S3 
S1IAIR BrDASAlir : A Malayan Poem 4 
With an English Translation and notes. 
In order to assist European scholars, we shall annex translations 
to some at least of our series of Malayan works. This indeed is 
IriTlispcnsible from the imperfections of the best dictionaries : that of 
Marsden, for instance, omitting a considerable portion of the lan¬ 
guage, and, although abounding in idiomatic expressions for the most 
part faithfully rendered, yet being very far from containing a suffici-, 
ent collection for those who cannot refer to Malayan literati. It is 
obvious that, under such circumstances, the most literal translation 
will be the most valuable. The authors of the fragments which 
have hitherto appeared, with few exceptions, present the ideas of 
their original in a flowing English garb, adding and expunging with 
much license, and seeking rather to gratify their own taste than sa¬ 
tisfy the curiosity of their readers. Some of these translations, 
however, possess a high merit, and often when departing most from 
the w<jrds approach nearest to the spirit of the original. For a time 
at least, we shall not propose any higher aim than to facilitate the 
understanding of Malay in England ; and should we, in the progress 
of our labour, be induced to adopt a less literal in order to give a more 
true translation, we shall take care in our notes to explain those words 
and idioms which do not occur in the dictionaries. We shall reserve 
our remarks on Malayan literature for their proper place in the se¬ 
ries of papers on that people, which we intend to commence in an 
early number of the Journal. But with respect to their poetry, it 
may be proper to remark here, that while the ideas in general are 
simple, and spring neither from passion nor imagination: although 
they are by no means always devoid of these attributes, and are of¬ 
ten distinguished by much tenderness and truth: the Malay poet, 
consulting the taste of his nation, looks upon verbal melody as the 
great aim of his art. With a language essentially musical, and which, 
having grown under the influence of this tastg, so abounds in melo¬ 
dious expressions and combinations of sounds, that a Malay must 
almost perforce speak in numbers, the poet finds no difficulty in 
giving beauty to the simplest idea. Add to this that all poems are 
. sung or chanted, and that there are numerous 'fl ords and expressions 
which, being used only for poetical purposes, always convey a poetic*! 
