What are the lyrics to Slovenia’s national anthem?

14 June 2024, 09:34

By Classic FM

@ClassicFM

Discover Slovenia’s epic national anthem, ‘A Toast’, and all about its background.

Slovenia’s National Anthem, which is based on the poem ‘Zdravljica’ (‘A Toast’), officially became the country’s anthem just over 30 years ago.

The lyrics are based on a poem by 19th-century Romantic Slovenian poet France Prešeren. He was inspired by the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, championed by the French Revolution. Stanko Premrl, a Slovene composer, wrote music specifically for this poem in 1905.

From 1860 until the beginning of the 1990s, Slovenia’s national anthem was another song: ‘Naprej, zastava slave’ (‘Forward, Flag of Glory’), the first ever piece of Slovene text to be translated into English.

But after Slovenia gained independence as a nation in 1991, ‘Zdravljica’ was proclaimed as the anthem with the Act on the national symbols of Slovenia. The peaceful nature of its lyrics better fit a spirit of internationalism and harmony in the wake of the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Read more: What are the lyrics to the French National Anthem, La Marseillaise – and what do they mean?

Slovenian National Anthem - "Zdravljica" (SL/EN)

What are the lyrics to Slovenia’s national anthem in English?

Live, oh live, all the nations
Who long and work for that bright day
When o’er earth’s habitations
No war, no strife shall hold its sway

Who shall see
All men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours be!

Who shall see
All men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours,
No more shall foes, but neighbours be!

What are the lyrics to Slovenia’s national anthem in Slovene?

Žive naj vsi narodi
Ki hrepene dočakat' dan
Da koder sonce hodi
Prepir iz sveta bo pregnan

Da rojak
Prost bo vsak
Ne vrag, le sosed bo mejak!

Da rojak
Prost bo vsak
Ne vrag, le sosed bo
Ne vrag, le sosed bo mejak!