Friday 11 May 2018

A daughter to “get rid of”

We kinda keep on the theme of children (more like daughters, I think the children's song post was added later), and we have a Hakka song called Láu-mòi A-fa, Sister A-fa. Oh well, "daughters". Still, "dad also advises that A-fa should marry next year", so there's the "daughters" thing :). Anyways, this is in the Zhang Shaolin variety of Hakka, which is probably Fuiyong (Mandarin 惠阳 | Huìyáng) Hakka. I met with this sometime during my first year of Chinese study, probably between March and Summer 2012, and translated it in the sum… nope, only waaay later on Jan 11 2018 at 8:17 did I make it. And I need to fix the misinterpretation of "Ki-nyin" as "others" aka "the boys" when it's "ki", "she", plus "nyin", "a person". Let's go!


我的老妹 做阿花
人好天真白璧也无瑕
又老实 品性
年纪恬恬悄悄十八出嫁
我(的)老妹 也像朵花
甜甜酒窝相似林青霞
人好乖 一致清理屋家房子
后生仔想去追完几打

人好又帮得手又听话
从来学坏 钱乱花
养鹅鸭 又鸡妈母鸡
满山去如果蛇 也讲怕
跳舞唱歌学吉他
弹琴吹SAXPHONE 会差
隔邻舍 半夜拿刀嫲柴刀
我的爸都劝讲阿花 明年好嫁
Nga láu-mòi    hàm-tsò A-fa
Nyîn háu thien-cin phȧk-piak ya vû-hâ
Yù láu-shıt    phín-sìn m tsha
Nyên-kí thiâm-thiâm shıp-pat mâng chut-kà
Nga kè láu-mòi    ya tshiòng tó fa
Thiâm-thiâm tsíu-vo siong-sìi Lîm Tshiang-hâ
Nyîn háu kwai    kín piàng vuk-ka
Hèu-sang-tsái sióng-òi hì cui vôn ki tá

Kî nyîn háu yìu pong-tet-shíu yìu thang-và
Tshiûng-lôi m hȯk-fài    tshiên lò-fa
Kî hiáu yong ngô-ap    yìu hiáu yong kai-mâ
Man-san hì hè nyì táu shâ    ya mâu kóng phà
Kî hân hiáu thiâu-mú chòng-ko hȯk kit-tha
Thân khîm chui SAXPHONE    m vòi tsha
Tsháu táu kak lîn-shà    pàn-yà na tau-mâ
Nga pa tu khièn kóng A-fa    mîn-nyên háu kà.


My young sis    her name's A-fa
So naïve and her beauty has no flaws
Honest and    well-tempered too
Though she's almost 18 she has not wed
My younger sis    is like a flower
Her sweet dimples are just like Lim Chiang-ha's
She's obedient    and does house chores
And there's so many young boys wooing her

And she is helpful and obedient too
Her money she will    never waste
She can also raise    ducks and geese and hens
She panics not if she comes    across a snake
And she can dance and sing and play guitar
And flute and saxphone:    not too bad
But the neighbours come    with knives at midnight
My pa suggested A-fa    next year shall wed

No comments:

Post a Comment