“What a pity”, not “what a pity”

The player “ignored” and the program’s answer was “muddy water” (The muddy water was washed back to the straw fire rhyme). It is worth noting that this text is incorrect. The two words “tiệt thay” were changed to “thương thay”.

Literally, “pure white rice grains” should be washed with clear water, and the cooking fire should be appropriate (must be cooked with wood and mixed with its fire/coal, not with straw). Yet, that precious, delicious rice grain was washed with “muddy water”, dirty water, “mixed” with smoky, dusty fire/coal, and turned yellow. Folklore refers to good things, good things that are not used properly, falling into the hands of rude people. This sentence is often compared to a beautiful girl marrying a worthless husband. What a waste! This waste should be expressed with the words “what a pity” and not “what a pity”.

A series of similar “regrets” can be cited:

What a pity the eight-grain rice, blown into the copper pot and then poured in eggplant water; What a pity the brocade shirt worn at night/ Fresh salad eaten cold, the boat girl missed her husband; What a pity the basin of clear water/ Letting duckweed and bees drift in; What a pity the gold-covered pot/ Used to measure bran, missed her fate; What a pity the pink silk/ Torn shirt not patched, patched onto a raincoat; What a pity the lim wood tree sunk/ Used as a fence post for the morning glory to climb; What a pity the white-skinned, long-haired man/ Parents sold him to a stupid man; What a pity the cinnamon tree in the middle of the forest/ Letting the Man and Muong climb...

All the above sentences, if we replace “tiệm thay” with “thương thay”, become awkward and meaningless. Even some synonyms such as Hoài canh mai cho Cú perch; Hoài hồng ngam cho chua vốc/ Hoài nhân ngọc cho ngau chơi; If a Cú perches on a mai branch/ Wouldn’t the effort to put on makeup be in vain?,... then “thương thay” here does not mean “thương thay” but “tiệm thay”, what a waste!

So what are the two words "sorry" used for?

When expressing sympathy for the hard, difficult, small, and miserable fates, people begin with the two words "how pitiful":

Pity the fate of the turtle/ On the communal house carrying a crane, under the pagoda carrying a stele; Pity the fate of the wild beast/ Deep rivers and vast seas with thousands of waves; Pity the fate of the silkworm/ In life, how much can it eat, it has to lie down and spin silk/ Pity the tiny ants/ How much can it eat, it has to go out and find food/ Pity the crane hiding in the clouds/ The bird's wings are tired, not knowing when it will stop/ Pity the cuckoo in the sky/ Even if it cries out blood, will anyone hear it!,...

Thus, in the case of the first verse, using the word "tiệt thay" is more accurate, expressing the subtle meaning and meaning of folklore.

Hoang Trinh Son (Contributor)

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tiec-thay-khong-phai-nbsp-thuong-thay-245300.htm