(1) Writings by Zännäb
Littmann, Enno (ed). The Chronicle of King Theodore of Abyssinia [by däbtära Zännäb], part I: Amharic Text. Princeton, NJ: University Library, 1902. [View online]
- German paraphrase in Johann Martin Flad. Zwölf Jahre in Abessinien oder Geschichte des Königs Theodoros II. und der Mission unter seiner Regierung. Basel: Spittler, 1869, p. 157-176; Google Books]
- Italian translation: Martino Mario Moreno. “La Cronaca di Re Teodoro Attribuita al Dabtarà Zaneb”, Rassegna di Studi Etiopici 2 (1942), 143-80. [JSTOR; subscription barrier]
Mäṣḥafä č̣äwata mänfäsawi wäsǝgawi [Collection of Proverbs and Aphorisms], compiled in 1864/65 and published in 1924. [View online]
(2) Co-translations with Krapf et al.
The Gospel according to St. Luke, from the Greek translated into the [Oromo] language by Dr. L[udwig] Krapf, at Kornthal, near Stuttgart, Germany. With the Assistance of Debtera Saneb, a Native of Efat, and Roofo, a young [Oromo] of the Gooma tribe. St. Chrischona near Basle: Pilgrim-Mission-Press, 1870. [View online]
The Gospel according to St John, translated into the [Oromo] Language. St. Chrischona: [Mission-Press for the BFBS,] 1871. [View online]
The Book of Psalms Translated into the [Oromo] Language. St. Chrischona (Switzerland): Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1872. [View online]
The First Book of Moses Called Genesis Translated into the [Oromo Language. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1872. [View online]
The Acts of the Apostles / The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans / The 1st and 2nd Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1874. [View online]
Novum Testamentum Domini Nostri et Salvatoris Jesu Christi in linguam Gallanorum vertit J. L. Krapf, Phil. Dr., Debtera Sanebo Habessino ex provincia Efate oriundo, et quatuor Gallanis (Scholan e stirpe Ada, Ware e stirpe Nonno, Dchagan e stirpe Leka, et Rufo e stirpe Guma) enixe auxiliantibus [New Testament of Jesus Christ in the language of the (Oromo) …] / The Gospel according to St. Matthew and Mark translated into the Galla language. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1875. [View online]
[Novum Testamentum Domini Nostri et Salvatoris Jesu Christi in linguam Gallanorum vertit J. L. Krapf, et al. / Galatians to Revelation. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1876. [View online]
The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ translated into the [Oromo] Language by the Rev. Dr. Ludwig Krapf. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1876. [View online]
The Second Book of Moses called Exodus translated into the [Oromo] language [by Gebre-Maryam, written by Zännäb in Warra Illuu and improved from the Hebrew source and edited by Ludwig Krapf]. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press [for the BFBS], 1877. [View online]
(3) Manuscripts
Mäṣḥafä č̣äwata mänfäsawi wäsǝgawi [Collection of Proverbs and Aphorisms], compiled in 1864/65 and published in 1924. [See above]
- A secondary manuscript is kept at the Museum am Rothenbaum in Hamburg (Inventarnummer 12.52:2)
Oromo-Amharic word list
- According to Smidt, “Zännäb”, p. 141, located at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The manuscript seems to have been lost. In response to an enquiry in 2023, the museum replied that they don’t know this word list. Nor did I find it in the union catalogues of British and German archives.
(4) Letters by aläqa Zännäb
4.1 Letters published in Anthologies
Däbtära Zännäb and däbtära Mäsqal to Bishop Samuel Gobat (Mäqdäla, Oct./Nov. 1861). In: Smidt, Briefe 1855-69, no. 2.
Däbtära Zännäb and däbtära Mäsqal to the British & Foreign Bible Society (Mäqdäla, Oct./Nov. 1861). In: Smidt, Briefe 1855-69, no. 3.
Aläqa Zännäb to Johann Ludwig Krapf, 1886.12.16. In: Rubenson et al., Acta Aethiopica, vol. 2, no. 250.
» View letters online
4.2 Archeological Museum, Addis Ababa
Letters to Emperor Menelik II. Manuscripts kept in Addis Ababa, Archaeological Museum (Yäbetä mängǝśt sena mazzägaǧa, vols. 7, 21, 23).
(5) Letters referring to aläqa Zännäb and his translations
5.1 British & Foreign Bible Society Archives, Cambridge Univ. Library
Flad to Krapf, summer 1868: Zännäb, “the missionaries’ best convert”, translated the Four Gospels into Oromo; the manuscript will be sent soon [BFBS, Edit. Correspondence Book 4, p. 170]
Krapf, Johann Ludwig to Robert B. Girdlestone [Head of BFBS Transl. Dept.], 1868.09.15: Four Gospels in Oromo [British & Foreign Bible Society Agents Books (= BFBS/AB) 119, p. 109]
Krapf to BFBS, 1868 (?): Zännäb continued translating [BFBS/AB 119, p. 174-77]
— to Knolleke [BFBS], 1869.09.10: Krapf accepts Maier and Bender’s suggestion of a trial edition in Ethiosemitic script. [BFBS/AB 119, p. 341]
— to Girdlestone, 1869.09.18: Five hundred copies of a trial edition of the Gospels and Genesis in Ethiosemitic script should be sufficient for Oromos and bilingual Amharas. Plan of a later edition of the New Testament in Roman script. [BFBS/AB 119, p. 351]
— to BFBS, 1869.10.29: Krapf praises the quality of Zännäb’s translation. In many places it agrees with Ruufoo‘s translation. [BFBS/AB 128, p. 48-49]
— to BFBS, 1870.02.26: With the help of various Oromo natives, Krapf inserts dialectical differences in brackets into the New Testament [BFBS/AB 128, p. 114; BFBS Editorial correspondence book 17, p. 184]
— to BFBS, 1870.12.28: announces that the printing of Genesis in Roman script will be resumed shortly (PS: it appears not to have taken place) [BFBS Editorial Sub-Committe Minutes X, p. 65]
— to BFBS, 1875.03.18: Mayer reported that King Menelik was very interested that the translation of the Old Testament into Oromo was continued and completed. He supplied paper to Zännäb for writing his translation of Exodus and Joshua on it. [BFBS Editorial Correspondence Book 11, p. 196]
— to BFBS, 1877.06.30: Krapf reports that King Menelik had ordered Zännäb to translate the Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and Samuel. A copy was prepared to be sent to Krapf for revision after the Hebrew source. [BFBS Editorial Correspondence Book 13, p. 155]
Maier, Johannes and Bender to Johann Ludwig Krapf, 1868.12.29: NT translation work in Massawa. [BFBS/AB 119, p. 174‒77]
—, 1869.05.03: Zännäb used the Ethiosemitic script; a trial edition suggested for Oromos who can read Amharic. [BFBS/AB 119, p. 319]
—, 1869.08.05: Zännäb was assisted by two royal eunuchs from Oromia who were his friends. [BFBS/AB 128, p. 44]
- The two Oromos were Gäbre Mika’el and “Wari” [Waaree]
[BFBS/AB 128, p. 351; BFBS Annual Report 66 (1871)]
5.2 Staatsarchiv des Kantons Basel-Stadt
Krapf to Jaeger (St Chrischona), 1868.06.27: Zännäb accompanied Prince Alemayehu Tewodros [Ref Code: PA 653a B 7.3]
—, 1869.12.10: Krapf revised the Oromo version of the Gospel of Luke in Ethiosemitic script up to chapter 12. [Ref Code: PA 653a B 7.3]
5.3 Swedish Evangelical Mission Archives, Uppsala
Krapf to Almqvist, 1870.06.06: Krapf received Zännäb’s manuscript of the entire New Testament; Zännäb’s plans. [View online]
(6) Journals
6.1 Published by St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission
Chrischona-Blättchen:
- No. 3, Sept. 1869 [available at Staatsarchiv des Kantons Basel-Stadt, PA 653a D. 1.7]: Mayer on Bible studies in Adwa (Zännäb, two eunuch from Oromo land, et al.)
Mittheilungen aus der Korrespondenz der Pilgermission auf St. Chrischona bei Basel:
- No. 6, Dec. 1870, p. 23‒24
- No. 6, Dec. 1872, p. 25 [Seqota]
6.2 Published by British & Foreign Bible Society
Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society:
- vol. 67 (1871): Zännäb continues his translation work in Adwa, assisted by two Oromo from Nonno, Gebre-Mika’el and Waaree
(7) Secondary Literature
7.1 Encyclopedia article
Smidt, Wolbert G. C. “Zännäb”, in Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, vol. 5, ed. A. Bausi in cooperation with S. Uhlig, p. 140‒42. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2014.
7.2 Writings by contemporaries of Zännäb
Flad, Johann Martin. Zwölf Jahre in Abessinien oder Geschichte des Königs Theodoros II. und der Mission unter seiner Regierung. Basel: Spittler, 1869. [See p. 16‒17; Google Books]
- Cf. Flad to Gobat, Djenda 1861.12.03
(Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, PA 653a D 3.2)
—. 60 Jahre in der Mission unter den Falaschas in Abessinien. Gießen and Basel: Brunnen, 1922. [See p. 105, 277‒78; Archive.org]
Kienzlen, Gottlieb [St. Chrischona missionary, † 1865 in Gaffat]. Dossier and letters. Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt (PA 653a D 2.3 / D. 3.5)
Mayer, Johannes. Diary. Manuscript written in Adwa, Ankober, Entotto and Balli, April 1869 to October 1883 (in the possession of his relative, Makeda Ketcham [LinkedIn], Paris).
Rassam, Hormuzd. Narrative of the British Mission to Theodore, King of Abyssinia […]; vol. 2. London: John Murray, 1869. [On “Zánnab”, see p. 192‒93, 348; Digitale-Sammlungen.de]
Eyre-Todd, George (ed.). The Autobiography of William Simpson R. I. (Crimean Simpson). London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1904. [See p. 200; Archive.org]
Waldmeier, Theophil. Erlebnisse in Abessinien in den Jahren 1858 – 1868 [Experiences in Abyssinia in the years 1858-68]. Bevorwortet von Dr. L. Krapf. Basel: Spittler, 1869. [See esp. p. 2; view online].
- Cf. Waldmeier to Schlienz, Gaffat [near Debre Tabor] 1862.05.14. Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt (PA 653a D 3.12)
7.3 Other secondary literature
Arén, Gustav. Evangelical Pioneers in Ethiopia: Origins of the Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. Stockholm: EFS förlaget; Addis Ababa: [Ethiopian] Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, 1978.
[See p. 154‒57; 446‒48; view online]
Gebrehana Gebremedhin. “A Thematic Approach to the Aphorisms of Zeneb in Metsehafe Chewata Sigawi Wemenfesawi.” M.A. thesis, Addis Ababa University 1985.
Pankhurst, Richard. “The Beginnings of Oromo Studies in Europe”, Africa [Rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione dell’Istituto italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente] 31, no. 2 (1976), 171-206. [On Ruufoo, see p. 199‒201; on “Zanab”, see p. 201‒05; JSTOR (subscription barrier)]
—. “Mäqdäla”, in Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, vol. 3, ed. S. Uhlig, p. 763‒65. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2007.
Rubenson, Sven. King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Haile Sellassie I Univ. in association with Oxford Univ. Press (Nairobi), 1966. [See p. 13, 42, 68, 77].
Smidt, Wolbert G. C. “Deutsche Briefe von Äthiopiern 1855‒1869 aus dem Umkreis der protestantischen Mission zur Regierungszeit von Tewodros II”, Scrinium I (2005) [Varia Aethiopica], 287‒316.
[View at Academia.edu]