台語 (Taiwanese)
樹懶趖
看我佇樹頂，歸工無振動
食彼臭青仔葉，無人欲痟望
逐家趕時間，我的速度比毛蟲
怹凊采一躘，我著爬甲面紅紅
人笑樹懶有夠趖，野獸欲咬敢有所在逃？
毋知阮的慢動作，怹想欲食嘛揣我無
歸工佇樹枝倒吊，樹葉咧喙慢慢仔哺
自然演化百萬年，阮是最𠢕覕的老道
怹遐臭彈哇𠢕走，三步做一步咧誇口
時間對我無重要，啥人講恁按呢才是𠢕
囂俳的臭屁咧吼，毋知敵人早咧等候
不如我袂振袂動，樹頂盹龜真正巧
看人痟錢痟名痟查某，甘願結枷鎖
毋願綴人奔波，因為生命有足濟條路
快樂靠自己創作，名利毋是全部
一步一斟酌啊趖，是我的手路
比速度我毋恁𠢕，任恁笑無路用的跤梢
拚命咧盲從，綴流行嘛會洘流
毋是我無咧信篤，是運途猶袂到
不如學樹懶趖，一步一跤印才是巧
我欲像樹懶趖，揣樹仔睏中晝……
台語羅馬 (Taiwanese-Roman)
Tshiū-lám sô
Khuànn guá tī tshiū-tíng, kui-kang bô tín-tāng
Chia̍h he tshàu-tshenn-á-hio̍h, bô-lâng bue̍h siau-bāng
Ta̍k-ke kuánn sî-kan, guá ê sòo-tōo pí môo-thâng
In tshìn-tshái tshit-liòng, guá tio̍h-ài pê kah bīn-âng-âng
Lâng tshiò tshiū-lám ū-kàu sô, iá-siū bue̍h kā kám ū sóo-tsāi tôo?
M̄-tsai gún ê bān tōng-tsok, in siūnn bue̍h tsia̍h mā tshuē guá bô
Kui-kang tī tshiū-ki tò-tiàu, tshiū-hio̍h tsāi tshuì bān-bān-á pôo
Tsū-jiân ián-huà pah-bān nî, gún sī siōng gâu bih ê lóu-tōo
In hia tshàu-tuānn uá gâu tsáu, sann-pōo tsò tshit-pōo lih khoa-kháu
Sî-kan tuì guá bô-tiòng-iàu, siánn-lâng kóng lín an-ne tsiah-sī gâu
Hiau-phái ê tshàu-phuì leh-háu, m̄-tsai ti̍k-jîn tsá leh tán-hāu
Put-jû guá bē tín bē tāng, tshiū-tíng tuh-ku tsin-tsiànn khiáu
Khuànn lâng siau tsînn siau bîng siau tsa-bóo, kam-uān kiat ka-só
M̄-uān tuè lâng pun-pho, in-uī sènn-miā ū tsiok tsē tiâu lōo
Khuài-lo̍k khò tsū-kí tshòng-tsok, bîng-lī m̄-sī tsuân-pōo
Tshit-pōo tshit tsim-tshio̍h-á sô, sī guá ê tshiú-lōo
Pí sòo-tōo guá bô lín gâu, jīm lín tshiò bô-lōo-iōng ê kha-siau
Piànn-miā lih bâng-tsiông, tuè liû-hîng mā ē khó-lâu
M̄-sī guá bô leh sìn-tau, sī ūn-tôo á buē kàu
Put-jû o̍h tshiū-lám sô, tshit-pōo tshit kha-ìn tsiah-sī khiáu
Guá bue̍h tshiūnn tshiū-nán sô, tshuē tshiū-á khùn-tiòng-tàu...
English Companion Poem
The Sloth’s Amble
High up in the branches, still and still I stay,
Chewing bitter leaves that no one wants today.
While everyone rushes, I move slower than a worm,
They leap with a bound, while I struggle and squirm.
They laugh at my crawl: "With beasts on the prowl, where will you flee?"
Yet my slow-motion grace leaves them blind in the tree.
Hanging upside down all day, chewing leaves without a care,
A million years of evolution made me a master cloaked in air.
They brag of their speed, leaping three steps in one stride,
But time means nothing to me, who says winning is pride?
They roar and they boast, blind to danger at the gate,
While I sit perfectly still, dozing off, mocking fate.
Chasing money, fame, and lust, they lock their own chain,
But I decline the rat race, for many paths remain.
Joy is born from within; wealth is just a passing view,
Deliberate, step by step, this amble is my breakthrough.
At racing I fail, let them slur the “useless” shame,
Blindly following trends that will fade just the same.
My faith isn’t broken, my tide just hasn’t turned to growth,
True wisdom is leaving real tracks, ambling like the sloth.
Like the sloth, Let me find a perch to nod and doze.