
|
|
|