Forever
Apane Igwa (Forever). Originally by Shania Twain. Translated by Howard Kimewon.
Sung by members of the Ojibwe language table, circa 2011.
| G’nikaan | ga moozhag | ezhi | -andawenimiyan | epiichi | minjimishkoozhiyin |
| In your arms | I feel often | how | you want me | while | you hold me |
| In your arms I can still feel the way you want me when you hold me | |||||
| Geyabi | ninoondanan | ikidowinan | epiichi | gaaskanooziyin |
| Still | I hear | the words | while | you whisper to me |
| I can still hear the words you whispered when you told me | ||||
| Apane igo | maampii | n’ga aayaa | g’nikaang |
| Forever | here | I will be | in your arms |
| I can stay right here forever in your arms | |||
Chorus:
| Gaawiin wiika | g’da bingejiwebinisinon |
| Never | I won’t let you go |
| And there ain’t no way I’m lettin’ you go now | |
| Gaawiin igo . . . | Gaawiin igo |
| No . . . | No |
| And there ain’t no way and there ain’t no how | |
| Gaawiin wiika | n’ga waamdaasiin | giizhigak |
| Never | I won’t see | the day |
| I’ll never see that day | ||
| Apane igo | g’ga ganooinmin | miinwash | apane igo |
| Forever | I will keep you | and | forever |
| ‘Cause I’m keeping you forever and for always | |||
| Ensa | giizhigak | g’ga ganawendizomin |
| Each | day | we will keep each other |
| We will be together all of our days | ||
| Ensa | gizheb | n’wii waabandan | waashkoban | dengwe | . . . apane igo |
| Each | morning | I will see it | a sweet | face | . . .forever |
| Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face . . . always | |||||
| Geyabi | ninoondan | gd’ode | madwesig | ensa | jiimiyan |
| Still | I hear it | your heart | making sound | every time | you kiss me |
| In your heart I can still hear a beat for every time you kiss me | |||||
| Gikendaamaan | minik | metisiniyan | epiichi | waasawinagoziying |
| I know it | how much | you miss me | while | we are far away |
| And when we’re apart, I know how much you miss me | ||||
| Moozhitoomaan | ezhi-zaagiyan | gd’ode’eng |
| I feel it | how you love me | in your heart |
| I can feel your love for me in your heart | ||
(Repeat Chorus)
| Gd’oshkiinzhigoon | geyabi | niwaabmaa | bezhig | aapchigwa | zaagid |
| In your eyes | still | I see someone, | one | very much | who loves me |
| In your eyes I can still see the look of the one who really loves me | |||||
| Bezhig | aapchigwa | zaagid |
| One | very much | who loves me |
| The one who wouldn’t put anything else in the world above me | ||
| Geyabi | igo | moozhitoomaan | epiichi | zaagiyan |
| Still | very much | I feel it | while | you love me |
| I can still see love for me in your eyes | ||||