TAUSUG IN DOHA: Dayang Ku

I

Ha waktu kaw kiyakitaan 
Pangatayan ku nahaylan  
Jimunjung pa Tuhan daran 
Bangmayan kaw masuratan 

II

Ha katigidlüman sin düwm 
Sahaya bulan, bituun 
Hibuk sin sampuwak alun 
Pangatayan ha laum uyum

III

Sumping kaw, sumping manisan 
Warna’ mu kaiibugan
Tarasul kaw iban daman 
Uyum mu bāngaw ha āyan 

IV

Ina’, ama’ ku diya isun 
Pa māas mu kaw maksurun 
Pag addat in paunahun
Aturan Islam agarun 

V

In halga’ mu kauūgan 
Labi dayng kumala’ intan
Tanda’ lasa kaymu mattan
Kamaruwan mu ayaran   

VI

Misan kaw dayang bituun
Tuyuan ta kaw abutun 
Misan kaw dagat maalun  
Saddiya ta kaw languyun 

***

English translation by Warina Sushil A. Jukuy: 

My Dearly Beloved

I

The moment I lay sight on you
O how my heart is enthralled
Time and again my Lord I beseech 
That thou shall be my fated mate.

II

In the darkness of the night
Illumined by the moon, stars alight
Music is the crashing waves
Reviving this smile in my heart.

III

Thou art a flower, a blooming exotic flower
Thy vibrant glow they greatly covet
Your beauty itself my poem and rhyme
Thy smile my rainbow in the sky!

IV

With my mother, father I confabulate 
Through your parents myself I humbly present
To revere thee be put forth first
In obeisance to the Islamic tenets.

V

Your worth indeed is dearly priceless 
Than any diamonds or precious gems
Proof of my love truly manifests 
Thy purity I have kept chaste

VI

Even if you be a star my darling dearest 
However distant I shall strive to reach
Be you an ocean of tempestuous seas 
I dare swim you even if my life I risk to death.

(Mindanawon Abroad is MindaNews’ effort to link up with Mindanawons overseas who would like to share their experiences in their adopted countries. Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano of Sulu is a registered Radiologic Technologist who works in Doha, Qatar).