Ethnobotany: "Paslep" (Tempered Steel) 10 Ilocano Verses

           Ethnobotany

Paslep (Tempered Steel)

10 Ilocano Verses

Dr Abe V Rotor*

Ethnobotany of the Itawes of Cagayan by Mamerta Rocero SPC, PhD

Published by University of Santo Tomas and the National Museum, Manila Philippines 

1. Ayatennak pay

No irugita manen?
Ay, papaaweng.
Love the second time around may lack sincerity.

2. Karu-otan
Paggappuan ti uram,
Ken billit tuleng.
Fire warning on a grassy knoll may fall on deaf ear.
(Take heed of potential danger.)

3. Agmulat’ pagay
Inladawanna’t pader,
Nakasapatos pay.
"You can't grow rice on the blackboard." 

(Theory and practice are different. 

Things are easier said than done.)

4. Natartaripato,
Marmargaayan,
Matmatay.
Too much care and too much bounty lead to slow death. 

(Tender trap)

5. Ayat nga nagpayat
Umay, pumanaw,
Agnaed bassit.
Love has wings, it comes but briefly and leaves.

6. Agpilpilika
Ti ayat nga kayatmo,
Freud wenno Plato.
Physical (Freudian) or purist (Platonic) love - it's your choice

7. Burburti: Agpal-pallelang,
Bumab-baba ti init,
Maturog mamen.
A riddle: Acacia, its leaves droop as the sun sets.

8. Pitak ken ling-et
Paslep ti Oktubre
Makasisirap.
"Golden harvest is earned from hard work."

9. Panagipalangip:
Saan mo nga garawen.
Malinlinay.

Never stir rice to hasten its cooking.

10. Aginanan ni Maestro,
Imminum ti Hemlock.
Ballegi!
There is glory in death. (Socrates obligingly faced death clinging to his philosophy that changed the thinking of man. Similarly Rizal's death was victory to Filipinos - and humanity, as a whole.) ~

*Dr Rotor is columnist of Bannawag Ilocano Magazine, Dagiti Tawid a Sirib ken Adal (Our Heritage of Wisdom and Lessons)