Poema de Tecumseh

Vive tú vida sin que el temor a la muerte pueda entrar jamás en tu corazón.
No molestes a nadie por su religión.
Respeta la opinión de los demás
y exige que ellos respeten la tuya.
Ama la vida, perfecciónala siempre, embelleciéndola.
Intenta que tú existencia sea larga
y esté al servicio de tú pueblo
Cuando llegue la hora de morir.
No seas como aquéllos llenos de temor hacía la muerte.
Y que cuando les llega el momento
lloran y rezan.
Para volver a vivir su vida de un modo diferente.
Canta tu canción de muerte
Y muere como un héroe
que regresa al hogar.

____

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion;respect others in their view,
and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life,
beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its
purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for
the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,
even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled
with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray
for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

Chief Tecumseh (Crouching Tiger) Shawnee Nation 1768-1813.