1. Blessed are you, O people of valor, rebelling,
Free, and O homeland of heroism, conquering,

2. I send you my greetings from an enduring heart
That melts with passion and from a soul overflowing,

3. It refuses hypocrisy and reveals naught but what
Has made life treasures and hoarded riches glowing,

4. A friend is not just one brought near, for oft
A shunned soul's deemed an emigrant overflowing,

5. Begin reform with yourself, correcting and righting,
For then you'll be readier when facing the erring,

6. If tyrants have exiled me, then for you, wherever
You are, I'm a resistant, struggling and cheering,

7. I refused bargaining with oppressors, and if
I suffered harm's worst, loyal to you persevering,

8. Who taught the old lion, whose days had passed,
Not to remain cautious, alert, and fearing?

9. The gambler and winner are not the same,
For from ruin comes one who is gambling and veering,

10. If we lack arms, then perhaps our defiance
Itself forges arms, potent and searing,

11. A beast is colonialism, its evil growing
More cruel in the name of progress, mocking and jeering,

12. As if it deemed minds to be refuse,
Or fleeting whims circulating, steering,

13. Can radio cleanse it of its sins
When bullets shriek wildly, ranting and sneering,

14. When atrocities were addressed with tongues
Of fire, wounds mounted platforms, preaching and cheering,

15. When myths it spreads are senses' poison,
And secret calamities appearing,

16. When ruins shriek like orphans surrounding,
No prosperous days enacting or mirroring,

17. When rights are controlled and plundered
Like promises scattered, lost, fleeting and veering,

18. If good faith is a first sin, then how
Can another sin after be called and deemed daring?

19. It is the height of crime against the nation
That suffered and suffered its woes and its searing,

20. The ransomed nation will not grant pardon
To a lad who deceives, or conniving and leering,

21. And sees in colonialism some salvation,
Was colonialism anything but sneering?

22. It exults in bloodshed, yet blood
Is the dearest that defiant fathers were cheering,

23. Would that I were the sacrifice, though I am
Giving most precious final thoughts persevering,

24. And in my old age refused its ailments,
Giving my love's honesty, verses endearing,

25. No lion debases itself thus, it remains
Defiant, however much it denies and is sneering,

26. A century's deception taught our kind
To beware its negotiations and parleying,

27. The treacherous killer, Napoleon, still
Does not cease its perfidious epochs unleashing,

28. From it, ruses learned, so we killed
Its vile art's consciences, pummeling and spearing,

29. My homeland's youth: Your foe is theirs,
However much in facades it poses, leering.

30. Grant it only estrangement, for in estrangement
Lies deterrence, rebuffing and veering,

31. Or lies your salvation someday,
A morrow we hope for, radiant and cheering,

32. Beware, my homeland's youth, and be unified,
A potent, not loud, congregation convening,

33. Your safety is no trivial place,
For safety itself can present jeopardy and fearing,

34. Do not grieve, however saddened by heroes
Who passed, brides proceeding with grace persevering,

35. The scroll bore from starry heights a will
That remains for eras, memories persevering,

36. And keeps asking us for greater cleansing
Of our past's taint, guiding the veering,

37. Leave ancestor glorification, however bright
And radiant their splendor and pioneering,

38. Glorifying them is unnecessary
Save to inspire health or wake the wearying,

39. Take up means for present joy,
For the moment itself is not mirroring or peering

40. Into bygone days. Be martyrs in your miracle,
Your steadfastness, not fleeting and veering,

41. No excuse remains after this day for negligence,
For excellence will not accept excuses and fearing,