National Anthems

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I'm curious to hear the words for your country's national anthem. For most countries, I just know how the tune goes, but none of the words. So let's see them lyrics (and the translations)!

I'll let someone else do Canada's anthem so that I don't embarass myself like Bryan Adams at the NHL allstar game in Vancouver a few years back

 

this site will give the the National Anthem of virtually every nation in the world.

I love Wikipedia.

Oh, BTA...you did better than Rosanne!

 

Better than Rosanne? Now there has just got to be a hidden compliment in there somewhere.....I just know it.

lol

 

Ours is currently Advance Australia Fair, but we are making moves to change it to the theme song from 'Neighbours'.

 

HAHAHAHAHA

Oh god it hurts! Make the Laughing stop!

 

Oh ya, i always wanted to do this,
try to read the following

Negaraku

Negaraku -- My country
Tanah tumpahnya darahku -- The land which i spilt my blood
Rakyat hidup bersatu and maju - Citizens live united and prosperous
Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan - Mercy and blessing, God granted
Raja kita selamat betakhta - Our (including the speakers and listeners) kings possessing their thrones saftely
Rakyat hidup bersatu and maju
Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat betakhta

 

Well, I'm from Bulgaria and our national anthem is so bad translated in English as "Dumb and Dumber"... But that's the translation...

 

Here's the full version of the United States Anthem:

Star Spangled Banner
by Frances Scott Key

I.
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

II.
On the shore, dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream;
'Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

III.
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust"
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

 

Here's the New Zealand national anthem, which before I die I will see it changed to something better!

English Version

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our State,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.

May our mountains ever be
Freedoms ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

Then it repeats in Maori.

Just like the US anthem, the first verse, both Maori and English is all you ever hear.
It's funny really, going on about God bless New Zealand, but then according to the latest statistics less that 50% of people, now, believe in a god of any sort. And technically, we also have God defend the Queen as another Anthem, but that is never used.

 

Du gamla, Du fria, Du fjällhöga nord
Du tysta, Du glädjerika sköna!
Jag hälsar Dig, vänaste land uppå jord,
/in sol, Din himmel, Dina ängder gröna.:/

Du tronar på minnen från fornstora dar,
då ärat Ditt namn flög över jorden.
Jag vet att Du är och Du blir vad du var.
/: Ja, jag vill leva jag vill dö i Norden.:/

Translation

You free, ancient country, You high mountained north
You silent and free, so delightful
We greet you the loveliest land upon Earth
/:Your sun, Your sky and Your pastures green:/

Resting on memories, the glorious past
All around the world, your name was honoured
I trust you will always, remain the way you were
/:The North is where I will live and die:/


((All copy/pasted from Hacken Slash's link, but it seems right (at least swedish version, never actually heard translated) ))

 

Did you know, that the Dutch anthem was compossed around 1570, which makes it the oldest national anthem in the world!

Well, here it is: 'Het Wilhelmus'.

Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
ben ik, van Duitsen bloed.
Den vaderland getrouwe,
blijf ik tot in den dood.
Een Prinse van Oranje
ben ik, vrij onverveerd.
Den Koning van Hispanje,
heb ik altijd geëerd.

William of Nassau,
I am of the Dutch blood*.
Loyal to the fatherland**,
I remain until death.
A Prince of Orange
am I, free and fearless.
The king of Spain
have I given a lifelong loyalty***.

*The modern Dutch lyrics actually say: 'I am of German blood', but the experts have different opinions about what it actually means. It is however, generally believed that 'Duitsen' from the Dutch lyrics, was derived from 'duytschen', which came from something like 'dietsen', which came from 'Nederdietsen', which would mean Dutch as far as I know. I had a Dutch teacher in high school, who once said that 'dietsen' meant 'of the people', which would also be the Dutch. So, even though it literally says 'German blood', I stubbornly put 'Dutch blood' in my translation.

**I don't know if fatherland is an existing expression in English, but this sentence could also be translated as 'Loyal to king and country.'

***The last sentence makes no sense IMHO, because William of Nassau fought against the people from Spain. Maybe another Dutchie can shed some light onto this.

There are actually 14 more stanzas, but I didn't feel like translating them all.

[ December 16, 2003, 15:18: Message edited by: Mesmero ]

 

I'd put bets on that the German national anthem is the best one. Those guys know how to sing and drink. They remind me of tall, blonde, clean shaven dwarves...

 

Swiss Spalm

When the morning skies grow red,
and over us their radiance shed
Thou, O Lord, appeareth in their light
when the alps glow bright with splendor,
pray to God to Him surrender
for you feel and understand
that He dwelleth in this land.

In the sunset Thou art night
and beyond the starry sky
Thou, O loving father, ever near,
when to Heaven we are departing
joy and bliss Thou'lt be imparting
for we feel and understand
that Thou dwelleth in this land.

When dark clouds enshroud the hills
and gray mist the valley fills
yet Thou art not hidden from thy sons
pierce the gloom in which we cower
with Thy sunshine's cleansing power
then we'll and understand
that God dwelleth in this land.

 

The Canadian anthem in Hacken Slash's link is wrong. It's The Good Old Hockey Game by Stompin Tom Connors:

Hello out there, we're on the air
It's Hockey night tonight
The tension grows, the whistle blows
And the puck goes down the ice

The goalie jumps and the players bump
The fans all go insane
The home crowd roars, Bobby scores
At the good old Hockey game

Oh! The good old Hockey game
Is the best game you can name
And the best game you can name
Is the good old Hockey game!

Second period
Where players dash with skates a flash
The home team trails behind
But they grab the puck and go bursting up
And they're down across the line

They storm the crease like bumble bees
They travel like a burning plane
We see them slide the puck inside
It's a one-one hockey game

Oh! The good old Hockey game
Is the best game you can name
And the best game you can name
Is the good old Hockey game!

Third period, last game of the playoffs too!
Oh take me where the hockey players
Face-off down the rink
And the Stanley Cup is all filled up
For the champs who win the drink

Now the final flick of a hockey stick
And on one gigantic screen
Well the puck is in - the home team wins
That good old hockey game

Oh! The good old Hockey game
Is the best game you can name
And the best game you can name
Is the good old Hockey game!

Oh, and Blackhawk: you were off key.

 

>do i dare? oh, i will give it a shot.. <

Deutschland, Deutschland
über alles, über alles
in der Welt.
Danach laßt uns einig streben,
brüderlich mit Herz und Hand.

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
sind des Glückes Unterpfand.
Deutschland, Deutschland
üüüber alles, über aaalles
in der Welt.

Translated:

Germany, Germany
above all, above all
in the world.
Let us work/strife (?) for this
brotherly with heard and hand.

Unity and Law/Justice and Freedom
are the pledge/base for good fortune (a toughy)
Germany, Germany
above all, above all
in the world.

Sorry, my translation lacks in the style department.

 

@ Splunge - I was thinking of posting the true Canadian national anthem but it appears you have saved me the trouble of typing out or trying to find a copy of the lyrics.

P.S. Technically the song's name is "The Hockey Song" although it is indeed generally referred to as "The Good Old Hockey Game".

 

The greek national anthem (Anthem to freedom) has 140 verses but we use just the two first of them.

Se gnorizo apo tin kopsi
Tou spathiou tin tromeri
Se gnorizo apo tin opsi
Pou me via metraei tin gi

Ap'ta kokala vgalmeni
Ton ellinon ta iera
Kai san prota andreiomeni
Haire o haire Eleutheria


I know you by the mighty
Blade of the sword
I know you by the expression on you face
Which fast estimates the land

Born of the sacred bones of Greeks
Valiant as in the past times
Hail Freedom, hail

 

A true Belgian doesn't know his own national anthem.
I do know "La brabançonne d'une putain" but its lyrics don't fit in here.

As for "ben ik, van Duitsen bloed":
I hear it comes all the way from the word "theodisk" which is taken from the root "theoda" meaning "people" in ancient Frank language. For the story, when the Franks settled in what is today western France, they latinised, progressively speaking a rural form of Latin that would later evolve into French. But some Franks living near Alsace/Lorraine kept on speaking their original language, and the word designating these people was just "people" in ancient Frank. So I'd go with the "from the people" explanation.

"Theodisk" later appeared in Latin itself in the from "theodiscus" which transformed in the Italian "tedesco" which, I believe, is a word used by Italians to designate the Germans.
It also spawned the words duits, Deutsch and such.

There's also a funny story for the Russian translation of the word "German" but that's enough off-topicness for now.

 

Well, being a Belgian and all, I totally don't know my national anthem, but this is what google decided to share with me:

Noble Belgium - for ever a dear land -
We give you our hearts and our arms.
By the pure blood split for you, our Fatherland,
We swear with one cry - You will live!
You will live, always great and beautiful,
And your invicible unity
Will have as your invincible unity
Will have as your immortal emblem -
For King, Justice and Liberty!
Will have as your immortal emblem -
For King, Justice and Liberty!
For King, Justice and Liberty!
For King, Justice and Liberty!

O dierbaar België
O heilig land der vaad'ren
Onze ziel en ons hart zijn u gewijd.
Aanvaard ons hart en het bloed van onze adren,
Wees ons doel in arbeid en in strijd.
Bloei, o land, in eendracht niet te breken;
Wees immer u zelf en ongeknecht,
Het woord getrouw, dat ge onbevreesd moogt spreken:
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.
Het woord getrouw, dat ge onbevreesd moogt spreken:
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.

Et pour les Wallons la même chose.