Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

English: "My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy"
National anthem of Estonia
Lyrics	Johann Voldemar Jannsen, 1869
Music	Fredrik (Friedrich) Pacius, 1848
Adopted	1920 (1920)
Audio sample
"Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" (instrumental) file help

"Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" (Finnish pronunciation: [mu ˈisɑmɑː mu ˈɤnʲ jɑ ˈrɤːm]; Template:Lang-en) is the national anthem of Estonia; it was adopted as the national anthem (Template:Lang-et) in 1920.

The lyrics were written by Johann Voldemar Jannsen and are set to a melody composed in 1848 by Fredrik (Friedrich) Pacius which is also that of the national anthem of Finland: "Maamme" (Swedish: "Vårt Land"). The only difference between the two anthems is the key signature they are in. It is also considered to be an ethnic anthem for Livonian people with text "Min izāmō, min sindimō" (Template:Lang-en).

History

The song was first presented to the public as a choral work in the Grand Song Festival of Estonia in 1869 and quickly became a symbol of the Estonian National Awakening.

"Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" was officially adopted as the national anthem of Estonia in 1920, after the Estonian War of Independence. In contrast, Finland never passed a similar legislation about Maamme, although it is considered a de facto Finnish anthem.

In 1944, the Soviet Union invaded and illegally occupied Estonia and "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" ended up being banned by the Soviet regime. During the Soviet occupation of Estonia from 1945 to 1990, the Soviet puppet state for Estonia, known as the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, had its own state anthem. Yet the people of Estonia could often hear their former national anthem as Finland's state broadcaster Yleisradio, whose radio and television broadcasts were received in northern Estonia, played an instrumental version of the Finnish national anthem, identical to this song (except for an additional repetition of the last verse in the Finnish version), at the conclusion of its broadcast every night.

Lyrics

Estonian	Broad IPA transcription	Literal English translation	Poetic English translation	Võro translation
First stanza
Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm, kui kaunis oled sa! Ei leia mina iial teal see suure, laia ilma peal, mis mul nii armas oleks ka, kui sa, mu isamaa!	mu isɑmɑː mu ɤnʲ jɑ rɤːm kui̯ kɑu̯nis oled sa ei̯ lei̯ɑ minɑ iːɑl teɑl seː suːre lɑi̯ɑ ilmɑ peɑl mis mul niː ɑrmɑs oleks ka kui̯ saː mu isɑmɑː	My fatherland, my joy and happiness, How beautiful you are! I shall not find such ever In this huge wide world Which would be so dear to me As you, my fatherland!	My native land, my joy and delight, How fair thou art and bright! And nowhere in the world all round Can ever such a place be found So well beloved as I love thee, My native country dear!	Mu esämaa, mu õnn ja rõõm, ku illos olõt sa! Ei lövväq ma joht ilman tääl, taa suurõ,laja ilma pääl, miä mul nii armsa olnuq ka, ku saq, mu esämaa!
Second stanza
Sa oled mind ju sünnitand ja üles kasvatand; sind tänan mina alati ja jään sull' truuiks surmani, mul kõige armsam oled sa, mu kallis isamaa!	sɑ oled mind ju synːitɑnd jɑ yles kɑsʋɑtɑnd sind tænɑn minɑ ɑlɑti jɑ jæːn sulʲ truːi̯ks surmani mul kɤi̯ge ɑrmsɑm oled sɑ mu kɑlːis isɑmɑː	You have given me birth And raised me up; I shall thank you always And remain faithful to you 'til death, To me most beloved are you, My precious fatherland!	My little cradle stood on ground soil, Whose blessings ease my toil. With my last breath my thanks to thee, For true to death I'll ever be, O worthy, most beloved and fine, Thou, dearest country mine!	Su pääl ma olõ sündünüq ja üles kasunuq; ma tennä sinno alasi ja jää sull' truvvis surmani, mul kõgõ armsamb olõt sa, mu kallis esämaa!
Third stanza
Su üle Jumal valvaku mu armas isamaa! Ta olgu sinu kaitseja ja võtku rohkest õnnista, mis iial ette võtad sa, mu kallis isamaa!	su yle jumɑl ʋɑlʋɑku mu ɑrmɑs isɑmɑː tɑ olgu sinu kɑi̯tsejɑ jɑ ʋɤtku rohkest ɤnːistɑ mis iːɑl etːe ʋɤtɑd sɑ mu kɑlːis isɑmɑː	May God watch over you, My precious fatherland! Let Him be your defender And provide bountiful blessings For whatever you undertake, My precious fatherland!	May God in Heaven thee gave birth to me, My best, my dearest land! May He be guard, may He be shield, For ever may He bless and wield O graciously all deeds of thine, Thou dearest country mine!	Su perrä Jummal kaegu, mu armsa esämaa! Tä olku sino kaitsja ja võtku heldele õnnista', miä ilman ette võtat sa, mu kallis esämaa!

External links

• The Estonian national anthem - web page of the State Chancellery, an audio stream. The anthem is played by The Defence Forces Orchestra, vocals by the National Male Choir.
• Streaming audio, lyrics and details of the Estonian anthem.