Minimithi (Desiderata)

I started this kapetesapatalim blog exactly a year ago today, on February 16, 2008, with the posting of my spoken-word piece, “Tagubilin at Habilin.” My prose poem, recorded by Armida Siguion-Reyna in Pop Lola (Viva Records, 2003), was admittedly inspired by, among others, the prose poem “Desiderata.” So now here’s my much older Tagalog translation/adaptation of “Desiderata” itself.

The translation was originally commissioned by Benjamin Ramos in the late 1980s, and was first published in my book of poetry translations, Sa Daigdig ng Kontradiksiyon: Mga Saling-wika (Anvil Publishing, 1991).

In my book, I attributed this prose poem to Anonymous, because that's how it was attributed in all published versions back then. But I have since learned that it has an author, Max Ehrmann.

My original translation, as published in Sa Daigdig ng Kontradiksiyon, hewed close to the original text. With my recent preoccupation with song adaptations, or salinawit, I decided to add on the sung refrain used in the spoken-word version of the prose poem recorded by Les Crane in 1971.

Cover of the 1976 edition of
The Desiderata of Happiness,
"a collection of philosophical poems"
by Max Ehrmann.
Photo from Wikipedia.

MINIMITHI
(DESIDERATA)

Mula sa teksto ni Max Ehrmann (sinulat noong 1927) at kasama ang sung refrain sa bersiyong isinaplaka ni Les Crane. Maaring awitin ang koro dito sa himig ng sung refrain sa plaka ni Les Crane.

Salin: Pete Lacaba


(KORO)
Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay.
(Minimithi… minimithi… minimithi…)

LUMAKAD NANG MAHINAHON

Sa gitna ng ingay at pagkukumahog, at alalahanin
Ang kapayapaang maaaring makuha sa katahimikan.

Walang isinusuko hanggat maaari,
Pakitunguhan nang mabuti ang lahat ng tao.

Sabihin ang iyong katotohanan nang tahimik at malinaw;
At makinig sa iba, kahit sa nakayayamot at mangmang;
Sila man ay may kasaysayan.

Iwasan ang mga taong mabunganga at palaaway,
Sila'y ikinaiinis ng kalooban.

Kung ihahambing mo ang sarili sa iba,
Baka yumabang ka o maghinanakit; sapagkat laging
May lilitaw na mas mahusay o mas mahina sa iyo.

(KORO)
Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay.
At anupaman ang iyong gawin,
Itong sanlibutan ay narito
Sa paligid mo.

Ikalugod ang iyong mga tagumpay at saka mga balak.

Manatiling interesado sa iyong hanapbuhay,
Gaano man kaaba; ito'y tunay na ari-arian
Sa pabago-bagong kapalaran ng panahon.

Maging maingat sa iyong negosyo;
Sapagkat ang daigdig ay puno ng panlilinlang.
Subalit huwag maging bulag sa kabutihang makikita.
Maraming nagsisikap na makamit ang mga adhikain; at sa lahat ng dako,
Ang buhay ay puno ng kabayanihan.

Maging tapat sa sarili. Higit sa lahat, huwag magkunwari.
Huwag ding libakin ang pag-ibig:
Sapagkat sa harap ng lahat ng kahungkagan at kawalang-pag-asa,
Ito'y lagi't laging sumisibol, tulad ng damo.

Tanggapin nang mabuti ang mga payo ng katandaan,
Buong-giliw na isuko ang mga bagay-bagay ng kabataan.

Pag-ibayuhin ang lakas ng loob,
Ito’y pananggalang laban sa biglaang kasawian.
Subalit huwag ikaligalig ang mga haka-haka.

Maraming pangamba ang likha ng pagod at pangungulila.

Bagamat kailangan ang sapat na disiplina,
Maging magiliw sa sarili.

(KORO)
Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay.
At anupaman ang iyong gawin,
Itong sanlibutan ay narito
Sa paligid mo.

Kung gayon, pakisamahan ang Panginoon,
Anuman ang pananaw mo sa kanya.
At anuman ang iyong pinagkakaabalahan at minimithi,
Sa maingay na kalituhan ng buhay,
Pakisamahan ang iyong kaluluwa.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng pagkukunwari, kabagutan, at gumuhong pangarap,
Maganda pa rin ang daigdig.

Mag-ingat. Sikaping lumigaya.

(KORO)
Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay…

Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay…

Ikaw ay supling ng sanlibutan.
Katulad ng bituin,
May liwanag kang taglay…



NOTES:

From the Alt.Usage.English FAQ:

"Desiderata" was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945). In 1956, the rector of St. Paul's Church in Baltimore, Maryland, used the poem in a collection of mimeographed inspirational material for his congregation. Someone who subsequently printed it asserted that it was found in Old St. Paul's Church, dated 1692. The year 1692 was the founding date of the church and has nothing to do with the poem.

(Salamat sa kapatid kong si Billy na nagbigay ng impormasyon sa itaas.)


From Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia:

Max Ehrmann (September 26, 1872 - September 9, 1945) was an attorney from Indiana, and was best known for writing the prose poem "Desiderata" (Latin: "things desired as essential") in 1927.

Ehrmann, who was of German descent, received a degree in English from DePauw University, followed by a degree in Philosophy from Harvard University. He then returned to his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana to practice law. Eventually this led him to work in his family's meatpacking business and in the overalls manufacturing industry. At the age of 41, Ehrmann decided to become a writer instead. At the age of 55, he wrote Desiderata, which achieved fame only after his death.


Also from Wikipedia:

Les Crane (born Lesley Stein - December 3, 1933 – July 13, 2008) was a radio announcer and television talk show host, a pioneer in interactive broadcasting who also scored an unexpected spoken word hit with his 1971 recording of the poem Desiderata, winning a "Best Spoken Word" Grammy for his efforts…

A parody of Desiderata by National Lampoon on their comedy album, Radio Dinner (1972), went on to fame via the Dr. Demento and Howard Stern radio shows. Called Deteriorata and voiced by Norman Rose, the parody declared to listeners that "you are a fluke of the universe. You have no right to be here. And whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back." Melissa Manchester, then a little-known session singer, performed the gospel-tinged background vocals.

When asked about the recording during an interview by the Los Angeles Times in 1987, Crane replied, "I can't listen to it now without gagging." He admitted to being much fonder of the National Lampoon version.