Yes-us from Kashmir

[139/08] in the end they said that Yes-us was a god

The Oera Linda-book (first published in Dutch translation by Dr. J.G. Ottema in 1872) contains a narrative about a Jes-us or Yes-us from Kashmir:

• who would have lived ca. 600 BCE, 
• who would also have been known as Buda, Kris-en and Fo, 
• who would have been a wise teacher that was deified after his death.

The narrative suggests that Yes-us was one of the names of Buddha, which raises the question if Jesus of Nazareth (whether historic of mythic) might have been named after this earlier Yes-us. [I wrote this before I studied the works of Joseph Atwill, which I highly recommend.]

Note: Although I have transliterated the name as JES.US, I prefer spelling in English as Yes-us, since the J in Dutch and German is pronounced as English Y, not as J (dj). Compare English: "Yule" vs. Dutch/ German: "Jul"/ "Joel". Ottema translated the name as Jessos, which was copied in the English translation by Sandbach (1876).

If Yes-us (whatever spelling) was indeed one of many names of Buddha (which is not impossible), one can imagine why both Christian and Buddhist authorities would have hidden or destroyed sources about it.

~ ~ ~ 

First, some quoted fragments by way of introduction (my italics).

Ottema (1804-1879)

Dr. J.G. Ottema (1873) "Geschiedkundige Aanteekeningen en Ophelderingen bij Thet Oera Linda Bok" (p.28, my provisional translation from Dutch):

Jes.us, Jessos, Jess
With the expulsion of Buddhism from Kashmir and its dispersion to the east, the name Jess seems to have disappeared and been replaced in the legend by Gautama and Sakyamuni. The influence of Buddha's teaching, however, seems to have spread westwards too, with the Fire-worshippers of Aria, the Persians and those in Azerbaijan, the latter having kept the memory of Buddha's first name in their name Yezidis. Likewise with the Slavic peoples, among which the Old-Polish mythology uses the name Jess for the supreme godhead as well as for the greatest of planets, Jupiter.
Fo is the common Chinese name for Buddha.
Krisen: In India, Buddha is regarded to be the ninth Avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu and a continuation of the Avatar of Krishna, which would make Buddha the reborn Krishna.

Volney (1757-1820)

C. F. Volney (1791, translated 1802 from French) "The Ruines; Or, Meditation on the Revolutions of Empires and the Law of Nature"

(...) so that the existence of Jesus is no better proved than that of Osiris and Hercules, or that of Fot or Beddou, with whom (...) the Chinese continually confound him, for they never call Jesus by any other name than Fot.
(...)
Christianity, or the Allegorical Worship of the Sun, under the cabalistical names of Chrish-en, or Christ, and Ye-sus or Jesus.
(...)
"Finally, these traditions went so far as to mention even his astrological and mythological names, and inform us that he was called sometimes Chris, that is to say, preserver, and from that, ye Indians, you have made your god Chrish-en or Chrish-na; and, ye Greek and Western Christians, your Chris-tos, son of Mary, is the same; sometimes he is called Yes, by the union of three letters, which by their numerical value form the number 608, one of the solar periods. And this, Europeans, is the name which, with the Latin termination, is become your Yes-us or Jesus, the ancient and cabalistic name attributed to young Bacchus, the clandestine son (nocturnal) of the Virgin Minerva, who, in the history of his whole life, and even of his death, brings to mind the history of the god of the Christians, that is, of the star of day, of which they are each of them the emblems."

Strabo book 15, chapter 1, section 59, with translation Hamilton & Falconer, 1903 (source):

῎αλλην δὲ διαίρεσιν ποιεῖται περὶ τῶν φιλοσόφων, δύο γένη φάσκων, ὧν τοὺς μὲν Βραχμᾶνας καλεῖ τοὺς δὲ Γαρμᾶνας.
Megasthenes divides the philosophers again into two kinds, the Brachmanes and the Garmanes*. (*translators' note: Brahmins and Sarmanes)

~ ~ ~

Translation of chapter 15c. here, manuscript pages and edited transcription start here.

Tribes west of Panj-ab or Indus River ~ maps

Note: in the Oera Linda-book Pang-ab does not refer to what is now the Punjab region, but to the river that is now Indus River.

[164/19]
BI WESTA PANG.AB THÉR SIND THA ÍRA JEFTHA WRANGA.
THA GEDROSTNE JEFTHA BRITNE.
AND THA ORJETTEN JEFTHA VRJETNE.

Ott 2017 (provisional, not proofread yet!):
To the west of the Panj-ab the 'Íra' or wrathful live,
as well as the 'Gedrostne' or runaways,
and the 'Oryetten' or forgotten.

Ottema 1872 Dutch:
Bewesten Pangab zijn de Yren (Iraniers) of wrangen (Drangianen),
de Gedrosten (Gedrosiers) of weggeloopenen,
en de Urgetten* of vergetenen.
(*corrected: Orgetten (Oriten))

Sandbach 1876 English:
To the west of the Punjab are the Yren (Iraniers), or morose (Drangianen),
the Gedrosten (Gedrosiers), or runaways,
and the Urgetten*, or forgotten.
(*Sandbach did not take Ottema's correction into account)

Wirth 1933 German:
Im westen des Pangabs sind die Ira oder 'Wranga' (sauren; Drangiana?),
die Gedrostne (Gedrosia?) oder Vertriebenen
und die Orjetten oder Vergessenen.

Overwijn 1951 Dutch: 
Ten Westen van Pangab zijn de Yren (Iraniërs) of Wrangen (Drangianen),
de Gedrosiërs (of weggelopenen)
en de Urjetten (Oriten) (of vergetenen).

Jensma 2006 Dutch:
Bewesten Punjab daar zijn de Yren oftewel bozen,
de Gedrossiërs oftewel weggebritten
en de Orjetten oftewel vergetenen.
(Yren - Ariërs/ Gedrosië is een streek ten westen van de Indus/ Oreiten, Indisch volk, woonachtig boven het tegenwoordige Karachi)

De Heer 2008 Dutch:
Ten Westen van Pangab daar zijn de Yren ofwel Wrangen.
De Gedrosiërs ofwel weggelopenen,
en de Orjetten ofwel vergetenen.

Raubenheimer 2011 English: 
To the west of the Pangab are the Ira, or Wranga,
the Gedrostne, or runaways,
and the Orietten, or forgotten.

Menkens 2013 German: 
Beim West-Pangab gibt es die Yren oder Wrangen,
die Gedrosier oder Weggezogenen
und die Huriter oder Vergessenen.

Lien 2013 Norse: 
Vest for Pangab, der er ir(an)erne eller ’de vrange’,
gedroserne eller ’rømlingene’,
og orittene eller ’de glemte’.

A´RIA (: region/ Arians: people) ~ Ἄρια
GEDRO´SIA (:region/ Gedrosii: people) ~ Γεδρωσία
ORITAE (: people) ~ Ὠρεῖται

(This post is not ready yet. Please come back later)

Chronicles of Eri ~ notes

Three years ago, I read the Chronicles of Eri, part 1 and part2, and referred to them a few times on the forum, as summarised here and here (use control-F). For future use, either by me or other researchers, the notes that I made are posted below.

title pages of part 1

Chronicles of Eri - some notes at first reading.

PART 1:

xxxii - Cecrops from Egypt -> Attica

xxxiv - Priestcraft!!! 2nd paragraph

xxxvii - Adele (Greek) - obscure, uncertain

xl - Ion, general of the Athenian forces --- quote Jopsephus!!!

xliii - Ellen (Hellenja) and Jon / Thessaly, Pelasgi

xlvii - Israel slaves

The first people in the register of time who confederated, arms in their hands, premeditated evil in their hearts, to molest a kindred people, were the children of Israel; but they had been 215 years in bondage in a strange land, and slavery vitiates the soul, corrupts the mind, and changes as it were the essential qualities of man; they had for a long season felt themselves deserted, and forgotten by the world, save their taskmasters, in whose practices towards them they only recognized the ways of man.

lvii - Pt. 2: idea that Scandinavia parent state of Scythians ridiculed by Connor

lx - Nice criticism of Christianity

lxviii - IV Scythian goths = cimmerii = cimbri = germanni

xcii, 92 - Sidon as origin Spanish Skyths

101 - Nice about Great Flood

Fryas = Cimmerii and Celtae - Cimbri, Germanni
"why so many nations and countries had quite other names amongst their neighbours, than what was usually known amongst themselves"

131 - Vesta and Fire Service

143 - Part XII Language

cl - Word root Magy - mag

152 - Ur-o-maz or Ur-a-mas persian primal god - fire how excellent

clxxxviii - Begin of word list

Here also: Giola (GOLA?) - messenger, servant (greek: aggelos)

Bbachal - staf (bacchus?)
Kai - et - ocas (and) --- ogsa, also

225 - reacht - rectum (right, law) --- rjucht

229 - Phoenicia, palmland

239 - Venus, fen - woman (finda?)

259 - Language cimbri, germani

260 - Tudesque - thjudisk

367 - Argyle - Ardgael - highlands of the Gaal, which were the Sciot (Skythen)

349 - (Conclusion) ... Gaal Sciot Ib-eir, who emigrated from Iber, by the way of Sidon and the Mediterranean to the north western quarter of Spain, to which they gave the name of Gaelag, where having abided for the space of 120 years, Eolus the then chief journeyed to Sidon, where he learned the use of letters, whither he shortly afterwards sent nine of the wisest  of the people to be instructed in that science.

352 - Cyrus, the Elamite or Persian Scythian, (whose mother was ### Mandane ###, the daughter of Astyages, the Median Assyrian)

Idem: I shall make a few observations that will produce the effect of putting to silence for ever more the senseless political fictions of Sasson scribblers, by their oligarchy, ...

357 - Sassons, language
"And that the language of Eri, or Gneat Bearla, is that spoken by the Scytho-Iberian, Naol-Maid-eis, Ogeageis, improved to the Bearla Fcine, or Phcenician language, by the aid of letters, a dialect of the Persian, Hebrew, Greek, Roman, and Gothic, as written in Gaelag 1365 years before Christ, ..." etc

360 - "If I have..." and "Have I shewn..."

361 - "... the migrations of this tribe from Magh-Seanar, by Euphrates, to the Araxes, and Iberia in Magh-Og, from thence to Gaelag, by the way of Sidon and the Mediterranean, and ultimately to this Eri."

36 - (434) "... instruct the Gaal to beware of the devices of the children of Feine, they are covetous, they are deceitful, with their lips they give honour to Baal, in works they have respect for riches only." => FINDA

38 - "In the language of Eri, Eolus means wisdom" => JOL (yolus) later also IOLAR (name)

52/ 450 (A) priests of Sydon!!!!!

60 and onwards - Very negative about priests like in OLB

Similarities Gaal-Fryas:
Fire Dervice,
Rather-dead-than-slave,
Priest criticism,
Folk = children of ...
"Priests of Sidon",
Children of Feina (?)(Finda?)

Differences:
- Very different language and style (with some similarities and overlap)
- Gaal is purely male culture contrary to matriarchy/ wise women
- 'Godhead' (creator) "Baal" = sun
- Inheritance of power

title pages of part 2

PART 2:

14 (20) - Different mentality: "Er taketh delight in the lessons of wisdom, he chargeth the Olam to nourish the fire of the spirit of the youth, that he and his race may rule over men."

23 - IOLAR means eagle

24 - "Shun Casantir eider, go not to the land of metals. The children of Feine have fair words on their lips, their hearts are treacherous, the fire of their spirit burneth too fiercely ; is it not continually fanned by the breath of avarice ?"

31 - <<In these days came a ship, with men of Feine, with letters, saying, "Let my servants search through thy land for metals of precious things, if any such are to be found therein, and ye shall have one twentieth part, and my servants will pay for whatever they have from thee. Let there be a covenant between thee and me." ...  deceit is in the heart, falsehood is in the tongue of Feine.>>
+ important part about priests and statues Baal, Sul, Re!!!

34 . Footnote c: children of Feine = Phoenicians // note d about image worship

48-50 - (Note b) flood as metafore for invasion!!! (compare Hidde 1256 AD)

62 - Note g - Great tirade against priesthoods

64 - Note a - envy between Olam and priests

81 - "When the children of Feine thought to throw chains of slavery over them, did not our fathers escape from them?"

98 - Erimionn: about priests and princes/ kings, very interesting

100 - The 5 new laws (some cancelled)

105 - "Sons of Golam"

106 - New laws

107 - "Shall one have spoken falsely of another, let the false one suffer in the like manner as he designed against the other, and let the like be observed in all cases for ever."

119 - "Race of Golam"

124 - "And the Gaal do complain that the priests terrify their minds with evil spirits of the air, over which Baal hath given dominion unto them:
Therefore the Carneac move not without an offering,
But of these things no words are spoken aloud, only from the mouth of one to the ear of another, for fear is on the minds of the Gaal because of the priests." ???KERENAK??? Carneac

Difference style:
Baal enters his house ...
and it was so

146 - "Saorlam rose, and he did speak of the glory of his race, and how the Danan were borne on the waves of the sea, the old world before the world that is, felt the heat of the sun." => Reference ALDLAND???

161-162 - Interesting piece - mind control

202 - Again year count 7th century BCE; so very much in 8th, 7th century BCE

208 - About original in possession author

215 - Important part on priests-Baal

217 - Name oiliol 'bèrn' gael!!! --- many references 'kings, princes, nobles'

218 and onwards - Serious war threat 6th century BCE

222 - 'Bearngael'

230 - Footnote about names 'bear-' --- also a remark about war after long time of peace

242 - Baal temples - religion

243 - Important part idem

246 - Metal mining begin, new chariots for 2 horses

253 - 'Chief of maginis'

255 - Digging canals

261 - Boys in small boat - ancestors came with "ships of the merchants" + following part!

265 - Footnote 2 - original was thus at least of 6th century BCE

267 - Enemy of Gaal in durable houses, ca. 500 BCE - war on mainland!

270 - Gaal buried their dead

273-4 - Significant footnote - phoenicians, mineslaves, brigantes

279 - Extreme cruelty

287 - Taxing for army

288 - Metaphor: wolf-shepard

294 - Cruelty

298 - Priests sow discord and warmonger: Danan friends of race Er: converse with spirits of the deep, not Baal

301 - Cruel revenge (eye for eye-like)

310 - Names blotted out from the rolls

327 - Words Baal known to cruimtear only

328 - The waters of Athluan!!!

339 - Mighty slaughter: priests poured the sound of their voices into the hearts of the men of Gaelen

341 - Nice: "And the eye of the damsel spake unto his heart tenderly; in the silence of their tongues their eyes held converse deliciously."

344 - Chief of Rathbot...

351 - "It is safer to put confidence in a thousand women than in one man; man is treacherous, he is full of deceit. Use woman tenderly, and she will return thy tenderness one thousand fold."

362 - Maca, first queen! ca 300 BCE

375 - Names of daughters

383 - Migration Gael of Feotar to North Britannia ca. 275 BCE / in general: much war and conflict between 600 and 300 BCE

385 - Sons of Golam

391 - Whole chapter more poetic, rhythmic / much more romance in last part

415 - Gaal of Feotar (from the land of Cruithen) are Garman, Germani, who came to Eri 299 BCE!!! "Loc Garman"

428 - "The princes and nobles of these lands were evil towards each other continually, and they did stir up the Gaal to be foes one to the other."

429 - Example of patrilineal - son of ... son of ... etc

435 - Remarkable love story Aine, Mara

443 - Cruitnig? different folk which becomes stronger...

451 - Fir Cios? different 'hostile' folk?

456 - Daughters of Feotar are popular - must have been a beautiful, strong race... Brandt and Storm - Fryas names?

482 - Great battle, many dead

485 - Land of Ardtain?
=======================

487 - Chronology of the hebrews

492 - Year of metaphorical flood: 2247 BCE / exodus israelites: 1381 BCE

496 - Of the Scythians v.a. 5359 BCE

497 - Pelasgoi, Cecropeia in Attica: 1120 BCE --- Hemon, Pelasg. settles in Thessaly 1060 BCE

499 - Marius destroys Cimbri or Germanni: 102 BCE

502 - Pelasgoi are Scythian shepherds

503 - His brother Neptune or Iapetus 956 BCE

a map as published in part 2

The Great Remigration of ca. 300 BCE ~ Returnees not Foreigners

OLB pp. 120-125: how the Gértmen moved from Gértmania in the Punjab or the Indus river delta to Athens, in the service of king Alexander, ca. 320 BCE (compare Arrian's "Anabasis of Alexander")

OLB pp. 128-130 and 119: how Friso brought a fleet with Gértmen and Hélénja-followers (Ionians and Athenians) from Greece to Fryasland, ca. 305 BCE (compare Frisian 'fantastic' historiography)

Fragments regarding the re-migration of people from the Punjab and Greece (mostly Athens & Ionian Islands), after having lived in these colonies for many generations:

• [120/11] - [125/03] Ljudgért on how the Gértmen left Pang-ab in service of Alexander, and landed in Athénia.
• [127/28] - [130/20] Ljudgért continues on how Friso led his fleet, including the Gértmen and Ionians to Fryasland.
• [118/32] - [120/14] Fréthorik: "How the Gért-men and many Hélénja-followers came back"; about their arrival in Stavere, permission from the Mother to stay, and main places of resettlement.

Regarding the aftermath of the re-migration:

• [131/26] - [133/16] Fréthorik about the peculiarities of the Brok-men (returnees).
• [144/17] - [154/17] Koneréd about Friso's takeover of power in Fryasland and making allies North and East.
• [154/17] - [157/32] Koneréd continues about Adel, Friso's son, and his wife Ifkja, aiming to re-unite the Fryan nations.
• [158/10] - [163/09] Gosa's rede about the importance of upholding the old ways and language (she particularly fears decay resulting from the great re-migration: returning Helléna-followers), and how Adel & Ifkja started schools and continued re-uniting the nations.

The returnees or re-migrants were referred to (by Fréthorik) as BROKMANNA [131/29] and distinguished three sub-groups: GÉRTMANNA [132/01] from the Punjab, THÉR FONA KRÉKALÁNDA [132/06] or 'those from Greece', and JÔNJAR [132/19] or Ionians.

Earlier he writes [118/32]: (HO THA) GÉRT.MANNA AND FÉLO HÉLÉNJA FOLGAR (TOBEK KÉMON) ~ (how the) Gértmen and many Hélénia-followers (came back).

Gosa [161/20] spoke of WITHER KVMANDE HEL.LÉNA FOLGAR ~ returning Helléna-followers. (This can include the Gértmen and the Ionians, since they were branches of the followers of Minerva, a.k.a. Hellénia.)

In the following fragment, they are referred to as foreigners (UTHÉMAR), but when this is literally translated as such (as has always been done so far), it may be unclear who are ment. I believe this remigration is one of the most significant topics of the OLB, and therefore suggest to avoid confusion, by using the interpretation as 'returnees' or 'remigrants', rather than the literal translation 'foreigners' here.

Another interesting detail is that some translators read SELIGA as SÉLIGA (Dutch/German: zalige/Selige):
 - Selige/Glückliche (blessed/happy) ~ Wirth/Menkens
 - brave kinderen (good children?!) ~ Overwijn, De Heer
As Jensma noted, 'sellech', 'selik' etc. means 'such', according to the Oldfrisian Richthofen dictionary, which fits better here.

[162/23]
FANDON HJA THÀN ÉMONG THA INHÉMAR ÀND UTHÉMAR SELIGA
THÉR EKKORUM FRJUNDSKIP BÁRADON

Ott 2017 (preliminary)
If they found such among the natives and returnees*,
who expressed mutual friendship,
(*interpretation which makes more sense than the literal translation: foreigners)

Ottema 1872 Dutch:
Bevonden zij dan onder de inlanders of buitenlanders zoodanige,
die elkander vriendschap toedroegen,

Sandbach 1876 English (paraphrased):
If they found a friendly feeling existing between the natives and foreigners,

Wirth 1933 German:
Fanden die unter den Einheimischen und Ausheimischen »Selige«,
die einander Freundschaft entgegenbrachten,

Overwijn 1951 Dutch:
Kwamen zij dan onder de inheemsen of buitenlanders brave kinderen tegen,
die elkaar vriendschap toedroegen,

Jensma 2006 Dutch:
Vonden zij dan onder de inwoners en uitwoners* zulken
die elkaar vriendschap toedroegen,
(* inhabitants and outsiders?!)

De Heer 2008 Dutch:
Vonden zij dan onder de inheemsen en uitheemsen brave kinderen
die elkaar vriendschap toedroegen,

Raubenheimer 2011 English:
If they found a friendly feeling existing between the locals and foreigners,

Menkens 2013 German:
Fanden sie dann unter den Einheimischen und Auswärtigen Glückliche,
die einander Freundschaft antrugen,

Lien 2013 Norse:
Fant de da blant innbyggerne og utenbygdsboere* slike
som viste hverandre vennskap,
(* residents and non-residents)


Summary of the nine different earlier translations of INHÉMAR ÀND UTHÉMAR:
Dutch:
inlanders of buitenlanders - Ottema
inheemsen of buitenlanders - Overwijn
inwoners en uitwoners - Jensma
inheemsen en uitheemsen - De Heer
English:
natives and foreigners - Sandbach
locals and foreigners - Raubenheimer
German:
Einheimischen und Ausheimischen - Wirth
Einheimischen und Auswärtigen - Menkens
Norse:
 innbyggerne og utenbygdsboere - Lien

~ ~ ~

Other fragments with UTHÉMEDA / ÛTHÉMEDE:

[013/26]
HJA SKOLDUN UTHÉMEDA SÉDA ÀND PLÉGA MITH.FARA
[050/21]
THÉR IN WRDON ALLA ÛT.HÉMEDE ÀND VR.LÁNDESKA THINGA WÁRATH
[161/12]
TILTHJU THIN ÀJN TÁLE FRÍ FON UTHÉMEDA KLINNA BILÍWETH

Ifkja was a KANTE Fryas?

With one look in the dictionary by Jan Pannekeet (1984) of the Westfrisian dialect (North-Holland), the equivocal adjective KANT was finally explained:

Kant in Westfries Woordenboek by Jan Pannekeet 1984

Swabian girl on postcard

kant, adj. handsome, clever, robust, firm, comely, beautiful [...] Literally, kant or kantig means 'still having sharp edges', that is: not eroded, unpolished, still whole or sound. [...]

[155/32]

JFKJA WÉR.NE KANTE FRÍAS

Ifkja was a [ ? ? ? ] Fryas (-daughter)

Note the variety in the existing translations:

flinke (robust, firm, comely) - Ottema, Overwijn, Jensma*, De Heer
clever - Sandbach
rechte (right) - Wirth
wendige (agile, nimble) - Schröder
fine - Raubenheimer
tüchtige/ kantige (proficient/ edged) - Menkens**
skattet (cherished) - Lien
* Jensma noted that kant means lief (lovable) in modern Frisian and according to a Dutch dictionary, but still translated it as flink.
** Menkens noted that various translations of kant exist. German kantig is not used metaphorically for women, only to describe a phisical appearance.


I like the literal meaning as given in the Westfrisian dictionary. Therefore my provisional (still unofficial) suggestion is:

Ifkja was a sharp-edged Frya*.

* I am not yet sure how to translate FRÍAS or FRYAS which is used for both singular and plural in the manuscript. My editors advised sing. Frya, and plur. Fryas. This is what the other translators made of it:
Friesin/ Friezin - Ottema, Jensma
Frisian - Sandbach, Raubenheimer 
friser(inne) - Lien  
Fryas - Wirth, Menkens
Fryase - Overwijn, De Heer

ALDULKERA TÁLUM ~ no-nonsense new transtation

Why is a new English translation of the Oera Linda-book needed? Because many improvements can be made, which will lead to a better understanding and appreciation of the text as a whole.

This post provides an example of an interpretation by Sandbach (1876) of an interpretation by Ottema (1872), which does not do justice to the original.

Ottema translated ALDULKERA TÁLUM as "Al zulke praatjes" (copied by all known Dutch translations thus far, see below). Praatjes can be understood neutrally as talk, but it mostly has a more negative connotation: gossip, rumours, babbling, brag, tales. Sandbach interpreted it as nonsense: "All such nonsense". The two known German translations - like praatjes - suggest a negative connotation, but they are not as explicitly negative as nonsense: "Derartige Redensarten" (Wirth), and "Lauter solche Geschichten" (Menkens). The Norse translation by Lien was the first to interpret it neutrally, as slik tale (such talk).

ALDULKERA is used three more times in the manuscript, just meaning such (no need to add all):

[013/03] 

HWAND ALDULKERA GÀRS SKOLDE JVW DJAROSTA KVIK DÉJA

for such grass would kill your most precious cattle
[021/27]

MITH ALDULKERA WÀPNE AS.ER FOR SINNA BIKVMA ÀND HÁNDTÉRA MÉI

with such weapons as he can invent, procure, and use
[030/18]

SA ACH MAN ALLÉNA ALDVLKERA TO KJASANE

one ought to only choose such

Hettema's dictionary of 1832 confirms that somewhat changed versions of the word were still used in the 19th century, with the same meaning:

More significantly, TÁL (of which TÁLUM is plural) has no known negative connotation. It is used mostly to mean language, sometimes tale, narrative, wile it can sometimes be read as both. The related verb TÁLA simply means to tell, narrate:

[004/32]  
MÀN MOT TÁLA HJAM FON THA WICHARDA ÀND FON HJARA WICHANDLIKA DÉDUM. AK WRA FÀRA SÉ.TOCHTA. 
(One must) Tell them of the heroes, of their heroic deeds and of distant sea voyages.
[051/05]
FON.T ÉNE DÉL NIS NÉN TÁL TO VS NE KÉMEN. 
Of the one part no account has come to us, 
[055/29]
MEN VS FOLK LAKTON VMBE SIN TÁL. 
but our folk laughed at his words. 
[057/31]
FON NÉF.TÜNIS IS ÀFTERNÉI TÁL KÉMON 
Accounts of Nef-Tunis would later reach us, 
[103/27]
TÁL ÀND ANDWARDE ORA FÁMNA TO.N FÁRBYLD. 
Speech and answers as an example to other Maidens. 
[133/26]
THRVCH TÁL ÀND OMMEGANG KÉM.ET ÛT THAT WI ALLE BÉDE FON A.DEL.A HIS FOLK WÉRON. 
Our tales (or: language) and our interactions with one another made it clear to us that we both were Adela's folk.

We will now examine some of the context of ALDULKERA TÁLUM, and ask ourselves if it makes sense to interpret these words as such nonsense (my provisional translation, p. 152):

Everywhere they [the young maidens] said: "We no longer have a Mother, but that is because we have grown up. Today a king is more suitable for us, so we can reconquer our lands that the Mothers have lost by their incompetence!" 
They furthermore argued: "Every child of Frya was given the freedom to let his voice be heard, before a decision is made at the election of a leader. When it would come to the point of choosing a king again, I will therefore also give my opinion. From all I can consider, Friso was chosen for it by Wralda, for he was miraculously guided by Him here(1). Friso knows the tricks of the Gols and he speaks their language, so he can beware of their schemes. What reeve could be chosen as king without the others being envious?"  
Words like these were spoken by the young maidens, but the old maidens, though few in number, sang a different tune(2).

(1) lit. "for he has miraculously guided/brought him here" - swapped subject (Wralda) and object (Friso) for clarity, to match with previous and following sentence.
(2) lit. "tapped their reasoning from a different barrel" - expression. Du: "uit een ander vaatje tappen".

The narrator, Koneréd (son of Fréthorik and Wiljow), has earlier written that he sent his brother to Friso's military school (144/27), and he concludes Friso's biography (page 154) with the acknowledgment that he had reunited many states (adding some doubt as to whether that is a good thing for himself and his audience), and that Friso had become more famed than any of his predecessors.

In other words: He could have been much more negative in his judgement of Friso, but seems to rather have tried to give a neutral account.

Considering this, it is not justified to interpret ALDULKERA TÁLUM as such nonsense. I therefore suggest something more neutral, such as "words like these".

~ ~ ~

some cognates in related languages, besides English:

tale (speech) - Norse, Danish

tal (speech, talk, number) - Swedish, Icelandic

tala (to speak) - Swedish, Icelandic

tale ( ,, ) - Danish

fortelle (tell) - Norse

taal (language, speech) - Dutch

(ge)tal (number) - Dutch

vertellen/vertelling (tell/tale) - Dutch

Zahl (number) - German

erzählen (tell, narrate, explain) - German

[152/27]
ALDULKERA TÁLUM WÀRTH THRVCH THA JONGA FÁMNA KÉTHEN.
Ottema 1872 Dutch:
Al zulke praatjes werden door de jonge maagden gehouden,
Sandbach 1876 English:
All such nonsense the young maidens talked;
Wirth 1933 German:
Derartige Redensarten wurden durch die jungen Maiden verbreitet;
Overwijn 1951 Dutch:
Al zulke praatjes werden door de jonge maagden verkocht,
Jensma 2006 Dutch:
Al zulke praatjes werd door de jonge maagden verkondigd
De Heer 2008 Dutch:
Al zulke praatjes werd door de jonge maagden gesproken
(Raubenheimer 2011 English: as Sandbach)
Menkens 2013 German:
Lauter solche Geschichten wurden durch die jungen Maiden/Frauen verkündet,
Lien 2013 Norse:
Slik tale ble forkynt av de unge jomfruene;

,

BIDOBBA, as a matter of speaking

an attempt to exhume a lost meaning

detail of "Saul and the Witch of Endor" by Jacob Cz. van Oostsanen (1526)

One of the main arguments against the authenticity of the Oera Linda-book is that the language would be too modern; that it would simply be oldfrisianised 19th century Dutch. However, many fragments are hard to translate and the various translators often present very different translations, many of which have been discussed and improved on this blog. Obviously, adherents of the hoax theory will argue that the alleged creator(s) added these difficulties to create doubt, confusion, or an illusion of authenticity.

In this post I will show another of these difficulties and my interpretation, which is different from the existing ones.

~ ~ ~

In an earlier post I discussed the OLB-verb BIDOBBA and its relation to 'tub' and 'dopen' (to baptise). The first meaning is to cover/ bury, from DOBBA: dig, delve (also see below: 'bidobje' in modern Frisian). In two of the fragments, however, the verb has a metaphorical meaning, which is not clear.

Fragment 1. [056/15]
THÉRA THÉR MÁR HILDON FON HJARA BALG AS FON THÀT RJUCHT.
Those who valued their stomachs above justice, ...
THAM LÉTON HINI BIDOBBA.

Fragment 2. [149/17]
HIR MOST NW LETTA HO FRISO
Pay attention to how Friso ...
ALLE TO BIDOBBE WISTE


First I will summarise the differences, then list the translated fragments, and finally discuss them.

Besides the question what the verb BIDOBBA means in the first fragment, also the personal pronoun HINI was interpreted differently: as "themselves" (Jensma and Lien) and as "him" (other translators). Codex Oera Linda has three other occurrences of HINI, where it means "him" each time (30/5, 85/22, 86/20). Reflexive pronouns almost always contain SELVA or SELF. It would thus most probably have been HJARA SELVA instead of HINI, if 'themselves' was meant. Therefore "him" is more likely the right interpretation of HINI.

~ ~ ~

Summary of differences

Fragment 1.

worry, fret, drudge (tobben)	work his way/  proceed (begaan)	bestow (gewähren)	rage (toben)	fob off (afschepen)	dupe (dupere)	win over (inpalmen)
Ottema	Sandbach Overwijn De Heer	Wirth Menkens*	Menkens*	Jensma**	Lien	Ott***

* Menkens gave two possible - very different - interpretations and admitted in footnote that he was uncertain.
** Jensma admitted in footnote that he was uncertain and had also considered 'dupe' (bedotten).
*** I am not certain either and decided for this translation mainly because it is the only one that fits in both fragments, considering the context.

Fragment 2.

deceive/ dupe/ fool (bedotten, hineinlegen, voor de gek houden, dupere)	fob off (afschepen)	influence/ seduce (beeinflussen/ becircen)	win over (inpalmen)
Ottema Sandbach Wirth Overwijn De Heer Lien	Jensma	Menkens	Ott

Translated fragments

Ottema 1872 Dutch
1. lieten hem tobben (let him worry/ fret/ drudge)
2. allen wist te bedotten (duped them all)

Sandbach 1876 English
1. let him work his own way
2. understood deceiving everybody

Wirth 1933 German
1. ließen ihn gewähren (let him bestow)
2. alle hineinzulegen wußte (trick them all)

Overwijn 1951 Dutch
1. lieten hem begaan (let him proceed)
2. ze allemaal voor de gek wist te houden (fool them all)

Jensma 2006 Dutch
1. die lieten zich afschepen (let themselves be fobbed off)
2. allen wist af te schepen (fobb them all off)
(footnote to 1.: unclear, as in 149/18 where it is appease or something similar; perhaps 'bedotten' - dupe)

De Heer 2008 Dutch (1. as Overwijn; 2. as Ottema)

Menkens 2013 German
1. die ließen ihn gewähren/ toben (let him bestow/ rage)
2. alle zu beeinflussen/ becircen wußte (influence/ seduce them all)
(footnote to 1.: uncertain; to 2.: compare 'bedeppert' - dazed/ stunned; 'doof' - dumb; 'dope')

Lien 2013 Norse
1. de lot seg dupere (let themselves be duped)
2. visste å dupere alle (how Friso knew how to dupe them all)

Ott 2017 English (provisional)
1. let him win them over
2. succeeded in winning them them all over

detail of "The Antiquarian"
by Ulpiano Checa (1908)

Discussion and conclusion

Ottema in the first translation of 1872 used words that sound somewhat similar, but are not likely related:
1. tobben (worry, fret, drudge)
2. bedotten (dupe, deceive)
More importantly, they do not really make sense, considering the context.

As for 'tobben', the later translators seem to agree with me, as they all chose a very different interpretation, although Menkens does something similar with 'toben' (to rage), and Lien with 'dupere' (to dupe).

Then 'bedotten' (dupe, decieve); a similar word was chosen by most other translators. Only Jensma and Menkens had a somewhat less negative interpretation, which still makes no sense in my opinion, as I will explain below.

Let's first look at the context of both fragments (translation Sandbach):

1. ... the Magy did just as he pleased, because his daughter had a son by Wodin, and he would have it that this son was of high descent. While all were disputing and quarrelling, he crowned the boy as king, and set up himself as guardian and counsellor. Those who cared more for themselves than for justice let him [......], but the good men took their departure.

2. Here you must observe how Friso understood [......] everybody, to the satisfaction of both parties, and to the accomplishment of his own ends. To the Zeelanders he promised that they should have yearly fifty ships of a fixed size for a fixed price, fitted with iron chains and crossbows, and full rigging as is necessary and useful for men-of-war, but that they should leave in peace the Jutlanders and all the people of Frya's race. But he wished to do more; he wanted to engage all our sea rovers to go with him upon his fighting expedition. When the Zeelanders had gone, he loaded forty old ships with weapons for wall defences, wood, bricks, carpenters, masons, and smiths, in order to build citadels. Witto, or Witte, his son, he sent to superintend. [...] on each side of the harbour a strong citadel has been built, and garrisoned by people brought by Friso out of Saksenmarken. Witto courted Siuchthirte and married her. Wilhem, her father, was chief Alderman of the Jutmen [...]. Wilhem died shortly afterwards, and Witte was chosen in his place.

The second fragment provides most clues to what the mysterious word could mean. Firstly, what Friso did satisfied both parties and it helped him accomplish his own goal. He promised to sell the Zeelanders equipped ships, and to go on expeditions together with them. All under the condition that they would leave the Jutlanders in peace. It is obvious that Friso would profit from this too. Secondly, two strong citadels were built for the Jutlanders, and his son Witto married the daughter of the Jutmen's chieftain, whom he would later succeed. Friso, who's aim was to create an empire, in other words, had made valuable allies, and it would have been short-sighted to deceive them, as this would surely come to light in the long run and would make him enemies rather than friends.

My suggestion is that he won over (Dutch: inpalmen) the Zeelanders and the Jutlanders, and this meaning would also fit in the first fragment: The opportunists allowed the Magy to win them over.

from: Friesch Woordenboek A-H (1896)
Dijkstra & Buitenrust Hettema

How BIDOBBA would have gotten this (or a similar) secondary meaning is still a mystery to me. In Dijkstra's Frisian dictionary of 1896 this word has most coverage that I could find, but all listed examples are related to bury/ cover/ hide. Hettema's dictionary of 1874 does not list the word, and the one by Halbertsma of the same year only briefly mentions it means bury in earth.

So why would an alleged creator have chosen this word for something that has no clear relation to bury/ cover/ hide?

"To confuse", a hardcore believer of the hoax-doctrine (if there still is one) will say. But why? Why invest so much time and talent in a project that has no clear purpose, is by no means a crowd pleaser, and has made no one rich or famous. Yes, the Oera Linda-book did indeed create confusion, but to conclude that this must therefore have been its purpose is vainsense.