Info
This song, also known as Chinsagu nu Hana, has been designated as Okinawa’s favorite song. (source) It speaks of Confucian values, such as honoring the wisdom of the ancestors. It also mentions the old tradition of children staining their fingernails with the sap from balsam flowers to ward off evil. (source) Though several sources assert that this song is based on the unique-to-Okinawa Ryukyu scale (5 tones: dmfst), (source) every version I have found includes re in the melody. Perhaps an earlier version omits re?
Transliteration
(Folk song from Okinawa, Japan)
Tinsagu nu hana ya
Chimisachi ni sumiti
Uya nu yushigutu ya
Chimu ni sumiri
Tin nu muribushi ya
Yumiba yumarishi ga
Uya nu yushigutu ya
Yumiyanaran
Yuru harasu funi ya
Ninufabushi miati
Wan nacheru uya ya
Wan du miati
Takaradama yati n
Migakaniba sabisu
Asayu chimu migachi
Uchi yu watara
Makutu suru hitu ya
Atu ya ichi madi n
Umukutu n kanati
Chiyu nu sakai
Nashiba nangutu n
Nayurugutu yashi ga
Nasanu yui kara du
Naranu sadami
English Translation - Balsam Flowers
Just as my fingernails
Are stained with the pigment from balsam flowers
My heart is painted
With the teachings of my parents
Although the stars in the sky
Are countable
The teachings of my parents
Are not
Just as ships that run in the night
Are guided to safety by the North Star
I am guided by my parents
Who gave birth to me and watch over me
There’s no point in possessing magnificent jewelry
If you don’t maintain it
People who maintain their bodies
Will live life wonderfully
The desires of the person who lives sincerely
Will always run true
And as a result
She will prosper
You can do anything
If you try
But you can’t
If you don’t
Okinawan - てぃんさぐぬ花
てぃんさぐぬ花や
爪先に染みてぃ
親ぬゆし事や
肝に染みり
天ぬ群星や
読みば読まりしが
親ぬゆし言や
読みやならん
夜走らす舟や
子ぬ方星見当てぃ
我ん生ちぇる親や
我んどぅ見当てぃ
宝玉やてぃん
磨かにば錆す
朝夕肝磨ち
浮世渡ら
誠する人や
後や何時迄ん
思事ん叶てぃ
千代ぬ栄い
なしば何事ん
なゆる事やしが
なさぬ故からどぅ
ならぬ定み
See also
- Country: Japan (Okinawa)
- Subjects: family / flowers
- Harmony: I, ii, IV, V
- Scale: hexatonic
- Tones: t,drmfstdr
- Info about the song
- Standard Japanese lyrics
YouTube
- PDF of song with chords
- MIDI file
- Listen to the melody
