My Mother's Legacy

One thousand years enslaved by the Chinese
One hundred years dominated by the French
Twenty years of Civil war 
Mother’s legacy, left for her children
Mother’s legacy, is a sad Viet Nam

One thousand years enslaved by the Chinese
One hundred years dominated by the French
Twenty years of Civil war
Mother’s legacy, a jungle filled with dry human bones
Mother’s legacy, a mountain filled with graves

Teach your children to speak the truth
Mother wishes for you to remember the color of your skin
Don’t forget the color of your skin, ancient Viet Nam
Mother wishes for you to hurry home
Mother wishes for all her children from far away
The children of one common father, forget your hatred

One thousand years enslaved by the Chinese
One hundred years dominated by the French
Twenty years of fighting each day
Mother’s legacy, dried-up rice fields
Mother’s legacy, houses burned by the row

One thousand years enslaved by the Chinese
One hundred years dominated by the French
Twenty years of civil war
Mother’s legacy, a gang of traitors 
Mother’s legacy, a band of ingrates.

translated by Tran Duy Tinh