Meza, variations in a theme

In 1988 December I was lucky to pick up a hardcover publication of the Burma Research Society of 1960 entitled Fiftieth Anniversary Publication No. 2 which contained selections of articles from the Journal of the Burma Research Society (JBRS) from a sidewalk bookshop around Pansodan Street. Like many others in my small collection it was unread, though I must have skimmed it when it was freshly bought.

Some weeks before I was looking for information on ancient mathematics in Myanmar and looked into that publication again, though I knew I could expect very little because the inside-cover page said it is confined to (History and Literature). It contained many interesting articles, such as, the ancient Pyu, economic life of the early Burman, Shin Uttamagyaw and his Tawla, translations of Letwethondhara's Meza Ratu, among others.

So, I have a thought. Why not introduce the different versions of translation of the Meza ratu so that young people keen on learning English would be inspired to approach the ratu from both sides—Myanmar and English, and get something out of it, working only from the materials presented. A more ambitious hope is like expecting some of them to go to the source and go deeper, wider, and in the process got convinced that an independent institution like BRS should exist, and get something started, however modest.

At the very least, U Khin Zaw's article provided a rare chance to peek into the minds of the leading intellectuals of those days, including himself, as each tried individually to merge his poetic soul with the soul of Letwethondhara and bring forth the ratu in a language different from the poet's own. The results appeared collected in an article A New Translation of Let-We-Thon-Dhara's Famous Ratu by U Khin Zaw in Vol. XXI, part-iii, pages 129-36 of BJRS.

His article carried a sub-heading: With a critical study of the previous translation of Professor Pe Maung Tin, Dr. Ba Han and Mr. Luce. In his introductory note he summarized the different styles, and the approach he used:

"... a translation into 'rhythmic prose' by Dr. Ba Han. ...

Of Prof. Pe Maung Tin's translation it is to be noted that he aimed as he says at making them 'simple and literal ... without any attempt at literary effect.' Mr Luce's translations are attractive literary experiments. He is imitating in English the internal rhyming of the Burmese prosody.

    The work of translation presented some interesting problems ... I present the work of the earlier translators and add my own efforts with some comments especially on points where I differ from my predecessors."

In the following, I have taken only the third stanza of the ratu wholly and give the different versions of its translation, but give only the first few lines of each of the translations.

The third stanza in full in Myanmar language:

Prof. Pe Maung Tin

                                                                                             

How glorious is the Shwe-gu-taw where the Meza people bow their heads in supplication with faithful hearts on the occasion of the time-honoured banyan watering feast! The mountain vapour rising from the Meza Valley darkens the appearance of the whole mountain and gradually floats along, forming a link between one range and another, and the duskiness of it rises even to the sky.  ...

Dr. Ba Han

The residents of Meza cling to the hoary custom and hold the Nyaungye carnival. A motley crew in reverent awe and ardent faith pray before the Golden Cave that lends endless charms to the clouds kissed height rising from the heart of Meza Glen. The self-same mountain is shrouded in gloom and it exhalations wreathe themselves round every range. ...

Mr. G H Luce

At the Nyaung-Ye festival

Me-za people, all devout,

Dully fall in prayer and pour

Water to the Banyan tree,

From the valley, see the shrine

Rises even to the sky.

Meza! thy pagoda old

Of the Golden Cave is there,

Fair to look on evermore.

Dimly glimmering o'er the mount,

Steady hang night's vapours yet;

Soon, as a billowing net, are stirred,

Surging fretful as a flood,

Huddle upward, tower, and crowd;

...

U Khin Zaw

Obedient to the honoured custom's behest, Meza folk foregather for the Banyan-watering Festival and pray at the Shwe-gu-daw, and my eyes see that it is good. But when from Meza's chasms rise the congregated might of mists, shrouding summit, mountain, ridge and hill, annihilating sky, then falls the rainless rain ravelled mist drip-drop like rain. ...