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Rock-a-Rock Baby  (Version 2)

(Contributed by Janice Sim Guan Leng)

1.  Romanised Teochew (without tone indicators)

On a on, on kin kon

Kin kon zo lau tia

A bun a bu lai ta` hia

Ta` hia ta` phu phu

Chi ter tua kue gu

Gu bo se` be kia`

Be kia` se` zin zu

Zin zu lon lon i`

A nou thag zer hu khue khi

Ai` kher chau oi kag hou sua`

Ai` lai pe be kua kim hua

Sa` phon chin sia` chug kia` sia`.

2.  Romanised Teochew (with tone indicators)

On₂ a₃ on₂, on₂₀ kin₃ kon₂

Kin₃ kon₂ zo₅₄ lau₂₀ tia₃

A₃ bun₁ a₃ bu₄ lai₁₀ ta`₃ hia₃

Ta`<sub>3</sub> hia<sub>3</sub> ta`₃ phu₁₀ phu₁

Chi₀ ter₃ tua₀ kue₅₄ gu₁

Gu₁₀ bo₄ se`<sub>3</sub> be<sub>42</sub> kia`₄

Be₄₂ kia`<sub>4</sub> se`₃ zin₃ zu₃

Zin₃ zu₃ lon₅₄ lon₅₄ i`₁

A₃ nou₁ thag₁₀ zer₃ hu₅₄ khue₃ khi₁

Ai`<sub>54</sub> kher<sub>5</sub> chau<sub>42</sub> oi<sub>1</sub> kag<sub>54</sub> hou<sub>20</sub> sua`₅

Ai`₅₄ lai₁ pe₄₂ be₄ kua₅₄ kim₃ hua₃

Sa`<sub>3</sub> phon<sub>5</sub> chin<sub>54</sub> sia`₃ chug₀₁ kia`<sub>3</sub> sia`₁.

3.  Direct Translation

Rock ah rock, rock Kin Kon

Kin Kon becomes old father

Scholarly person brawny person come carry boots

Carry boots carry rise rise

Rear pigs bigger than cattle

Cow gives birth horse baby

Horse baby gives birth real pearls

Real pearls knock knock round

(My) child studies in time examination

Want go straw sandals and umbrella

Want come white horse wear gold flower.

Three bangs gun sound goes out capital city wall

4.  Proper Translation

Rock-a-rock, rock (baby) Kin Kon

Kin Kon becomes an official

(Servants) Scholar and Brawn come to carry (baby’s) boots

Carry boots to rise

Rear pigs bigger than cattle

Cow gives birth to a foal

Foal gives birth to pearls

Pearls knock till round

(My) child studies in time for examination

Going (to take imperial examination) in straw sandals and umbrella

Returning on white horse and wearing gold flower^.

The sound of three gun salutes goes beyond the walls of the capital city.

^Note: “Wearing gold flower” refers to the headgear of “zo₂₀ g`uan₁”, the top scholar at the imperial examination.

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