"A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA" ("TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH") - JOSE RIZAL (1879)

 

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"A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA" (1879) was the award-winning poem Rizal wrote at age 18. A youthful call, full of idealism, for love of the homeland.

Fast forward, JR would be sadly disappointed; at the very least.

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A la juventud filipina

¡Alza su tersa frente,
Juventud Filipina, en este día!
¡Luce resplandeciente
Tu rica gallardía,
Bella esperanza de la patria mía!

Vuela, genio grandioso,
Y les infunde noble pensamiento,
Que lance vigoroso,
Más rápido que el viento,
Su mente virgen al glorioso asiento.

Baja con la luz grata
De las artes y ciencias a la arena,
Juventúd, y desata
La pesada cadena
Que tu genio poético encadena.

Ve que en la ardiente zona
Do moraron las sombras, el hispano
Esplendente corona,
Con pía sabia mano,
Ofrece al hijo de este suelo indiano.

Tú, que buscando subes,
En alas de tu rica fantasía,
Del Olimpo en las nubes
Tiernisima poesía
Más sabrosa que néctar y ambrosía.

Tú, de celeste acento,
Melodioso rival Filomena,
Que en variado concento
En la noche serena
Disipas del mortal la amarga pena.

Tú que la peña dura
Animas al impulso de tu mente,
Y la memoria pura
Del genio refulgente
Eternizas con genio prepotente.

Y tú, que el vario encanto
De Febo, amado del divino Apeles,
Y de natura el manto
Con mágicos pinceles
Trasladar al sencillo lienzo sueles.

¡Corred! que sacra llama
Del genio el lauro coronar espera,
Esparciendo la fama
Con trompa pregonera
El nombre del mortal por la ancha espera.

¡Día, día felice,
Filipinas gentil, para tu suelo!
¡Al Potente bendice
Que con amante anhelo
La ventura te envia y el consuelo!

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        A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA

¡Alza su tersa frente,
Juventud Filipina, en este día!
¡Luce resplandeciente
Tu rica gallardía,
Bella esperanza de la Patria Mía!

Vuela, genio grandioso,
Y les infunde noble pensamiento,
Que lance vigoroso,
Mas rápido que el viento,
Su mente virgen al glorioso asiento.

Baja con la luz grata
De las artes y ciencias a la arena,
Juventud, y desata
La pesada cadena
Que tu genio poético encadena.

Ve que en la ardiente zona
Do moraron las sombras, el hispano
Esplendente corona,
Con pía sabia mano,
Ofrece al hijo de este suelo indiano.

Tú, que buscando subes,
En alas de tu rica fantasía,
Del Olimpo en las nubes
Tiernísima poesía
Mas sabrosa que néctar y ambrosía

Tú, de celeste acento,
Melodioso rival Filomena,
Que en variado concento
En la noche serena
Disipas del mortal la amarga pena.

Tú que la pena dura
Animas al impulso de tu mente ,
Y la memoria pura
Del genio refulgente
Eternizas con genio prepotente.

Y tú, que el vario encanto
De Febo, amado del divino Apeles,
Y de natura el manto
Con mágicos pinceles
Trasladar al sencillo lienzo sueles.

¡Corred! que sacra llama
Del genio el lauro coronar espera,
Esparciendo la Fama
Con trompa pregonera
El nombre del mortal por la ancha espera.

¡Día, día feliz,
Filipinas gentil, para tu suelo!
Al Potente bendice
Que con amante anhelo
La ventura te envía y el consuelo.

José Rizal y Alonso

Source: https://es.wikisource.org/wiki/A_la_juventud_filipina






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TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH" - (I used Google Translate, 11/29/2020)

Lift up his smooth forehead,

Filipino Youth, on this day!

Look resplendent

Your rich gallantry,

Beautiful hope of my country!

Fly, great genius,

And it infuses them with noble thought,

What a vigorous cast,

Faster than the wind

Your virgin mind to the glorious seat.

Come down with the pleasant light

From arts and sciences to sand,

Youth, and unleash

The heavy chain

That your poetic genius chains.

See that in the burning zone

The shadows dwelt, the Hispanic

Splendid crown,

With a pious wise hand,

Offer the son of this Indian soil.

You, looking up you go up,

On the wings of your rich fantasy

Of Olympus in the clouds

Very cute poetry

More tasty than nectar and ambrosia.

You, with a blue accent,

Melodious rival Filomena,

That in varied concento

In the serene night

You dispel the bitter grief from mortal man.

You that the rock lasts

You encourage the impulse of your mind,

And pure memory

Of the effulgent genius

You eternalize with an arrogant temper.

And you, that the various charm

Of Phoebus, beloved of the divine Apelles,

And of nature the mantle

With magic brushes

Transfer to the plain canvas you sole.

Run! what a sacred name

Of the genius the laurel crown waits,

Spreading the fame

With proclamation horn

The name of the mortal for the wide wait.

Day, happy day,

Gentle Philippines, for your soil!

Bless the Powerful

That with a lover I long

Fortune sends you and consolation!

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"TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH" - Translation by Charles E. Derbyshire

Hold high the brow serene, O youth, where now you stand; Let the bright sheen Of your grace be seen, Fair hope of my fatherland! Come now, thou genius grand, And bring down inspiration; With thy mighty hand, Swifter than the wind's violation, Raise the eager mind to higher station. Come down with pleasing light Of art and science to the fight, O youth, and there untie The chains that heavy lie, Your spirit free to blight. See how in flaming zone Amid the shadows thrown, The Spaniard'a holy hand A crown's resplendent band Proffers to this Indian land. Thou, who now wouldst rise On wings of rich emprise, Seeking from Olympian skies Songs of sweetest strain, Softer than ambrosial rain; Thou, whose voice divine Rivals Philomel's refrain And with varied line Through the night benign Frees mortality from pain; Thou, who by sharp strife Wakest thy mind to life ; And the memory bright Of thy genius' light Makest immortal in its strength ; And thou, in accents clear Of Phoebus, to Apelles dear ; Or by the brush's magic art Takest from nature's store a part, To fig it on the simple canvas' length ; Go forth, and then the sacred fire Of thy genius to the laurel may aspire ; To spread around the fame, And in victory acclaim, Through wider spheres the human name. Day, O happy day, Fair Filipinas, for thy land! So bless the Power to-day That places in thy way This favor and this fortune grand ! Translated by Charles Derbyshire