Serambea tentang Gunung Bungkuk - Oldies Rejang Poetry

Retype from M. A. Jaspan documentation, Leiden university

Lowland Varian I

Pang pang batang metapang,
Batang pauh timboa terglam
Bukan kami lambat datang
Dusun djauh bulan beklam

Stabi ritjang stabi
Stabi ke bumi dengan langit
Selabar bulan dengan bitang
Stabi ku diwo Gunung Buku`

Selabar duate` Bukit Kaba
Gunung Buku` ulu Bengkulu.
Bukit Kaba mdale` Redjang
Pade` djelakar kurung

Selabar pade` djuru ambang
Djuru ambang djuru pengiring.
Akat aku indangkan kami!
Indangkan kami mudi` meler
Mudi` meler djatan tunggang.


English translation :

Bang, bang the mango tree,
Wild mango treetrunk, floating up and down.
It is not (our wish that) we arrive late,
(Our) village is distant, the moon veiled.

Pardon we beseech, pardon
Pardon of the earth and sky
Wide as the moon and the stars
Pardon me god of Mount Bungkuk.

From the distant goddess of Bukit Kaba
To Mount Bungkuk at the head of Bencoolen
Bukit Kaba in the Land of Redjang.
To the boom of the gun at the poop.

From afar comes the guard of the threshold
The threshold guard is (your) escort.
Carry me up and serve US (well) !
Serve US wel1 going upstream, downstream.
Upstrearn, downstream, young men steeply climb.