MATUNA HAO, O BITHEN DE LURDES

Hymn to Our Lady of Lourdes based on a Basque original and put into Chamorro by Påle' Román María de Vera, Capuchin, around 1919.

1. MATUNA HAO, O Bithen de Lurdes
inangokkon i taotao-mo;
i umågang hao guse' un po'lo
gi mames na korason-mo.

Blessed are you, Oh Virgin of Lourdes
the hope of your people;
quickly place those who call to you
into your sweet heart.

Refrain : Tayuyute ham gi me'nan Jesus, i un guaiya na påtgon-mo. Nåna lao, Nåna! Cha'-mo didingo ini i famagu'on-mo.

Pray for us before Jesus, your beloved child. Oh my, Mother! Dare not abandon these your children.

2. Guinaiya i kumonne' hao mågi
gi umisao na tano'-mo;
ya humuyung hao guihe gi Lurdes,
mangasao i atadok-mo.

Love brought you here
to your world which is sinful;
and you appeared there in Lourdes,
your eyes weeping.

3. Ayo as Bernadita Zubiru
i lumi'e i lago'-mo;
ya ha hungok nina' sen pinite
i na' tanges na fino'-mo.

She who was Bernadette Soubirous
who saw your tears;
and heard very sorrowfully
your tearful words.

4. Ilek-mo "Fa'tinas penitensia,
hamyo yan i chataotao-mo;
cha'-mo måmåhgong man sinangåne
nu ini na matago'-mo."

You said, "Do penance,
you and your fellow men;
do not stop telling them
about this task of yours."

5. An måkpo' i tinaitai-mo guihe
ya un atan i fi'on-mo;
un na' milalak gi acho' hånom,
fanhasuyan i lago'-mo.

When your prayers were done there
and you looked at your side;
you made water pour out from the rock,
a reminder of your tears.

6. Ma kåhat guihe guma'yu'us,
aya' yan i malago'-mo;
annai taimaktos gine'fli'e'-mo
nu todos i tentago'-mo.

A church was built there,
conforming to your wishes;
where your love is endless
for all your servants.

7. Fa' maolek lokkue' Bithen de Lurdes
iya Guåhan na tano'-mo;
po'lo ham Raina yan Nånan-måme
gi halom i korason-mo.

Make good, as well, Virgin of Lourdes,
your land of Guam;
place us, our Queen and Mother,
within your heart.

NOTES

Nåna lao. There is no exact translation for this Chamorro phrase which can mean many things but is said here as a cry of exasperation or, at other times, of disapproval or sarcasm.

Ini. This is the pre-Spanish Chamorro word for "this" or "these." Chamorros gradually dropped it in favor of the Spanish "este." You can see how Påle' Román tried to revive its use by favoring the word in this hymn over "este."

Måhgong. This is ordinarily understood as "peace" but it can also be understood as "still, quiet, at rest." So the hymn has Mary telling Bernadette not to be still or quiet but to be always on the move spreading the message of Lourdes.

Fanhasuyan. Literally, "place of thinking or remembering." A poetic way of saying "reminder."

Taimaktos. Måktos means to break or snap something extended, linked or continuous, like a rope, chain, wire or thread. Poetically, taimaktos means "unbreakable, infinite, endless."

Guåhan. The original name, it is believed, of Guam.