Hijau

Hijau means ‘green’ in Malay.

Since it’s St Paddy’s Day this weekend, I would like to dedicate a song by one of Malaysia’s most legendary musicians, Zainal Abidin, the artiste behind Hijau, a song about global warming which was way ahead of its time when it was released in 1990.

I know St Patrick’s isn’t about global warming, but it is about the colour green. Which makes this song most appropriate.

[audio:Hijau.mp3]

I’ve provided the lyrics and a translation. I’m sure I’ve made some mistakes somewhere as my Malay is rusty (especially where the Kelantanese kicks in) so please feel free to correct me.

Hijau (Green)

Bumi yang tiada rimba (A world without forests)
Seumpama hamba (is like a slave)
Dia dicemar manusia (she is polluted by humans)
Yang jahil ketawa (who only laugh ignorantly)

Bumi yang tiada udara (A world without air)
Bagai tiada nyawa (is a world without life)
Pasti hilang suatu hari (it will one day disappear)
Tanpa disedari (without realisation)

Bumi tanpa lautan (A world without the oceans)
Akan kehausan (will thirst)
Pasti lambat laun hilang (it will eventually vanish)
Duniaku yang malang (my unfortunate world)

Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan (In recent days we are always celebrating)
Kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan (Successes that in the end will destroy us)
Apalah gunanya kematangan fikiran (What is the use of maturity of thinking)
Bila di jiwa kita masih lagi muda (when our souls remain infantile)
Dan mentah (and raw)
Ku lihat hijau (I see green)

Bumiku yang kian pudar (My fading world)
Siapa yang melihat (Who sees you?)
Di kala kita tersedar (By the time we realise)
Mungkinkah terlewat (it might be too late)

Korupsi,opresi,obsesi diri (Corruption, oppression, self obsession)
Polusi,depressi,di bumi,kini (Pollution, depression on earth, now)

Oh …anok-anok (Oh, children)
tokleh meghaso mandi laok (will not feel how it is to swim in the sea)
Besaing,maing ghama-ghama (and play in it together)
Ale lo ni tuo umurnyo bejuto (this earth is millions of years old)
Kito usoho (we work)
Jauhke dari malapetako (to stave away disaster)
Ozon lo ni koho nipih nak nak aghi (the ozone is thinning and we still)
Keno make asak (keep burning)
Hok biso wei,pasa maknusio (poisoned by humans)
Seghemo bendo-bendo di dunio (all the things in this world)
Tokleh tehe (will not last)
Sapa bilo-bilo (forever)

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 15th, 2007 at 5:52 pm and is filed under Imperfect Malaysia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Roger

Nice blog. Hijau reminds me of the good old days back in M’sia.

Mar 15, 2007 @ 7:12 pm

jennemede

Hi Roger: Yes. THose WERE good days for me too!

Mar 15, 2007 @ 8:12 pm

Don

Man, that brings back some sweet memories.

The song really was ahead of it’s time, wasn’t it? Or rather more depressing, in the 17 years since it was released, those concerns have not gone away or even eased to any great extent. Indeed, they’re felt even more acutely now.

Mar 15, 2007 @ 8:59 pm

She Speaks

Good translation! I’m impressed

Mar 16, 2007 @ 12:07 am

alliedmartster

Jen,

Really good translation! Still have it….malaysian blood!
Oh…enjoy the the next 6 months!

Its not ‘Meet the Fockers’, I’m sure!

Mar 18, 2007 @ 7:31 pm

zewt

hey, you have the MP3 for this song? i have been searching for it for ages… would really appreciate if you could mail it to me.

many many many thanks.

Mar 18, 2007 @ 8:27 pm

eve

Thank you so much for this translation. I loved this song ever since visting malaysia (Pulau Tioman mainly) in the early nineties. Although i could grasp some of it, it is great to finally know the meaning.
Although the song in itself got that across already, come to think of it.

This song can be found live at youtube.com, by the way.

Thank you again.

Apr 25, 2007 @ 10:45 am