蔗尾蜂房

[我的愛人在遙遠的島上]
--Chairil Anwar (1922-1949)，羅浩原 譯

我的愛人在遙遠的島上
甜美的少女，如今獨寂寥

船行速，月相照，
為了愛人卿卿我頸上戴著定情物
風相助，海泛光，卻突然感到
我將不復至此矣。

縱然光亮，在風中有遠雷聲，
最後感覺上一切都稍縱即逝
死亡一邊掌控，一邊說道：
「還是將船開向我的懷抱吧。」

唉呀！我行過此處已經好多年了！
相伴的這艘船都快要腐朽了！
為何死亡催喚甚早
竟在我未能擁抱我愛人之前？！

我的甜心在遙遠的島上
如果我死了，她亦將獨自寂寥而死

1946


[Tjintaku Djauh Dipulau]
--Chairil Anwar

Tjintaku djauh dipulau,
gadis manis, sekarang iseng sendiri.

Perahu melantjar, bulan memantjar,
dileher kukalungkan ole-ole buat sipatjar,
angina membantu, laut terang, tapi terasa
aku tidak ‘kan sampai padanja.

Diair jang tenang, diangin mendaju,
diperasaan penghabisan segala meladju
Adjal bertachta, sambil berkata:
‘Tudjukan perahu kepangkuanku sadja.’

Amboi! Djalan sudah bertahun kutempuh!
Perahu jang bersama ‘kan merapuh!
Mengapa Adjal memanggil dulu
Sebelum sempat berpeluk dengan tjintaku?!

Manisku djauh dipulau,
kalau ‘ku mati, dia mati iseng sendiri.


[My Love’s on a Faraway Island]
--translated by Burton Raffel

My love’s on a faraway island,
A sweet girl, doing nothing for lack of anything better.

The prau slides quickly along, the moon gleams,
Around my neck I wear a charm for my girl;
The wind helps, the sea’s clear, but I know
I’m not going to reach her.

In the calm water, in the gentle wind,
In the final sensation, everything goes swiftly.
Death pulls the strings, calls:
“Better steer your prau straight into my lap.”

Hey! I’ve made it through this way for years!
This prau mine is going to fall apart!
Why is Death calling so soon
Before I have a chance to hug my girl?!

My sweet on a faraway island,
If I die, she’ll die for lack of anything better.


Burton Raffel, ed. & trans., The Complete Poetry and Prose of Chairil Anwar, Albany: State University of New York Press, [1962], 1970, pp.106-107.


[My Beloved is afar off, on an Island]
--translated by A.H. Johns

My beloved is afar off, on an island
A sweet girl
Whiling away her time alone.

My boat surges onward, the moon radiates light,
and round my neck hangs a garland for my darling;
the wind is with me, the sea bright and yet I feel
that I shall never reach her.

For in the clear water, in the sighing wind
In the sense of all things fleeting to their close
Death sits in majesty and declares:
Direct your barque to my embrace.

My sweet one is afar off, on an island;
myself dead, she too will die
whiling away her time alone.


A.H. Johns, “Chairil Anwar: an Interpretation,” B.K.I. (Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde), 120, 1964, pp.402-3. (Published by the Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, Leiden)