The Gate Keeper's Tale

A Transliteration of:
The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English
I once heard a story of a wise old man long long ago, in ancient China. Lao Tzu is usually dated
to around the 6th century BC and reckoned a contemporary of Confucius, but some historians
contend that he actually lived during the Warring States period of the 5th or 4th century BC. He
was a marvelous man of great wisdom who was called Lao Tzu. He was the Keeper of the
Archives for the royal court of Zhou (also known as the Chou Dynasty). He gave out advise on every
subject and answered many people's deepest questions. They listened to him, went home, and did
what they wanted to do anyway, regardless of his advise.
After many years of effort, he decided that people were not able, or at least did not seem to want
to follow his advise, but went about their lives much the same as before they came to him for
help. In frustration, he determined that he was going to go through the Great Wall of China and
loose himself in the wilds of Mongolia.
He and his servant packed his belongings on a donkey and started out on their journey. However
when they came to the Great Wall of China, the Gate Keeper there had some questions for him
before he would allow him to pass through.
Because he was dressed as a noble person of obvious high rank, with a servant, he wanted first to
know his name. The old man told him his name was Lao Tzu. (Lao Tzu was an honorary name mean
something like Wise Old Man - His given name was Li Er.)

Then the Gate Keeper wanted to know what his position was, and what he was doing so far away
from the Capital and the center of Chinese culture, politics, and business of that time. It seemed
to him that this man was certainly a man of means, and had no business traveling on the open
road with a single servant. He needed to be assured of who he was and what he was doing.
Lao Tzu answered him truthfully, and said that he was indeed the Keeper of the Archives for the
royal court of Zhou. The Gate Keeper was very surprised and wanted to know why he was there
at the very border of the kingdom. He still wanted to know what Lao Tzu was doing.
Lao Tzu explained to him that as an advisor for those who needed to ask him deep questions. He
said that he had become frustrated and had determined to loose himself in the wilds of Mongolia.
He wanted to pass through the Gate and be done with his job as an advisor, because no body ever
followed his advise anyway.
Well, the Gate Keeper was just a low official, but he was concerned about the fact that this was
indeed an important person in the Royal Court of the Zhou Family, and he was not sure if it was
proper to allow this man to pass and be lost to that family at all.
He insisted that Lao Tzu should not be allowed to pass through the Gate and that at the very
least, he would have to be required to put all his wisdom down into writing before he be allowed

to pass through! He assured Lao Tzu that he would give him accommodations and food, but that
he could not simply allow him to walk through the Gate and pass on to the Wilds of Mongolia,
because the wisdom that he held in his head was the property of the Royal Court of the Zhou. He
would give him shelter and time to write his wisdom down. Come up and dine with me first,
and we will make our decisions afterward.
To make a long story short, this is what happened. After a sumptuous dinner and fine wine, the
Gate Keeper was told by Lao Tzu that he didn't understand at all.
You see, Lao Tzu had a particular way of looking at wisdom. He told the Gate Keeper that words
had special power, and when things were written down, they became worthless. It was analogous
to a good fire. The blaze was akin to the spoken words themselves, but the words written down
were only like the ashes of the fire and had no strength or benefit at all.
He told the Gate Keeper that he was not opposed to telling him his wisdom if he wanted him to
do so, but that if the Gate Keeper wanted to have his wisdom written down, he would have to do
that himself, because he did not believe in the written word.
It was in this clever way that Lao Tzu tricked the Gate Keeper into writing down the words
himself. You see, he knew that for his words to have any benefit, they would have to be the
words of the common man. The Gate Keeper was a good man, and what he was doing was a
good thing. As a common man, he would have to write down Lao Tzu's wisdom (81 beautiful
sayings) in the tongue of the common man so that everyone would be able to understand what he
was telling the Gate Keeper.
Thus was born The Tao Te Ching, know today in English, as the The Way Of Life. The earliest
copy of the Tao Te Ching ever found was written on slips of bamboo dating from the late 4th
Century BCE. The Gate Keeper was so moved by the sayings, that he became a disciple of Lao
Tzu and did follow his advise. He was never seen in China again after completing the Tao Te
Ching with Lao Tzu.
Now I read perhaps a dozen translations of the Tao Te Ching in the early 1970's after I began my
time in the Peace Corps in 1969. When I returned to the United States in 1971 between my first
and second term in the Peace Corps in the Marshall Islands, I purchased a copy (the Witter Byner
translation) in Waipahu Hawai`i for $.50.
When I completed my two tours of Peace Corps, I went to Graduate School in Vermont at
Goddard College, and I did not want to loose my skills as a Marshallese Interpreter and
Translator, so I began to make my transliterations into Marshallese incorporating what I had
learned of ancient Marshallese custom into the 81 sayings. At that time, I actually typed them out
on typing paper with a standard type-writer.
I never actually entered them into a computer to make a digital copy. Now that I have retired
from my work as a Medical and Courtroom Interpreter, I have begun to digitize the last of my
remaining copies of the first 40 transliterations into Marshallese and then back into English line
by line.

The result, not unlike the work of the original Gate Keeper, represents the common tongue of the
Marshallese people that I worked with in the Peace Corps almost 50 years ago. At the time I first
started, I had always planned to finish my work on the Tao Te Ching, but never got around to it
until now. The texts were chosen at random so many will have to be done over, but today I only
have a few of the dozen translations of the Tao Te Ching I had at the time I first started the work
to transliterate them into Marshallese. I have also, over the years, improved greatly as a translator
with over 46 years of experience under by belt.
So then, what you find in my work today, are new transliterations, which represent the first 40
that I had accomplished, and I will have to go out and purchase all the various translations I used
back in the day to do the rest of the work. Who knows when I will finish this project. I look
forward to the duty I feel to incorporate some of the wisdom of the ancient Marshallese people
by transliterating Lao Tzu's Wisdom as written down by the Gate Keeper so long ago in China.
The end result is very interesting.
So I guess that in my own way, I also am a modern day Gate Keeper myself, to the wisdom of
both the Ancient custom of the Marshallese people and the even more ancient wisdom of Lao
Tzu and the Tao Te Ching. (The Way Of Life)
Mahalo,
Keola Malalo `O Ka Anuenue 2014
I will keep you informed of my progress at digitizing the original work I did in 1973 as well as
the 41 sayings that I will do now that I am retired. Confucius always said that a man should not
write down anything until he was in his 70's, because not until that time would his true adult
nature have come to full maturity. I am pushing 66 years old now, and perhaps it is not too soon
for me to begin. Let's call this my Draft Copy of a final work to be done by the time I am
seventy years old.

#2

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ilo an Armij lale an jun men aibojwoj,

Rej lmnak bar jun men enana.

As people see one think beautiful,

They think another ugly.

Ilo aer lale an jun Emman mmourur,

Rej likit bar jun nainmij.

As they see one man full of life,

They will assume another sick.

Mour im Mij, rej ainwt ruo Ra ilo jun Wjki;

Jun Ra ej jet lok, Ra en jun ej jet tok.

Life and death are like two branches of a tree.

One branch grows away from us, the other toward us.

Ej ainwtjun iben Men ko rej ben,

Im Men ko rej bidodo ar katbrak;

It is the same with those things which are hard,

And those things which are easy for us to gain;

Rej kwalok ar
Mkitkit ilo wnmanlok.

They show our

Movement along our way.

Aitok im kadu,
Rej kwalok jun jok in ar ukukdk jen dron.

Long and short,

They show the measure of difference between us.

Utej im Et,
Rej kwalok Kark ko ar iben dron.

High and low,

They show our positions together.

Ainikin ko rej kwalok

Al ilo loin Emman,

The sounds that appear

Make songs in the mouths of man,

Im aolep Walok in, ej Ta eo enaj

Ekar walok, Ilo Iliju en!

And all of this happening, will be the

What has happened of tomorrow.

Eo en ej Jele elap tata, ejab ebk jun Jibadik,

Ejab kajutok jun Kakien.

He who knows best, he does not take any goal,

He does not set up any rule.

Ej bk wt mour in
Ilo an walok tok.

He takes only this life

As it shows up.

Enain aiwtjun aolep Mour in;

Ke jej ejake, ak jej jab maro jibwe.

It is almost the same for all of this life,

Which we feel, but which we cannot touch.

Jej drorlok, Ak ejab bwe en ar;

Jej bk wt ilo Et Bru.

We save it, but it is not so that it would be ours;

We take it only with humility.

Elae kwj jab im lo am Utiej,

Inem ko ban ja elae ej jako.

If you do not see your greatness,

You will not cry when it is gone.

#3

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ej emmn lok bwe jen jab kautiej lok,

Ro rej elap aer Tbrak;

It is better that we do not highly regard,

Those who greatly succeed;

Ak armij ro, renaj katblbl,

In bukot wt aer Tbrak.

For people, they would connive,

In search only of success.

Jab kmman Ejouj in Mweiuk mmnemmn,

Ak Armij, renaj kwat jen euk.

Dont make big piles of loot,

Or people will steal from you.

Jab kamum lok Armij ilo am kmjeje,

Ak Men ko rej loe, renaj kanan.

Dont tease people with your showing off,

Or what they see, they will want.

Eo en ej ber iman Armij,

Ej jibadik wt bwe en:

He who is in the lead of people,

Seeks only that he might:

Kabelok Bruen Armij,

Kabwelok Koban Lojen Armij,

Open the hearts of people,

Satisfy the hollow of their belly,

Kainemmn kanan ko aer,

Im kabinlok Dien Armij ro,

Bring peace to their desires,

And strengthen the bones of the people;

Kamelele lok Lmnk ko aer bwe,

Ilo aer erreo, ejelok Ktrai en ej maro tbar lok.

Untangle their thoughts so that,

In their cleanness, no doubt can reach them.

Ilo ejelok Akwel lap,

Im ejelok Etan, ak Kien Eddo;

With out argument and with out burden,

Or heavy rule;

Kien Anemkwj, ilo an Emmn,

Enaj walok mke.

Freedom in its glory,

Will come about of itself.

# 4

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Mour eo ej walok ion Ll in,

Ejab nejin jabrewt;

The existence of life on this earth,

It is not the child of anything;

Ak aolep Mour in,

Im Men otemjej, rej nejen.

But all of this life,

And all of these things, they are its child.

Ej kmtl Bwd.
Ej kamelele Bwok,

It smooths out mistakes.

It unties knots.

Ej kameraik lok Rit kajojo en,

Im ej drod ll lok Bal en ilo Kto.

It lightens the blazing suns glare,

And it settles the dust in the air.

Eban jab ber Mejin,

Ke jej kallimjek ll lok, n ilo Bet en.

Its face will not fail to appear,

As we stare down into the well.

Ak ekijkan ar tbar lok Mour in?

Ekijkan ar maro lo Mej in?

But how have we arrived at this existence?

How can we be able to see this face?

Mejen Walok in,

Eo en, ejelok Jinin?

The face of this existence,

Which is, without a mother?

# 5

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ilo L im ion Ll in,

Ejelok tokjen Ekjab ko.

In Heaven and on this earth,

There is no importance in idols.

n ro rej jele,
Ejelok tokjen armij ro.

For those who know,

There is no importance in the people.

Ilo Walok in,

Ewor Armij rej mour, im ro rej mij.

In this existence,
There are people who live and those who die.

Ej ainwt ren Emman,

Ke ej menono;

It is like the lungs of a man,

As he breathes.

Ilo aolep Iien ej wope lok,

Ak ilo aolep Iien ej obrak.

At all times it becomes empty,

But at all time it is full.

Ilo an elap lok an wope r en an jun Armij,

Elaplok wt Kto en ej maro bar menono lok.

As a persons lungs become more empty,

Only more air can we breathe in.

Elukun l Nan ko jej jekdkd iktan dron,

Ak emmn lok elae jen kar;

There are many words we scatter between us,

But it would be far better if we were to;

Rja lok,
Melele ko ilo Bru!

Encourage more,
The meanings of the heart.

# 6

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Kto eo an Ll in,
Ej jeikik ion Ll,

The wind of the earth,

Is busy all over the world;

Im ej jineik lok aolep Men otemjej,

Ilo Wawin Bwl.

And it mothers all things without exception,

In the Way of Mystery.

Ej kwalok im kaltk lok,

Ine in Mour ilo aolep Jikin.

It brings forth and gives birth to

The seed of life at every place.

Ilo ar kallimjeke,
Ej jun Ll in, eban jmlok!

As we examine it,
It is a world, which will not end.

Koto ko, jej maro menono lok,

an jmlok in ar kannan;

The winds, we can breathe in,

To the end of our desire;

Im ilo an elap lok ar kajerbali,

Ej elap lok wt en ej ber.

And the more that we use,

There is only more that remains.

# 7

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ll ko otemjelok ilo Ll in im ilo L,

Rej ber ilo ejelok Jmlok.

All lands without exception, on earth & in Heaven,

They exist without end.

Rej ber ilo ejelok Jmlok,

Knke rejab ber mke.

They exist without end,

Because they are not alone.

Im ke rej ber ilo jab mke, ak iben dron,

Rej ber n Indreeo.

And as they are not alone, but rather together,

They exist For Ever and Ever.

Jun eo ejele lok jen,

Ilo an jab bukt Kilin an utiej lok,

One who knows more,

By not looking for ways to be higher,

Ej ber ilo jun Wwin eo,

Ej utiej lok wt.

Is in a way in which,
One will become higher only.

Ilo an jab lmnak wt kin E mke,

Ej maro ber iben Men otemjelok.

As he does not think of himself only,

He can be with all things without exception.

Ilo Wwin in ej maro elap lok,

Jen E mke.

In this way he can become greater,

Than he could ever become by himself alone.

Ilo an jab kajmlok an ber iben mke,

Ej maro, on Indreeo, ber ilo ejelok Jmlok.

As he does not end his being with himself alone,

He can for forever, be without end.

# 9

The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Elae kwj kanak lok wt Lipen eo,

Kwnaj buromij am Etan.

If you pull ever more on the bow,

You will regret your effort.

Jimjim lok wt Jitben eo am,

Im eban jab aidik lok im kkp.

Sharpen your saw on and on,

And it will not fail to go thin and dull.

Kalaplok Men ko rej lukun aork iturm,

Im jokro kwj babu, koban jele Aenmman.

Gather things of great value around you,

And even if you lie down, you wont know peace.

Elae Brum ej ber ilo Utiej Bru wt,

Koban jab jmlok ilo Bukim.

If your heart is always high and haughty,

You will not fail to end up on your knees.

En bwe am mkitkit, ak jab katblbl.

Kwn ber ilo Mour, jab ber ilo Mij.

Make your moves enough, but dont get tricky,

Be with life, dont be with death.

# 10 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Komaro ke kabellok Imeo Imm,

Bwe en ber lok o, im eto lok jen Iju kan?

Can you open your house up,

So that it is opened up oh, and beyond the stars?

Komaro ke ilo Et Bru en an jun Nini,

Ke ej jino bk Mejatoto in an Ll in;

Can you, with the humble heart of a child,

As it takes in the air of this earth;

Ilo lukun Mol,

Barainwt walok ainwt jun Emman?

In true honesty,
Also emerge a man?

Komaro ke wnmanlok ilo am jeraik lok Armij

Otemjelok, ilo ejelok Kien nai?

Can you go forward and make friends with People

without exception, with no rules against them?

Komaro ke koba lok iben L,

Im jele nje?

Can you join with Heaven,

And know how to care?

Komaro ke kajerbal Brum, eo en

Ej obarak kin Klmanlokjen im Jelelokjen,

Can you use your head, that which,

Which is crowded with thinking and knowing,

Im kauweki lok kin Jel ko,

Rej ber ilo Tu Mull in Brum?

And make it rise with the ways of knowing,

That lie at the very depth of your heart?

Elae ewor am Maro in kawalok,

Im najidik lok an dritto lok;

If you have the ability to bring something forth,

And care for its growth;

Elae ewor am Maro in jenit lok, im jab bk,

Jele en bwe en am, ak kwalok Akwel;

If you can become a guide without taking,

This knowledge as yours, or causing argument;

Elae ewor am Maro in ber iman Armij,

Kin ejelok aer Jele,

If you have the ability to be at the lead of people,

Without their knowledge;

Inem kwj ber,

Ilo Unin Mour!

Then you are

At the Root of Life!

# 12 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Eln Wuno ko jej maro loe,

Aolep rej maro kabilu kij!

Many colors we can see,

All can blind us!

Ainikien ko jej maro ronjake,

Aolep rej boktok Jaroro.

The sounds that we can hear,

They all clutter our hearing.

El Nem in Moe ko,

Aolep rej kaijol kij;

There are many smells from foods,

They all make us hungry;

Aolep Wwin kein,

Rej maro boktok Bwok!

All of these ways of things,

They can bring forth confusion!

Iaekwj ko im Kariwutut ko iktan Armij,

Rej kwalok aer joren!

The races and contests between people,

They show up their defeat!

Im barainwt, Anjo en,

Ejab im boktok Aenmmn.

And also the spoils of such sport,

They do not bring peace.

Kin ar jele Wwin kein,

Jun eo ej jele, elap lok an kanan;

Because of our knowledge of these ways of things,

One who knows, prefers more;

Meram en Lowa,
Jen Meram wt in Ran.

The light from within,

Than the light only of the day.

Ewor an Ia,
Ewor an Eaab.

There is his Yes,

There is his No.

# 17 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ekijien eo en ej Utiej tata,

Armij ro rej jele wt kin an ber.

Concerning the one who is the highest,

People know only of his existence.

Ekijien ro rej jab join Utiej,

Rej nbar E im kebak lok.

Concerning those who are not so high,

They will praise and draw near.

Ekijien ro rej Et,

Rej dike, im reban kebak lok.

Concerning those who are humble,

They hate them and will not go near them.

Elae kwnaj koan lok ro jet,

Reban jab koan Euk!

If you neglect to recognize others,

They will not fail to neglect to recognize you!

Ej ilo am jab tmak Armij ro,

Ke kwj ukt lok Wwin, im renaj kmman Riab.

It is in your not believing people,

That you change things, and they will make lies.

Ak ekijien eo en ej Utiej ilo an kmman Emmn,

Ilo an kajiniet lok im kabiliklik lok jerbal ko ar,

But, concerning he who is high in goodness,

In his showing us the way and guiding our work,

Jenaj aolep lo wt,

Ar jerbal mke.

We will see only,

Our doing it all by ourselves.

# 18 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Ilo Iien eo Armij ro rar belok,

Jen Iiel eo an Mour;

At the time when people drifted away,

From the way of life;

Ekar walok Yokwe,

Im Emmol.

There came to be love.

And honesty.

Katak ko rar walok,

Im barainwt Kandikdik kin Yokwe.

The teachings came to be,

And also sharing everything with love.

Jejjej eo an Armij,
Ekar kwalok Kabojoj!

The false pretense of people,

Caused phony leaders to boss everyone about.

Ilo Iien eo Bidbid in Jowi ko ekar rup,

Ekar walok ro Jemen ro rar jele Joij.

At the time when the bedrock of the clans broke;

Came the fathers of those who knew kindness.

Im Armij ro nejen, rar kwalok,

Ro rar jele jineik lok Armij.

And all their children, they brought forth,

Those who knew how to mother people.

Ilo Iien eo Ailo ko rar jibliklik jen dron,

Im utlok on ilo Kien Eddo;

At the time when the people were scattered,

And fell into Heavy Rule;

Ekar walok Dri Kabiliklik ro,

Rar nebar lok kin aer jele Nukwi.

There came to be the advisors,

Whom they praised for their knowledge of caring.

# 19 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Elae ekar ejelok Jikul im Ekatak ko,

Armij ro, renaj kar mnn lok kin jibuki Alen.

If there were no schools or teachings,

The people, would be one hundred times happier.

Elae ekar ejelok Lmnak im Kunana,

Im ejelok men in kautiej Bruan Armij ro,

If there were no thought of doing your share and

Nothing to cause people to feel high and mighty,

Renaj kar,
Lukun jele nukwi.

They would
Truly know how to look after their relatives.

Elae ekar ejelok Katblbl ilo Wia,

Armij reban kar aikwj bprai dri Kwot ro.

If there were no fancy footwork in business,

people would not need to fear thieves.

Ak Wwin kein jilu,

Rejab im tbar ilo Alikar.

But these three ways of things,

They do not reach a full understanding.

Inem, Ein ke ij loe;

Ainwt ke ilo Imull in Bruaer rej kanan,

Therefore, this is the way it seems to me;

As Deep in their Hearts they desire,

Ktlok Armij ro bwe ren Animkwj jen,

Aikwj ko aer, im Kanan Wan ko barainwt.

Release people to be free from,

Their basic needs and their simple greed as well.

# 20-A The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Melolok Katak ko,

Im bukt wt Jele.

Forget Learning
And seek only wisdom.

Ilo Wwin in kwnaj le jen Joren en ej walok,

Ilo ar akwel iktan Ie im Ene.

In this way you will miss the confusion that comes

As we argue between Yes and Certainly.

Ewor ke Tokjen ar,

Klmanlokjen ekijien Men kein?

Is there any purpose in our,

Pondering over such things?

Jej maro ke kallimjek

Emmn im Enana?

Can we look at
Good and Bad?

Ke Armij ro rej lo jun Armij en ej Buromij,

Renaj bar ank lok Buromij en.

As people see a person who is sad,

They will also imitate that sadness.

Wwin in ej ber ilo Riab, kenke kwj jab maro

Kabjrak am ejake Brum;

This way is false, because you cannot

Stop what you feel in your heart;

Ak kwj jab maro

Kwaloke barainwt.

But you cannot

Make it appear either.

Aolep Armij ro, rej mnn kin aer Aenmman,

Ainwt ke kwj jijet ilo jun Wjke im remetolok.

All people, are happy with their peace of mind,

Like when you sit in a tree and gaze out to sea.

Lojet en ej ainwt jun Nini ejain etdikdik,

Im enain ainwtjun a.

The ocean is like a child who has not yet smiled,

And I am much the same.

Jkron ejelok a Jerbal, im ejelok a Tbrak ko

Ij maro kwalok, ej dibakbak wt a Aenmman.

Even if I have no work, and no accomplishments

I can show, wide indeed is my peace of mind.

Ij belok iktan Iiel ko a ilo Mour in,

Ainwt ke ekar ejelok Jiken a ber.

I drift between my pathways in this life,

As if there was no place for me to be.

# 20-B The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Aolep Armij ro rej kaaorak Mweiuk ko aer

Im a wt en ij kajkrone.

All people they value their possessions,

And I alone disregard them.

Jon an jkor Wwin ko a,

Renaj ba ke Lmnak ko a rej an Dri Tano!

So out of step are my ways,

They will say my thoughts are those of a lunatic!

Ll in ej ubrak kin Armij ro,

Rej rablbl kin Meram.

The world is full of people,

Who shine with light.

a wt, ij ber,
Ilo Mutok en an Kijiek eo.

I alone, I am,
In the darkness surrounding the fire.

Aolep Armij rej mmourur ilo aer mkitkit,

Na wt ijab mkitkit im ainwt Lometo ilo Lur.

All people are healthy in their movement,

I alone am still like the ocean during the doldrums.

Ak ilo Emmol en, ej mull tata,

Lometo en ej wor wt an mkitkit n Indreo.

But in, the deepest truth,

The ocean always has its movement forever.

Ewor Tokjen aolep Armij ro,

Im ej wor aer Jerbal.

There is a value for all the people,

And there is their work.

a wt,
Ijab kanan jibark lok Jabrewt!

I alone,
I dont want to strive for anything!

Ejelok Men en ij kanan,

Elap lok jen Joij en an Jinen Ll in.

There is no thing which I desire,

More than the kindness of mother nature.

# 40 The Gate Keeper's Tale - A Transliteration of:

The Tao Te Ching in Marshallese and English

Mour ion Iiel eo an,

Ej rol lok n ilo an Bnrnr in No.

Life on it's way,

Returns toward inside the spray of the wave.

Mkjkj eo an,
Ej, an Aenmmon ilo bar jun Iien.

It's quickness,
Is it's quietness at some other time.

Ber eo an Lol in,

Im an Armij otemjelok;

Life of this Earth,

And of all the people without exception;

Ej kakel lok ilo aolep Iien,

Aer jab aikwoj Ber Mek.

It renews at every moment,

Our not needing to be alone.