Lir-ilir: Javanese song and its meaning

Lir-ilir: Javanese song and its meaning

By DWR Mastuti

JAKARTA (JP): Traditional Javanese songs are more than just
lyrics and rhythm, their words contain the philosophy of life.

When I was young, my parents always sang Lir-ilir. I
understood it only after studying Javanese. I came to love this
song deeply because of its deep meaning.

The song Lir-ilir runs as follows:

"Lir-ilir tandure wis sumilir,

tak ijo royo-royo, tak sengguh temanten anyar,

cah angon-cah angon, penekna blimbing kuwi,

lunyu-lunyu peneken kanggo masuh dodotiro,

dodotiro kumitir bedhah ing pinggire,

domana, jlumatana, kanggo seba mengko sore,

mumpung gedhe rembulane, mumpung jambar kalangane,

yo suraka...surak...hore...

Translated

Lir-ilir the tree is mature,

all green, beautiful and shining like a bridegroom,

herdsman, please climb that blimbing tree,

although the tree is slippery, please climb to

collect the fruit to wash your cloth with,

your dodot is torn at the side,

please sew it in order to call on the king this afternoon,

come on, there's a full moon, and we can make a big circle,

please cheer...cheer...hurry...

You can feel the beauty of this song when you sing it. Most
tembang dolanan (songs sung when children play), like Nini Thowok
and Cublak-cublak Suweng, have philosophical meaning. This
meaning comes from the type of the game itself, which may be
related to the cosmos, super natural events or the environment.

Naturally different interpretations may emerge from differing
points of view. However, the Javanese attach symbolic meaning to
everything. For instance they use symbolism in speech, in the
names of their children and the days of a birth, and give meaning
to each part and function of a coconut tree.

The Javanese answered one of life's mysteries with Lir-ilir.

The phrase Lir-ilir tandure was sumilir means that a man's
soul is awaken to become conscious of God. To be conscious of God
one has to exercise daily and remember food.

By the phrase tak ijo royo-royo tak sengguh temanten anyar, it
is understood that the man follows God with the deep love of a
bridegroom.

Cah angon-cah angon, penekna blimbing kuwi, lunyu-lunyu
penekna, kanggo masuh dodortiro is laden with meaning. Blimbing
(star fruit) may symbolize the cloth as well as the tree itself.
Dodot is also a type of ceremony cloth worn in palace when a
prince visits the king. This part therefore suggests that once a
man has become conscious of God by praying, he has to cleanse his
heart by developing the five qualities of good conduct and
character: non-attachment, acceptance, truthfulness, patience and
high virtue. Lunyu-lunyu peneken means that a man has to obey
God; this may be guided by these five qualities, however
difficult. Just as this cloth (dodot) must be clean, a dying man
should possess a clean heart before presenting himself to God
when he dies.

Dodotira kumitir bedhah penggire, domana jlumatana kanggo seba
mengko sore, explains the dodot as a symbol of the heart and also
as a symbol of faith in God. As the dodot is torn on one side and
has to be sewn, symbolizing an unconscious heart without an
awareness of God, a man without consciousness is not truly
complete. As a man grows older, it becomes more difficult for
him to wear clean clothing, and similarly to develop true
consciousness.

Mangko sore implies that although a man does not know when
death will come, he must be ready to accept God's will.

Mumpung gedhe rembulane, mumpung jembar kalangane is a warning
to man not to waste time in order to be prepared for death. While
young, strong and healthy one should not be impatient to perform
great tasks because such great opportunities are rare and a man
is more often presented with small ones. Therefore one should not
despise these small tasks, for if a man cannot execute easy
tasks, how will it possible for him to accomplish difficult ones?

Suraka...surak...hore... shows that happiness is achieved by
following God's commands.

Today, when Indonesians are overly concerned with industrial
and technological development, and materialism has become king,
there can be no harm in you singing Lir-ilir.

This song reminds us that there is God, the Creator of the
universe. We must take care of our universe; its forests, rivers,
sky, sea and everything in this world which enables us to live.