Lijepa naša domovino

Lijepa naša domovino

English: Our Beautiful Homeland
Monument to Croatian national anthem in Zelenjak
National anthem of Croatia
Lyrics	Antun Mihanović, 1835
Music	Josip Runjanin, 1861
Adopted	29 February 1972
Audio sample
Lijepa naša domovino (instrumental) file help

"Lijepa naša domovino" (Serbo-Croatian pronunciation: [lijeːpa naʃa domoːʋino], Our Beautiful Homeland) is the national anthem of Croatia. It is often referred to as just "Lijepa naša" ("Our Beautiful") in Croatia, which is also a phrase widely used – sometimes ironically – as a metonym for the country.

History

The original lyrics were written by Antun Mihanović and first published under the title Horvatska domovina (Croatian homeland) in 1835. In 1846, the music amateur Josip Runjanin (1821–1878) composed the music for Horvatska domovina. Runjanin's army bandmaster Josip Wendl adapted his music for a military brass orchestra. It has not been known what was the original form of the melody because the first copy has not been recovered to this day.

The song was scored and harmonized for a male choir by a teacher of singing and organist of the Zagreb Cathedral Vatroslav Lichtenegger in 1861, and after that it started to be performed as the Croatian people's anthem. The title Lijepa naša has been applied since that time. The original anthem has 14 verses. Since then it has come to be known under the slightly longer present title and a few minor adjustments have been made to the lyrics.

The song was not immediately adopted by the Croatian Parliament as the national anthem. In 1907, the Association of Croatian Singing Clubs requested the parliament to do so but received no response, even though the song was used as the anthem in unofficial capacity at ceremonies, including the 29 October 1918 session of the parliament when Croatia formally dissolved its ties with Austria-Hungary.

Between 1918 and 1941, segments of the Croatian national anthem were part of the national anthem of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and it was unofficial hymn of Croats. During the World War II, in the Independent State of Croatia it was also used as state anthem, albeit with some modifications to the lyrics. Croatian partisans were also using it, for example during ZAVNOH sessions.

The song became the official anthem of Croatia through amendments of the Constitution of Croatia adopted by the parliament of the SR Croatia on 29 February 1972. The anthem was confirmed by constitutions of 1974 and 1990, when its lyrics were slightly modified, and by the Coat of Arms, the Flag and the National Anthem of the Republic of Croatia Act.

Lyrics

Croatian

English translation

Lijepa naša domovino, Oj junačka zemljo mila, Stare slave djedovino, Da bi vazda sretna bila! Mila, kano si nam slavna, Mila si nam ti jedina. Mila, kuda si nam ravna, Mila, kuda si planina! Teci Dravo, Savo teci, Nit' ti Dunav silu gubi, Sinje more svijetu reci, Da svoj narod Hrvat ljubi. Dok mu njive sunce grije, Dok mu hrašće bura vije, Dok mu mrtve grobak krije, Dok mu živo srce bije!

Our beautiful homeland, O so fearless and gracious. Our fathers' ancient glory, May you be happy for whole eternity. Dear, you are our only glory, Dear, you are our only one, Dear, where you are plains, Dear, where you are mountains. Drava, Sava, keep on flowing, Danube, do not lose your vigour, Deep blue sea, tell the world, That a Croat loves his homeland. Whilst his fields are kissed by sunshine, Whilst his oaks are whipped by wild winds, Whilst his dead are sheltered by land, Whilst his live heart beats.

Lyrics of "Hrvatska domovina"

The composer, Josip Runjanin.

The song originally consisted of fourteen verses but today, only verses one, two, thirteen, and fourteen are part of the national anthem.

Croatian

English Translation

Lěpa naša domovino, Oj junačka zemljo mila, Stare slave dědovino, Da bi vazda čestna bila! Mila, kano si nam slavna, Mila si nam ti jedina, Mila, kuda si nam ravna, Mila, kuda si planina! Vedro nebo, vedro čelo, Blaga persa, blage noći, Toplo lěto, toplo dělo, Bistre vode, bistre oči: Vele gore, veli ljudi, Rujna lica, rujna vina, Silni gromi, silni udi; — To je naša domovina! Ženju serpi, mašu kose, Děd se žuri, snope broji, Škriplju vozi, brašno nose, Snaša preduć málo doji: Pase marha, rog se čuje, Oj, oj zvenči, oj, u tmine, K ognju star i mlad šetuje; — Evo t’ naške domovine! Luč iz mraka dalko sija, Po veseloj livadici, Pěsme glasno brěg odbija, Ljubni poje k tamburici: Kolo vode, živo kolo, I na berdu, i v dolini, Plešu mladji sve okolo; — Mi smo, pobre, v domovini! Magla, što li, Unu skriva? Ni l’ to našiu jauk turobni? Tko li moleć smert naziva? Il’ slobodni, il’ su robni? »Rat je, bratjo, rat junaci, Pušku hvataj, sablju paši, Sedlaj konjče, hajd pešjaci, Slava budi, gdi su naši!« Buči bura, magla projde, — Puca zora, tmina běži, — Tuga mine, radost dojde, — Zdravo slobost, — dušman leži! Veseli se, tužna mati, Padoše ti verli sini, Ko junaci, ko Horvati, Ljaše kervcu domovini! Teci, Sava hitra, teci Nit’ ti Dunaj silu gubi, Kud li šumiš, světu reci: Da svog’ doma Horvat ljubi, Dok mu njive sunce grije, Dok mu hrastje bura vije, Dok mu mertve grob sakrije, Dok mu živo serdce bije!

Our beautiful homeland, O so fearless and gracious, Our father's ancient glory, May you be blessed forever. Beloved, how glorious you are, You are beloved, our only one, Beloved, wherever you are plain, Beloved, wherever you are mountain! Clear sky, clear forehead, Gentle people, mild nights, Hot summer, hard work, Clear waters, clear eyes: Great mountains, great people, Red faces, red vines, Mighty thunders, mighty limbs; - This is our homeland! Sickles are reaping, scythes sweeping, Old man is busy, counting sheaves, Carriages are creaking, carrying flour , Bride knits and breastfeeds a child; Cattle are grazing, horn is heard, Oj, oj it rings, oj into darkness, To the fire, youth and elders are going;- Here's our homeland! Light in the dark shines far, All over cheerful meadow, Songs are loudly echoed by hills, Lovers are singing to tamburica: They dance the kolo, lively kolo, On the hill, and in the valley, Youth is dancing all around;- We are, my friend, in homeland! Is it the fog what hides the Una? Isn't that our peoples awful screams? Who prays for death? The freeborn , or the slaves? It is war, brothers, war, heroes, Grab your rifle, take a saber, Saddle your horses, let's go infantrymen, There be glory, where ours are!" Gales roar, fog is lifting,- Dawn breaks, darkness runs,- Sorrow fades, joy arrives,- Hello freedom, - enemy lays! Be joyful, sad mother, Your brave sons have fallen, Like heroes, like Croats, Shedding blood for homeland! Flow, fast Sava, flow, Nor you Danube, lose your power, Wherever you're murmuring, tell the world: That a Croat loves his home, Whilst the sun warms his fields, Whilst winds lash his oak trees, Whilst graves cover his fallen, Whilst his living heart is beating.

External links

• Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also has an information website on the anthem with sound files of it.
• Croatia: Lijepa naša domovino - Audio of the national anthem of Croatia, with information and lyrics