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SERAT CENTHINI
Translation by M. M. Medeiros and Mastoni
| "Centhini" Canto 29. Dhandhang
Gula Stanzas 4-7 4. Papali ki ajinen (m)berkahi. Respect these admonitions, there's a blessing in it, ==Respect these admonitions, there is a blessing in it. p.s.: Nyuwun sih samodraning pangaksami if that seems picky. I hate contraction in this kind of poetry. tur salamet seger kawarasan. together with well-being, freshness, and health. ==They are the fount of well-being, freshness, and health. pepali iki mangkene. Here are the admonitions: ==Thusly are the admonitions revealed: aja ladak aja ajail. Don't be arrogant. Don't deceive. ==Do not be arrogant or deceitful. p.s.: Here again, contractions sound very casual and are inappropriate for such high-minded spiritual teachings. aja manah surakah. Don't be greedy. ==Reject greed. p.s.: Eventhough in the original Javanese the word "aja" recurs, in English it sounds too repetitious. Therefore, a little bland. lan aja calimut And don't steal. ==And do not steal. lan aja guru aleman And don't be always looking for praise. ==Do not spend your life in search of praise. aja jail wong jail pan gelis mati. Don't be a fraud. Frauds die young. ==Be not a fraud, for even in their youth, the fraudulent die [to their true spirit]. p.s.: It isn't a literal "mati" that is being referred to in the text. Death is a metaphor for the loss of one's soul or spirit. Wouldn't you agree, Mbah? aja amanah mangiwa Don't play around with women. ==Do not pursue the unrighteous path. p.s.: The Javanese word "mangiwa" or "going to the left" is a metaphor for unrighteous path. I don't think that this unrighteousness refers specifically to one's dealings with our sisters. 5. Aja saen den wedi ing ngisin Don't be shameless, nor fear being shamed. ==Do not be shameless, nor fear being shamed. ya wong urip hya ngegungken awak One oughtn't to try to be self-important. ==Do not display haughtiness. p.s: Both are good choices. I just like the sound of the word "haughty" :-) wong urip pinet baguse One ought to try to do right. ==Strive to do right. aja lali abagus Don't forget what's right. ==Be mindful of what is right. p.s.: "Be mindful" and "Don't forget" are of course the same. I think "mindful" sounds more poetic or perhaps, biblical. bagus iku dudu mas picis Right isn't money. ==Righteousness is not found in wealth. pan dudu sandhangan And it's not clothes. ==Nor is it found in wealthy garments. dudu rupa iku It's not looks. ==It is not found in one's physical appearance. wong bagus pan ewuh pisan In fact good looks lead to a lot of trouble. ==Physical beauty can be a curse. p.s.: "ewuh" can be translated as curse. I think that sounds stronger than "trouble". sapadha wong urip pan padha asih People should love one another. ==Excellent, Mbah! perak ati warnanya That means having mutual sympathy. ==That requires of us [the gift of] empathy. 6. Aja mangeran ing emas picis Don't make your lord money and gold. ==Do not make money and gold into your lord. p.s.: Another picky change, it is fine either way. I just like the way it sounds. aja mangeran ing busana endah Don't make your lord beautiful clothes. ==Do not make splendid garments into your lord. aja mangeran kabisane Don't make your lord skill. ==Do not make over confidence in your abilities into your lord. aja mangeran ngelmu Don't make your lord spiritual knowledge. ==Do not make learning into your lord. p.s.: I think this refers not just to spiritual knowledge but learning in general. aja mangeran teguhreki Don't make your lord physical strength. ==Do not make physical strength into your lord. aja mangeran japa Don't make your lord magic spells. ==Do not make magic spells into your lord. p.s.: I think the repetition of this formula, both in Javanese and English, works well. It sets up a kind of rhythm. aja (ng)gunggung laku Don't keep performing austere practices. ==Do not exaggerate your ascetic ways. kabeh iku siya siya All those things are useless. ==All of these ways are nothing. aja sira (ng)gugoni kawruhireki Don't blindly follow teachings. ==Do not blindly follow the teachings of others. lah iku mundhak apa What do they lead to? ==Ask yourself where they will lead? 7. Angkuh kang jujur arahen kaki Arrogance. Turn your steps in the direction of honesty. p.s.: Muy bueno, I love this. What a great translation! It has the flavour of the original character. Que sabor! aja sira angarah keringan Don't try to make others fear you and follow ==Do not try to make others serve you out of fear-- idhep-idhepe dhewe your every whim. ==indulging your every whim. ewuhe wong tumuwuh The way to develop is ==As the seedling struggles through the soil p.s.: Let's preserve the metaphor whenever possible. Tumuwuh is the struggling of the seed. dipun bisa ngenaki ati to become able to make people feel happy, ==so to our struggle should gladden the hearts of others, atine sapepadha to make your fellow human beings [feel] happy. ==and spread joy throughout humanity. nepsumu ja turut Don't follow your lower soul's caprices, ==Do not follow the caprices of your soul, p.s.: Antoher picky suggestion. It's fine either way. iya nepsuning manungsa your human soul, ==it is the lower soul of humanity. kudu kedhep iya sapadhaning janmi and need to be highly regarded by others. ==There is no need for others to view you as indispensable. iku sira sirika Reject such things. |
