We hope that by offering them on the World Wide Web, we will preserve the Javanese culture and add in some small way to the philosophical and spiritual discourse of the people. The meaning of these ancient texts is quite naturally the subject of much speculation and debate among scholars. Many passages are famous for their hidden prophecies. Regardless of our attempts to come to terms with their meaning, we have produced a translation that does not attempt to clear up their often-perplexing ambiguity. We recommend that you read and ponder them with an open mind.
Words often have more than one meaning.
It is difficult to translate without forcing an interpretation on the text. However, we will do our best to offer alternate meanings in the footnotes where we feel they are relevant. Keep in mind that it is important to be aware of where we are in a given poem. Context is often a great clue as to their meaning. Finally, to put oneself in the proper disposition to read these Serat Jawis, it is necessary to be peaceful, attentive, clear of mind, body and spirit.