BUKAN BETA BIJAK BERPERI

bukan beta bijak berperi
pandai menggubah madahan syair
bukan beta budak negeri
mesti menurut undangan mair


sarat saraf saya mungkiri
untai rangkaian seloka lama
beta buang beta singkiri
sebab laguku menurut sukma


susah sungguh saya sampaikan
degup degupan didalam kalbu
lemah laun lagu dengungan
matnya digamat rasaian waktu


sering saya susah sesaat
sebab madahan tidak nak datang
sering saya sulit menekat
sebab terkurang lukisan mamang


bukan beta bijak berlagu
dapat melemah bingkaian pantun
bukan beta berbuat baru
hanya mendengar bisikan alun


Roestam Effendi
dari : Percikan Permenungan , kumpulan sajak 1920




IT ISN'T THAT I PRUDENTLY DESCRIBED

It isn't that I prudently described
accomplished in composing poem elongated
it isn't that I am a citizen boy
obliged to heed the call of disappearance

rule of accidence, I disavow
cord of ancient aphorism chain
I dispose , I purge
for my song come after soul


how it really difficult for me to address
palpitately within sincere heart
flabby, powerless song of reverberation
its measuring is intonated, by sorrow of time


often I fall into difficulty for a moment
for eulogy shall not come
often I stitch uneasily
cause short of painting bewildered


isn't that I prudently intonated
flabbying down frame of epigram quatrain
isn't me making deed anew
listen only to soft heaved whisper

Roestam Effendi
from; Percikan Permenungan, 1920
Translation: Saptono

Roestam Effendi was born in Padang West Sumatra, on May,13 1903
Educated in Bukit Tinggi in West Sumatra and Bandung West Java
and Eventually became principal in a school in Padang.
Once became member of tweede kammer (second chamber parliament) during colonial time.
Works : Percikan Permenungan ( Splash of Contemplation 1920),Bebasari, a drama 1926 and also
Quo Vadis ( a political pamphlet)