Serat Kalatidha and The Local Wisdom of Java (By R. Ng. Ranggawarsito)

Most people, especially the Javanese literary enthusiasts, know and familiar with this poem, many people says that this poem is not just a literary work but a teaching of life's, even, part of them believe that the serat Kalatidha a predictions about the future. Was written by Raden Ngabehi (R. Ng) Ranggawarsito (1802-1873), one of the most popular Poet in Java, have a 12 verses with Song Macapat model in Sinom metrum.

Many people has memorize the 7th verse of the poem's, some of them thought, this verse is at the core of the teachings and forms of divination of the poet, the quote of the verse is as follows : 

Amênangi jaman edan

ewuh āyā ing pambudi

yen tan mèlu anglakoni

boyā kaduman melik

kalirên wêkasanipun

Ndilalah karsā Allah

begjā-begjane kang lali

luwih begjā kang eling lawan waspādā

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Living in a crazy times,

doing everything is awry,

if not following to do,

not getting anything,

starved eventually ,

fortunately if God’s wants,

as lucky as men’s forgetting,

wide-awake men are luckier.

However, this poem is not just a 7th stanza, but among other citations also contain teachings that are also very meaningful for life, let's try to read the other quote as follows :

Ikhtiyar iku yekti
Pamilihing reh rahayu
Sinambi budidaya
Kanthi awas lawan eling
Kanthi kaesthi antuka parmaning"
__________ 

effort is a necessity
to choosing the best 
while on trying
also have to be careful and vigilant
in order to obtain the grace of God 

....... to be continued ... :)