Gullah Translations of Popular Text

Translated to Gullah by Alphonso Brown

 Gullah is an English-based Creole dialect spoken along the coastal regions of the Carolinas.  

“I Have A Dream,” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Translated to Gullah by Alphonso Brown

Ie say tuh unnuh teday, mye frien’, eeb’n dough we duh face dees haad time yuh ob teday ‘n temorruh, Ie still hab uh dreem. ‘E uh dreem wuh staat way down een America dreem.

Ie hab disshuh dreem dat one day dis America gwi’ come up ‘n be tru’ mout’ ob de law wah call de Creed: “We hol’ dees trut’ fuh be sef-ebbuhdent, dat all man duh mek equal.”

Ie hab uh dreem dat one day on de red hill ob Georguh dat chil’lun ob one tym slayb ‘n chil’lun ob one tym slayb ownuh gwi be able tuh gedduh down at de welcom’ table ob br/udduhhood.

Ie hab uh dreem dat one day eeb’n de state uh Mississippi, a place haad-hadded wid de fire ob wrong, haad-hadded wid de fire ob push’n we down, gwi’ be mek obbuh like uh hebb’n ob freedom ‘n jussis.

Ie hab uh dreem dat my fo’ leetle chill’n gwi one uh dees day lib een America weh deh een gwi’ be judge by de culluh ob deh skin but by dey weh dey khaah ‘e sef. Ie hab uh dreem teday!

Ie hab uh dreem dat one uh dees ol’ day, way down een Allybameh…yeh, right down een Allybameh, dat leet’l black by’s ‘n leet’l black gals gwi’ be able fuh jy’n up han’ wid leet’l white by’s ‘n gals ‘n wark tegettuh like sistuh ‘n br/udduh. Ie hab uh dreem!

Ie hab uh dreem dat one uh dees ol’ day, ebby wally gwi’ be raise up, ebby hill ‘n mount’n gwi’ be mek lo’ down, de haad ruff place gwi’ be mek plain, ‘n de crookit place gwi’ be mek skrate, ‘n de glory ob de Lawd gwi’ be sho’ up, ‘n ebbyboddy gwi see um tegedduh.

Dees duh wah we look fo’. Did yuh duh de fate dat Ie gwi’ hol’ teh de Sout’ wid.

Wid dis fate, we gwi’ be able fuh cut fum de mount’n ob nutt’n, a stone ob hope. Wid dis fate, we gwi’ be ab’le fuh change up de uglynes’ ob we nayshun ento uh bootiful tegedduhness ob br/udduhhood.

Wid dis fate we gwi’ be able fuh wark tegedduh, ‘n pray tegedduh, skrugg’l tegedduh ‘n raise up tall fuh freedum tegedduh, ‘n ‘e stan’ so, dat we gwi’ be free one day.

‘N dah sho’nuf gwi be de day. Dis gwi’ be de day wen all Gawd chill’n gwi’ hice de chune wid new mee’nin, “My country ‘tis ob dee, sweet lan’ ob libuhty, ob dee Ie sing. Lan’ weh my fadduh dead, lan’ ob de Pilgrum pride, fum ebby mount’n side leh freedum ring.” “’N eff America gwi’ be uh bettuh nayshun, dis mus’ be fo’ real.

So leh de freedum ring fum up de big mount’n ob New Hamshuh. Leh freedum ring fum de migh’ty mount’n ob New York. Leh freedum ring fum de tall grassie mount’n ob Pensuhwhennia. Leh freedum ring fum de sno’ mount’n ob Calrattuh. Leh freedum ring fum dem hill een Calleyfonia. But dah een all! Leh freedum ring fum de stone mount’n ob Georguh! Leh freedum ring fum de lookout mount’n ob Tennuhsee! Leh freedum ring fum ebby hill ‘n molehill ob Mississippi! Fum ebby mount’nside, leh freedum ring!

‘N when dis happ’n. ‘n we leh freedum ring, when we leh um ring fum ebby shanti ‘n ebby willage, fum ebby state ‘n ebby city, we gwi’ be able fuh mek-ace dat day when all Gawd chill’n, black ‘n white man, Jew ‘n gentile, Proddes’stn ‘n Cat’lk, gwi’ be able fuh jy’n han’ ‘n hice dah chune dat de ol’ foke newstuh sing, “Free at las’! Free at Las’! tink Gawd uhmigh’ty, we duh free at las’.”

The Lord’s Prayer

Listen to the Lord’s Prayer in Gullah

Our Fadduh awt’n Hebb’n, all-duh-weh be dy holy ‘n uh rightschus name. Dy kingdom com.’ Oh lawd leh yo’ holy ‘n rightschus woud be done, on dis ert’ as-‘e tis dun een yo’ grayt Hebb’n. ‘N ghee we oh Lawd dis day our day-ly br/ead. “N f’gib we oh Lawd our trus-passes, as we also f’gib doohs who com’ sin ‘n truspass uhghens us. ‘N need-us-snot oh konkuhrin’ King een tuh no moh ting like uh sin ‘n eeb’l. Fuh dyne oh dyne is duh kingdom, ‘n duh kingdom prommus fuh be we ebbuh las’n glory. Amen.

The Twenty Third Psalm

Listen to the 23rd Psalm in Gullah

De Lawd, ‘E duh my sheppud. Uh een gwoi’ want. ‘E meck me fuh lay down een dem green passuh. ‘E Khah me deh side dah stagnant wahtuh. ‘E sto’ muh soul; ‘E lead me een de pat’ ob right-juss-niss fuh ‘E name sake. Aae doh Ie wark shru’ de whalley ob dem grayb yaad Ie een gwoi’ skayed uh dem dead people, fuh Ie know de Lawd, ‘E duh deh wid me; ‘E stick wha’ ‘E khah een ‘E han’ ‘n de staff een de udduh han’ gwoi’ cumpit me’ ‘E fix up uh table fuh me fuh grease muh mout’ ‘n muh enemies een gwoi’ git none. ‘E ‘noint muh head wid uhl. Muh cup obbuh flo.’ Sho’ nuff all ‘E goodnes,’ ‘n ‘E muhcy gwoi’ be wid me all de day ob muh life ‘n Ie gwoi’ lib deh een de house ob de Lawd fuh ebbuh ‘n ebbuh. Amen