Lo !tebes, afi unū ho lo afomenit ko,
Neno ma tabu i ho afomenit piuta ka?
Nokā-sinź ho lof a-mfomén munoeba?
Mauthe manas ma funan es a-ntain lasi.
Afi unū ho lo mumlia ma mumaof pah.
Neno i ho smanam ma ho aom namtaun
Onlź hau hopī he nasaitan in un ma taün.
Sekau es lof nasoin ma nseif sin nāko fai?
Ho fomenme nhoen kaes mutī pah-pah;
Ho upme nfuil anaot nāko kuan ma kota;
Ho kanme matekā nāko batan neu batan,
Me ho ait lof mapnikan ko laba onlź anin?
Sekau es lof a-npanat ho smanam akninō?
Sekau es lof a-ntui ko ho kanam afomenit
Nbin sulat fef-mantaėn neik tinta mnatū?
Sekau es lof nakain kanan nekaf asinmakat?
Sekau es lof nānaeb ho sufam ma ho kaüm?
Jogjakarta, 8 Funmesź 2003
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Sandalwood Tree
In the old days, you were fragrant;
Today you are still fragrant;
Tomorrow you will remain fragrant.
In the old days, you grew nicely and protected the land;
Today, you are cut into pieces like firewoods;
Tomorrow, what will you be?
Your fragrance attracted white people from many nations;
Your price lets come many dishonest men from the village and town;
Your name is recalled from generation to generation,
but you might be forgotten soon.
Who will keep your holy spirit?
Who will write down you name
in the book of testament with ink of gold?
Who will chase away your enemies?
Who will raise your descendants?
Jogjakarta, 8 January 2002
