Mi Ultimo Adios (in Three Languages)

Today is Rizal Day. This is my tribute to Rizal's heroism and patriotism.

"Mi último adiós" (English: "My Last Farewell") is a poem written by Filipino propagandist and writer Dr. José Rizal before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896.

The piece was one of the last notes he wrote before his death. Another that he had written was found in his shoe, but because the text was illegible, its contents remain a mystery.

Rizal did not ascribe a title to his poem. Mariano Ponce, his friend and fellow reformist, titled it "Mi último pensamiento" ("My Last Thought") in the copies he distributed, but this did not catch on. Also, the "coconut oil lamp" containing the poem was not delivered to the Rizal's family until after the execution as it was required to light the cell.

Here's his great poem, " Mi Ultimo Adios " in three languages:

SPANISH VERSION (Original)

"Mi último adiós"

The original version by José Rizal

¡Adiós, Patria adorada, región del sol querida,

Perla del mar de oriente, nuestro perdido Edén!

A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida,

Y fuera más brillante, más fresca, más florida,

También por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien.

En campos de batalla, luchando con delirio,

Otros te dan sus vidas sin dudas, sin pesar;

El sitio nada importa, ciprés, laurel o lirio,

Cadalso o campo abierto, combate o cruel martirio,

Lo mismo es si lo piden la patria y el hogar.

Yo muero cuando veo que el cielo se colora

Y al fin anuncia el día tras lóbrego capuz;

si grana necesitas para teñir tu aurora,

Vierte la sangre mía, derrámala en buen hora

Y dórela un reflejo de su naciente luz.

Mis sueños cuando apenas muchacho adolescente,

Mis sueños cuando joven ya lleno de vigor,

Fueron el verte un día, joya del mar de oriente,

Secos los negros ojos, alta la tersa frente,

Sin ceño, sin arrugas, sin manchas de rubor

Ensueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo,

¡Salud te grita el alma que pronto va a partir!

¡Salud! Ah, que es hermoso caer por darte vuelo,

Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo,

Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir.

Si sobre mi sepulcro vieres brotar un día

Entre la espesa yerba sencilla, humilde flor,

Acércala a tus labios y besa al alma mía,

Y sienta yo en mi frente bajo la tumba fría,

De tu ternura el soplo, de tu hálito el calor.

Deja a la luna verme con luz tranquila y suave,

Deja que el alba envíe su resplandor fugaz,

Deja gemir al viento con su murmullo grave,

Y si desciende y posa sobre mi cruz un ave,

Deja que el ave entone su cántico de paz.

Deja que el sol, ardiendo, las lluvias evapore

Y al cielo tornen puras, con mi clamor en pos;

Deja que un ser amigo mi fin temprano llore

Y en las serenas tardes cuando por mí alguien ore,

¡Ora también, oh Patria, por mi descanso a Dios!

Ora por todos cuantos murieron sin ventura,

Por cuantos padecieron tormentos sin igual,

Por nuestras pobres madres que gimen su amargura;

Por huérfanos y viudas, por presos en tortura

Y ora por ti que veas tu redención final.

Y cuando en noche oscura se envuelva el cementerio

Y solos sólo muertos queden velando allí,

No turbes su reposo, no turbes el misterio,

Tal vez acordes oigas de cítara o salterio,

Soy yo, querida Patria, yo que te canto a ti.

Y cuando ya mi tumba de todos olvidada

No tenga cruz ni piedra que marquen su lugar,

Deja que la are el hombre, la esparza con la azada,

Y mis cenizas, antes que vuelvan a la nada,

El polvo de tu alfombra que vayan a formar.

Entonces nada importa me pongas en olvido.

Tu atmósfera, tu espacio, tus valles cruzaré.

Vibrante y limpia nota seré para tu oído,

Aroma, luz, colores, rumor, canto, gemido,

Constante repitiendo la esencia de mi fe.

Mi patria idolatrada, dolor de mis dolores,

Querida Filipinas, oye el postrer adiós.

Ahí te dejo todo, mis padres, mis amores.

Voy donde no hay esclavos, verdugos ni opresores,

Donde la fe no mata, donde el que reina es Dios.

Adiós, padres y hermanos, trozos del alma mía,

Amigos de la infancia en el perdido hogar,

Dad gracias que descanso del fatigoso día;

Adiós, dulce extranjera, mi amiga, mi alegría,

Adiós, queridos seres, morir es descansar.

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ENGLISH VERSION

"My Last Farewell"

The English translation by Encarnacion Alzona & Isidro Escare Abeto

Farewell, beloved Country, treasured region of the sun,

Pearl of the sea of the Orient, our lost Eden!

To you eagerly I surrender this sad and gloomy life;

And were it brighter, fresher, more florid,

Even then I’d give it to you, for your sake alone.

In fields of battle, deliriously fighting,

Others give you their lives, without doubt, without regret;

The place matters not: where there’s cypress, laurel or lily,

On a plank or open field, in combat or cruel martyrdom,

It’s all the same if the home or country asks.

I die when I see the sky has unfurled its colors

And at last after a cloak of darkness announces the day;

If you need scarlet to tint your dawn,

Shed my blood, pour it as the moment comes,

And may it be gilded by a reflection of the heaven’s newly-born light.

My dreams, when scarcely an adolescent,

My dreams, when a young man already full of life,

Were to see you one day, jewel of the sea of the Orient,

Dry those eyes of black, that forehead high,

Without frown, without wrinkles, without stains of shame.

My lifelong dream, my deep burning desire,

This soul that will soon depart cries out: Salud!

To your health! Oh how beautiful to fall to give you flight,

To die to give you life, to die under your sky,

And in your enchanted land eternally sleep.

If upon my grave one day you see appear,

Amidst the dense grass, a simple humble flower,

Place it near your lips and my soul you’ll kiss,

And on my brow may I feel, under the cold tomb,

The gentle blow of your tenderness, the warmth of your breath.

Let the moon see me in a soft and tranquil light,

Let the dawn send its fleeting radiance,

Let the wind moan with its low murmur,

And should a bird descend and rest on my cross,

Let it sing its canticle of peace.

Let the burning sun evaporate the rains,

And with my clamor behind, towards the sky may they turn pure;

Let a friend mourn my early demise,

And in the serene afternoons, when someone prays for me,

O Country, pray to God also for my rest!

Pray for all the unfortunate ones who died,

For all who suffered torments unequaled,

For our poor mothers who in their grief and bitterness cry,

For orphans and widows, for prisoners in torture,

And for yourself pray that your final redemption you’ll see.

And when the cemetery is enveloped in dark night,

And there, alone, only those who have gone remain in vigil,

Disturb not their rest, nor the mystery,

And should you hear chords from a zither or psaltery,

It is I, beloved Country, singing to you.

And when my grave, then by all forgotten,

has not a cross nor stone to mark its place,

Let men plow and with a spade scatter it,

And before my ashes return to nothing,

May they be the dust that carpets your fields.

Then nothing matters, cast me in oblivion.

Your atmosphere, your space and valleys I’ll cross.

I will be a vibrant and clear note to your ears,

Aroma, light, colors, murmur, moan, and song,

Constantly repeating the essence of my faith.

My idolized country, sorrow of my sorrows,

Beloved Filipinas, hear my last good-bye.

There I leave you all, my parents, my loves.

I’ll go where there are no slaves, hangmen nor oppressors,

Where faith doesn’t kill, where the one who reigns is God.

Goodbye, dear parents, brother and sisters, fragments of my soul,

Childhood friends in the home now lost,

Give thanks that I rest from this wearisome day;

Goodbye, sweet foreigner, my friend, my joy;

Farewell, loved ones, to die is to rest.

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FILIPINO / TAGALOG VERSION

"Pahimakas ni Dr. Jose Rizal"

Tagalog translation by Andrés Bonifacio

Pinipintuho kong Bayan ay paalam,

Lupang iniirog ng sikat ng araw,

mutyang mahalaga sa dagat Silangan,

kaluwalhatiang sa ami'y pumanaw.

Masayang sa iyo'y aking idudulot

ang lanta kong buhay na lubhang malungkot;

maging maringal man at labis alindog

sa kagalingan mo ay aking ding handog.

Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis

ang alay ng iba'y ang buhay na kipkip,

walang agam-agam, maluag sa dibdib,

matamis sa puso at di ikahapis.

Saan man mautas ay dikailangan,

cipres o laurel, lirio ma'y patungan

pakikipaghamok, at ang bibitayan,

yaon ay gayon din kung hiling ng Bayan.

Ako'y mamamatay, ngayong namamalas

na sa silinganan ay namamanaag

yaong maligayang araw na sisikat

sa likod ng luksang nagtabing na ulap.

Ang kulay na pula kung kinakailangan

na maitina sa iyong liway-way,

dugo ko'y isabong at siyang ikinang

ng kislap ng iyong maningning na ilaw

Ang aking adhika sapul magkaisip

ng kasalukuyang bata pang maliit,

ay ang tanghaling ka at minsan masilip

sa dagat Silangan hiyas na marikit.

Natuyo ang luhang sa mata'y nunukal,

taas na ang noo't walang kapootan,

walang bakas kunot ng kapighatian

gabahid man dungis niyong kahihiyan.

Sa kabuhayang ko ang laging gunita

maningas na aking ninanasa-nasa

ay guminhawa ka ang hiyas ng diwa

hingang papanaw ngayong biglang-bigla.

pag hingang papanaw ngayong biglang-bigla.

Ikaw'y guminhawa laking kagandahang

akoy malugmok, at ikaw ay matanghal,

hiniga'y malagot, mabuhay ka lamang

bangkay ko'y masilong sa iyong Kalangitan.

Kung sa libingan ko'y tumubong mamalas

sa malagong damo mahinhing bulaklak,

sa mga labi mo'y mangyayaring itapat,

sa kaluluwa ko hatik ay igawad.

At sa aking noo nawa'y iparamdam,

sa lamig ng lupa ng aking libingan,

ang init ng iyong paghingang dalisay

at simoy ng iyong paggiliw na tunay.

Bayaang ang buwan sa aki'y ititig

ang iwanag niyang lamlam at tahimik,

liwayway bayaang sa aki'y ihatid

magalaw na sinag at hanging hagibis.

Kung sakasakaling bumabang humantong

sa krus ko'y dumapo kahit isang ibon

doon ay bayaan humuning hinahon

at dalitin niya payapang panahon.

Bayaan ang ningas ng sikat ng araw

ula'y pasingawin noong kainitan,

magbalik sa langit ng boong dalisay

kalakip ng aking pagdaing na hiyaw.

Bayaang sino man sa katotang giliw

tangisang maagang sa buhay pagkitil;

kung tungkol sa akin ay may manalangin

idalangin, Bayan, yaring pagka himbing.

Idalanging lahat yaong nangamatay,

mangagatiis hirap na walang kapantay;

mga ina naming walang kapalaran

na inihihibik ay kapighatian.

Ang mga bao't pinapangulila,

ang mga bilanggong nagsisipagdusa;

dalanginin namang kanilang makita

ang kalayaan mong, ikagiginhawa.

At kung an madilim na gabing mapanglaw

ay lumaganap na doon sa libinga't

tanging mga patay ang nangaglalamay,

huwag bagabagin ang katahimikan.

Ang kanyang hiwagay huwag gambalain;

kaipala'y maringig doon ang taginting,

tunog ng gitara't salterio'y mag saliw,

ako, Bayan yao't kita'y aawitin.

Kung ang libingan ko'y limat na ng lahat

at wala ng kurus at batang mabakas,

bayaang linangin ng taong masipag,

lupa'y asarolin at kauyang ikalat.

At mga buto ko ay bago matunaw

maowi sa wala at kusang maparam,

alabok ng iyong latag ay bayaang

siya ang babalang doo'y makipisan.

Kung magka gayon na'y aalintanahin

na ako sa limot iyong ihabilin

pagka't himpapawid at ang panganorin

mga lansangan mo'y aking lilibutin.

Matining na tunog ako sa dingig mo,

ilaw, mga kulay, masamyong pabango,

ang ugong at awit, pag hibik sa iyo,

pag asang dalisay ng pananalig ko.

Bayang iniirog, sakit niyaring hirap,

Katagalugang ko pinakaliliyag,

dinggin mo ang aking pagpapahimakas;

diya'y iiwan ko sa iyo ang lahat.

Ako'y patutungo sa walang busabos,

walang umiinis at berdugong hayop;

pananalig doo'y di nakasasalot,

si Bathala lamang dooy haring lubos.

Paalam, magulang at mga kapatid

kapilas ng aking kaluluwa't dibdib

mga kaibigan bata pang maliit

sa aking tahanan di na masisilip.

Pag pasasalamat at napahinga rin,

paalam estranherang kasuyo ko't aliw,

paalam sa inyo, mga ginigiliw;

mamatay ay siyang pagkakagupiling!

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"Mi último adiós" is interpreted into 46 Philippine languages, including Filipino Sign Language, and as of 2005 at least 35 English translations known and published (in print). The most popular English iteration is the 1911 translation of Charles Derbyshire and is inscribed on bronze.