"Rumleuk kun madaiy oeupuk."
"Remember your obligations to your parents."
"Honor your parents as you do the gods." This common Khmer sentiment is rooted in a Buddhist parable about not forgetting "kun" - a kind act or deed for which one owes repayment (a debt of gratitude). A monk explains to a temple visitor that without parents, one cannot be brought into the world to honor the gods in the first place.
The traditional song that is performed is a reminder to the bride of the hardships of raising a child. It is a song of parental duty and fulfillment, which the bride and groom will one day experience for themselves. During this ceremony, the bride holds an umbrella over her mother, a gesture that symbolizes the reversal of the protective role of her parents.
O sweet daughter of mine,
Come out to honor me.
Daughter with the smooth, bright face,
Your mother is waiting
To give you away
And do as tradition says.
While I was heavy with child,
O daughter of mine,
I was so worried --
Food with salt or spice,
I dared not eat.
And when I neared my term,
O daughter of mine,
My body would tremble and shake.
I was afraid I wouldn't cross the waters,
O daughter of mine,
That I wouldn't cross
And reach the other side.
As for your father, he worked so hard
O daughter, he worked day and night,
Without thought for himself.