Walking along the stream
I hear the birds chirping
Hiking in the mountains
I hear the bees buzzing among the flowers.
Sunshine from morning to evening
Gray and wild oxen grazing along the foot of the mountain
Small ones, large ones, separated by size
Grazing along the foot of the mountain
Drinking from the creek.
I love a tan girl
A Khmer girl full of virtues and beauty
With good lineage, from a noble family
Waiting for her coming-of-age.
Santhor Mok (19th Century)
Footnotes:
I used birds in the second line as I could not find the scientific/western name for khveak, a kind of bird in Khmer
Gray ox is kouprey in Khmer
Wild ox is banteng or thounsoung in Khmer
I could not find the title of this piece, though most people refer to it as Surya Lngeach Thngai