In
his February 1889 letter from London to the Maidens of Malolos (Ang Liham Sa Mga Kadalagahan Sa Malolos,
Bulakan, Ni Dr. Jose Rizal, Febrero, 1889), Dr. Rizal wrote some things we
might want to recall in celebrating Mother’s Day (May 11, 2014, Sunday), given
the current “ambiance” of abuse of power and position, corruption, national
weakness in face of a bully behemoth neighbor, and over-all shallowness and uncoordinated
drift of national awareness among us Filipinos.
Let’s take a look back. The Tagalog is his original
text; the English is an attempt at translation combining some extant ones from
the sources indicated at the bottom. These are just extracts that I believe
might be relevant to Mother’s Day, Filipinas, 2014:
“Ñgayong tumugon kayo sa uhaw naming sigaw ñg ikagagaling ñg bayan; ñgayong
nagpakita kayo ñg mabuting halimbawa sa kapuá dalagang nagnanasang paris
ninyong mamulat ang mata at mahañgo sa pagkalugamí, sumisigla ang aming
pag-asa, inaaglahì ang sakuná, sa pagka at kayo'y katulong na namin, panatag
ang loob sa pagtatagumpay.” (3rd
paragraph of his Liham).
“Now
that you have responded to our thirsty yearning and outcry for the good and
well-being of our people; now that you have shown a good example to your fellow
young women who, like you, desire to have their eyes opened and to be lifted
from their prostration, our hopes envigorate, daring to defy adversity, because
now you are our fellow workers, we feel assured of attaining victory.”
Ang babaing tagalog ay di na payukó at luhod, buhay na ang
pagasa sa panahong sasapit; walá na ang inang katulong sa pagbulag sa anak na
palalakhin sa alipustá at pagayop. Di na unang karunuñgan ang patuñgó ñg ulo sa
balang maling utos, dakilang kabaitan ang ñgisi sa pagmura, masayang pangaliw
ang mababang luhá. Napagkilala din ninyo na ang utos ñg Dios ay iba sa utos ñg
Parí, na ang kabanalan ay hindi ang matagal na luhod, mahabang dasal,
malalaking kuentas, libaguing kalmin, kundí ang mabuting asal, malinis na loob
at matuid na isip. Napagkilala din ninyo na dí kabaitan ang pagkamasunurin sa
ano mang pita at hiling ñg nagdidiosdiosan, kundi ang pagsunod sa katampata't
matuid, sapagka't ang bulag na pagsunod ay siyang pinagmumulan ñg likong
paguutos, at sa bagay na ito'y pawang nagkakasala. Dí masasabi ñg punó ó parí
na sila lamang ang mananagot ñg maling utos; binigyan ñg Dios ang bawat isa ñg
sariling isip at sariling loob, upang ding mapagkilala ang likó at tapat;
paraparang inianak ñg walang tanikalá, kundí malayá, at sa loob at kalulua'y
walang makasusupil, bakit kayá ipaaalipin mo sa iba ang marañgal at malayang
pagiisip? Duag at malí ang akalá na ang bulag na pagsunod ay kabanalan, at
kapalaluan ang mag isipisip at magnilay nilay. Ang kamangmañgan'y, kamangmañgan
at dí kabaita't puri. Di hiling ñg Dios, punó ñg kataruñgan, na ang taong
larawan niya'y paulol at pabulag; ang hiyas ñg isip, na ipinalamuti sa atin,
paningniñgin at gamitin. Halimbawá baga ang isang amang nagbigay sa bawat isang
anak ñg kanikanyang tanglaw sa paglakad sa dilim. Paniñgasin nila ang liwanag
ñg ilaw, alagaang kusá at huag patain, dala ñg pag-asa sa ilaw ñg iba, kundí
magtulongtulong magsangunian, sa paghanap ñg daan. Ulol na di hamak at masisisi
ang madapá sa pagsunod sa ilaw ñg iba, at masasabi ng ama: "bakit kita
binigyan ng sarili mong ilaw?" Ñguni't dí lubhang masisisi ang madapá sa
sariling tanglaw, sapagka't marahil ang ilaw ay madilim, ó kayá ay totoong
masamá ang daan.
(4th paragraph of the Liham).
“The
Tagalog (Filipino) woman is no longer bowing her head nor kneeling; her hope is
alive for the time to come; gone is the mother who helps to blind her child to
grow in self-contempt and moral annihilation. It’s no longer the highest wisdom
to bow the head to every unjust order, the highest goodness to smile at an
insult, the joyful solace to shed a lowly tear. You have now discerned that
God’s command is different from that of the priest, that piety is not prolonged
kneeling, long prayers, large rosaries, soiled scapulars, but in good conduct,
clean conscience and right thinking. You have now perceived that it is not
goodness to be obedient to every desire and request of those who pose as little
gods, but to obey what is reasonable and just, because blind obedience is the
origin of crooked orders and in this case both parties would sin. The leader or
the priest cannot say that they alone will be responsible for the wrong order; God
gave each one his own mind and his own conscience, so that each can distinguish
between crooked and straight; we are all alike not only born without chains but
also free, and in will and spirit cannot be subjected to another, so why would
you let another enslave your noble and free thought? Cowardly and wrong is the
belief that blind obedience is piety, and pridefulness is to keep on pondering
and keep on ruminating. Ignorance is ignorance and not goodness and purity.
God, full of righteousness, does not ask that man, His image, would allow himself
to be fooled and blinded; the jewel of reasoning, with which we are furnished,
must be burnished and employed. An example would be a father who gave to each
of his children a torch to light his/her way in the dark. Let them ignite and
intensify its flame, take care of it, and not extinguish it hoping on the light
of others, but rather they should help each other, seek each other’s counsel in
searching for the way. A stupid fool and blameworthy is he who stumbles in
following another’s light, and the father could say: “what for did I give you a
light of your own?” But not so blameworthy is the one who stumbles following
his own torch because perhaps his light is gloomy or maybe the road is really
bad.”
Maghunos dilí ngá tayo at imulat natin ang mata, lalong laló na
kayong mga babai, sa pagka't kayo ang nagbubukas ng loob ng tao. Isipin na ang
mabuting ina ay iba, sa inang linalang ng fraile; dapat palakhin ang anak na
malapit baga sa larawan ng tunay na Dios, Dios na dí nasusuhulan, Dios na dí
masakim sa salapí, Dios na ama ng lahat, na walang kinikilingan, Dios na dí
tumatabá sa dugó ng mahirap, na dí nagsasaya sa daing ng naruruhagi, at
nangbubulag ng matalinong isip. Gisingin at ihandá ang loob ng anak sa balang
mabuti at mahusay na akalá: pagmamahal sa puri, matapat at timtimang loob,
maliwanag na pagiisip, malinis na asal, maginoong kilos, pagibig sa kapuá, at
pagpipitagan sa Maykapal, ito ang ituró sa anak. At dahil ang buhay ay punó ng
pighatí at sakuná, patibayin ang loob sa ano mang hirap, patapañgin ang pusó sa
ano mang pañganib. Huag mag antay ang bayan ng puri at ginhawa, samantalang
likó ang pagpapalaki sa batá, samantalang lugamí at mangmang ang babaing
magpapalaki ñg anak. Walang maiinom sa labó at mapait na bukal; walang matamis
na buñga sa punlang maasim. (12th paragraph of the Liham)
“Let’s
reflect on this well and open our eyes wide, especially you women, because you
are the ones who unwrap man’s mind and consciousness. Think that a good mother is
different from the mother created by the friar; a child must be reared close to
the image of the true God, God who cannot be bought, God who is not grasping
and greedy of money, God who is father of all, who favors no one, God who does
not fatten on the blood of the poor, who neither exults at the cry of the
oppressed, nor renders blind or obfuscates an intelligent mind. Awaken and
prepare the heart-mind-will of the child towards all that is good and excellent
in thought: love of purity and honor, loyal and resolute inner strength, enlightened
thinking, good manners, noble actions, love of neighbor, and loving reverence
of the Lord - teach these to the child. And because life is full of heartaches
and hardships, fortify the will against any adversity, embolden the heart
against whatever danger. Let not the country wait for praise and prosperity
while the rearing of children is bent and crooked, while powerless and unwise
is the woman rearing the child. There is nothing to drink from a murky, bitter
spring; there is no sweet fruit from sour seed.”
“Malaki ngang hindí
bahagyá ang katungkulang gaganapin ng babai sa pagkabihis ng hirap ng bayan,
nguni at ang lahat na ito'y dí hihigit sa lakas at loob ng babaing tagalog.
Talastas ng lahat ang kapanyarihan at galing ng babayi sa Filipinas, kayá ñgá
kanilang binulag, iginapus, at iniyukó ang loob, panatag sila't habang ang
iba'y alipin, ay ma-aalipin din naman ang lahat ng mga anak. Ito ang dahilan ng
pagkalugamí ng Asia; ang babayi sa Asia'y mangmang at alipin. Makapangyarihan
ang Europa at Amerika dahil duo'y ang mga babai'y malaya't marunong, dilat ang
isip at malakas ang loob.” (13th paragraph of the Liham)
“Though the duties that woman
must carry out to alleviate our peoples’ difficulties are a little great, all
these will not be greater than the strength and the will of the Tagalog (Filipino)
woman. Everyone knows the power and the excellence of the Filipino woman,
hence, they deceive and blind her, tie her down, and bend her will, feeling
assured that while some are enslaved, all their children will also be enslaved.
This is the reason for the prostration of Asia; the woman in Asia is not
rightly informed and is enslaved. Europe and America are strong because there
the women are free and knowledgeable, with minds awake and wills strong.”
“Sa mga bayang gumagalang sa babaing para ñg Filipinas, dapat
nilang kilanlin ang tunay na lagay upang ding maganapan ang sa kanila'y
inia-asa. Ugaling dati'y kapag nanliligaw ang nagaaral na binata ay
ipinañgañganyayang lahat, dunong, puri't salapi, na tila baga ang dalaga'y
walang maisasabog kundi ang kasamaan. Ang katapang-tapañga'y kapag napakasal ay
nagiging duag, ang duag na datihan ay nagwawalanghiya, na tila walang ina-antay
kundi ang magasawa para maipahayag ang sariling kaduagan. Ang anak ay walang pangtakip sa hina ñg loob
kundi ang alaala sa ina, at dahilan dito, nalunok na apdo, nagtitiis ñg tampal,
nasunod sa lalong hunghang na utos, at tumutulong sa kataksilan ñg iba sa
pagka't kung walang natakbo'y walang manghahagad; kung walang isdang munti'y
walang isdang malaki. Bakit kaya baga di humiling ang dalaga sa iibigín, ñg
isang marañgal at mapuring ñgalan, isang pusong lalaking makapag-ampon sa
kahinaan ng babai, isang marangal na loob na di papayag magka anak ng alipin?
Pukawin sa loob ang sigla at sipag, maginoong asal, mahal na pakiramdam, at
huwag isuko ang pagkadalaga sa isang mahina at kuyuming puso. Kung maging asawa
na, ay dapat tumulong sa lahat ng hírap, palakasin ang loob ng lalaki, humati
sa pañganib, aliwin ang dusa, at aglahiin ang hinagpis, at alalahaning lagi na
walang hirap na di mababata ñg bayaning puso, at walang papait pang pamana, sa
pamanang kaalipustaan at kaalipinan. Mulatin ang mata ñg anak sa pagiiñgat at
pagmamahal sa puri, pagibig sa kapua sa tinubuang bayan, at sa pagtupad ñg
ukol. Ulituliting matamisin ang mapuring kamatayan sa alipustang buhay. (15th Paragraph
of the Liham)
“For
people who respect women, like the Filipino people, they ought to know the true
situation to be able to do what is expected of them. Before, the custom was
that when a student went courting, he would throw everything away – knowledge, reputation,
money – as if a young woman could sow nothing but wickedness. The bravest, when wed, becomes a coward, and
the old time coward becomes shameless, as if he had been waiting to get married
just to come out and reveal his own cowardice. The son has nothing with which
to cover his weak spirit except the memory of his mother, and because of this,
swallows his bile, bears the boxing of his ears, obeys the most idiotic order,
and becomes an accessory to another’s treachery, because: where no one flees, no
one pursues; when there is no little fish, there is no big fish. Why doesn’t
the girl perhaps require of the one she loves an honorable and praiseworthy name,
a manly heart that can adopt a woman’s weakness, and a noble determination that
will never allow having sons and daughters who are slaves? Awaken within him
the alacrity and industry, the noble manners, the loving feelings, and don’t
ever surrender maidenhood to a weak and faint heart. When already a wife, she must be a complement
to him in all difficulties, encourage and strengthen his inner power, share the
dangers, soothe sufferings, overcome resentments, and remember always that heroic
hearts can bear any hardship and that there is no heritage worst in bitterness than
the heritage of disgrace and slavery. Open
the eyes of children to the care and the love of honor, the love of fellow
beings in the homeland, and the doing of one’s duty. Keep repeating that
sweeter it is to die with honor than to live with dishonor.”
“Ang mga babai sa Esparta'y sukat kunang uliran at dito'y
ilalagda ko ang aking halimbawa: Nang iniaabot ñg isang ina ang kalasag sa
papasahukbong anak, ay ito lamang ang sinabi: ‘ibalik mo ó ibalik ka,’ ito ñga
umuwi kang manalo ó mamatay ka, sapagkat ugaling iwaksi ang kalasag ñg talong
natakbo ó inuwi kaya ang bangkay sa ibabaw ñg kalasag. Nabalitaan ñg isang ina
na namatay sa laban ang kanyang anak, at ang hukbo ay natalo. Hindi umiimik
kundi nagpasalamat dahil ang kanyang anak ay maligtas sa pulá, ñguni at ang
anak ay bumalik na buhay; nagluksa ang ina ñg siya'y makita. Sa isang
sumasalubong na ina sa mga umuwing galing sa laban, ay ibinalita ñg isa na
namatay daw sa pagbabaka ang tatlong anak niya,—‘hindi iyan ang tanong ko’ ang
sagot ñg ina, ‘kundi nanalo ó natalo tayó?’— ‘Nanalo’ ang sagot ñg bayani. ‘Kung
ganoo'y magpasalamat tayo sa Dios!’ ang wika at na pa sa simbahan.” “Minsa'y
nagtagó sa simbahan ang isang napatalong harí nila, sa takot sa galit sa bayan;
pinagkaisahang kuluñgin siya doon at patain ñg gutum. Ñg papaderan na ang
pinto'y ang ina ang unang nag hakot ñg bato. Ang mga ugaling ito'y karaniwan sa
kanila, kayá ñga't iginalang ng buong Grecia ang babaing Esparta. ‘Sa lahat ñg
babai,’ ang pulá ñg isa ‘ay kayo lamang na taga Esparta ang nakapangyayari sa
lalaki.’ ‘Mangyari pa,’ ang sagot ñg babai, ‘ay kami lamang ang nag-aanak ñg
lalaki. Ang tao ñg mga Esparta ay hindí inianak para mabuhay sa sarili, kungdi
para sa kanyang bayan.’ Habang nanatili ang ganitong mga isipan at ganitong mga
babai ay walang kaaway na nakatungtong ñg lupang Esparta, at walang babaing
taga Esparta na nakatanaw ñg hukbo ng kaaway. (16th & 17th
Paragraphs of the Liham)
“The
women of Sparta should serve as good model in this and here I shall give some examples:
When a mother handed the shield to her son
who was going to war, this was all she said to him: ‘Bring this back or they
bring you back’, meaning ‘You come back a victor or you die’ because it was the
custom to throw away the shield of a fleeing routed warrior, while the dead
warrior was carried home on his shield. A mother received word that her son had
been killed in battle and the army routed. She did not say a word, but
expressed her thankfulness that her son had been saved from disgrace. But when
her son returned alive, the mother put on mourning. A warrior told a mother who
had gone out to meet the returning heroes that her three sons had been killed
in the war. ‘That is not what I am asking’, the mother replied, ‘but, did we
win or did we lose?’ The hero replied, ‘We won.’ ‘If that is so, let us give
thanks to God!’ she said and walked to the temple.” “Once, a defeated king of theirs hid in the
temple for fear of popular indignation. The Spartans agreed to close him up and
starve him. When they sealed the door, the mother was the first to bring
stones. These customs were common among them and therefore all Greece respected
the Spartan woman. ‘Of all women’, remarked one, ‘only you Spartan women wield
power over men.’ ‘Of course’, replied the woman, ‘of all women we alone give birth
to men. Spartan men are not born to live for themselves but for their country’.
So long as this manner of thinking and this type of women prevailed in Sparta,
no enemy was able to set foot on her soil and no Spartan woman ever saw an
enemy army.”
“Magbulay-bulay tayo, malasin ang ating kalagayan, at tayo'y mag
isip isip. Kung itong ilang buhaghag na sabi'y makatutulong sa ibinigay sa
inyong bait, upang ding maituloy ang nasimulan ninyong paglakad. ‘Tubó ko'y
dakilá sa puhunang pagod’ at mamatamisin ang ano mang mangyari, ugaling upa sa
sino mang mañgahas sa ating bayan magsabi ng tunay. Matupad nawá ang inyong
nasang matuto at harí na ñgang sa halaman ñg karunuñgan ay huwag makapitas ñg
buñgang bubut, kundí ang kikitili'y piliin, pagisipin muná, lasapin bago
lunukin, sapagka't sa balat ñg lupá lahat ay haluan, at di bihirang magtanim
ang kaaway ng damong pansirá, kasama sa binhí sa gitná ñg linang. (Last Paragraphs-26th
& 27th- of the Liham)
“Ito ang matinding nasá ñg inyong kababayang si
“JOSÉ RIZAL
Europa, 1889.
“Let’s
reflect, take a look at our situation, and reconsider: if these few loose lines
are of any help to your given intelligence so as to continue the walk you have
begun. ‘Noble is my profit from worked capital’ and I shall gladly accept whatever
happens as the usual reward to whoever in our country dares to tell the truth.
May your aspiration to learn be actualized and may the Lord, our King, make it
so that in the garden of knowledge you may perchance not pick any unripe fruit,
that any nipped one be chosen, thought about first, tasted and savored before
being swallowed, because here on earth all get mixed up, and it is not unusual
for the enemy to plant destructive weeds amongst the seeds in the center of the
cultivated field.”
“This
is the ardent obsession of your compatriot.
“JOSÉ RIZAL”
Europe,
1889.”
You can check out some
complete texts in the following sites:
https://ia700502.us.archive.org/6/items/anglihamnidrjose17116gut/17116-h/17116-h.htm
