National Anthem Comparison
Egypt vs Sudan
1
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
23
23 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Egypt and Sudan, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Egypt's "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady" was written in 1978, while Sudan's "We Are Soldiers of God, Soldiers of the Homeland" dates to 1955.
Both anthems share themes of God / Faith. Egypt additionally explores Love of homeland, Freedom, Nature and Ancestors / Heritage, while Sudan also touches on Battle / War, Flag and Resilience.
The emotional tones differ: Egypt's anthem is Proud, while Sudan's is Fierce.
Egypt changed its national anthem in 1979, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Egypt
❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom ✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Sudan
✝ God / Faith ⚔ Battle / War 🚩 Flag 💪 Resilience
Shared themes:
✝ God / Faith
Metadata
| Egypt | Sudan | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1978 | 1955 |
| Adopted | 1979 | 1956 |
| Lyricist | Mohamed Yunis al-Qadi (original poem by Sayed Darwish) | Ahmed Muhammad Salih |
| Composer | Sayed Darwish | Colonel Ahmed Morjan |
| Language | ar | ar |
| Region | North Africa | North Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Egypt
بلادي بلادي بلادي
Original
بِلادي بِلادي بِلادي
لكِ حُبّي وفُؤادي
مِصر يا أُمّ البِلاد
أنتِ غايتي والمُراد
وعلى كُلّ العِباد
كم لِنيلكِ من أيادي
بِلادي بِلادي بِلادي
لكِ حُبّي وفُؤادي
مِصر أنتِ أغلى دُرّة
فوق جبين الدّهر غُرّة
يا بِلادي عيشي حُرّة
واسلمي رغم الأعادي
بِلادي بِلادي بِلادي
لكِ حُبّي وفُؤادي
مِصر يا أرض النّعيم
سُدّت بالمجد القديم
مقصدي دفع الغريم
وعلى الله اعتمادي
بِلادي بِلادي بِلادي
لكِ حُبّي وفُؤادي
Translation
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
Egypt! O mother of all lands,
You are my hope and my ambition,
And for all people
How many are the blessings of your Nile.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
Egypt, you are the most precious jewel,
A shining star upon the brow of time.
O my homeland, live free,
And prosper despite all foes.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
Egypt, O land of bliss,
Fortified with ancient glory,
My goal is to repel the enemy,
And upon God is my reliance.
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
Sudan
نحن جند الله جند الوطن
Original
نحن جند الله جند الوطن
إن دعا داعي الفداء لم نخن
نتحدى الموت عند المحن
نشتري المجد بأغلى ثمن
هذه الأرض لنا
فليعش سوداننا علماً بين الأمم
يا بني السودان هذا رمزكم
يحمل العبء ويحمي أرضكم
Translation
We are soldiers of God, soldiers of the homeland
If called for redemption we will not betray
We defy death upon ordeals
We buy glory at the most expensive price
This land is ours, long live our Sudan
An edifice among the nations
O sons of the Sudan, this is your symbol —
It carries the burden and protects your land.
Interesting facts
Egypt
- 1. The melody predates its use as an anthem by decades; Sayed Darwish originally composed it around 1920 as a popular patriotic song, and it circulated widely before being elevated to official status in 1979.
- 2. The lyrics are based on a famous 1907 speech by nationalist leader Mustafa Kamil, making Egypt's anthem one of very few derived from a political speech rather than a purpose-written poem.
- 3. Egypt's anthem is notably gentle compared to its neighbors; it contains no references to war, enemies, or military struggle, focusing entirely on love of the homeland and the Nile.
Sudan
- 1. The statutory anthem is just a single eight-line stanza, the version Sudanese embassies in Cairo and The Hague publish; longer wartime variants in circulation are not officially approved.
- 2. Ahmed Muhammad Salih wrote the lyrics in 1955, a year before independence, and Colonel Ahmed Morjan composed the music the same year.
- 3. Sudan kept the anthem unchanged after South Sudan seceded in 2011, when the new state adopted its own song, 'South Sudan Oyee!'.
- 4. The opening line names the singer as a soldier of God and a soldier of the homeland in the same breath, fusing religious and civic duty more tightly than almost any other Arab anthem.
Listen
Egypt
Sudan
