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A Pear Tree on the Hilltop

1. In Romanised Teochew (without Tone Indicators)

Sua` ten zeg zan lai.
Sng lai, sng kher, sa` ped kai*.
Ua ke a hia` chua kai bou.
Chua tiod a so bo e hai.

Mng kha zeg zan ka`.
Sng lai, sng kher, sa` ped sa`.
Ua ke a hia` chua kai bou.
Chua tiod a so tng to kha.

Iu bo e hai.
Iu tng to kha.
Uan lai, uan kher, bue nan phua.
A hia` sio` sim, chan boi zod.
Jig jig, me me, tui sim kua`.

“A hia` li mai sio` sim.
Bi li sen png, bad li sen ziu.
Ai` a so oi khng kad oi khiam,
kio` kue a ze, ke tiod a nng,
tam bai kad ped jin”.

Note: “li” is used by some Teochews, can be dropped without affecting meaning.

 

2. In Romanised Teochew 

Sua`₃ten₄ zeg₁₀ zan₁₀lai₁ .

Sng₀₁ lai₁ , sng₀₁ kher₅ , sa`₃ped₀₁ kai₁*.

Ua₄₂ke₃ a₃hia`₃ chua₀ kai₁₀bou₄ .

Chua₀ tiod₁₀ a₃so₄ bo₁₀ e₀hai₁ .

 

Mng₁₀kha₃ zeg₁₀ zan₁₀ka`₃ .

Sng₀₁ lai₁ , sng₀₁ kher₅ , sa`<sub>3</sub>ped<sub>01</sub>sa`₃ .

Ua₄₂ke₃ a₃hia`₃ chua₀ kai₁₀bou_{4 .}

Chua₀ tiod₁₀ a₃so₄ tng₁₀to₄₂kha₃ .

 

Iu₅ bo₁₀ e₀hai₁ .

Iu₅ tng₁₀to₄₂kha₃ .

Uan₅₄ lai₁ , uan₅₄ kher₅ , bue₁₀nan₁₀phua₁ .

A₃hia`<sub>3</sub> sio`₃sim₃, chan₁ boi₁₀zod₀ .

Jig₁₀jig₁ , me₁₀me₁ , tui₁₀ sim₃kua`₃ .

 

“A₃hia`<sub>3</sub> li<sub>3</sub> mai<sub>54</sub> sio`₃sim₃ .

Bi₄ li₃ sen₁₀png₀, bad₁ li₃ sen₁₀ziu₃ .

Ai`₅₄ a₃so₄ oi₂₀khng₁ kad₀ oi₂₀ khiam₂ ,

kio`₁₀kue₅₄ a₃ze₄ , ke₅₄ tiod₁₀ a₃nng₁ ,

tam₅₄bai₀ kad₀ ped₁₀jin₁”.

 

 

Note: “li₃” is used by some Teochews, can be dropped without affecting meaning

 

3.  Direct Translation

Hilltop one pear tree.
Counted come, counted go, 300 “objects*”.
My family elder brother married a wife.
Married elder sister-in-law no chin.

Door Leg/foot/nearby an orange tree.
Counted come, counted go, 330.
My family elder brother married a wife.
Married elder sister-in-law long short legs.

Again/also no chin.
Again/also long short legs.
Blame come, blame go, matchmaker.
Elder brother hurt heart, paddy field could not work.
Day day, night night, pounded chest.

“Elder brother don’t hurt heart.
Raw rice succeeded cooked rice, ink accomplish cycle.
Want/(going to) elder sister-in-law can diligent and can thrifty,
better than elder sister, married to elder brother-in-law,
good for nothing and a moron.”

 

* Actually a measure word for round objects, no equivalent in English.

 

4.  Proper Translation 

On the hilltop stood a pear tree.
Counted and recounted (there were) 300 fruits.
My elder brother married a wife.
Married elder sister-in-law who has no chin.

In front of the house stood an orange tree.
Counted and recounted (there were) 330 (fruits).
My elder brother married a wife.
Married elder sister-in-law who limps.

Not only has no chin.
But also has legs of unequal length.
Blame the matchmaker.
Elder brother, with pain in his heart, could not work the paddy field.
Every day and night he pounded his chest.

“Elder brother don’t be sad.
Raw rice has become cooked rice, ink has completed its cycle.
As long as elder sister-in-law can be diligent and thrifty,
better than elder sister, who married elder brother-in-law
who is good for nothing and a moron”.

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