I tried to search for a readily translated version in English but I never found any so I just translated it myself, relying on my understanding of the language. This song is in Filipino (a.k.a. Tagalog) and since I am a Filipino and that is also my language, I made an attempt for the benefit of other people in the world who understand English.

Tagulaylay
“Lamentation”

Nag-iisa sa gitna ng parang
All alone, in the midst of the field

Siya’y nag-iisip, sarili niya’y tinatanong
Brooding over things, and then he keeps asking himself

“Bakit kaya?”
“Why is this so?”

Nagtitiis sa init ng araw
Working patiently in the heat of the sun

Dinidilig ng pawis yaong bukid na maghapong kaulayaw
Toiling and sweating out to till the soil of the field all day long

At biglang sisigaw sa katahimikan kasabay ng pag-unga ng kalabaw
Then he shouts to break the silence along with the moaning of the carabao

Hindi tiyak kung ano ang bukas ng kanyang mga anak
Uncertainty is what lies ahead of his children born

Malaon nang nagtitiis ng hirap
with a lifelong poverty

Ibibigay ang tangi niyang buhay at ang buong lakas upang sila’y mabuhay pa
With all his life and strength, he will strive to live and make his family stay alive

Hanggang bukas
“Til tomorrow

At biglang sisigaw sa katahimikan kasabay ng pag-unga ng kalabaw
Then he shouts to break the silence along with the moaning of the carabao

Nag-iisa sa gitna ng parang
All alone, in the midst of the field

Wala na ang singkaw, papalubog na ang araw
The yoke is gone, and the sun’s about to set

Nag-iisa ang kalabaw.
The beast is all left alone.

There could be a lot better translation than this, I know (especially the translation made by the writer himself) but I just made it appear so just in case, anyone would like to sing it in English, at least the lines may fit. I just hope it sticks faithful to the idea conveyed in each line as written by the lyricist – artist, Mr. Heber Bartolome.

For those who do not know my country, the Philippines, is an agricultural place but I’m not sure for how long due to the continuous urbanization all over the archipelago. And our farmers belong to the sectors who are usually taken for granted (and in most cases, oppressed. And for those who have lived like them or at least tried to stay in a farmland or in a rice field who got to see how they worked, you would get the idea why whenever I listen to this, I feel sorry for them. But I am not talking about farmers who own the land they till but those who work for other people.

If you would like to listen to the song, please play this video below.