Kundiman

Tampuhan a classic painting by Juan Luna

Tampuhan a classic painting by Juan Luna, 1895.
This painting depicts sweethearts having lovers' quarrel.

The "Kundiman" is a lyrical song made popular in the Philippines in the early 19th century. Composed in the Western idiom, the song is characterized by a minor key at the beginning and shifts to a major key in the second half. Its lyrics depict a romantic love, usually portraying the forlorn pleadings of a lover willing to sacrifice everything on behalf of his beloved. In many others, it is a plaintive wail of the rejected lover or the broken-hearted. In others, it is a story of unrequited love. Almost all traditional Filipino love songs in this genre are heavy with poetic emotion worthy of a Balagtasan (a poetic joust so named after Francisco Balagtas, the hero of Filipino metrical romances in Spanish Philippines). The rejected lover will pour out his emotions through these songs in an almost masochistic way, for to express suffering is to also experience happiness. One such Kundiman that tells about unrequited love is the Visayan classic, Matud Nila.

The lyrics provided below are in the original Visayan, followed by its Tagalog version. At the end, I have provided a rough English translation from Tagalog.

In a country that speaks eleven major languages and some eighty-seven dialects, an attempt to translate successfully from the original native language requires not only an operational knowledge of the original language but also a familiarity of, or a complete immersion in, the culture of the people whose language is being translated. A caveat is therefore offered here that in the process of translating, the original flavor of the original work and the sensations they evoke in its original eloquence may be lost.

John Reyes

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Matudnila

Visayan Version (Original)

Matud nila ako dili angay
Nga mangmanggad sa imong gugma
Matud nila ikaw dili malipay
Kay ‘wa ako’y bahandi
Nga kanimo igasa.

Gungmang putli mao day pasalig
Maoy bahanding labaw sa bulawan
Matud nila kaanugon lamang
Sa imong gugma ug paraig.

Chorus: (This is the shift from minor to the major key as explained above)

Dili molubad kining pagbati
Bisan sa unsa nga katarungan
Kay unsa pay bili ning kinabuhi
Kon sa gugma mo hinikawan.

Ingna ko nga dili ka matuo
Sa manga pagtamay kong naangkon
Ingna ko nga dili mo kawangon
Damgo ug pasalig sa gugma mo.

Coda:

Damgo ug pasalig sa gugma mo.

Ikaw Lamang
Tagalog Version

Kalungkutan sa unang pag-ibig
Ang sinapit ng pusong sabik
Ako raw ay walang maiaalay
Kahit kaunting ligaya
Pagkat salat sa yaman.

Nasugatan ang aking damdamin
Nanghihinayang ako sa ‘yo giliw
Kung sakaling sawi man ang puso
Subalit tunay ang pagsuyo.

Kayamanan ko hanggang pumanaw
Ang pag-ibig mong tanglaw sa buhay
Binabanggit kita sa panalangin
Lumigaya ka pagpalain.

Ay aking mahal ikaw na lamang
Ang ligaya ko sa kalungkutan*
T’wing sasapit ang gabing tahimik
Di kita malimot sa pag-ibig.

You're the One and Only
(my translation from Tagalog)

The sufferings of first love,
Were the rewards of my longing heart.
They say I had nothing to offer, not even
A moment of happiness as I am a pauper.

My feelings were hurt;
I grieve in losing you, my love.
Broken-hearted, but devoted still,
I will treasure the memory of your love
Till it flickers, the light of my life.

This love I have only for you,
Gives me happiness in my moments of sorrow.*

In the stillness of the night,
I will remember you always, my love.

*Expressions of happiness during moments of sorrow illustrate the masochistic tendencies of the Kundiman

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