Ibu Pertiwi (song)

Ibu Pertiwi is a popular Indonesian patriotic song composed by Kamsidi Samsuddin in 1908. The song's lyrics are about Ibu Pertiwi, the national personification of Indonesia (also interpreted as "mother country"). It is normally sung by Indonesian children, elementary and secondary school students, or played during Indonesian Independence Day celebrations. In 2016 the Indonesian classical composer, Ananda Sukarlan, made a set of variations for piano based on this song.

Lyrics
The lyrics are as following:

Original lyrics
(in Indonesian)

First verse:
 * Kulihat ibu pertiwi
 * Sedang bersusah hati
 * Air matanya berlinang
 * Mas intannya terkenang


 * Hutan gunung sawah lautan
 * Simpanan kekayaan
 * Kini ibu sedang lara
 * Merintih dan berdoa

Second verse:
 * Kulihat ibu pertiwi
 * Kami datang berbakti
 * Lihatlah putra-putrimu
 * Menggembirakan ibu


 * Ibu kami tetap cinta
 * Putramu yang setia
 * Menjaga harta pusaka
 * Untuk nusa dan bangsa

Translation
First verse:
 * I see Motherland (Ibu Pertiwi: personification of Indonesia)
 * (She is) in sorrow
 * Her tears are flowing
 * Remembering your (lost) golds and diamonds


 * Forests, mountains, farms, and the seas
 * Home of the treasures (richness)
 * Now Mother is grieving
 * Sighing sadly and praying

Second verse:
 * I see Motherland
 * We come to serve (you)
 * Behold your sons and daughters
 * They will make Mother happy


 * Mother, we still love (you)
 * Your faithful sons
 * Guarding the heirloom
 * For our homeland and nation

Adoption of Christian Hymn music
Although the lyrics were originally composed, the music and melody of this adaptation resembled the Christian hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus, originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855. The hymn is sung in Indonesian as Yesus Kawan yang Sejati and in Toba Batak as Ise do Alealenta and is popular in Batak churches, as well as in Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. Even though Indonesia has a statistically larger Muslim community, the hymn is quite widely known. Prior his death in 1958, the melody of the music was adopted by Kamsidi Samsuddin, the composer of the Ibu Pertiwi song.