🕊 Freedom 🗽 Independence ⚔ Battle / War ✝ God / Faith | Proud
Key Facts
1.A complete performance of all eleven verses takes over five minutes, making it impractical for sporting events where only the chorus and first verse are sung.
2.The anthem quotes Biblical imagery in its opening stanza, comparing Colombia's suffering to the passion of Christ, which is unusual for a Latin American state anthem.
3.Colombian law requires that all radio and television stations broadcast the anthem at 6:00 AM and midnight every day.
Lyrics
Only the chorus and the first verse are customarily performed
[Coro]
¡Oh gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
En surcos de dolores
El bien germina ya.
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.
[Coro]
¡Oh gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
En surcos de dolores
El bien germina ya.
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.
[Coro]
"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.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
A orillas del Caribe
Hambriento un pueblo lucha,
Horrores prefiriendo
A pérfida salud.
¡Oh, sí! De Cartagena
La abnegación es mucha,
Y escombros de la muerte
Desprecian su virtud.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
Bolívar cruza el Andes
Que riegan dos océanos;
Espadas cual centellas
Fulguran en Junín.
Centauros indomables
Descienden a los llanos
Y empieza a presentirse
De la epopeya el fin.
[Coro]
La trompa victoriosa
En Ayacucho truena;
Que en cada triunfo crece
Su formidable son.
En su expansivo empuje
La libertad se estrena,
Del cielo americano
Formando un pabellón.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
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.
[Coro]
[Chorus]
Oh unfading glory!
Oh immortal joy!
In furrows of sorrow
Goodness now germinates.
The horrible night has ceased,
Sublime liberty
Spreads the dawns
Of its invincible light.
All of humanity,
Which groans in chains,
Understands the words
Of the one who died on the cross.
[Chorus]
Oh unfading glory!
Oh immortal joy!
In furrows of sorrow
Goodness now germinates.
The horrible night has ceased,
Sublime liberty
Spreads the dawns
Of its invincible light.
All of humanity,
Which groans in chains,
Understands the words
Of the one who died on the cross.
[Chorus]
"Independence!" cries
The American world;
The land of Columbus
Is bathed in heroes' blood.
But this great principle:
"The king is not sovereign,"
Resounds, and those who suffer
Bless their passion.
[Chorus]
The course of the Orinoco
Overflows with spoils;
A river of blood and tears
Is seen flowing there.
In Barbula neither souls
Nor eyes can tell
Whether admiration or horror
To feel or to endure.
[Chorus]
On the shores of the Caribbean
A hungry people fights,
Preferring horrors
To treacherous health.
Oh, yes! Of Cartagena
The self-sacrifice is great,
And the ruins of death
Scorn its virtue.
[Chorus]
On the fields of Boyaca
The genius of glory
With every stalk of wheat
Crowned an undefeated hero.
Soldiers without armor
Won the victory;
Their manly courage
Served them as a shield.
[Chorus]
Bolivar crosses the Andes
Washed by two oceans;
Swords like lightning
Flash at Junin.
Indomitable centaurs
Descend to the plains
And the end of the epic
Begins to be felt.
[Chorus]
The victorious trumpet
Thunders at Ayacucho;
With each triumph grows
Its formidable sound.
In its expansive thrust
Liberty is born,
Forming a pavilion
Of the American sky.
[Chorus]
The Virgin tears her hair
In agony
And, widowed of her love,
Hangs it from the cypress.
She mourns her hope
Covered by cold stone,
But glorious pride
Surrounds her pale skin.
[Chorus]
Thus the Fatherland is formed,
Sprouting Thermopylaes;
A constellation of cyclopes
Illuminated its night.
The trembling flower,
Finding the wind deadly,
Beneath the laurels
Sought safety.
[Chorus]
But glory is not complete
In winning the battle,
For the arm that fights
Is animated by truth.
Independence alone
Does not silence the great clamor;
If the sun shines on all,
Justice is liberty.
[Chorus]
The rights of man
Narino preached,
The soul of the struggle
He prophetically taught.
Ricaurte in San Mateo,
Flying into atoms,
"Duty before life,"
Wrote with flames.
[Chorus]
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Show full poemShow official version
Analysis
Editorial
The lyrics were written by Rafael Nunez, who was also president of Colombia, with music by Italian-born Oreste Sindici. First performed in 1887, it was officially adopted in 1920. The anthem's eleven verses trace Colombia's history from colonial oppression through the wars of independence led by Simon Bolivar.