WRITINGS

OF

JOSE RIZAL

Sa Aking Mga Kabata

Kapagka ang baya’y sadyáng umiibigSa kanyáng salitáng kaloob ng langit,Sanglang kalayaan nasa ring masapitKatulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagka’t ang salita’y isang kahatulanSa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharián,

At ang isáng tao’y katulad, kabagayNg alin mang likha noong kalayaán.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salitâMahigit sa hayop at malansáng isdâ,Kayâ ang marapat pagyamaning kusàNa tulad sa ináng tunay na nagpalà.

Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa LatinSa Inglés, Kastilà at salitang anghel,

Sapagka’t ang Poong maalam tumingínAng siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita nati’y huwad din sa ibaNa may alfabeto at sariling letra,

Na kaya nawalá’y dinatnan ng sigwâAng lunday sa lawà noóng dakong una.

To my Fellow Youth

If a nation’s people certainly loveTheir gift of language bestowed by heaven,

So too will they regain their pawned freedomAs the bird that flies in the sky.

For language is a measure of worthOf nations, towns, and kingdoms,And each person alike, deservesThat of any creation born free.

One who does not treasure his own languageis worse than a beast and putrid fish,

Thus it should be nurtured gladlyAs our mothers nurtured us.

The language Tagalog is like Latin,Like English, Spanish, and the language of angels

For it was the Lord, in his wisdomWho bestowed it, who gave it to us.

This language is like that of others,With their own alphabet and their own characters,But vanished as if a sudden storm had come upon

A boat in a lake in an age long past.

INTIMATE ALLIANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND GOOD EDUCATION

(Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion, 1876)

As the climbing ivy over lefty elm

Creeps tortuously, together the adornment

Of the verdant plain, embellishing

Each other and together growing,

But should the kindly elm refuse its aid

The ivy would impotent and friendless wither

So is Education to Religion

By spiritual alliance bound.

Through Religion, Education gains renown, and

Woe to the impious mind that blindly spurning

The sapient teachings of Religion, this

Unpolluted fountain-head forsakes.

As the sprout, growing from the pompous vine,

Proudly offers us its honeyed clusters

While the generous and loving garment

Feeds its roots; so the fresh’ning waters

Of celestial virtue give new life

To Education true, shedding

On it warmth and light; because of them

The vine smells sweet and gives delicious fruit.

Without Religion, Human Education

Is like unto a vessel struck by winds

Which, sore beset, is of its helm deprived

By the roaring blows and buffets of the dread

Tempestuous Boreas, who fiercely wields

His power until he proudly sends her down

Into the deep abysses of the angered sea.

As the heaven’s dew the meadow feeds and strengthens

So that blooming flowers all the earth

Embroider in the days of spring; so also

If Religion holy nourishes

Education with its doctrines, she

Shall walk in joy and generosity

Toward the Good, and everywhere bestrew

The fragrant and luxuriant fruits of Virtue.

My Last Farewell

Farewell, my adored Land, region of the sun caressed, Pearl of the Orient Sea, our Eden lost,

With gladness I give you my Life, sad and repressed;And were it more brilliant, more fresh and at its best,

I would still give it to you for your welfare at most.

On the fields of battle, in the fury of fight,Others give you their lives without pain or hesitancy,The place does not matter: cypress laurel, lily white,

Scaffold, open field, conflict or martyrdom's site,It is the same if asked by home and Country.

I die as I see tints on the sky b'gin to showAnd at last announce the day, after a gloomy night;

If you need a hue to dye your matutinal glow,Pour my blood and at the right moment spread it so,And gild it with a reflection of your nascent light! 

My dreams, when scarcely a lad adolescent,My dreams when already a youth, full of vigor to attain,

Were to see you, gem of the sea of the Orient,Your dark eyes dry, smooth brow held to a high plane

Without frown, without wrinkles and of shame without stain.

My life's fancy, my ardent, passionate desire,Hail! Cries out the soul to you, that will soon part from thee;

Hail! How sweet 'tis to fall that fullness you may acquire;To die to give you life, 'neath your skies to expire,And in your mystic land to sleep through eternity!

If over my tomb some day, you would see blow,A simple humble flow'r amidst thick grasses,Bring it up to your lips and kiss my soul so,

And under the cold tomb, I may feel on my brow,Warmth of your breath, a whiff of your tenderness.

Let the moon with soft, gentle light me descry,Let the dawn send forth its fleeting, brilliant light,

In murmurs grave allow the wind to sigh,And should a bird descend on my cross and alight,

Let the bird intone a song of peace o'er my site.

Let the burning sun the raindrops vaporizeAnd with my clamor behind return pure to the sky;

Let a friend shed tears over my early demise;And on quiet afternoons when one prays for me on high,

Pray too, oh, my Motherland, that in God may rest I.

Pray thee for all the hapless who have died,For all those who unequalled torments have undergone;

For our poor mothers who in bitterness have cried;For orphans, widows and captives to tortures were shied,

And pray too that you may see your own redemption.

And when the dark night wraps the cemet'ryAnd only the dead to vigil there are left alone,

Don't disturb their repose, don't disturb the mystery:If you hear the sounds of cittern or psaltery,

It is I, dear Country, who, a song t'you intone.

And when my grave by all is no more remembered,With neither cross nor stone to mark its place,

Let it be plowed by man, with spade let it be scatteredAnd my ashes ere to nothingness are restored,

Let them turn to dust to cover your earthly space.

Then it doesn't matter that you should forget me:Your atmosphere, your skies, your vales I'll sweep;

Vibrant and clear note to your ears I shall be:Aroma, light, hues, murmur, song, moanings deep,

Constantly repeating the essence of the faith I keep.

My idolized Country, for whom I most gravely pine,Dear Philippines, to my last goodbye, oh, harken

There I leave all: my parents, loves of mine,I'll go where there are no slaves, tyrants or hangmen

Where faith does not kill and where God alone does reign.

Farewell, parents, brothers, beloved by me,Friends of my childhood, in the home distressed;

Give thanks that now I rest from the wearisome day;Farewell, sweet stranger, my friend, who brightened my way;

Farewell, to all I love. To die is to rest.

HYMN OF LABOR

For the Motherland in war,For the Motherland in peace,Will the Filipino keep watch,

He will live until life will cease!

MEN:

Now the East is glowing with light,Go! To the field to till the land,For the labour of man sustainsFam'ly, home and Motherland.Hard the land may turn to be,

Scorching the rays of the sun above...For the country, wife and children

All will be easy to our love.

(Chorus)WIVES:

Go to work with spirits high,For the wife keeps home faithfully,

Inculcates love in her childrenFor virtue, knowledge and country.When the evening brings repose,

On returning joy awaits you,And if fate is adverse, the wife,Shall know the task to continue.

(Chorus)MAIDENS :

Hail! Hail! Praise to labour,Of the country wealth and vigor!

For it brow serene's exalted,It's her blood, life, and ardor.

If some youth would show his loveLabor his faith will sustain :

Only a man who struggles and worksWill his offspring know to maintain.

(Chorus)

CHILDREN:

Teach, us ye the laborious workTo pursue your footsteps we wish,

For tomorrow when country calls usWe may be able your task to finish.

And on seeing us the elders will say :"Look, they're worthy 'f their sires of yore!"

Incense does not honor the deadAs does a son with glory and valor.

THROUGH EDUCATION OUR MOTHERLAND RECEIVES LIGHT

The vital breath of prudent EducationInstills a virtue of enchanting power;

She lifts the motherland to highest stationAnd endless dazzling glories on her shower.

And as the zephyr's gentle exhalationRevives the matrix of the fragrant flower,So education multiplies her gifts of grace;

With prudent hand imparts them to the human race.

For her a mortal-man will gladly partWith all he has; will give his calm repose;For her are born all science and all art,

That brows of men with laurel fair enclose.As from the towering mountain's lofty heartThe purest current of the streamlet flows,

So education without stint or measure givesSecurity and peace to lands in which she lives.

Where Education reigns on lofty seatYouth blossoms forth with vigor and agility;

He error subjugates with solid feet,And is exalted by conceptions of nobility.

She breaks the neck of vice and its deceit;Black crime turns pale at Her hostility;

The barbarous nations She knows how to tame,From savages creates heroic fame.

And as the spring doth sustenance bestowOn all the plants, on bushes in the mead,

Its placid plenty goes to overflowAnd endlessly with lavish love to feed

The banks by which it wanders, gliding slow,Supplying beauteous nature's every need;

So he who prudent Education doth procureThe towering heights of honor will secure.

From out his lips the water, crystal pure,Of perfect virtue shall not cease to go.

With careful doctrines of his faith made sure,

The powers of evil he will overthrow,Like foaming waves that never long endure,

But perish on the shore at every blow;And from his good example other men shall learn

Their upward steps toward the heavenly paths to turn.

Within the breast of wretched humankindShe lights the living flame of goodness bright;

The hands of fiercest criminal doth bind;And in those breasts will surely pour delight

Which seek her mystic benefits to find,Those souls She sets aflame with love of right.

It is a noble fully-rounded EducationThat gives to life its surest consolation.

And as the mighty rock aloft may towerAbove the center of the stormy deep

In scorn of storm, or fierce Sou'wester's power,Or fury of the waves that raging seep,

Until, their first mad hatred spent, they cower,And, tired at last, subside and fall asleep, --

So he that takes wise Education by the hand,Invincible shall guide the reigns of motherland.

On sapphires shall his service be engraved,A thousand honors to him by his land be granted:For in their bosoms will his noble sons have saved

Luxuriant flowers his virtue had transplanted:And by the love of goodness ever lived,

The lords and governors will see implantedTo endless days, the Christian Education,Within their noble, faith-enrapture nation.

And as in early morning we beholdThe ruby sun pour forth resplendent rays;And lovely dawn her scarlet and her gold,Her brilliant colors all about her sprays;So skillful noble Teaching doth unfold

To living minds the joy of virtuous ways.She offers our dear motherland the lightThat leads us to immortal glory's height.

TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH

Hold high your faultless brow,Filipino youth, on this day grand!

Shine forth resplendent now,In gallant glory stand,

Handsome home of my motherland!

Radiant Genius, arise!Make thy noblest dreams his own;Catch his mind in keen surprise;Swifter than by tempest blown

Sweep him up to glory's throne!

Descend, O youth, -- the lovely lightOf art and science in your train; --

On life's arena, smiteAnd break the heavy chain

Where long your pinioned poetry hath lain.

Behold how, on this ardent zoneWhere shadows dwell, the Spaniard's hand,

So wise and pious grown,Confers a garland grand

Upon the youth of our fair Indian land!

O you, who now aspiring riseOn fancy's gifted wings

From Mount Olympus to the skies,While Poetry more sweetly sings

Than any sweetness nectar ever brings.

Ye rivals of the nightingaleWho carol some celestial layBeneath the night moon pale,

And by the tune you playDrive bitter mortal pain away.

All ye who hold the power to freeThose sorely grieved, by your charm'd word,

And fix in their fond memory,That by your genius is stirred,

The immortal thought that ye have heard.

And ye who Phoebus' charms expose,

That stole divine Apollo's heart;And borrowing from nature's clothes,

With artist's magic art,On linen canvas portray every part.

                                                                                                                               O hasten! See whose sacred flameOf genius will be laurel crowned;

And hear what moral name,While trumpet peals resound,

Around the whole wide world will be renowned!

O blessed day and hour,Beloved Filipinas, for your land,

Thanks to the mighty PowerWhich, with loving hand,

This venture and this consolation planned

A la Educacion(To Education)

That goddess of garnered ages that sowsFor flowers of virtue perennial seeds,

As upward dispensing her light she goes,Hand fast the fatherland, too, she leads.

The breath of her quickening summons she blowsLike winds that bear life to the blossomless meads,

And Wisdom along her pathway uprisingsAnd Hope is revived in new bourgeoning

Wherever her gleaming white throne may arise,There with bared brow from the glance of her eyes,

Larger and luminous made with Truth;Vice before her cowering lies,

Pallid and hurtles, with Crime the uncouth.For she has a magic all potent to makeWild nations tamest for her sweet sake.

Where misery sits in its darkness and need,Behold her lighting the living flame;

She fetters the filching fingers of Greed,Gives joy for sorrow and honour for shame.Who takes to his heart her uttermost creed

Makes nobler his life and loftier his aim,And hers is the cool and dexterous art

That heals the old hurts in the generous heart.The lighthouse stands on the eternal rock

By the storm-harried seas oft beaten and battered;The hurricane bellows, the mad waves shock –

On its stir less walls they rise and are shattered.So with this goddess it is, whose light

Ill cannot dim through the stormiest night.