| Maryam, i barṯo di Saro w du Aday, yariwo w hawyo claymṯo. |
Maryam is the daughter of Saro and Aday. She has grown up and has become a young woman. |
| Koqëryo zëdqe bu beṯ-ṣawbo d Amsterdam. |
She is studying law at the University of Amsterdam. |
| B ḥa yawmo bu zabno di afṯo koṯe ḥa claymo Holandoyo ëšme Yohannes koyotaw cam gaba. |
One day during the break, a Dutch boy named Yohannes comes and sits next to her. |
| “Brix ṣafro”, komar u claymo. |
The boy says, “good morning.” |
| “Brix ṭobo”, komadacro i Maryam. |
“Good morning” Maryam answers. |
| Komawḏci ruḥayye lë ḥḏoḏe, komëjġoli w košotën i qaḥwaṯṯe. |
They introduce themselves; they talk and drink their coffee. |
| Hawxa mdawamme u mamlo hul d tayimo i afṯo. |
This is how they continued their conversation until the break finished. |
| Bëṯër ṭlëbbe xaṭër w kul ḥa azze lu hërgayḏe. |
Then they said goodbye and each of them went to their class. |
| Mi lqaytaṯe i qamayto mšarewalle ar rëġše di ḥubo yërwi b lebe dat tre. |
From the first moment they met, they developed love feelings for each other. |
| Bëṯër me haṯe b kul afṯo mjarbiwa d ḥozën ḥḏoḏe w ëḏci ḥḏoḏe ṭawtër. |
After this meeting, they tried to meet during each break in order to get to know each other better. |
| I Maryam w u Yohannes mdawamme hawxa. |
This is how Maryam and Yohannes continued. |
| Cam u zabno i asiruṯaṯṯe qawyo w zëdtër ftëḥḥe lebayye lë ḥḏoḏe. |
With time, their relationship developed and they opened their hearts more to each other. |
| Fayëš lo bёlḥuḏe bu zabno di madrašto ḥozënwa ḥḏoḏe, elo larwal mi madrašto w bi ḥarayto di šabṯo ste nëfqiwa cam ḥḏoḏe. |
They not only met during lecture period but also outside of university and during the weekend, they also went out. |
| I Maryam w u Yohannes rёḥmiwa ḥḏoḏe ġalabe. |
Maryam and Yohannes were very much in love. |
| B ḥa yawmo u Yohannes mërle li Maryam: “Ono koroḥamno lax w kobacno ġalabe d gawrat li”. |
One day Yohannes said to Maryam, “I love you very much and I would like you to marry me.“ |
| I Maryam mërla: “Ono ste korëḥmallux w kёbcallux. |
Maryam said, “I also love you and I would like to marry you. |
| Elo cam haṯe këbcono mšaylono mede ḥreno menux”. |
But at the same time I would like to ask you something else.“ |
| “Mën yo? Mën këbcat?”, mërle u Yohannes. |
“What is it? What would you like?” Yohannes said. |
| I Maryam mërla: “Këbcono du ṭlobo howe xud i cadayḏan. |
Maryam said, “I want the engagement to be according to our tradition. |
| Yani be babux kolozam saymi wacdo cam be babi xud këmmina ‘lu štoyo di qaḥwa’, lašan du ṭlobo miḏac rušmoyiṯ”. |
This means that your parents have to make an appointment with my parents to come over for coffee, as we call it. This is to make the engagement official.“ |
| U Yohannes mërle “Ṭrowe, layt qëtro”. |
Yohannes said, “alright, no problem.“ |
| I emo du Yohannes mtalfanla w sëmla wacdo cam ab be babe di Maryam. |
The mother of Yohannes called the parents of Maryam and made an appointment. |
| I Maryam ste heš me meqëm mawḏacwayla ab be babe cal i ḥubayḏa w du Yohannes. |
Maryam had already informed her parents about her and Yohannes’ love for each other. |
| Aṯi u yawmo du ṭlobo. U Yohannes šqile u ṣlibo du nišan cam kafo d warde w ḥalyuṯo. |
The engagement day approached. Yohannes bought the engagement cross with a flower bouquet and sweets. |
| Azze cam i emo w babo lab be babe di Maryam. |
He went with his mother and father to Maryam’s parents. |
| Bëṯër mu štoyo di qaḥwa, u Yohannes mcalaqle u ṣlibo du nišan bë qḏola di Maryam. |
After they had their coffee, Yohannes put the engagement cross around Maryam’s neck. |
| At tarte iqaryoṯe mašfacce u lalyo b ḥubo w basimuṯo. Mhanalle i Maryam w u Yohannes bu nišanaṯṯe. |
Both families spent a happy and sociable evening. They congratulated Maryam and Yohannes to their engagement. |
| Bëṯër mu ṭlobo mšaralle d saymi plan li mëštuṯo. |
After the engagement, they started to make plans for the wedding. |
