To the Philippine Youth -English Translation of A La Juventud Filipina

To the Philippine Youth 

by José Rizal

Translated by Charles Derbyshire

For Spanish Version go to A La Juventud Filipina 

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 !