What are the lyrics to Colombia’s national anthem and when was it written?

15 July 2024, 11:05

The national anthem of Colombia has a fascinating history, linked to the country’s journey to independence in the 19th century.

Columbia’s national anthem, officially titled ‘The National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia’ – ‘Himno Nacional de la República de Colombia’ in Spanish – has a fascinating history linked to the country’s path to independence.

When was Colombia’s national anthem written?

The lyrics to Colombia’s national anthem were written in 1850 by Rafael Núñez, who would go on to become president of the country.

Núñez’s ‘Himno Patriótico’ – ‘Patriotic Hymn’ – was originally a poem, written to celebrate the Colombian city of Cartagena becoming independent from Spanish rule on 11 November 1811.

The poem was published in the newspaper La Democracia in 1850, to mark 11 November, when Núñez was still secretary of government of the Province of Cartagena.

Read more: The 10 best national anthems

National Anthem of Colombia (Oh gloria inmarcesible) - André Rieu

Who composed the music to Colombia’s national anthem?

Several years later, a prominent theatre director and comedian, José Domingo Torres, was looking for a song to celebrate the independence of Cartagena and commissioned opera composer Oreste Síndici to write a fitting piece for the occasion.

It was Torres who chose the words for Síndici to set, and the rousing song that’s known as ‘Oh Gloria Inmarcesible!’, or ‘O Unfading Glory!’, was born.

It was premiered on 11 November 1887 during the celebration of the independence of Cartagena, performed by a choir of children from local schools, who were students of the composer.

It quickly caught on, and its uplifting message made it popular. It soon became a sort of unofficial national anthem – until 1920, when the song was officially codified as the country’s actual national anthem.

Before Torres and Síndici’s song was cemented as the nation’s official, several other patriotic songs had been considered for the national anthem, including through several official competitions, but none were deemed to have the spirit necessary for the role.

In 1881, politician José María Quijano, poet Rafael Pombo and musician Carlos Schloss had presided over a competition to select the national anthem, but none of the winning songs stirred the appropriate level of patriotic fervour in those who heard them.

And in 1883 the government of the Sovereign State of Cundinamarca in Colombia had organised a competition to select the anthem for the centenary of the birth of Colombia’s liberator, Simon Bolívar, but again the winning songs weren’t deemed to stand up as national anthems, just patriotic songs.

What are the lyrics to Colombia’s national anthem?

Spanish lyrics

¡Oh gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
¡En surcos de dolores
El bien germina ya
El bien germina ya.
¡Oh gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
¡En surcos de dolores
El bien germina ya.

1. Cesó la horrible noche
La libertad sublime
Derrama las auroras
De su invencible luz.
La humanidad entera,
Que entre cadenas gime,
Comprende las palabras
Del que murió en la cruz

Chorus

2. “Independencia” grita
El mundo americano:
Se baña en sangre de héroes
La tierra de Colón.
Pero este gran principio:
“El rey no es soberano”
Resuena, Y los que sufren
Bendicen su pasión.

Chorus

3. Del Orinoco el cauce
Se colma de despojos,
De sangre y llanto un río
Se mira allí correr.
En Bárbula no saben
Las almas ni los ojos
Si admiración o espanto
Sentir o padecer.

Chorus

4. A orillas del Caribe
Hambriento un pueblo lucha
Horrores prefiriendo
A pérfida salud.
iexcl;Oh, sí! de Cartagena
La abnegación es mucha,
Y escombros de la muerte
desprecian su virtud.

Chorus

5. De Boyacá en los campos
El genio de la gloria
Con cada espiga un héroe
invicto coronó.
Soldados sin coraza
Ganaron la victoria;
Su varonil aliento
De escudo les sirvió.

Chorus

6. Bolívar cruza el Ande
Que riega dos océanos
Espadas cual centellas
Fulguran en Junín.
Centauros indomables
Descienden a los llanos
Y empieza a presentirse
De la epopeya el fin.

Chorus

7. La trompa victoriosa
Que en Ayacucho truena
En cada triunfo crece
Su formidable son.
En su expansivo empuje
La libertad se estrena,
Del cielo Americano
Formando un pabellón.

Chorus

8. La Virgen sus cabellos
Arranca en agonía
Y de su amor viuda
Los cuelga del ciprés.
Lamenta su esperanza
Que cubre losa fría;
Pero glorioso orgullo
circunda su alba tez.

Chorus

9. La Patria así se forma
Termópilas brotando;
Constelación de cíclopes
Su noche iluminó;
La flor estremecida
Mortal el viento hallando
Debajo los laureles
Seguridad buscó

Chorus

10. Mas no es completa gloria
Vencer en la batalla,
Que al brazo que combate
Lo anima la verdad.
La independencia sola
El gran clamor no acalla:
Si el sol alumbra a todos
Justicia es libertad.

Chorus

11. Del hombre los derechos
Nariño predicando,
El alma de la lucha
Profético enseñó.
Ricaurte en San Mateo
En átomos volando
“Deber antes que vida”,
Con llamas escribió.

Chorus

English lyrics

O unfading glory!
O immortal joy!
In furrows of pain
goodness germinates now
goodness germinates now.
O unfading glory!
O immortal joy!
In furrows of pain
goodness germinates now.

1. The horrible night has ceased,
the sublime liberty
spills the auroras
of its invincible light.
All humanity,
moans within its chains,
understands the words
of He who died on the Cross.

Chorus

2. “Independence!” cries
the American world;
soaked in blood of heroes
the land of Columbus.
Still, one great principle,
“The king is not sovereign”,
resounds, and those who suffer
bless their passion.

Chorus

3. The Orinoco’s bed
fills with the remains,
of blood and tears a river
is there seen flowing.
In Bárbula they don’t know
the souls nor the eyes,
if admiration or horror
feel or suffer.

Chorus

4. On the shores of the Caribbean,
famished, the people fight,
horrors preferring
to treacherous health.
O, aye! for Cartagena
the abnegation is much,
and the shambles of death
its courage despises.

Chorus

5. From Boyacá in the fields,
the genius of glory,
for every ear a hero
undefeated crowned.
Soldiers without breastplate
won victory;
their virile breath
as shield served.

Chorus

6. Bolivar crosses the Andes
that two oceans bathe,
swords as sparks
shine in Junín.
Untameable centaurs
descend to the plains,
and a prescience begins to be felt,
of the epic the end.

Chorus

7. The victorious trumpet
in Ayacucho thunders,
that in every triumph grows
its formidable sound.
In its expansive thrust
Liberty is worn for the first time,
from the American sky
a pavilion forming.

Chorus

8. The virgin her hairs
pulls out in agony
and from her beloved widowed
hangs them on a cypress.
Regretting her hope
covered by a cold headstone,
but glorious pride
hallows her fair skin.

Chorus

9. Thus the motherland is formed,
Thermopylaes are breaking forth;
constellation of cyclops
its night brightened.
The trembling flower
finding the wind mortal,
underneath the laurels
safety sought.

Chorus

10. But it’s not complete glory
to defeat in battle,
that the arm that fights
is encouraged by truth.
Independence alone
The great clamour doesn’t silence;
if the sun illuminates everyone,
justice is liberty.

Chorus

11. From men the rights
Nariño’s preaching,
the soul of struggle
prophetically taught.
Ricaurte in San Mateo,
in atoms flying,
“Duty before life,”
with flames he wrote.

Chorus