The One Ring Inscription
The only example of "pure" Black Speech is the inscription upon the One Ring:
- Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
- ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
When translated into English, these words form the lines:
- One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
- One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
These are the first two lines from the end of a verse about the Rings of Power. This corresponds to the following table as explained by J.R.R. Tolkien.
| Black Speech | English |
|---|---|
| ash | one |
| nazg | finger ring |
| durb- | constrain, force, dominate |
| at | verb ending, like a participle |
| ulûk | verbal ending expressing object 3rd person pl. "them" (ul) (sic) in completive or total form "them-all". |
| gimb- | seek out, discover |
| thrak- | bring by force, hale, drag |
| agh | and |
| burzum | darkness |
| ishi | in, inside |
| krimp- | bind, tie |
Read more about this topic: Black Speech
Famous quotes containing the words the one, ring and/or inscription:
“Can love be in aught allied to dissipation? Let us love by refusing, not accepting one another. Love and lust are far asunder. The one is good, the other bad.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Look how my ring encompasseth thy finger;
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.
Wear both of them, for both of them are thine.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
““I love you” is the inscription on Pandora’s box.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)