Sarah bobo

'Nina bobo' translates as 'go to sleep, Nina' (Nina is a child's name). 'Nina bobo' might be translated by some as 'lullaby' because it's THE quintessential lullaby in Indonesia but 'bobo' or 'bobok' is children's language for 'to sleep'. In adult Indonesian it is 'tidur'.

 

Padma's Indonesian friend Flora dropped off her four-month-old baby Sarah so she and her husband could go and see the The Hobbit movie. Just as well The Hobbit was only three hours long because after singing 'Nina bobo' to little Sarah a dozen times, my vocal chords just about had it.

Nina bobo,	Go to sleep, Nina
oh, Nina bobo,	oh, go to sleep, Nina
kalau tidak bobo,	If you don't sleep
digigit nyamuk.	the mosquito will bite.
Adik sayang,	Dear brother/sister
adikku sayang	My dear brother/sister
tidurlah tidur	Sleep oh, sleep
dalam buaian.	In the cradle.

For the rest of the afternoon it was 'Peter bobo'!