See the Light

The sage says that fire is bright.

Is that not so?

But it is not the equal of the Sun.

He says the Sun’s rays

Are resplendent in the heavens

But are not equal to

The Dharma of the Lord Buddha.

The fire blazes with all its might

But at the end of its time it is gone,

Used up, extinguished.

The Sun is brilliant,

Magnificent, it is true

But, when it sets, it is dimmed.

You can not see its light.

Lok tha bhloen bhli

Maen bit moh ri

Bum smoe suriya

Lok tha sury saen

Bhli caen veha

Moh bum smoe na

Brah dharm brah buddh

Bhloen bhli as citt

As kal hoey pat

Ralay ralat

Brah sury bhli loen

Thkom thkoen prakat

Ap astangat

Bum yal rasmi

Stanzas 9 & 10 of Chbab Kun Cau (Codes of Conduct: Children

and Grandchildren)

Composed in Pad Kakagati (Crow’s Gait Metre) 17th Century or earlier

Transliteration by Judith M. Jacob