I was asked recently by a neighbor and local businessman to translate a poem about aging from Indonesian to English. He gave me the Mandarin version (which didn’t do me any good) and the Indonesian version. My translating has been kept to pretty basic stuff such as translating directions or lesson plans or occasionally giving speeches. So, this was a new step for me. I took some literary license with the poem in order to convey what I took to be the message of the poem. I’m not sure about the results, but it was actually fun once I got into the mindset. Indonesians tend to be much more sentimental than I’m used to so it took a bit of stretching myself, but I find the issue of aging and how the elderly are treated to be something of interest.
When I Am Old
When I am old, not like my younger self
Be understanding of me, be patient looking out for me.
When I spill gravy on my shirt,
When I no longer remember how to tie my shoelaces
Remember the times when I taught,
And guided you to do it
When I am senile and continuously repeat myself until you are bored
Be patient listening to me, don’t cut off my words
In the days of your youth, I continuously repeated stories that I had already told you thousands of times until you were lulled away into dreams
When I need you to help wash me,
Don’t blame me
Remember the times of your youth when I used so many ways to persuade you to bathe
When I am confused facing new things and modern technology,
Don’t laugh at me
Reflect on how patiently I answered your every question
during those days of your youth.
When my feet are too tired to walk,
Reach out your strong, young hand to lead me
Like when I taught you to walk in your childhood.
When I forget the topic we are talking about,
Give me a little time to remember it.
Really the actual topic isn’t what’s important to me
as long as you’re at my side listening to me, that’s what makes me happy
When you see me aging, don’t be sad
Be understanding of me, be supportive of me
like I was of you when you were beginning to learn about life.
disaat daku tua, bukan lagi diriku yang dulu
maklumilah diriku bersabarlah dalam menghadapiku
disaat daku menumpahkan kuah sayuran di bajuku
disaat daku tidak lagi mengingat cara mengikatkan tali sepatu
ingatlah saat-saat bagaimana daku mengajarkan
membimbingmu untuk melakukannya
disaat saya dengan pikunnya mengulang terus menerus ucapan y
ang membosankanmu
bersabarlah mendengarkanku jangan memotong ucapanku
dimasa kecilmu daku mengulang dan mengulang terus sebuah cerita yang
telah saya ceritakan ribuan kali hingga dirimu terbuai dalam mimpi
disaat saya membutuhkanmu untuk memandikanku
janganlah menyalahkan
ingatlah dimasa kecilmu bagaimana daku dengan berbagai cara
membujukmu untuk mandi
disaat saya kebingungan menghadapi hal-hal baru dan teknologi modern
janganlah menertawaiku
renungkanlah bagaimana daku dengan sabarnya menjawab setiap mengapa
yang engkau ajukan disaat itu
disaat kedua kakiku terlalu lemah untuk berjalan
ulurkanlah tanganmu yang mudah dan kuat untuk memapahku
bagaikan dimasa kecilmu daku menuntunmu melangkahkan kaki untuk
belajar berjalan
disaat daku melupakan topik pembicaraan kita
berilah sedikit waktu padaku untuk mengingatnya
sebenarnya topik pembicaraan bukanlah hal yang penting bagiku
asalkan engkau berada disisiku untuk mendengarkanku daku telah bahagia
disaat engkau melihat diriku menua janganlah bersedih
maklumilah diriku dukunglah daku bagaikan daku terhadapmu
disaat engkau mulai belajar tentang kehidupan
