In Search for the Beloved: Communicating Juan dela Cruz to Ordinary Folks











Juan dela Cruz is popularly known to us Filipinos as a farmer wearing salakot (native hat made of bamboo thatches), tsinelas (slippers, not Havaianas, of course), barong tagalog and pantalon. A patient and unassuming man, he stands as epitome of the ordinary Filipino. Yes, Juan dela Cruz is the typical Filipino. And many mothers and fathers named their sons after his namesake. Wally Gonzales and Pepe Smith even called their band, Juan dela Cruz Band, to give it a tone of patriotism and to identify with everything that the personification of Juan carries with.

But many Filipinos know not that indeed there was a great man and a lover at that by the name of Juan dela Cruz. The young ones are really ignorant and the old oblivious that there was a time when mothers and fathers wished their sons emulate the virtues of that man. He was a small man by stature yet his love for the Beloved is great. Hereunder, let me share one of his great poems for the young and restless to appreciate:

SONG OF THE LOVER AND THE BRIDEGROOM

I

THE BRIDE

Where have You hidden Yourself,

And abandoned me in my groaning, O my Beloved?

You have fled like the hart,

Having wounded me.

I ran after You, crying; but You were gone.

II

O shepherds, you who go

Through the sheepcots up the hill,

If you shall see Him

Whom I love the most,

Tell Him I languish, suffer, and die.

III

In search of my Love

I will go over mountains and strands;

I will gather no flowers,

I will fear no wild beasts;

And pass by the mighty and the frontiers.

IV

O groves and thickets

Planted by the hand of the Beloved;

O verdant meads

Enameled with flowers,

Tell me, has He passed by you?



The ordinary folks would want that translated in our dialect. But I deemed it proper to be faithful to the intent of St. John while at the same time make a connection with the contemporary Filipino. Thus my "contextualized" translation:


GUINA-USOY KO IKAW
(nabasi sa obra ni San Juan de la Cruz)

Siin ka nag-adto, akong Pinalangga?
Ham-an nga guinapaantos mo ro akong kaeag?
Nagguwa eon ngani ako sa akong banawang
Sa pag-usoy kimo, pero pumanaw ka eo’t ing.

O kamo nga mga bakero nga nagapahang-eab
Ku inyong mga anwang una sa tagodtod,
Kung manabo abi nga hipan-uhan ninyo
ro akong Hinigugma,
suguri imaw nga maemae ro akong pagpangasubo,
nagamasakit ag madali eon lang mamatay.

Guin-usoy ko ro akong Mahae sa kabukiran,
Guin-usoy ko imaw sa kadatagan ag kaeanasan.
Ana ron tanan sanda nga guinbugayan it grasya
Eamang agod nga ro akong taguipusoon
Hay magmayad.
Pero owa’t a magmayad ro akong taguipusoon ngara.

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