Edtung Sinah Muno

by [1] (August 2015) [shared on Facebook-Kelabit Network Group]

Kelabit	English
De Ale' kapeh neh pu’un kiteh paki'?	Dear love. How do we get use to being separated?
Kapeh neh pu'un kiteh na'em peburi'?	How do we get use to not speaking to each other?
Kuh labuh iyo biped ngih binan,	Like a knife sheath tied to a scabbard,
kuh senguluh nabet ngih lalid ra'ing,	Like a head piece tied to the ears of a 'pade' basket,
Kuh langan teripunen lem selungan,	Like a dart kept in a dart quiver,
Kuh bugo peh ngerio lem tuning,	Like a ladle used for stirring in an earthen pot,
Kuh kayuh ipak ngih luun raran,	Like the firewood in it's tray,
Kuh bera seripun lem etin ruti’,	Like grains of rice kept in a biscuit tin,
Kuh para' pulut nusi luun bebpan,	Like the sticky latex applied on a bird stick trap,
Kuh pakel dari ngelibut beti,	Like the ornamental leg rings around the biceps,
Kuh gelang buda' ngelibut lengen,	Like the white arm bracelets encircling the upper arms,
Kuh lem bekang linibut ngen liling.	Like the inside of a rattan carrier lined by a mini mat,
Kuh iung me aluh peruyung inan,	Like a board and a pounder kept together,
Kema' kiteh neh mulun pesiring,	For as long as we lived together,
Na'em putut-putut neh nuk ludan,	We'd conversed ceaselessly,
Midteh peh na'em pesala' karuh,	Never a wrong word uttered,
Midteh peh na'em pesala' linuh.	Never once a misunderstanding.
Adui kuweh, kapeh neh puun kiteh petad lawe?	Dear oh dear. How do we go our separate ways?
Kapeh neh la'ud kiteh na'em perine?	We'll never go around together again.
Tuda' lati merar neh lenidik?	How many big farms had we cleared?
Tuda' lubung na'em inan neh mirid?	How many makeshift long houses had we not moved to?
Inan semulud lem dedtem lengit,	Uttering words of endearment in the pitch dark night,
Pekepel uret lem epin barit,	Making love under a patterned reed mat,
Irat tuda' lun denganak madi',	From where the children are born,
Senu'uh medting lem liwet dari.	Raised to the apex of their education.
Tuda' ngebu'an pade rinumik?	How many baskets of padi had we threshed?
Tuda' tetar pade pengeh renawih?	How many mat spread of padi had we pounded?
Tuda' nuba' singa lem da'un isip?	How many rice wraps in 'isip' leaves?
Tuda' pepel giru' 'em pengeh reniki?	How many fried palm-pressed tapioca starch cakes?
Tuda' neh tenum lawid lepini?	How many 'lepini' fish cooked in leafy wrappings?
Tuda' angel udung ubih dari,	How many bundles of fine tapioca leaves?
Tuda' angel tengayen lem tuning?	How many bundles of 'tengayen' cocked in an earthen pot?
Peh nuyul nuba' lem beruh medting.	To down our rice with when we arrived (from our farm),
Penguman kiteh beruh malem laling.	Our vegetable in the late evenings.
Adui kuweh, Adui kudih.	Dear oh dear.
Kapeh tedan s'ier dulun ngen narih?	How do people perceive me?
Siren dulun narih dedtur sinula',	They look at me a widow,
Kapeh neh taru' da'et sekela'.	What an unfortunate situation to be in,
Kayuh aba, kayu ipak,	The big and small fire wood,
Na'em ketelinuh dulun marih menak.	Nobody dare come to offer help,
Doo' mula' teh kayuh laya',	Never mind, there are softer wood,
Tu'en neradu muli' me ruma'.	To collect on my way home.
Ngupan la'al uih peh nuyul nuba',	I rear chicken to go with my rice,
Kerid rinen tu'en ngelaya',	Wild vegetables I'll cook,
Ngen lemek sinudul lem irau rema'.	In lards handed out at generous parties.
Eme beto' narih maya' dulun baya',	When I join the villagers to work,
Naan riruh ninger lun doo' ria',	I hold in my laughter when I hear them laugh,
Migu' teh narih la' baya'-baya',	I feel awkward laughing along,
Na'em pekeneh dulun la' pesala',	In case they think wrongly
Mageh kelupan iko suk pura',	I have forgotten too soon you who have gone,
Na'em kelebpu edteh laak.	Even before the year is up.
Adui kuweh, Adui kudih.	Dear oh dear.
Inih neh peped sido kudih ngemuh.	This is the end of my mourning period.
Na'em tusah, na'em kerirah,	Don't fret, don't feel awkward,
Na'em teh uih kineh ken derah.	I'm not suffering that much,
Ale' ekan, ngeli'o teh narih maya' dalan,	Journey on with care my dear,
Me matun bawang nuk pelaba medtang.	As you travel on to the Celestial city,
Lio'-lio' taru' narih pepang,	Swath the path clear for me,
Tu'en kuh mupud renga' keduih nalan.	To follow when it is my turn to go.