WHAT HAVE I SEEN TONIGHT?

What have I seen tonight ?

A hundred flags flying

The jungles and mountains sound a call to all regions

The winds of peace return from all directions

The waters of happy times flow freely

The rhythm of life so vast it rubs out hatred

To greet the motherland after the storm

With tears of joy, or hearts of wood and stone

What have I seen tonight ?

Hands, countless hands

Each untainted finger reaches out to the wounded

Mend the love, mend the broken hearts

The hands connect our brothers and sisters

Return to the creek of the motherland to wash away shame and hardship

We heard the echoes of gunfire each night for ten years

The rice paddies and mulberry trees have passed through the horror

The aging mother smiles like new green leaves in the garden

The fields of Viet Nam are sprouting young buds for the first time

Steam from a fleet of boats warms both sides of the jungle

A flock of roosters crow loudly to greet the sunrise.

What have I seen tonight ?

A hundred flags flying

Tonight the city streets shine with lights

The lights illuminate the village and the neighborhood

People walk fast, like water flowing over a dam

The sad earth has opened into a smile

A line of green trees puts on the garments of a new season

People walk fast, as if the jungle is approaching

What have I seen tonight ?

A hundred lanterns

The earth vibrates under the feet of a million people

Destroy the prison to raise a new day

The dawn sheds light on the future

The flowing blood of our brothers and sisters has stained the face of the sun

Along with the dry bones of the dead, we raise our voices

To live a peaceful life in the name of humanity.

Translated by Tran Duy Tinh