The Good Shepherd - James J. Chepponis

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 22 April 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

Refrain: (role play God) ME IDEA~LIKE GOOD SHEPHERD. TAKE-CARE-OF"each" MY SHEEP. FOR YOUR S-A-K-E ME OFFER-UP MY LIFE. ME WILL LEAD-TO-heaven (2h)YOU HOME. (end role play)

1. THE LORD IDEA~LIKE GOOD SHEPHERD. HAVE EVERYTHING ME NEED.
FIELD FRESH AND GREEN, HE-rt SHOW-me PLACE CAN REST.
NEAR WATER CALM-WAVES HE LEAD ME. MY SOUL INSPIRED.
HE TEACH ME RIGHT WAY. HIS WORD (2h)YOU TRUST CAN.

2. E-V-E-N HAPPEN ME EXPERIENCE VALLEY DEATH, ME NOT FEAR EVIL.
WHY? YOU-ctr GO-WITH ME. (<) YOUR-ctr ROD, (>) YOUR-ctr STAFF, COMFORT ME.

3. YOU-ctr OFFER BANQUET DURING MY ENEMY WATCH-me.
O-I-L ANOINT MY HEAD. MY CUP OVERFLOW.
TRUE-BIZ YOUR-ctr (<) KINDNESS, (>) MERCY-ON-me, FOLLOW ME EVERY-DAY ME LIVE.

(role play God) ME IDEA~LIKE GOOD SHEPHERD. TAKE-CARE-OF"each" MY SHEEP.
(2h)YOU WILL LIVE IN MY HOUSE, HAPPEN ME LEAD (2h)YOU HOME. LIVE FOREVER.


Notes: ME - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

IDEA~LIKE - A blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which is signed smoothly right afterwards.

SHEPHERD - SHEEP SUPERVISE AGENT.

FIELD - GRASS THEREABOUTS.

FRESH - (2h)[5], PO > face, hands move like FRIENDLY but fingers don't wg.

CALM-WAVES - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, hands move like the surface of relatively calm water.

FEAR - (2h)[5], POs away, FOs up, hands are held far from body and move back to body in a wavy pattern.

EVIL - (2h)[3], wg while moving repeatedly > forehead. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Satan.

ROD - (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs away, are held with DH above and touching NDH. DH moves upwards.

STAFF - (2h)[F], POs > DS, FOs away. Hands are held with thumbsides touching. DH moves > NDS then > DS in C shape, like a shepherd's crook.

COMFORT - Like COMFORTABLE but signed more slowly.

BANQUET - (2h)alt.EAT. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Feast.

ANOINT - [A dot] circles head with DH thumb pointing down.

OVERFLOW - [5], PO down, FO away, covers top of [S], PO > DS, FO away, and FT wiggle as the hand moves away, like a cup overflowing. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - overflow.

TRUE-BIZ - TRUE + (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, DH brushes from side to side across NDH wrist.

KINDNESS - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs away, NDH is held close to heart and DH circles around it.

MERCY-ON-me - (2h)[open 8], POs > signer, hands move in vertical circles normal (perpendicular) to the chest. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Mercy - 2.

Lyrics:

Refrain: I am the good shepherd; I care for my flock;
for you I lay down my life, and I lead you home.

1. The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
Fresh and green are the meadows where he gives me repose.
Near quiet waters he leads me to revive my soul.
He guides me in right paths; he is true to his Word.

2. Even though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil;
for you are at my side with your rod and your staff to comfort me.

3. You have prepared a feast for me in the sight of my foes;
my head you have anointed with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life;
I am the good shepherd; I care for my flock
(I shall dwell in the Lord's house) and I lead you home. (forever.)

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