Eastern Germanic languages:
Gothic:
Gothic was spoken by the Goths,
The Gothic language is nowadays extinct but much of it has survived in the Gothic bible translation of Wulfila from the 4th century AD (Codex Argenteus or "Silver Bible") just like the Goths the Gothic language has been divided into an eastern and western form during the Great Migrations, a dialect of eastern Gothic has managed to stay alive for centuries on the Crimean Peninsula in modern Ukraine where it has been spoken until the 16th century AD by descendants of the Goths.
Example text: (The "our father" prayer in Gothic)
Atta unsar þu in himinam,
weihnai namo þein.
qimai þiudinassus þeins.
wairþai wilja þeins,
swe in himina jah ana airþai.
hlaif unsarana þana sinteinan
gif uns himma daga.
jah aflet uns þatei skulans sijaima,
swaswe jah weis afletam
þaim skulam unsaraim.
jah ni briggais uns
in fraistubnjai,
ak lausei uns af þamma ubilin.
unte þeina ist þiudangardi
jah mahts jah wulþus in aiwins amen.
Literal translation:
Father our you in (the) heavens,
hallowed (be) name your.
come kingdom yours.
become will yours,
like in (the) heaven also on (the) earth.
bread us the daily
give us this day.
and forgive us that debtors we are,
like also we forgive
the debtors ours.
and not may you bringing us
in temptation,
but release us from the evil.
and yours is (the) empire
and might and glory in eternity amen
North Germanic languages:
Old Norse:
Old Norse is the language that was spoken by the Vikings, most modern northern Germanic languages originate from Old Norse in one way or the other and since most of the Eddas and sagas have been written in Old Norse it is one of the most studied extinct Germanic languages.
The modern languages Icelandic and Färöese are still very close to Old Norse and most Icelanders can even read Old Norse without much difficulties.
Example of Old Norse (Poetic Edda; Völuspá) 3. Ár var alda, þat er Ymir bygði,
vara sandr né sær né svalar unnir;
jörð fannsk æva né upphiminn,
gap var ginnunga, enn gras hvergi.
Translation:
3. Old was the age when Ymir lived;
Sea nor cool waves nor sand there were;
Earth had not been, nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap, and grass nowhere
Danish:
Danish is spoken by an estimated 5.500.000 people and is the official language of Denmark.
Example of the paternoster in Danish:
Vor Fader, du som er i Himlene
Helliget vorde dit navn;
komme dit rige;
ske din vilje
på jorden, som den sker i Himmelen;
giv os i dag vort daglige brød;
og forlad os vor skyld,
som også vi forlader vore skyldnere;
og led os ikke ind i fristelse;
men fri os fra det onde;
Färöese:
Färöese is spoken by an estimated 50.000 people; most of them are inhabitants of the Färöer islands.
The language is related to Old Norse and Danish and is the official language on the islands.
Example of the paternoster in Färöese:
Faðir okkara,
Tú, sum ert í Himli
Heilagt verði navn Títt
Komi ríki Títt
Verði vilji Tín,
sum í Himli, so á jørðini við
Gev okkum í dag dagliga breyð okkara
Fyrigev okkum skuldir okkara,
sum eisini vit fyrigeva skuldarum okkara.
Leið okkum ikki í freistingar,
men frels okkum frá illum
Tí Títt er ríkið og valdið, Tín er heiðurin, í allar ævir, amen.
Icelandic:
Icelandic is spoken by an estimated 250.000 people, it is related to Old Norse and has known so little change over the centuries that it can easily be called a modernized version of Old Norse.
Example of the paternoster in Icelandic:
Faðir vor, þú sem er á himnum.
Helgist þitt nafn, til komi þitt ríki,
verði þinn vilji, svo á jörðu sem á himni.
Gef oss í dag vort daglegt brauð.
Fyrirgef oss vorar skuldir,
svo sem vér og fyrirgefum
vorum skuldunautum.
Og eigi leið þú oss í freistni,
heldur frelsa oss frá illu.
Því að þitt er ríkið, mátturinn og dýrðin
að eilífu amen.
Norwegian:
Norwegian is being spoken by an estimated 5.500.000 people, it is divided into Bokmål and Nynorsk.
Roughly said; Bokmål, also known as Riksmål is a Danish dialect while Nynorsk is based on the original Norwegian dialects.
Example of the paternoster in Norwegian Bokmål:
Fader vår, du som er i himmelen
La ditt navn holdes hellig.
La ditt rike komme.
La din vilje skje på jorden
som i himmelen.
Gi oss i dag vårt daglige brød.
Forlat oss vår skyld,
som vi òg forlater våre skyldnere.
Led oss ikke inn i fristelse,
men frels oss fra det onde.
For riket er ditt, og makten og æren i evighet. Amen.
Example of the paternoster in Norwegian Nynorsk:
Fader vår, du som er i himmelen
Lat namnet ditt helgast.
Lat riket ditt koma.
Lat viljen råda på jorda
så som i himmelen.
Gje oss i dag vårt daglege brød.
Forlat oss vår skuld
som me òg forlet våre skuldmenn.
Før oss ikkje inn i freisting,
men frels oss frå det onde.
For riket er ditt og makta i all æve. Amen.
Swedish:
Swedish is spoken by an estimated 10.000.000 people and is the official language of Sweden.
It is also spoken in the coastal regions of Finland that once belonged to Sweden as the province of Finnmark.
Example of the paternoster in Swedish:
Vår fader, du som är i himlen.
Låt ditt namn bli helgat.
Låt ditt rike komma.
Låt din vilja ske,
på jorden så som i himlen.
Ge oss i dag vårt bröd för dagen som kommer.
Och förlåt oss våra skulder,
liksom vi har förlåtit dem som står i skuld till oss.
Och utsätt oss inte för prövning,
utan rädda oss från det onda.
Ditt är riket. Din är makten och äran i evighet. amen.
West Germanic languages
Old Saxon:
Old Saxon was spoken in western Germany and eastern Netherlands, it is very representative for the early western Germanic language and has not been changed by the High German sound, the English language has also been derived from Old Saxon.BR> (As a sidenote; the "w" was written as a "uu" in most western Germanic languages)
Example of the paternoster in Old Saxon:
Fadar ûsa firiho barno,
thu bist an them hôhon himila rîkea,
geuuîhid sî thîn namo uuordo gehuuilico.
Cuma thîn craftag rîki.
Uuerða thîn uuilleo obar thesa uuerold alla,
sô sama an erðo, sô thar uppa ist
an them hôhon himilo rîkea.
Gef ûs dago gehuuilikes râd, drohtin the gôdo,
thîna hêlaga helpa, endi alât ûs, hebenes uuard,
managoro mênsculdio, al sô uue ôðrum mannum dôan.
Ne lât ûs farlêdean lêða uuihti
sô forð an iro uuilleon, sô uui uuirðige sind,
ac help ûs uuiðar allun ubilon dâdiun.
Translation:
Father ours, the sons of men,
You are in the high heavenly kingdom,
Blessed be Your name in every word.
May Your mighty kingdom come.
May Your will be done over all this world
just the same on earth as it is up there
in the high heavenly kingdom.
Give us support each day, good Chieftain,
Your holy help, and pardon us, Protector of Heaven,
our many crimes, just as we do to other human beings.
Do not let evil little creatures lead us off
to do their will, as we deserve,
but help us against all evil deeds.
East Franconian:
This language was spoken near the river Main in Germany, nowadays only some dialects of it remain.
Example of the paternoster in east Franconian:
Fater unser thû thâr bist in himile
sî geheilagôt thîn namo
queme thîn rîhhi
sî thîn willo sô her in himile ist sô sî her in erdu
unsar brôt tagalîhhaz gib uns hiutu
inti furlâz uns unsara sculdi
sô wir furlâzemês unsarên sculdîgôn
inti ni gileitêst unsih in costunga
ûzouh arlôsi unsih fon ubile
Rhine Franconian:
This language was spoken (oh surprise) in the Rhineland.
Just like east Franconian only some dialects of it remain today.
Example of the paternoster in Rhine Franconian:
fater unsêr thû in himilom bist
giwîhit sî namo thîn
quaeme rîchi thîn
werdhe willeo thîn sama sô in himile endi in erthu
broot unseraz emezzîgaz gib uns hiutu
endi farlâz uns sculdhi unsero sama
sô wir farlâzzêm scolôm unserêm
endi ni geleidi unsih in constunga
auh arlôsi unsih fona ubile
Dutch:
Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands, the northern part of Belgium (Flanders), in a small part of France (near Calais), and in some former Dutch colonies.
Onze Vader die in de hemelen zijt,
uw naam worde geheiligd,
uw koninkrijk kome,
uw wil geschiede,
gelijk op aarde als zo ook in de hemel.
Geef ons heden ons dagelijks brood,
en vergeef ons onze schulden,
zoals ook wij vergeven onze schuldenaren.
En leid ons niet in verzoeking,
maar verlos ons van de boze.
Want van u is het koninkrijk,
de kracht, en de heerlijkheid, tot den eeuwigheid. amen.
Translation:
Our Father who in the heavens is,
your name will be holied,
your kingdom come,
your will happens,
equal on earth as so too in the heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
like too we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not in temptation,
but redeem us from the evil one.
Because from you is the kingdom,
the strength, and the bliss, till the eternity. Amen.
Afrikaans:
Afrikaans is a language that is mainly spoken by descendants of European colonists in South Africa, it originates from 17th century Dutch mixed with English, Malayan, and native African languages.
Dutch speaking people can understand big parts of this language because most of it is old-fashioned Dutch.
Example of the paternoster in Afrikaans:
Ons Vader wat in die hemel is,
laat u Naam geheilig word;
laat u koninkryk kom;
laat u wil ook op die aarde geskied,
net soos in die hemel.
Gee ons vandag
ons daaglikse brood;
en vergeef ons ons oortredings
soos ons ook dié vergewe
wat teen ons oortree;
en laat ons nie in die versoeking kom nie
maar verlos ons van die Bose.
Translation:
Our Father what in that heaven is,
let you name holied be,
let you kingdom come,
let you will too on that earth happened,
just so-as in that heaven.
Give us today,
our daily bread;
and forgive us us infringements
so-as us too those forgive
what that-one us infringed;
and let us not in the temptation come not,
but redeem us from that evil one.
Frisian:
Frisian (Frysk) is spoken by around 452.000 people, mainly in the Dutch province of Friesland (Frisia), in some parts of northern Germany, and on some Danish islands.
There are several Frisian dialect groups of which western Frisian and eastern Frisian are the most important, eastern Frisian is mainly spoken in the German province of Ostfriesland but it has been heavily influenced by Low Saxon dialects there, western Frisian is spoken in the Dutch province of Friesland where it is the official language together with Dutch, Northern Frisian is spoken on some Danish islands and on the German island of Helgoland.
The strongest position of the Frisian language is in the Dutch province of Friesland, which is called Fryslân by the Frisians, the province has 640.000 inhabitants of whom around 440.000 speak Frisian, in the Netherlands the Frisian language has received the status of an official language, the placenames in Friesland are in both Dutch and Frisian and Frisian municipalities are even allowed to write their official documents in Frisian.
Frisian is related to English but has also undergone much influence from Dutch and Low German.
Example of the paternoster in West Frisian:
Us Heit yn 'e himel,
lit jo namme hillige wurde,
lit jo keninkryk komme,
Lit jo wil dien wurde
op ierde likegoed as yn 'e himel.
Jou ús hjoed ús deistich brea
en ferjou ús ús skulden
sa't wy ús skuldners ek ferjûn hawwe;
en lit ús net yn fersiking komme,
mar ferlos ús fan 'e kweade;
want jowes is it keninkryk
en de krêft en de hearlikheid oant yn ivichheid. Amen.
Translation:
Our Father in the heaven,
let your name holied be,
let your kingdome come,
let your will yours become
On earth like-good as in the heaven.
You us give our daily bread
and forgive us us debts
so-as we us debtors also forgiven have;
and let us not in temptation come,
but release us from the evil;
because yours is it kingdom
and the power and the bliss until in eternity. Amen.
Example of the paternoster in North Frisian from Helgoland:
Heeregot, ii Foor,
dear Di bes uun'e Hemmel!
Haili skel wees Diin Neem.
Diin Rik lat keem,
Diin Wel skel djülle uun'e Hemmel en iip'e lir.
Li doagelik Brooad du is dollung, en ferdjiuw is ii Skül,
as wi ferdjiuw wel din'n uun ii Skül stun.
En feere is ni wech fan Diin Wai.
Foor moake is frai fan Büsterkens!
Amen.
Translation (beware of errors):
Lord-god, you First,
there You be in-the Heaven!
Holy shall be Your Name.
Your Empire let come,
Your will shall happen in-the Heaven and on-the earth.
Your daily Bread you is given, en forgive us our Guilds,
as we forgive all those-who in our Guilds stand.
And fare us not away from Your Way.
For we are free from Evil-One!
Amen.
Anglo-Saxon:
Anglo-Saxon (which is also called Old English) was spoken by the Germanic settlers on the British isles, it is the ancestor of modern English and closely related to Frisian, Old Saxon, and other western Germanic languages.
Example of the paternoster in Anglo-Saxon:
Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum;
Si þin nama gehalgod
to becume þin rice
gewurþe ðin willa
on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soþlice.
English
With an estimated 450.000.000 speakers English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, it originates from Anglo-Saxon but has undergone much influence from French and various other languages.
It is a bit unnecessary to give an example since this entire website is in English but because I'm a stubborn person I will do it anyway.
Example of the paternoster in English:
Our Father in Heaven,
let your holy name be known,
let your kingdom come,
and your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today the bread that we need,
and forgive us our wrongs,
as we forgive those
who have done wrong to us.
Do not lead us into trial,
but save us from evil.
Scots:
Scots was spoken in (guess?) Scotland, it developed from a northern Anglo-Saxon dialect and eventually became incomprehensible to other English speakers, nowadays a modernized dialect of Scots is still being spoken in some parts of Scotland.
Example of the paternoster in Scots:
Our Faither in heiven,
hallowt be thy name;
thy K'ngdom come;
thy will be dune
on the yird, as in heiven.
G'e us our breid for this incomin day;
forg'e us the wrangs we hae wrocht,
as we hae forg'en the wrangs we hae dree'd;
an sey-us-na sairlie, but sauf us
frae the Ill Ane.
Low German:
Modern Low German, also known as Dietsch, Duuts, Plat, or Platt Düütsch (Flat-German), can be divided into Low Saxon (Nether-Saxon) and Low Franconian (Nether-Franconian) and is nowadays spoken by an estimated 12.000.000 people in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands, though this is only the amount of the people who speak it in a pure form since there are many more people who combine the official language (Dutch or German) with Low German words and pronounciations.
Officially Dutch and its descendant languages are also a part of the Low German language group but I have decided to limit my description of Low German to the Low Saxon group and create separate descriptions for Dutch and other Low Franconian dialects.
There are many variations of Low German, the example I use here is a Low German dialect from Nethersaxony (also known as Nedersaksen or Niedersachsen) in Germany.
Example of the paternoster in Low German (Niedersächsisch):
Unse Vader in'n Himmel
Mak din Nam herrli un hillig ock bi uns
Help du uns ock dorto, dat du gans unse Herr warst
Din Will schall dörchstahn bi uns up de Eer
grad so as bi di in'n Himmel
Giff uns vundag dat Brod, dat wi hüt nödi hebbt
Un denn vergiff uns unse Schulden,
grad so as wi vergewen hebbt de Minschen,
de uns wat schülli sünd.
Un help dorto, dat wi nich to Fall kamt
Ja, mak uns frie un redd uns vun dat Böse
Translation:
Our Father in the Heaven
Make your Name blissfull and holy also by us
Help you us also there, that you everywhere our Lord were
Your Will shall persevere by us on the Earth
just so as by you in the Heaven
Give us today that Bread, that we now need have
And then forgive us our Debts,
just so as we forgiven have the Humans,
who us what debt are.
And help there, that we not to Fall come
Yes, make us free and save us from that Evil
German:
Modern High German is spoken by an estimated 120.000.000 people and is the official language of Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, it is also spoken in eastern Belgium, northern Italy, Alsace-Lorraine, and some other places in Europe.
Example of the paternoster in High German:
Vater unser im Himmel,
Geheiligt werde dein Name.
Dein Reich komme.
Dein Wille geschehe, wie im Himmel so auf Erden.
Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute.
Und vergib uns unsere Schuld,
wie auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern.
Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung,
sondern erlöse uns von dem Bösen.
Translation:
Father ours in-the Heaven,
Holied becomes your Name.
Your Empire comes.
Your Will happens, like in Heaven so on Earth.
Our daily Bread give us today.
And forgive us our Debt,
Like too we forgive our Debtors.
And lead us not in Temptation,
But redeem us from the Evil One.
Yiddish:
Yiddish originates from High German but has many influences from Hebrew and the Slavonic languages, it was mainly spoken in Jewish communities in the Slavonic countries east of Germany.
Example of the paternoster in Yiddish:
Unzer foter, vos bist in himl,
Geheylikt zol vern dayn nomen.
Zol kumen dayn malkhus.
Zol dayn rotsoyn getun vern,
Vi in himl, azoy oyf der erd.
Gib unz haynt unzer teglekh broyt.
Un zay unz moykhl unzere shuldikaytn,
Vi mir zenen oykh moykhl unzere shuldike.
Un breng unz nisht in a nesoyoyn,
Nayert zay unz matsil fun dem shlekhtn.
Vorum dir gehert di melukhe, un di gvure,
Un der koved, oyf eybik, omeyn.
Bavarian:
Bavarian is a High German dialect that is spoken in the German province of Bavaria (Bayern).
Example of the paternoster in Bavarian:
Insa vådar im himö,
ghàiligt soi werdn dài' nåm.
Dài' ràich soi kema,
dài' wuin soi gschegn,
wia-r-im himö, aso àf dar eadn.
Gib ins hàind insa täglis broud,
und vargib ins insar schuid,
wia-r-à mia dene vagebm,
dé an ins schuidig wordn sàn.
Und fiar ins nét in d vasuachung,
sundan darles ins vom ibö.
Translation:
Our father in-the heaven,
holied shall become your name.
Your empire shall come,
your will shall happen,
like-is-in heaven, also on the earth.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debt,
like-is-ever we those forgive,
who on us guilty become be.
And bring us not in the temptation,
but release us from evil.
Alemannic:
Alemannic was a western Germanic language that is now extinct, though a High German dialect of it still survives to this day in Germany.
Example of the paternoster in Alemannic:
fater unseer thu pist in himile
uuihi namun dinan qhueme
rihhi din uuerde uuillo din
so in himile sosa in erdu
prooth unseer emezzihic
kip uns hiutu
oblaz uns sculdi unseero
so uuir oblazem uns sculdikem
enti ni unsih firleiti in khorunka
uzzer losi unsih fona ubile
Alsatian:
Alsatian is a High German dialect that is spoken in the French Alsache (Elzas) and Lorraine (Lotharingen).
Example of the paternoster in Alsatian:
Unser Vàdder wo im Himmel isch
Heilig sei dinner Nàmme
Din Reich soll komme
Dinner Wille soll geschehn
Wie im Himmel au uf de Ard
unser däjlich Brot gib uns hit
un vergib uns unseri Schulde
wie mir au denne vergebe wo uns schuldig sinn
un loss uns nitt in Versuchung komme
àwwer màch uns frei von àllem wàs schlecht isch. Amen.
Translation:
Our Father who in-the Heaven is
Holy be your Name
Your Empire shall come
Your Will shall happen
Like in Heaven also on the Earth
our daily Bread give us today
and forgive us our Debts
like we also those forgive who us guilty are
and let us not in Temptation come
but make us free from all what evil is. Amen.
Pennsylvanian German:
Pennsylvanian German is spoken in the United States by an estimated 84.000 people, most of them are descendants of German immigrants in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvanian German is also known as Pennsylvanian Dutch.
Example of the paternoster in Pennsylvanian German:
Unsah Faddah im Himmel,
dei nohma loss heilich sei.
Dei Reich loss kumma.
Dei villa loss gedu sei,
uf di eaht vi im Himmel.
Unsah tayklich broht gebb uns heit.
Un fagebb unsah shulda,
vi miah dee fagevva vo uns shuldich sinn.
Un fiah uns naett in di fasuchung,
avvah hald uns fu'm eevila.
Fa dei is es Reich, di graft, un di hallichkeit in ayvichkeit. Amen.
Translation:
Our Father in-the Heaven,
your name shall holy be
Your Empire shall come.
Your will shall done be,
On the earth like in-the Heaven.
Our daily bread give us today
And forgive our debts,
like we those forgive who us guilty are.
And bring us not in the temptation,
but hold us from-the evil.
From you is the Empire, the power, and the bliss in eternity. Amen.