A Josefina (To Josephine) is one of the poems of the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal dedicated to Josephine Bracken, an Irish woman and lover of Rizal who went to Dapitan to accompany her stepfather, George Taufer, an Englishman seeking the professional services of Rizal as a doctor of ophthalmology
A Josefina*
(Improvisación)
Josefina, Josefina
Que a estas playas has venido
Buscando un hogar, un nido,
Como errante golondrina;
Si tu suerte te encamina
A Shanghai, China o Japón,
No te olvides que en estas playas
Late por ti un corazón.
To Josephine
Josephine, Josephine
Who to these shores have come
Looking for a nest, a home,
Like a wandering swallow;
If your fate is talking you
To Japan, China or Shanghai,
Don’t forget that on these shores
A heart for you beats high.
Kay Josefina
Josefina, Josefina
Dito sa dalampasigan, ikaw ngayon ay dumating,
na ang hanap mo’y tahanan, isang pugad na malilim,
tulad ng langaylangayang palagala’t walang tigil,
kung ikaw ay inaakay ng palad na di mapigil,
sa Shangkay man o sa Tsina, o sa Hapong pulu-pulô
huwag mo sanang limuting sa baybaying nalalayo,
dahil sa iyo’y ninibok ang hapÃs na isang puso.