Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho Japfu lantyulo ho epyu kalamo?
(Will you creep on all-fours up to Japfu on the height?)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho nthang tera Rishamo.
(Ho for Rishamo as handsome in the eyes of Rensali as a red flower
for the ear.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho panka tera ’Nseno.
(Ho for ’Nseno, no longer young, like a withered flower for the ear
that looks best at a distance.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho okap echü Rensali.
(Ho for Rensali who keeps her love for Rishamo so carefully
hidden.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho woro kurri Yanchano.
(Ho for Yanchano as bald as a chicken.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho juzü kurri ’Nrio, penching chenpen ’Nrio.
(Ho for ’Nrio with ugly curled hair like a buffalo’s forehead,
’Nrio as black as pounded oil-seed.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho Kikung loroe Tsensolo.
(Ho for Tsensolo, fair woman of the Kikung clan.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho Kithang tyengro Mangsamo.
(Ho for Mangsamo, buck of the Kithang clan, who stole Tsensolo from
her husband.)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho yantsowotsenle ho woro nungratoksi.
(What did it matter if you paid a fine? The money, not Tsensolo,
had the pain of parting from you.)
Ho senka tehrru nikhioalo, sithesiyu nikhioato?
(You are barren and useless as a wife. Did he take you to make of
you a post for his house or rafters perhaps?)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho ntithana nirhanchoato ho yanaloio?
(Why did he marry you, woman?)
Ho holo iye hele,
Ho holo iye hele.
The recruiting of the Lhotas for the Naga Labour Corps, and their
service in France and return have been celebrated in song at Pangti. A
free translation of the song runs as follows.