To My Fellow Children (English translation)

translated by Frank C. Laubach

 

Whenever people of a country truly love

The language which by heav'n they were taught to use

That country also surely liberty pursue

As does the bird which soars to freer space above.

 

For language is the final judge and referee

Upon the people in the land where it holds sway;

In truth our human race resembles in this way

The other living beings born in liberty.

 

Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue

Is worse than any best or evil smelling fish.

To make our language richer ought to be our wish

The same as any mother loves to feed her young.

 

Tagalog and the Latin language are the same

And English and Castilian and the angels' tongue;

And God, whose watchful care o'er all is flung,

Has given us His blessing in the speech we calm,

 

Our mother tongue, like all the highest that we know

Had alphabet and letters of its very own;

But these were lost -- by furious waves were overthrown

Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.