Deșteaptă-te, române!

"Deșteaptă-te, române!"[lower-alpha 1] (Romanian pronunciation: [deʃˈte̯aptəte roˈmɨne] (listen); variously translated as "Awaken thee, Romanian!", "Awaken, Romanian!", or "Wake up, Romanian!") is the national anthem of Romania.

Deșteaptă-te, române!

English: Awaken thee, Romanian!
National anthem of  Romania Former national anthem of  Moldova
Also known as	Un răsunet (English: An echo)
Lyrics	Andrei Mureșanu, 1848
Music	Anton Pann, 1848
Adopted	1917 (Moldavian D.R.) 1990 (Romania) 1991 (Moldova)
Relinquished	1918 (Moldavian D.R.) 1994 (Moldova)
Preceded by	"Trei culori"
Audio sample
"Deșteaptă-te, române!" (instrumental) file help

The lyrics were composed by Andrei Mureșanu (1816–1863) and the music was popular (it was chosen for the poem by Gheorghe Ucenescu, as most sources say).[1] It was written and published during the 1848 revolution, initially with the name "Un răsunet" (English: "An echo"). It was first sung in late June in the same year in the city of Brașov, on the streets of Șchei quarter.[2] It was immediately accepted as the revolutionary anthem and renamed "Deșteaptă-te, române!"

Since then, this song, which contains a message of liberty and patriotism, has been sung during all major Romanian conflicts, including during the 1989 anti-communist revolution. After the revolution, it became the national anthem in 24 January 1990, replacing the communist-era national anthem "Trei culori" (English: "Three colors").

July 29 is now the "National Anthem Day" (Ziua Imnului național), an annual observance in Romania.[3]

The song was also used on various solemn occasions in the Moldavian Democratic Republic, during its brief existence, between 1917 and 1918.[4] Between 1991 and 1994 it was the national anthem of Moldova as well, but was subsequently replaced by the current Moldovan anthem, "Limba noastră" (English: "Our language").

History

The melody was originally a sentimental song called "Din sânul maicii mele" composed by Anton Pann after hearing the poem [5] In 1848, Andrei Mureșanu wrote the poem "Un răsunet", and asked Gheorghe Ucenescu, a Scheii Brașovului Church singer, to find him a suitable melody.[5] After Ucenescu sang him several lay melodies, Mureșanu chose Anton Pann's song.

First sung during the uprisings of 1848, "Deșteaptă-te române!" has endured as a favorite song and seen play during various historical events, including as part of Romania's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78), and during World War I. The song received particularly heavy radio broadcast in the days following the state coup of August 23, 1944, when Romania switched sides, turning against Nazi Germany and joining the Allies side in World War II.

After the seizure of power by the communists on December 30, 1947, "Deșteaptă-te române!" and other patriotic songs closely associated with the previous regime were outlawed. Ceaușescu's government permitted the song to be played and sung in public, but it was not given state recognition as the national anthem.

The song was officially adopted as the national anthem in 24 January 1990 despite the Romanian Revolution ending in 1989.[6][7]

The overall message of the anthem is a "call to action"; it proposes a "now or never" urge for change present in many national anthems like the French revolutionary song "La Marseillaise". This is the reason why Nicolae Bălcescu called it the "Romanian Marseillaise".

Another anthem

Besides "Deșteaptă-te, române!", the Romanians also have "Hora Unirii" ("Hora [dance] of the Union"), written by the poet Vasile Alecsandri (1821–1890), which was sung a great deal on the occasion of the Union of the Principalities (1859) and on other occasions. "Hora Unirii" is sung on the Romanian folk tune of a slow but energetic round dance joined by the whole attendance (hora).

Original verses in Romanian

Romania's national anthem has eleven stanzas. Today, only the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 11th are sung on official occasions, as established by Romanian law. At major events, such as the National Holiday, the full version is sung, accompanied by 21-gun salute when the President is present at the event.

Original Romanian	IPA transcription	Literal translation
Deșteaptă-te, române, din somnul cel de moarte, În care te-adânciră barbarii de tirani! Acum ori niciodată, croiește-ți altă soarte, La care să se-nchine și cruzii tăi dușmani. Acum ori niciodată să dăm dovezi la lume Că-n aste mâni mai curge un sânge de roman, Și că-n a noastre piepturi păstrăm cu fală-un nume Triumfător în lupte, un nume de Traian!       Înalță-ți lata frunte și caută-n giur de tine, Cum stau ca brazi în munte voinici sute de mii; Un glas ei mai așteaptă și sar ca lupi în stâne, Bătrâni, bărbați, juni, tineri, din munți și din câmpii!       Priviți, mărețe umbre, Mihai, Ștefan, Corvine, Româna națiune, ai voștri strănepoți, Cu brațele armate, cu focul vostru-n vine, "Viața-n libertate ori moarte!" strigă toți.       Pre voi vă nimiciră a pizmei răutate Și oarba neunire la Milcov și Carpați! Dar noi, pătrunși la suflet de sfânta libertate, Jurăm că vom da mâna, să fim pururea frați!       O mamă văduvită de la Mihai cel Mare Pretinde de la fii-și azi mână d-ajutori, Și blastămă cu lacrămi în ochi pe orișicare, În astfel de pericul s-ar face vânzători!       De fulgere să piară, de trăsnet și pucioasă, Oricare s-ar retrage din gloriosul loc, Când patria sau mama, cu inima duioasă, Va cere ca să trecem prin sabie și foc!       N-ajunse iataganul barbarei semilune, A cărui plăgi fatale și azi le mai simțim; Acum se vâră cnuta în vetrele străbune, Dar martor ne e Domnul că vii nu o primim!       N-ajunse despotismul cu-ntreaga lui orbie, Al cărui jug din seculi ca vitele-l purtăm; Acum se-ncearcă cruzii, în oarba lor trufie, Să ne răpească limba, dar morți numai o dăm!       Români din patru unghiuri, acum ori niciodată Uniți-vă în cuget, uniți-vă-n simțiri! Strigați în lumea largă că Dunărea-i furată Prin intrigă și silă, viclene uneltiri!       Preoți, cu crucea-n frunte căci oastea e creștină, Deviza-i libertate și scopul ei preasfânt. Murim mai bine-n luptă, cu glorie deplină, Decât să fim sclavi iarăși în vechiul nost'pământ!	[deʃˈte̯aptəte roˈmɨne din ˈsomnul t͡ʃel de ˈmo̯arte] [ɨŋ ˈkare te̯adɨnˈt͡ʃirə barˈbarij de tiˈranʲ] [aˈkum orʲ nit͡ʃoˈdatə kroˈjeʃtet͡sʲ ˈaltə ˈso̯arte] [la ˈkare sə seŋˈkine ʃi ˈkruzij təj duʃˈmanʲ] [aˈkum orʲ nit͡ʃoˈdatə sə dəm doˈvezʲ la ˈlume] [kən ˈaste mɨnʲ maj ˈkurd͡ʒe un ˈsɨnd͡ʒe de roˈman] [ʃi kən a ˈno̯astre ˈpjepturʲ pəsˈtrəm ku ˈfaləwn ˈnume] [tri.umfəˈtor ɨn ˈlupte un ˈnume de traˈjan] [ɨˈnalt͡sət͡sʲ ˈlata ˈfrunte ʃi ˈkawtən d͡ʒur de ˈtine] [kum staw ka brazʲ ɨn ˈmunte vojˈnit͡ʃʲ ˈsute de mij] [uŋ ɡlas jej maj aʃˈte̯aptə ʃi sar ka lupʲ ɨn ˈstɨne] [bəˈtrɨnʲ bərˈbat͡sʲ ʒunʲ ˈtinerʲ din munt͡sʲ ʃi diŋ kɨmˈpij] [priˈvit͡sʲ məˈret͡se ˈumbre miˈhaj ʃteˈfan korˈvine] [roˈmɨna nat͡siˈune aj ˈvoʃtri strəneˈpot͡sʲ] [ku ˈbrat͡sele arˈmate ku ˈfokul ˈvostrun ˈvine] [viˈat͡san liberˈtate orʲ ˈmo̯arte ˈstriɡə tot͡sʲ] [pre voj və nimiˈt͡ʃirə a ˈpizmej rə.uˈtate] [ʃi ˈo̯arba ne.uˈnire la ˈmilkov ʃi karˈpat͡sʲ] [dar noj pəˈtrunʃʲ la ˈsuflet de ˈsfɨnta liberˈtate] [ʒuˈrəm kə vom da ˈmɨna sə fim ˈpurure̯a frat͡sʲ] [o ˈmamə vəduˈvitə de la miˈhaj t͡ʃel ˈmare] [preˈtinde de la ˈfijʃʲ azʲ ˈmɨnə daʒuˈtorʲ] [ʃi ˈblastəmə ku ˈlakrəmʲ ɨn okʲ pe oriʃiˈkare] [ɨn ˈastfel de peˈrikul sar ˈfat͡ʃe vɨnzəˈtorʲ] [de ˈfuld͡ʒere sə ˈpjarə de ˈtrəsnet ʃi puˈt͡ʃo̯asə] [orʲˈkare sar reˈtrad͡ʒe diŋ ɡloriˈosul lok] [kɨnd ˈpatri.a saw ˈmama ku ˈinima duˈjo̯asə] [va ˈt͡ʃere ka sə ˈtret͡ʃem prin ˈsabi.e ʃi fok] [ˈnaʒund͡ʒe jataˈɡanul barˈbarej semiˈlune] [a ˈkəruj pləd͡ʒʲ faˈtale ʃi azʲ le maj simˈt͡sim] [aˈkum se ˈvɨrə ˈknuta ɨn ˈvetrele strəˈbune] [dar ˈmartor ne je ˈdomnul kə vij nu o priˈmim] [ˈnaʒund͡ʒe despoˈtismul kunˈtre̯aɡa luj orˈbi.e] [al ˈkəruj ʒuɡ de ˈsekulʲ ka ˈvitelel purˈtəm] [aˈkum senˈt͡ʃe̯arkə ˈkruzij ku ˈo̯arba lor truˈfi.e] [sə ne rəˈpe̯askə ˈlimba dar mort͡sʲ ˈnumaj o dəm] [roˈmɨnʲ din ˈpatru ˈuŋɡjurʲ aˈkum orʲ nit͡ʃoˈdatə] [uˈnit͡sivə ɨŋ ˈkud͡ʒet uˈnit͡sivən simˈt͡sirʲ] [striˈɡat͡sʲ ɨn ˈlume̯a ˈlarɡə kə ˈdunəre̯aj fuˈratə] [prin ˈintriɡə ʃi ˈsilə viˈklene unelˈtirʲ] [ˈpre.ot͡sʲ ku ˈkrut͡ʃe̯an ˈfrunte kət͡ʃʲ ˈo̯aste̯a e kreʃˈtinə] [deˈvizaj liberˈtate ʃi ˈskopul ej pre̯aˈsfɨnt] [muˈrim maj ˈbinen ˈluptə ku ˈɡlori.e deˈplinə] [deˈkɨt sə fim sklavʲ ˈjaraʃʲ ɨn ˈvekjul nost pəˈmɨnt]	Wake up, Romanian, from your sleep of death Into which you have been sunk by the barbaric tyrants Now, or never, make a new fate for yourself, To which even your cruel enemies will bow. Now or never let us give proof to the world That in these veins a Roman blood still flows, That in our chests we hold a name with pride, Victorious in battles, the name of Trajan![note 1] Raise your broad forehead and see around you How, like fir trees on a mountain, hundreds of thousands of strong men stand; Just waiting for a voice to pounce like wolves on sheep, Elders, men, youths, boys, from the mountains and from the plains. Behold, great shadows, Michael, Stephen, Corvinus,[lower-alpha 2] The Romanian Nation, your great-grandchildren, With weapons in their arms, with your fire in their veins, "Life in freedom or death!" shout all. You were vanquished by the evils of your envy And by your blind disunity, at Milcov and the Carpathians But we, whose souls were pierced by holy liberty, Swear that for ever in brotherhood will join. A widowed mother from the time of Michael the Great[note 2] Claims from her sons today a helping hand, And with tears in her eyes curses whomsoever, In such great peril, a traitor would become. Of thunder and of brimstone should they perish Anyone who would flee the glorious place When our land or our mother, with a sorrowful heart, Will ask us to cross through swords and blazing fire. Didn't we have enough of the yatagan of the barbaric crescent Whose fatal wounds we still feel today; Now the knout[note 3] is intruding in our ancestral homes, But the Lord is our witness that we shall not accept it alive. Didn't we have enough of the blinded despotism, Whose yoke, like cattle, for centuries we have carried? Now the cruel ones are trying, in their blind arrogance, To take away our language, but only dead will we surrender it. Romanians from the four corners, now or never Unite in thought, unite in feeling Proclaim to the wide world that the Danube is stolen Through intrigue and coercion, sly machinations. Priests, lead with your crucifixes, for our army is Christian, The motto is Liberty and its goal is holy, Better to die in battle, in full glory, Than to once again be slaves upon our ancient ground!
The Roman emperor Trajan conquered Dacia, covering roughly the same territory as modern Romania, for the Roman Empire. Michael briefly ruled the principalities of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania, covering roughly the same territory as modern Romania. A whip usually associated with Russia, as the yatagan was with the Ottomans.

Other translations

Note that, in accordance with Romanian law, there are no official translations of the anthem.

A more poetic translation

1

Awaken thee, Romanian, wake up from deadly slumber

The scourge of inauspicious barbarian tyrannies

And now or never to a bright horizon clamber

That shall to shame put all your enemies.

2

It's now or never that we prove to the world

That in these veins still flows Roman blood

And in our hearts for ever we glorify a name

Triumphant in battles, the name of Trajan.

4

Behold, imperial shadows, Michael, Stephen, Corvinus

At the Romanian nation, your mighty progeny

With arms like steel and hearts of fire impetuous

"Live in liberty, or die" that's what they all decree.

11

Priests, raise the cross, as this army is Christian

Give it liberty and it's sanctified scope

We'd rather die in battle, with honorary glory

Than live again enslaved on our ancestral land.

Alternative translation

1

Romanian, awaken your Spirit from the sleep of Death

Impressed upon you by Tyrannies of barbarians;

Now or never, fashion a new destiny,

Stronger than your foes', a fate for them to bow to.

2

Now or never, our legacy prove to all,

That through our veins still flows the Blood of Ancient Rome

That in our chests we proudly hail a Name,

Triumphant in battle, the Name of Trajan.

3

Raise your strong brow and gaze around you

As trees stand in a forest, brave youths, a hundred thousand

An order they await, ready to pounce, as wolves among the sheep

Old men, and young, from mountains high and open plains.

4

Gaze mightily, glorious shadows, Michael, Stephen, Corvine

The Romanian nation, your descendants,

With weapons in their hands, with your Fire burning

"Life in Liberty or Death", all shout together.

5

You were vanquished by the evils of envy

By the blind disunity at the Milcov and Carpathians

But we, our Spirit touched by saintly Liberty,

Swear allegiance, to be forever Brothers.

6

A widowed mother from the time of Michael the Great

Asks of her sons a helping hand today

And curses, with tears in her eyes, whosoever

In times of such great danger, proves to be a traitor.

7

May lightning bolts, thunder and brimstone kill

Whoever retreats from the glorious battle

When motherland or mother, with a tender heart,

Will ask us to pass through sword and flame.

8

Is not enough the yatagan of the barbaric crescent

Whose fatal wounds we feel burning today;

Now, the knout intrudes on our ancestral lands,

But with God as witness, we will fight it to the Death

9

Is not enough the despotism and its unseeing eye

Which for centuries enslaved us, as cattle?

Now, attempt the cruel, in their blind haughtiness,

To steal our Language, but we will fight them to the Death

10

Romanians of the four corners, now or never,

Be United in your Thoughts, United in your Feelings

Shout out to the world that the Danube is stolen

Through intrigue and coercion, malicious plots.

11

Priests, with the Cross before you, as the army is Christian,

The motto is Liberty and its goal eternal

Better dead in battle, in full glory

Than be enslaved again in our ancestral homeland.

Notes

1. The Moldovan Cyrillic transliteration is Дештяптэ-те, ромыне!
2. The text refers to a member of the Romanian-origin Corvin family (either John or Matthias)

References

1. The anthem's history Archived July 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
2. Vasile Oltean - Imnul Național Deșteaptă-te, române!, Ed. Salco, Brașov, 2005, ISBN 973-87502-1-0
3. "Romania - Deșteaptă-te, române!". NationalAnthems.me. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
4. Silviu Andrieș-Tabac, Simbolurile Republicii Democratice Moldovenești (1917-1918). Interpretări semantice, 2008.
5. "Cazimir: "Mie îmi place Trăiască Patria!"" (in Romanian). Adevarul. October 4, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
6. "Cum a devenit „Deșteaptă-te, române!" imnul național al României". Digi24 (in Romanian). 5 May 2018.
7. Pădurean, Bianca (21 June 2018). "Pagina de istorie: Povestea cântecului "Deșteaptă-te, române!" și cum a devenit el "Marseilleza românilor"". RFI România (in Romanian).

External links

• Romania: Deșteaptă-te, române! – Audio of the national anthem of Romania, with information and lyrics
• The President of Romania