Rizal's 1879 poem "To the Filipino Youth" calls on young Filipinos to have confidence and see themselves as the hope of the nation. It asks them to pursue knowledge through science and the arts to free themselves from ignorance. The poem encourages the youth to use their talents to spread Filipino achievements and thank their homeland for nurturing them. Rizal saw the youth as key to building the nation and developing Filipino identity.

1. “A La Juventud Filipina”
TO THE
Dr. Jose P. Rizal

2. A L a J u v e n t u d F i l i p i n a
• Directly translates to “To the Filipino Youth”
• Publication Date: 1879
• Publisher: Manila Lyceum of Art and Literature
• Language: Spanish
• Author: Dr. Jose P. Rizal
• Translators:
- Charles Derbyshire
- Alberto S. Veloso
- Nick Juaquin

3. In April, 1877, Rizal, then
nearly sixteen, matriculated
in the University of Santo
Tomas as a medical
student.
D R . J O S E P . R I Z A L
The poem was presented
on a contest where the
board of judges were
Spaniards.
He submitted a poem for the
poetry contest which had been
organized for Filipinos by the
Manila Lyceum of Art and
Literature, and though he was but
eighteen years of age (1879), he
won the first prize, a silver pen.
This poem, one of his most
famous and most difficult to
translate, was dedicated to the
Filipino Youth.

4. ¡Alza su tersa frente,
Juventud Filipina, en este día!
¡Luce resplandeciente
Tu rica gallardía,
Bella esperanza de la Patria Mía!
Vuela, genio grandioso,
Y les infunde noble pensamiento,
Que lance vigoroso,
Mas rápido que el viento,
Su mente virgen al glorioso asiento.
Baja con la luz grata
De las artes y ciencias a la arena,
Juventud, y desata
La pesada cadena
Que tu genio poético encadena.
Ve que en la ardiente zona
Do moraron las sombras, el hispano
Esplendente corona,
Con pía sabia mano,
Ofrece al hijo de este suelo indiano.
Tú, que buscando subes,
En alas de tu rica fantasía,
Del Olimpo en las nubes
Tiernísima poesía
Mas sabrosa que néctar y ambrosía
Tú, de celeste acento,
Melodioso rival Filomena,
Que en variado concento
En la noche serena
Disipas del mortal la amarga pena.
Tú que la pena dura
Animas al impulso de tu mente ,
Y la memoria pura
Del genio refulgente
Eternizas con genio prepotente.
Y tú, que el vario encanto
De Febo, amado del divino Apeles,
Y de natura el manto
Con mágicos pinceles
Trasladar al sencillo lienzo sueles.
¡Corred! que sacra llama
Del genio el lauro coronar espera,
Esparciendo la Fama
Con trompa pregonera
El nombre del mortal por la ancha espera.
¡Día, día feliz,
Filipinas gentil, para tu suelo!
Al Potente bendice
Que con amante anhelo
La ventura te envía y el consuelo.

5. To the
Translated by: Charles Derbyshire
English Version
Filipino Youth

6. 1st and 2nd Stanza
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.
- To have Self Confidence
- Youth as the Hope of the Nation
- Asks the Filipino youth
- Raise your standards and aim high

7. 3rd and 4th Stanza
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.
- Humble yourselves
- Fight with knowledge
- Free yourself from deception
- To see for yourselves how the Spaniards
prosper in our home land and see how the
Filipinos suffer from it

8. 5th and 6th Stanza
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;
- Rise up and seek what your heart desires
- You are the voice of change and comfort

9. 7th and 8th Stanza
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 ;
- You give hope and life
- Your intelligence is for forever
- Pertains to the Filipino youth who make
something

10. 9th and 10th Stanza
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 !
- Go and spread to the world how great
Filipinos are
- Thank your country for nurturing you

11. Importance of the Poem
In the poem, Rizal praised the rising
generation. This poem can be
considered as Rizal’s first testimony
and presentation of his nationalism.
In this literary piece, he clearly
referred to the Philippines as his
home/motherland, where Rizal
thought of the youth as they key to
nation-building.
The poem “To the Filipino Youth” by Dr.
Jose Rizal is a message primarily to tell
the importance of the youth and their
capability to shape the future of our
Motherland. Dr. Jose Rizal also
expresses his optimism despite the
turmoil our country was in during his
time.

12. Relevance to the Contemporary Times
A La Juventud Filipina is an inspiring poem that
states that Filipino youth are capable of great
heights
It urges the Filipino youth to reach their
potential by harnessing their skills and talents
for the betterment of out countrymen.
It motivates the youth to free Filipinos from
ignorance, and to seek freedom and human
dignity