TO THE PHILIPPINE YOUTH

Unfold, oh timid flower!

Lift up your radiant brow,

This day, Youth of my native strand!
Your abounding talents show
Resplendently and grand,
Fair hope of my Motherland!

Soar high, oh genius great,

And with noble thoughts fill their mind;
The honor's glorious seat,
May their virgin mind fly and find
More rapidly than the wind.

The first line, "unfold, oh timid flower," implies that the youth is silent, maybe daunted, and
consequently has not yet gone into full bloom for whatever reason there is that may have
silenced them. In the beginning stanza, Rizal encourages the youth, by telling them to hold their
heads high for they possess talents and skills and abilities that would make their country proud.

Ang unang linya , " magbuka , oh mahiyain flower, " ay nagpapahiwatig na ang mga kabataan ay
tahimik , marahil daunted , at dahil dito ay hindi pa nawala sa buong pamumulaklak para sa
anumang dahilan ay na maaaring silenced ang mga ito. Sa simula stanza , hinihikayat ng Rizal
ang mga kabataan , sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabi sa kanila upang i-hold ang kanilang mga ulo
mataas para sila ay nagtataglay ng mga talento at kasanayan at kakayahan na gumawa ng
kanilang bansa ipinagmamalaki.

The second verse can be rearranged in contemporary English to say: "Oh genius great, soar high;
and fill their mind with noble thoughts. May their virgin mind fly and find the honor's glorious
seat more rapidly than the wind." Here, Rizal calls to genious to fill young minds with noble
thoughts and hopes that as they release their thinking from the chains that bind, they may be able
to soar swiftly high where the joy of honor is.

Ang ikalawang taludtod ay maaaring rearranged sa kontemporaryong Ingles upang sabihin: " .
Oh henyo mahusay, pumailanglang mataas , at punan ang kanilang mga isip sa marangal
saloobin Nawa'y ang kanilang isip virgin lumipad at hanapin ang maluwalhating luklukan ng
karangalan ni mas mabilis kaysa sa hangin." Dito, Rizal tawag sa genious upang punan batang
isip na may marangal na mga saloobin at pag-asa na sa lalong palabasin ang kanilang mga pag-
iisip mula sa kadena na panagutin , maaari silang ma- pumailanglang matulin mataas na kung
saan ang kagalakan ng karangalan ay.

Descend with the pleasing light

Of the arts and sciences to the plain,
Oh Youth, and break forthright
The links of the heavy chain
That your poetic genius enchain.

Contrary to the second verse, which talked about ascending and soaring to the heights, this third
stanza now talks about descent, and a downward motion of the great genius to fill the earthly
strokes of art and science with their magnificent ideas. Again, Rizal calls them to break the
chains that bind their intellect. "Poetic genius" here does not necessarily pertain to the talent of
writing poetry. Instead, the term "poetic" is simply an adjective to describe genius, meaning that
it is deep and mystifying and heavy with meaning.

Taliwas sa ikalawang talata, na nakipag-usap tungkol sa pataas at salimbay sa Heights , ito

ikatlong stanza uusap ngayon ang tungkol sa pinaggalingan, at isang pababang galaw ng mga
dakilang likas na kakayahan upang punan ang mga makalupang stroke ng sining at agham sa
kanilang mga kahanga-hangang ideya. Muli , ang mga tawag sa kanila Rizal upang basagin ang
mga kadena na panagutin ang kanilang mga pag-iisip. " Poetic henyo" dito ay hindi palaging
tumutukoy sa mga talent ng pagsusulat ng mga tula. Sa halip , ang salitang " balagtasan " ay
lamang ng isang pang-uri upang ilarawan ang likas na talino, ibig sabihin na ito ay malalim at
mystifying at mabigat na may kahulugan

See that in the ardent zone,

The Spaniard, where shadows stand,
Doth offer a shining crown,
With wise and merciful hand
To the son of this Indian land.

Rizal challenges the youth, that in their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom they may humble the
hand of Spain, whose proud chin did not look kindly upon the people whom they labelled as
"Indios" and whom they treated with contempt. He dreams that in their journey to intellectual
greatness they may humble even the proudest nations that look down on them and rightfully
deserve "a crown that shines, even where shadows stand."

Rizal hamon sa mga kabataan, na sa kanilang hangarin na kaalaman at karunungan upang sila'y
magpakumbaba sa kamay ng Espanya , na ang ipinagmamalaki baba ay hindi hitsura mabait sa
mga tao kung kanino sila may label bilang " Indios " at kanino sila hinamak . Pangarap niya na
sa kanilang mga paglalakbay sa intelektwal kadakilaan maaaring sila magpakumbaba kahit na
ang proudest bansa na hamakin ang mga ito at may karapatang maging karapat-dapat " isang
korona na kumikinang , kahit na kung saan ang mga anino tumayo."

You, who heavenward rise

On wings of your rich fantasy,
Seek in the Olympian skies
The tenderest poesy,
More sweet than divine honey;

You of heavenly harmony,

On a calm unperturbed night,
Philomel's match in melody,
That in varied symphony
Dissipate man's sorrow's blight;

In these two stanzas, Rizal calls the youth to seek the beauty of poetry and music, which he
himself values greatly as essentials in every manner of life. He claims that poetry is "more sweet
than divine honey," and that music can "dissipate man's sorrow's blight."

Sa mga dalawang stanza , Rizal tawag sa mga kabataan upang humingi ng kagandahan ng tula at
musika , na lubos na siya mismo ang mga halaga ng mga mahahalaga sa bawat paraan ng buhay.
Siya claims na tula ay "mas matamis kaysa sa banal na honey, " at musika na maaaring " mapawi
magwasak kalungkutan ni tao."

You at th' impulse of your mind

The hard rock animate
And your mind with great pow'r consigned
Transformed into immortal state
The pure mem'ry of genius great;

Speaking to the youth, Rizal says that by the very impulse of their mind, they are capable of
bringing to life or animating even someting as lifeless and unmoving as a hard rock. He
continues to say that the youth is able, to immortalize their thoughts and their words through the
help of great genius (as he has done himself. This stanza can be arranged in a more
contemporary English structure as follows: "You can animate the hard rock at the impulse of
your mind; and transform, with the great power of your mind, the pure memory of great genius
into immortality."

Eto na ang mga kabataan, sabi ni Rizal na sa pamamagitan ng tunay na salpok ng kanilang mga
isip, ang mga ito ay may kakayahang nagdadala sa buhay o animating kahit someting bilang
walang buhay at unmoving bilang isang hard rock. Siya ay patuloy na sabihin na ang mga
kabataan ay may kakayahan , na papanatilihing-buhay ng kanilang mga kaisipan at ang kanilang
mga salita sa pamamagitan ng tulong ng mga dakilang henyo (bilang ay tapos na niya ang
kanyang sarili ay maaaring isaayos sa stanza na ito sa isang mas kontemporaryong Ingles
istraktura tulad ng sumusunod: ". Maaari mong i-animate ang mga hard siguro sa salpok ng
iyong isip , at ibahin ang anyo, na may mahusay na kapangyarihan ng iyong isip , ang dalisay na
memorya ng dakilang henyo sa kawalang-kamatayan ".

And you, who with magic brush

On canvas plain capture
The varied charm of Phoebus,
Loved by the divine Apelles,
And the mantle of Nature;

Rizal here addresses the youth, comparing their abilities to a magic brush that can capture even
the most majestic views and the most glorious charms on a blank canvas.

Rito ng Rizal ang mga kabataan, ang paghahambing ng kanilang mga kakayahan sa isang magic
brush na maaaring makuha kahit na ang pinaka majestic views at ang pinaka maluwalhating
charms sa isang blangkong canvas.

Run ! For genius' sacred flame

Awaits the artist's crowning
Spreading far and wide the fame
Throughout the sphere proclaiming
With trumpet the mortal's name
Oh, joyful, joyful day,
The Almighty blessed be
Who, with loving eagerness
Sends you luck and happiness.

The last stanza is a charge, urging the youth to run, for a glorious crown awaits them. The
"sphere" here pertains to the world, showing that Rizal believed the Filipino youth is as brilliant
as those in any other nation, and is able to contend with even the strongest powers if they only
set their mind to making most of what they already have.

Ang huling stanza ay isang singil , na humihimok sa mga kabataan upang tumakbo, para sa
naghihintay sa kanila ng isang maluwalhating mga korona. Ang " sphere " dito ay hinggil sa
mundo, na nagpapakita na ang Rizal ay naniniwala ang kabataang Pilipino ay bilang
napakatalino ng mga sa anumang iba pang mga bansa, at may kakayahang lumaban sa kahit na
ang pinakamatibay na kapangyarihan na lamang inilagay ang kanilang mga isip sa paggawa ng
karamihan ng kung ano sila na mayroon.

REACTION ABOUT THE POEM

Without a doubt, just like all the other poems conceived by our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal,
the poem To the Filipino Youth is a masterpiece worth reading and comprehending for. While
I was examining its every line, I was entirely amazed on the three aspects that composed it: the
manner of writing, the message it tries to stress, and the sincerity of the poem. These aspects, I
must say, were the principal strengths of the poem; and the reasons why my attention was
heavily caught through it.

As to the manner of writing, if I were to base my judgments to the poems English translation, I
can personally describe it as a real poemthat is, something that beautifully incorporated the
essential elements of poetry. When I was trying to read it aloud, I felt like its rhythm sounded
excellent and with drama. That thing made me feel more eager to continue reading it. The meter
of the poem then followed a certain rule which I totally love for it showed the utmost effort of
the author. Moreover, the figures of speech such as personification, alliteration and metaphor
were somewhat perfectly laid down, making the poem more emotional, appealing, deep and
colorful. On the other hand, the rhyming of the words also astonished me; the symbolisms then
that were used such as the deities Phoebus and Apelles as symbols of their respective realms,
were superb for it made the poem have a blending of Western and Eastern cultures.
As to the message the poem tries to convey, or in another way of saying, the theme of the poem,
To the Filipino Youth does carry a very strong one; strong enough to persuade those who are
to be persuadedthe Filipino youth themselves. As one of those individuals, I could really feel
the nationalistic spirit within me glow brighter the moment I finished reading the poem. It was
like telling me that I am one of the existing hopes of our dear country and that through my
abilities, expertise and knowledge of things, I am capable of protecting its freedom against
oppressive forces that may come through. Furthermore, it was like telling me that together with
my fellow youths, I am responsible for preserving the Philippines as a nation not for the
foreigners but for me and the rest of the Filipinos.

Finally yet most importantly, as to the sincerity of the poem, I can really consider To the
Filipino Youth as indeed a work from the heartno pretense, no plasticity and no sort of
hidden motives. I can tell it so based on what I felt when I was reading the poem and the
emotions that were expressed on each of the poems line. The fact that it came out during the
Spanish era was also another thing that made me think that way. Conceiving a work that
possesses an anti-Spain theme at that time would be a great threat to the life of the author. But
despite that, Dr. Jose Rizal fearlessly created it, sticking to his nationalistic ideology no matter
how dangerous the outcome would be to him. With that, I can say that he truly had the sincerity
of delivering the message to the young Filipino people; and that this sincerity our national hero
possessed can be vividly sensed in the poem even at a glance.

A la juventud Filipina
is a poem written in Spanish by Filipino writer and national hero Jos Rizal, first presented in
1879 in Manila, while he was studying at the University of Santo Tomas.
"A la juventud filipina" was written by Rizal when he was only eighteen years old, and was
dedicated to the Filipino Youth.