Lijepa naša domovino

Lijepa naša domovino

English: 'Our Beautiful Homeland'
The anthem's lyrics were first published in the 14 March 1835 issue of Danicza.
National anthem of Croatia
Lyrics	Antun Mihanović, 1835
Music	Josip Runjanin, 1846
Adopted	1919 (partially) 1941 (fully)
Readopted	29 February 1972 (1972-02-29)
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version (one verse) file help

"Lijepa naša domovino" (Croatian: [ljêːpa nâʃa domǒʋiːno]; lit. 'Our Beautiful Homeland') is the national anthem of Croatia. Often simply referred to as "Lijepa naša" ('Our Beautiful') in Croatia, it is a phrase widely used as a metonym for the country.

History

In the Croatian village of Risvica, located between Kumrovec and Klanjec, there is an obelisk commemorating the national anthem, commissioned in 1935 by the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon.

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

The song was scored and harmonized for a male choir by a teacher and organist of the Zagreb Cathedral Vatroslav Lichtenegger in 1861, and after that it started to be performed as the Croats' ethnic anthem. The title "Lijepa naša" has been applied since that time. The original text has 14 verses. Since then, 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 state anthem in unofficial capacity at ceremonies, including the 29 October 1918 session of 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 officially became the state anthem of Croatia through amendments of the Constitution of Croatia adopted by the parliament of the SR Croatia on 29 February 1972. It was confirmed by constitutions of 1974 and 1990, when its lyrics were slightly modified, and by the Coat of Arms, Flag, and National Anthem of the Republic of Croatia Act.

Lyrics

Current official

On most occasions, only the first verse is performed.

Croatian original	IPA transcription	English translation
I 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! II 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!	1 [ljěː.pa nâ.ʃa do.mǒ.ʋi.no] [oj jǔ.naːt͡ʃ.kaː zêm.ʎoː mǐ.la] [stâː.re slâ.ʋeː djê.do.ʋi.no] [dâ bi ʋâz.da srět.na bǐː.la] [mǐ.la kâː.no si nâm slâːʋ.na] [mǐ.la si nâm tî jě.diː.naː] [mǐ.la kǔ.daː si nâm rǎːʋ.na] [mǐ.la kǔ.daː si pla.nǐ.na] 2 [tě.t͡si drâː.ʋo sâː.ʋo tě.t͡si] [nit tî dǔ.naʋ sî.lu gǔ.biː] [sîː.ɲeː môː.re sʋjěː.tu rê.t͡si] [da sʋôːj nǎː.rod xř̩.ʋaːt ʎûː.biː] [dôk mu ɲî.ʋe sûːn.t͡se grî.jeː] [dôk mu xr̩âʃ.t͡ɕe bû.ra ʋî.jeː] [dôk mu mř̩t.ʋe grô.bak krî.jeː] [dôk mu ʒǐː.ʋo sr̩̂.t͡se bǐ.je]	I Our beautiful homeland, Oh so fearless and gracious, Our fathers' ancient glory, May you be blessed forever. Dear, you are our only glory, Dear, you are our only one, Dear, we love your plains, Dear, we love your mountains. II 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 dear ones go to heaven, Whilst his live heart beats.

Original poem

The author of the lyrics, Antun Mihanović

The composer, Josip Runjanin

The poem first published in the cultural magazine Danica ilirska, No. 10, edited by Ljudevit Gaj, in 1835 originally consisted of fourteen verses but today, only verses one, two, thirteen, and fourteen are part of the national anthem.

Croatian original

English translation

Ljiěpa 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, Oh so fearless and gracious, Our father's ancient glory, May you be happy 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 wines, 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, Oh, oh it rings, oh 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! What is the fog hiding there? 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, foe laid low! 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.

Further reading

• Mratinić, Berislav (November 2011). "Sto dvadeset godina od prvog izvođenja "Lijepe naše domovine" kao himne" (PDF). Arhivski vjesnik (in Croatian). 54 (1). Zagreb: Croatian State Archives: 277–281. Retrieved 28 October 2017.

External links

• Croatia: Lijepa naša domovino – Audio of the national anthem of Croatia, with information and lyrics (archive link)
• ""Lijepa naša domovino" – put od stotinu godina do statusa hrvatske himne". sabor.hr (in Croatian).