“Elegy of the Swamp”
Oh, waters of Lake Yinjingsi,
You are so deep.
Do you remember me?
A Rumtu woman gazes out from the reeds.
Ah! Waters of Lake Yinjingsi,
You are so cold.
Have you seen him?
A Rumtu warrior casts his nets from a dugout canoe.
Woman of the Rumtu people,
Do not be afraid.
Your man is on his way home.
Ah! Warrior of the Rumtu people,
Do not lose heart.
Ah! Lake Yinjingsi,
Why are the Rumtu people so sorrowful?
Ah! Warrior of the Rumtu people,
Does the robe your wife made for you fit well?
Ah, warrior of the Rumtu people,
Are the flowers your child picked for you fragrant?
Ah, warrior of the Rumtu people,
Do you have your spear in hand?
Is your forehead painted with war paint?
The dark forest,
The enemy's sharp blades,
Can they truly extinguish your power of vengeance?
Though your death in battle would break my heart,
I will keep watching for you,
Standing among the reeds.
Our ancestors' protection means we do not fear death...
