Last
And at last herald the day flower of my soul
behind this dismal night. And I shall feel on my
If you needst crimson to brow, beneath the cold
tinge thy dawn, tomb,
Farewell Shed my blood, pour it in The flow of thy tenderness,
the hour of need, the warmth of thy breath.
With it I give thee a
By Dr. Jose Rizal; Let the moon watch me
likeness of thy own light.
Translated by with soft tranquil light,
Bernardino Owano My dreams, even in early Let the dawn send its
adolescence, swiftly fleeting brightness,
Farewell, adored My dreams, in youth, then Let the wind moan its
Fatherland, the sun’s overflowing with vigor, solemn murmurs,
beloved clime, Were one day, to see thee, And if a bird descends and
Pearl of the Orient seas, gem of the Orient seas, on my cross alights,
our lost Paradise; Dry they ebony eyes, hold Let the bird sing its
Gladly now I give thee this thy brow serene, canticle of peace!
faded, languid life: Without frowns, without
If it were brighter, fresher, Let the burning sun
furrows, nor stigma of
or more blest evaporate the rains,
shame.
Still would I give it thee; I In the sky let them turn
would give it for thy sake. The dreams of my life, my pure with my pursuing
ardent, living desire, anguish;
On the fields of battle, Hail to thee! greets the Let a friendly soul weep
madly struggling with soul which hurriedly over my untimely end,
frenzy, departs, And in the still evenings,
Others give thee their Hail to thee! oh, how when someone prays for
lives, without doubts, lovely to fall that thou me,
without regrets; mayest rise, Pray too, oh Fatherland,
The place matters not; To die to give thee life, to that in God I rest!
cypress, laurel or lily, die underneath thy skies,
Scaffold or open country, Pray for all who died
And to sleep all eternity in
combat or cruel without happiness,
thy enchanted earth!
martyrdom, For all those who perished
All are alike if needed by If over my tomb, one day in unequaled torments,
home and country. thou seest grow, For our unhappy mothers
Amidst dense weeds, a who moan in bitterness,
I die as I see dawn simple, humble flower, For orphans and widows,
brighten the sky, Draw it to thy lips, ’tis the for tortured prisoners,
and pray for thee, that My idolized Country, grief
thou mayest see thy of my griefs,
liberty! Beloved Philippines, hear
now my last farewell!
And when at night the
Here I leave thee all: my
graveyard is wrapped in
parents, my loved ones,
darkness,
I go whither there are no
And only, only the dead
slaves, tyrants or
remain there keeping
oppressors,
watch,
Where faith never kills,
Disturb not its peace,
where God alone Reigns.
disturb not the mystery,
Perhaps thou mayest hear Farewell, parents and
a zither or a rosary: brothers, torn from my
‘Tis I beloved Country, I, own soul.
who sing unto thee! Friends of my childhood
days in our home
And when alas! my tomb,
dispossessed,
forgotten by all,
Be grateful that I rest from
Has neither cross nor stone
the wearisome day!
to mark its place,
Farewell to thee, sweet
Let men plow it, let be
stranger, my friend, my
scatter with spade,
happiness!
And my remains, before
Farewell, beloved
they return to nothingness,
creatures all! to die is to
May they form the dust of
rest!
thy earthly floor . . .
Then it matters not if I am
consigned to oblivion,
In the air, through thy
space,
over thy vales shall I fly,
Vibrant and distinct sound
shall I be to thy ears;
Fragrance, light, rainbow,
murmur, song, groaning,
Constantly repeat the
essence of my faith.
