Here is a sample of my translation - from Burmese to English

This is a translation I did for the Aungzay Institute
Source: www.aungzay.org

The author, U Pho Hlaing was in effect the king’s principal advisor on foreign affairs. He was not a royal interpreter as some have written. He spoke to foreign envoys through an interpreter and acted as the King’s advisor. He was also associated with the movement to modernize the kingdom by establishing a constitutional monarchy that would limit the powers of the monarch in the interest of the kingdom. From the various proposals that U Pho Hlaing made in his book, I could really commend him for the courage he had to make these reforms in the first place. During a time when Burmese kings were lords of life and death, any proposal that did not please the king could have meant certain death. He was in fact sent to jail for a brief period but he was finally released and all his titles and privileges restored. At one time he met death face to face and had the courage to stand up to King Mindon himself.

Mhawbi Saya Thein recorded in his notes that at one time U Pho Hlaing recited the following verse to King Mindon in relation to an incident that occurred at the court. “Giving sisters, younger, elder Including one’s own daughter even, Giving presents to curry favor, Devoid of courage and knowledge. This type of minister, if he comes to power Will be the reason of the state’s decline.” The meaning of the verse was that if there were certain ministers in the kingdom who were bribing the king by presenting their sisters and daughters to win the king’s favor without having any knowledge or learning, that would be the cause for the destruction of the kingdom. This made the king furious and pulling out his spear, threatened to kill U Pho Hlaing on the spot. U Pho Hlaing stood up and proudly pushing forth his chest, asked the king to strike with the spear. The king did not wish to kill him so he silently went into his chamber. His colleagues asked him why he would wish to risk his life in this manner. U Pho Hlaing replied that all ministers at the court had the duty to say what they believed was right even if it meant death.

The word “amat” means in Burmese “straight forward”. U Pho Hlaing even recommended in his book that the king set up a bank where all the money of the kingdom should be kept with proper accounts; he advised the king that in the appointment of ministers and court officials, the appointments should be made according to merit; he recommended that the laws should be made only after careful deliberations had been made by the ministers of the Hluttaw; he also recommended that the king and his royal family should be paid a set amount for their personal expenses and that the king should not dip into the state coffers even if he wanted to donate to the Shanga or the pagodas. This last recommendation did not go well with Queen Supayalat who was King Thibaw’s chief queen. Now that I have made you, the reader interested in this book, let us see who U Pho Hlaing (background )was. U Maung Htin wrote in his book “Raja Dhamma Thingaha Kyan” that U Pho Hlaing was born during the reign of King Bagyidaw, the fourth founder of Ratanapura, in the year of the Burmese era 1191 (10th day of the new moon of Hnaung Tagu, on a Friday) to Yenangyaung Myosa, Yindaw Wungyi, Thado Minhla Kyaw Htin and Mae Nyein. His place of birth was in a village called Ywa Palei, Upper Taloke Myo village tract, Myingyan Township.

As a youngster he was called Maung Po Hlaing but his pet name was Maung Hlaing. His ancestors were officials of the Burmese court. King Bagyidaw had a minister called Shwepyi Wun Letwe Windaw Hmu. The son-in-law of this minister was a court clerk. This court clerk had a son. King Bagyidaw looked after the son of this court clerk and made him one of his close comrades and gave him the position of Sitthugyi with the title of Thadoe Minhla Kyaw Htin. This Sitthugyi was also known as the Yindaw Wungyi. The son of this Yindaw Wungyi was U Po Hlaing. U Po Hlaing also received the title of Letwe Windaw Hmu just like his great-grandfather. He was also a close comrade of King Mindon. Thus U Pho Hlaing was a close comrade of three Kings and he took great pride of this fact.