One of the things I love about being Filipino is the beauty of our language. Romantic, intelligent, gruff but suave — if our language were a person, these are the characteristics he would have.
I came to appreciate the language even more upon reading Tito Rolly‘s translation of the Desiderata. His words are deep and moving, as you will see and experience for yourself. With permission from Tito Rolly, I am sharing with you his beautiful translation. Perhaps you’d also like to have Batjay accompany you in your reading? Click here – it will open in a new window.
Mga Mithiin
Mahinahon mong tahakin ang kaingayan at mga agam-agam ng buhay, at pakatandaan ang kapayapaang mayroong taglay ang katahimikan. Hanggat maari ay makipagmabutihan sa lahat ng nilalang.
Turan mo ang iyong paniniwala ng buong kalinawan, katiwasayan at walang pag-iimbot; at makinig sa iba sapagkat kahit na ang isang hunghang at kulang sa aral, sila ma’y may kwentong may kwenta. Pakaiwasan ang mga hambog at mapupusok, sila’y panggulo lamang ng kaluluwa.
Huwag piliting ikumpara ang sarili sa iba sa dahilang ikaw ay maaaring maging mayabang o kaya nama’y mapuno ng kalungkutan; parati kang makakakita ng mga taong mas magaling o mas mababa sa iyo. Ikagalak mo ang iyong mga narating o nagawa katulad ng iyong pagkakilig tuwing ika’y may bagong hangarin. Panatiliin ang interes sa iyong napiling karera, kahit gaano ito kahamak; sa pagitan ng pabago-bagong panahon, ito’y mananatiling sa iyo.
Parating mag-ingat sa iyong mga gawain pagkat ang mundo’y punung-puno ng kadayaan. Ngunit huwag mong pabayaang bulagin ka nito; marami pa ring mga taong may mataas na pangarap at hitik ang kapaligiran ng kabayanihan. Mahalin mo ang iyong sarili. Huwag mong utuin ang sarili mong ika’y kaibig-ibig. Lalo namang huwag mong pagdudahan ang pagmamahal; sa harap ng tagtuyot at pagkukunwari, ang pagmamahal ay pabalik-balik tulad ng damo. Makinig sa mga nakakatanda habang isinusuko ang lahat ng bagay na mura.
Alagaan ang tibay ng dibdib ng sa gayo’y masalag ang lahat ng biglaang kamalasan. Ngunit huwag mong pakadibdibin ang kadiliman. Maraming pangamba ang isinilang sa pagod at kalungkutan. Maging maamo ka sa iyong sarili na dulot ng isang mabuting pagdidisiplina. Ikaw ay isang sanggol ng sansinukob, sampu ng kagubatan at mga bituin; ika’y may karapatang manirahan dito. At kahit ito ma’y maging malabo sa iyo, walang kaduda-dudang ang sansinukob ay dapat lang na mapasaiyo.
Kaya naman maniwala ka sa Diyos, ano man ang kanyang anyo sa iyo. At kahit ano pa man ang iyong pinaghirapan sa gitna ng kaguluhan ng buhay, panatilihin ang katiwasayan ng iyong kaluluwa. Sa lahat ng pagkukunwari, kahungkagan at nasirang pangarap, masarap pa ring mabuhay. Maging maligaya. Sikapin mong maging masaya.
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
Tessa
June 12, 2007 at 12:03 am (17 years ago)Wow, Toni…..just beautiful. Galing talaga.
G.
June 12, 2007 at 2:21 am (17 years ago)so deep! some of the words there, it took awhile to register. Salamat for sharing!
Meeyagirl
June 12, 2007 at 4:09 am (17 years ago)sabi nga nila, the Tagalog language is very expressive. you only have to utter a word to a non-Tagalog speaking person and they’ll instinctly know what the word means. for example, saying TABA instead of PAYAT, or GANDA as opposed to PANGIT, or BANGO instead of BAHO.
btw, i read this piece to Ninna and all she could do was stare at me. i think she loved it as much as i did.
Junnie
June 12, 2007 at 4:19 am (17 years ago)i love reading it with Batjay on the background…galing….i didnt even know the meaning of the words until it was translated into Tagalog. hahaha
BatJay, Ang Dating Hippopotamus
June 12, 2007 at 5:35 am (17 years ago)hey toni.
tito rolly is a genius – his translation is really right on the money. i’ve been fortunate to work with him on this, perhaps one of the earliest times a couple of pinoy bloggers ever collaborated on something.
it was hard doing the voice over because reading in pilipino is difficult. i hope i did justice to tito rolly’s translation.
ingat.
jay
kat
June 12, 2007 at 10:08 am (17 years ago)wow. this totally inspires me to read more filipino literature. i’m rusty with my tagalog (and even when i lived in the philippines, i always got a less than an “A” on Pilipino). hearing batjay and reading it at the same time was exhilarating. thanks so much for sharing this toni!
p.s. CONGRATULATIONS on the inquirer gig!! you totally deserve it!
SexyMom
June 12, 2007 at 2:28 pm (17 years ago)it’s like difficult to read at first, but afterwards, as you go along, it’s like it was really written for us Pinoys. amazing.
Nick
June 12, 2007 at 6:20 pm (17 years ago)Hi Friend, the following isn’t exactly home related, but I hope you consider it anyway…
I
rolly
June 12, 2007 at 7:41 pm (17 years ago)Toni, I should thank you for posting this and share it with your readers. I had just began blogging when I wrote the piece. Mabuti naman at nagustuhan nila. Tagalog is a very romantic language and i am proud that I can speak, write and read it.
Galing ng boses ni Batjay, no?
BabyPink
June 12, 2007 at 8:06 pm (17 years ago)i’ve always loved languages, especially filipino languages.:)
i like tito rolly’s translation. i’ve actually read another tagalog translation of desiderata not very long ago.:)
Boo
June 13, 2007 at 1:27 am (17 years ago)Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. My favourite poem, now in Filipino. Well done, Tito Rolly! Galing rin ni BatJay! Indeed our language is beautiful. Makes me so proud I speak it fluently – especially so since I am away from my Motherland. Thank you for sharing this, Toni.
watson
June 13, 2007 at 7:11 pm (17 years ago)Tito Rolly is really something, isn’t he! I am honored to know him a well.