Shan Culture - Poems

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Young Tai's Shan Proverb Poems

1. Your village is wide, your state is narrow
Not worthy of you, hero.

2. Your village is teeming, your state is dry
Long drum sounds, absent dancers.

3. Your village is high, your state is muddy
Even buffalo is difficult to pull.

4. Your village is enlarged, your state is in ruins
People praise and are surprised at your stupidity.

5. Your village is happy, your state is weak
Others flatter the buttock but knock the head.

6. Your village is famous, your state is hollow
Others undermining and take the profits.

7. Your village is better, your state is a worry
The spirits of guests swallow your power.

8. Your village held festival, your state abysmally poor
Others sharpen the teeth and masticate slowly.

9. Your village is observed, your state is confused with haziness
Because of pulling each other across muddy water.

10. Your village is prosper, your state cleansed by others
Because of being busy with personal case.

11. Your village is well known, your state manipulated by others.
Because fingers are not equal.

12. Your village is brave, your state is in poor chaos
Because of the strong ones against the weaklings.

13. Your village sowing rice grains, your state sowing poppy grains
Good face yielding bad face.

14. Your village listens to Buddha' sermons, your state against Buddha
Listen to ears mould still far from nirvana.

15. Your village be established when your state is fail
Faint head others press, iron head others knock down.

16. Your village is peaceful, your state is facing an enemy
Your name also surely stink.

17. Your village is acknowledged, your state is lost
Your race is dying alive.

18. Your village urging, your state complex with dizziness
Your men are transformed to enemy.

19. Your village is educated, your state is an idiot
Only going way, no coming way.

20. Your village own wise men, your state own immoral men
Wise men yield nothing.

21. Your village owns money, your state owns history
Money guard's power, history guards nationality.

22. Your village is honest, your state is tricky
Quarrel with the wise, borrow with the rich.

23. Your village revolts, while your state at bottom
More struggle, get more exhausted.

24. Your village is free, your state is stirred by enemy
Because the cat's portrait is like the tiger's.

 

EXAMPLES OF SOME TRANSLATION

Waan; zao; guarng; Merng: zao; gep; Bai, lep; zao; hat: haan
(Your village is wide, your state is narrow Not worth with you hero)

Waan; zao;herng: Merng: zao; mong Seang gong haam: gon: ga;
(Your village is teeming, your state is dry Long drum sound absent dancers)

Waan; zao; suong Merng zao; oung Zuong zan guai: yang: yaap,
(Your village is high, your state is muddy Even buffalo is difficult to pull)

Waan; zao; hkaam: Merng: zao; haam: Gon: yawng; arm: nam. ngur;
(Your village is enlarged, your state is in ruins People praise and surprised by your stupidity )

Your = Your Majesty

 

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