Hilmar Alquiros           

 

 

           → Spanish * English

           → Spanish * German

           → English * German

           → English * English

Dr. José Rizal, 1861-1896, National Hero of the Philippines

 

 

 

Spanish * English

 

José Rizal

A las flores de Heidelberg

 

Spanish Original by José Rizal ~ April 24, 1886

 

 Esta estructura silenciosa se revela aquí por primera vez con claridad delicada: cada vez que José Rizal termina un bloque de versos con un punto o puntos suspensivos, concluye un pensamiento completo.

 La disposición que sigue responde únicamente a ese ritmo interno – no a convenciones externas – y así crea una forma de estrofa auténtica.

 

¡Id a mi patria, id, extranjeras flores,

sembradas del viajero en el camino,

y bajo su azul cielo,

que guarda mis amores,

contad del peregrino

la fe que alienta por su patrio suelo!

 

Id y decid: decid que cuando el alba

vuestro cáliz abrió por vez primera,

cabe el Neckar helado,

le vísteis silencioso á vuestro lado

pensando en su constante primavera.

 

Decid que cuando el alba, que roba vuestro aroma,

al joven pétalo canta canciones de amor,

él también os murmuraba

cánticos de amor en su idioma natal.

 

Que cuando la mañana, al sol que ya doraba

la cima del Königsstuhl en la altiva cumbre,

y con suave calor da vida otra vez

al valle, al bosque y la arboleda,

él saluda al sol, aún en su alborada,

que allá en su patria fulgura en su cenit.

 

Y decid lo que dijo aquel día

que os cogió en el sendero

entre las ruinas de un castillo feudal,

o en la selva del Neckar, o en la callada umbría.

 

Repetid las palabras que al cogerlas decía,

y que, al guardarlas entre el libro viejo,

las puso con cariño entre sus páginas,

las tiernas y flexibles hojas que cogía.

 

Llevad, llevad, ¡oh flores!

amor á mis amores,

paz á mi país y á su fecunda tierra,

fe á sus hombres; virtud á sus mujeres,

salud á dulces seres

que el paternal, sagrado hogar encierra...

 

Cuando lleguéis allá, depositad el beso

que os dí sobre las alas del viento,

para que vuele con él,

y yo pueda besar todo lo que venero, honro y amo.

 

Mas ¡ay!, llegaréis, flores,

conservaréis quizás vuestros colores,

pero lejos del patrio, heroico suelo

a quien debéis la vida;

que aroma es alma, y no abandona el cielo,

cuya luz viera en su nacer, ni olvida.

José Rizal

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

 

English by Hilmar Alquiros 2025

 

  This quiet structure is revealed here for the first time with gentle clarity: Every time José Rizal ends a verse block with a period or ellipsis, a complete thought concludes.

 Here the first translation with classical form with rhyme and iambic pentameter!

 

 

Go to my fatherland, go, foreign flowers,

by travelers once sown along the road,

and here, beneath its bluish firmament,

which shelters all the love my heart empowers,

tell of the wanderer, who ever showed

the faith that breathes homeland’s sacred scent.

 

That when the dawn has broken, go and say:

At first your chalices have opened, see,

beside the icy-frozen Neckar. Stay,

you saw him silent, look, beside your way,

so think your cycling spring eternally.

 

And say that when the dawn, which steals your scent,

to your young petals he had love songs sung,

and by this murmuring to you he meant

all love songs also in his native tongue.

 

That when the morning sun already gilds

proud Königsstuhls most lofty summit peak,

and with its gentle warmth again rebuilds

in valley, forest, grove all life’s mystique,

he hails the sun, still at its dawn’s shy raising,

while in his homeland at its zenith blazing

 

And narrate what he said that very day,

that on his path he plucked you all away,

in feudal castle ruins’ grave parade

or Neckar forest’s or in silent shade.

 

Repeat the words he said when picking you,

and placed you in his venerable book,

with love he laid you, turning pages through,

each tender leaf he gently plucked and took.

 

So, carry on, O carry, flowers! Send

my love to all beloved once again

peace to my country and its fertile land,

bring virtue to its women, faith to men;

good health to gracious beings there composed,

in their paternal, sacred home enclosed.

 

When you arrive, then do bestow my kiss

I gave you on the wings of herald wind,

And so it flies together with the wind

to kiss all those I cherish, praise, and love.

 

Alas! My flowers, you will soon arrive,

perhaps you’ll keep your colors still alive,

but far from patria’s heroic grounds,

to which you fully owe your whole life’s worth,

that scent of soul, that heaven never downs,

no one forgets the light you saw at birth.

Review

 

Spanish * English

Spanish * German

English * German

English * English

 

 

Spanish * German

 

José Rizal

A las flores de Heidelberg

 

Spanish Original by José Rizal ~ April 24, 1886

 

 Esta estructura silenciosa se revela aquí por primera vez con claridad delicada: cada vez que José Rizal termina un bloque de versos con un punto o puntos suspensivos, concluye un pensamiento completo.

 La disposición que sigue responde únicamente a ese ritmo interno – no a convenciones externas – y así crea una forma de estrofa auténtica.

 

¡Id a mi patria, id, extranjeras flores,

sembradas del viajero en el camino,

y bajo su azul cielo,

que guarda mis amores,

contad del peregrino

la fe que alienta por su patrio suelo!

 

Id y decid: decid que cuando el alba

vuestro cáliz abrió por vez primera,

cabe el Neckar helado,

le vísteis silencioso á vuestro lado

pensando en su constante primavera.

 

Decid que cuando el alba, que roba vuestro aroma,

al joven pétalo canta canciones de amor,

él también os murmuraba

cánticos de amor en su idioma natal.

 

Que cuando la mañana, al sol que ya doraba

la cima del Königsstuhl en la altiva cumbre,

y con suave calor da vida otra vez

al valle, al bosque y la arboleda,

él saluda al sol, aún en su alborada,

que allá en su patria fulgura en su cenit.

 

Y decid lo que dijo aquel día

que os cogió en el sendero

entre las ruinas de un castillo feudal,

o en la selva del Neckar, o en la callada umbría.

 

Repetid las palabras que al cogerlas decía,

y que, al guardarlas entre el libro viejo,

las puso con cariño entre sus páginas,

las tiernas y flexibles hojas que cogía.

 

Llevad, llevad, ¡oh flores!

amor á mis amores,

paz á mi país y á su fecunda tierra,

fe á sus hombres; virtud á sus mujeres,

salud á dulces seres

que el paternal, sagrado hogar encierra...

 

Cuando lleguéis allá, depositad el beso

que os dí sobre las alas del viento,

para que vuele con él,

y yo pueda besar todo lo que venero, honro y amo.

 

Mas ¡ay!, llegaréis, flores,

conservaréis quizás vuestros colores,

pero lejos del patrio, heroico suelo

a quien debéis la vida;

que aroma es alma, y no abandona el cielo,

cuya luz viera en su nacer, ni olvida.

José Rizal

An die Blumen Heidelbergs

 

German von Hilmar Alquiros 2025

 

 Diese stille Struktur wurde hier erstmals behutsam sichtbar gemacht: Immer wenn José Rizal einen Punkt oder Auslassungspunkt setzte, endet ein Gedankenabschnitt.

 Die folgende Gliederung folgt ausschließlich dieser inneren Rhythmik – nicht äußerer Konvention – und schafft so eine authentische Strophenform.

 

Geht, fremde Blumen, in mein Vaterland,

gesät vom Wanderer am Wegesrand,

hier unter diesem blauen Firmament,

der überwachend meine Lieben fand,

erzählt vom Pilger, wie sein Treueband

glüht für das Land, das man die Heimat nennt!

 

Geht hin und sagt - wie Morgenlicht noch fahl

den Kelch euch öffnete zum ersten Mal,

am Neckarsfluss, den Eisesfrost noch ziert,

ihr ihn so still an eurer Seite spürt

gedenkend tief der Quelle erstem Strahl.

 

Sagt, dass wenn Morgendämmerung Düfte stiehlt,

sie jungen Blüten Liebeslieder singt,

auch ihr der Liebe Lobgesang erfühlt,

wie er in Muttersprache zu euch dringt.

 

Dass wenn schon Morgensonne goldverwöhnt

des stolzen Königsstuhles hohen Gipfel,

mit sanfter Wärme auch dem Tale fröhnt,

neu Leben schenkt in Wald und Haines Wipfel,

er diese Sonne grüßt – im Aufgang noch,

schon den Zenit erleuchtend in der Heimat doch.

 

Erzählt, was er an jenem Tage sprach,

auf seinem Pfad euch pflückte wohlgemach,

feudaler Burgruinen Geist alsbald

in stiller Dämmerung im Neckarswald.

 

Die Worte, die er pflückend sprach erneut,

dass er im alten Buch euch dort bewahrt,

von dessen Seiten liebevoll betreut,

gepflückte Blätter, biegsam noch und zart.

 

Tragt Blumen, oh, tragt meine Liebe fort!

Bringt sie zu den Geliebten allen dort,

und Frieden auch zu Land und Bodenfrucht,

wo Mann den Glauben, Frau die Tugend sucht,

wo liebe Wesen in Gesundheit sprossen,

da heilig doch vom Vaterhaus umschlossen...

 

Bei Ankunft, dass den Kuss, den ich euch gab,

noch auf des Botenwindes Schwingen lag,

damit zu allen hin er fliegen müsse,

und alles, was ich lieb' und ehre, küsse.

 

Doch ach! Kommt an, ihr Blumen, wohl und ganz,

vielleicht in eurem vollen Farbenglanz,

von heldenheimatlichen Böden ferne,

auch euer aller Leben schenkten sie,

nie misst der Seele Duft des Himmels Sterne,

das Licht bei der Geburt vergisst man nie.

Review

 

Spanish * English

Spanish * German

English * German

English * English

 

 

English * German

 

José Rizal

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

 

English by Hilmar Alquiros 2025

 

  This quiet structure is revealed here for the first time with gentle clarity: Every time José Rizal ends a verse block with a period or ellipsis, a complete thought concludes.

 Here the first translation with classical form with rhyme and iambic pentameter!

 

 

Go to my fatherland, go, foreign flowers,

by travelers once sown along the road,

and here, beneath its bluish firmament,

which shelters all the love my heart empowers,

tell of the wanderer, who ever showed

the faith that breathes homeland’s sacred scent.

 

That when the dawn has broken, go and say:

At first your chalices have opened, see,

beside the icy-frozen Neckar. Stay,

you saw him silent, look, beside your way,

so think your cycling spring eternally.

 

And say that when the dawn, which steals your scent,

to your young petals he had love songs sung,

and by this murmuring to you he meant

all love songs also in his native tongue.

 

That when the morning sun already gilds

proud Königsstuhls most lofty summit peak,

and with its gentle warmth again rebuilds

in valley, forest, grove all life’s mystique,

he hails the sun, still at its dawn’s shy raising,

while in his homeland at its zenith blazing

 

And narrate what he said that very day,

that on his path he plucked you all away,

in feudal castle ruins’ grave parade

or Neckar forest’s or in silent shade.

 

Repeat the words he said when picking you,

and placed you in his venerable book,

with love he laid you, turning pages through,

each tender leaf he gently plucked and took.

 

So, carry on, O carry, flowers! Send

my love to all beloved once again

peace to my country and its fertile land,

bring virtue to its women, faith to men;

good health to gracious beings there composed,

in their paternal, sacred home enclosed.

 

When you arrive, then do bestow my kiss

I gave you on the wings of herald wind,

And so it flies together with the wind

to kiss all those I cherish, praise, and love.

 

Alas! My flowers, you will soon arrive,

perhaps you’ll keep your colors still alive,

but far from patria’s heroic grounds,

to which you fully owe your whole life’s worth,

that scent of soul, that heaven never downs,

no one forgets the light you saw at birth.

José Rizal

An die Blumen Heidelbergs

 

German von Hilmar Alquiros 2025

 

 Diese stille Struktur wurde hier erstmals behutsam sichtbar gemacht: Immer wenn José Rizal einen Punkt oder Auslassungspunkt setzte, endet ein Gedankenabschnitt.

 Die folgende Gliederung folgt ausschließlich dieser inneren Rhythmik – nicht äußerer Konvention – und schafft so eine authentische Strophenform.

 

Geht, fremde Blumen, in mein Vaterland,

gesät vom Wanderer am Wegesrand,

hier unter diesem blauen Firmament,

der überwachend meine Lieben fand,

erzählt vom Pilger, wie sein Treueband

glüht für das Land, das man die Heimat nennt!

 

Geht hin und sagt - wie Morgenlicht noch fahl

den Kelch euch öffnete zum ersten Mal,

am Neckarsfluss, den Eisesfrost noch ziert,

ihr ihn so still an eurer Seite spürt

gedenkend tief der Quelle erstem Strahl.

 

Sagt, dass wenn Morgendämmerung Düfte stiehlt,

sie jungen Blüten Liebeslieder singt,

auch ihr der Liebe Lobgesang erfühlt,

wie er in Muttersprache zu euch dringt.

 

Dass wenn schon Morgensonne goldverwöhnt

des stolzen Königsstuhles hohen Gipfel,

mit sanfter Wärme auch dem Tale fröhnt,

neu Leben schenkt in Wald und Haines Wipfel,

er diese Sonne grüßt – im Aufgang noch,

schon den Zenit erleuchtend in der Heimat doch.

 

Erzählt, was er an jenem Tage sprach,

auf seinem Pfad euch pflückte wohlgemach,

feudaler Burgruinen Geist alsbald

in stiller Dämmerung im Neckarswald.

 

Die Worte, die er pflückend sprach erneut,

dass er im alten Buch euch dort bewahrt,

von dessen Seiten liebevoll betreut,

gepflückte Blätter, biegsam noch und zart.

 

Tragt Blumen, oh, tragt meine Liebe fort!

Bringt sie zu den Geliebten allen dort,

und Frieden auch zu Land und Bodenfrucht,

wo Mann den Glauben, Frau die Tugend sucht,

wo liebe Wesen in Gesundheit sprossen,

da heilig doch vom Vaterhaus umschlossen...

 

Bei Ankunft, dass den Kuss, den ich euch gab,

noch auf des Botenwindes Schwingen lag,

damit zu allen hin er fliegen müsse,

und alles, was ich lieb' und ehre, küsse.

 

Doch ach! Kommt an, ihr Blumen, wohl und ganz,

vielleicht in eurem vollen Farbenglanz,

von heldenheimatlichen Böden ferne,

auch euer aller Leben schenkten sie,

nie misst der Seele Duft des Himmels Sterne,

das Licht bei der Geburt vergisst man nie.

Review

 

Spanish * English

Spanish * German

English * German

English * English

 

 

 

English * English

 

José Rizal

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

 

English by Nick Joaquin

 

 This quiet structure is revealed here for the first time with gentle clarity: Every time José Rizal ends a verse block with a period or ellipsis, a complete thought concludes.

 The following layout follows this inner rhythm alone – not external convention – and thereby creates an authentic stanza form.

 

Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers,

sown by the traveler along the road,

and under that blue heaven

that watches over my loved ones,

recount the devotion

the pilgrim nurses for his native sod!

 

Go and say  say that when dawn

opened your chalices for the first time

beside the icy Neckar,

you saw him silent beside you,

thinking of her constant vernal clime.

 

Say that when dawn which steals your aroma,

was whispering playful love songs to your young,

sweet petals, he, too, murmured

canticles of love in his native tongue.

 

That in the morning when the sun first traces

the topmost peak of Koenigssthul in gold

and with a mild warmth raises

to life again the valley, the glade, the forest,

he hails that sun, still in its dawning,

that in his country in full zenith blazes.

 

And tell of that day

when he collected you along the way

among the ruins of a feudal castle,

on the banks of the Neckar, or in a forest nook.

 

Recount the words he said

as, with great care,

between the pages of a worn-out book

he pressed the flexible petals that he took.

 

Carry, carry, O flowers,

my love to my loved ones,

peace to my country and its fecund loam,

faith to its men and virtue to its women,

health to the gracious beings

that dwell within the sacred paternal home.

 

When you reach that shore, deposit the kiss I gave you

on the wings of the wind above

that with the wind it may rove

and I may kiss all that I worship, honor and love!

 

But O you will arrive there, flowers,

and you will keep perhaps your vivid hues;

but far from your native heroic earth,

to which you owe your life and worth,

your fragrances you will lose! For fragrance is a spirit

that never can forsake and never forgets the sky that saw its birth.

José Rizal

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

 

English by Hilmar Alquiros 2025

 

 This quiet structure is revealed here for the first time with gentle clarity: Every time José Rizal ends a verse block with a period or ellipsis, a complete thought concludes.

 Here the first translation with classical form with rhyme and iambic pentameter!

 

Go to my fatherland, go, foreign flowers,

by travelers once sown along the road,

and here, beneath its bluish firmament,

which shelters all the love my heart empowers,

tell of the wanderer, who ever showed

the faith that breathes homeland’s sacred scent.

 

That when the dawn has broken, go and say:

At first your chalices have opened, see,

beside the icy-frozen Neckar. Stay,

you saw him silent, look, beside your way,

so think your cycling spring eternally.

 

And say that when the dawn, which steals your scent,

to your young petals he had love songs sung,

and by this murmuring to you he meant

all love songs also in his native tongue.

 

That when the morning sun already gilds

proud Königsstuhls most lofty summit peak,

and with its gentle warmth again rebuilds

in valley, forest, grove all life’s mystique,

he hails the sun, still at its dawn’s shy raising,

while in his homeland at its zenith blazing

 

And narrate what he said that very day,

that on his path he plucked you all away,

in feudal castle ruins’ grave parade

or Neckar forest’s or in silent shade.

 

Repeat the words he said when picking you,

and placed you in his venerable book,

with love he laid you, turning pages through,

each tender leaf he gently plucked and took.

 

So, carry on, O carry, flowers! Send

my love to all beloved once again

peace to my country and its fertile land,

bring virtue to its women, faith to men;

good health to gracious beings there composed,

in their paternal, sacred home enclosed.

 

When you arrive, then do bestow my kiss

I gave you on the wings of herald wind,

And so it flies together with the wind

to kiss all those I cherish, praise, and love.

 

Alas! My flowers, you will soon arrive,

perhaps you’ll keep your colors still alive,

but far from patria’s heroic grounds,

to which you fully owe your whole life’s worth,

that scent of soul, that heaven never downs,

no one forgets the light you saw at birth.

Review

 

Spanish * English

Spanish * German

English * German

English * English

 

 

 

 

© by Dr. Hilmar Alquiros, The Philippines Impressum Data Protection Statement / Datenschutzerklärung 

 

 

 

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