National Anthem Comparison
Iceland vs Norway
3
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
15
15 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Iceland and Norway, both Europe nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Iceland's "Hymn" was written in 1874, while Norway's "Yes, We Love This Country" dates to 1859.
Both anthems share themes of God / Faith, Nature and Ancestors / Heritage.
The emotional tones differ: Iceland's anthem is Prayerful, while Norway's is Proud.
Shared themes
Iceland
✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Norway
❤ Love of homeland 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage ✝ God / Faith ☮ Peace
Shared themes:
✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Metadata
| Iceland | Norway | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1874 | 1859 |
| Adopted | 1944 | 1864 |
| Lyricist | Matthias Jochumsson | Bjornstjerne Bjornson |
| Composer | Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson | Rikard Nordraak |
| Language | is | nb |
| Region | Northern Europe | Northern Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Iceland
Lofsóngur
Original
Ó guð vors lands! Ó lands vors guð!
Vér lofum þitt heilaga, heilaga nafn!
Úr sólkerfum himnanna hnýtja þér krún
þínir herskarar, tímanna safn.
Fyrir þér er einn dagur sem þúsund ár,
og þúsund ár dagur, ei meir;
eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,
sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,
sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.
Ó guð, ó guð! Vér föllum fram
og fórnum þér brennandi, brennandi sál,
guð faðir, vor drottinn frá kyni til kyns,
og vér kvökum vort helgasta mál.
Vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár,
því þú ert hvern dag sem hvern dag var.
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár,
því þú ert hvern dag sem hvern dag var.
Ó guð vors lands! Ó lands vors guð!
Vér lifum sem blaktandi, blaktandi strá.
Vér deyjum, ef þú ert ei ljós það og líf,
sem að lyftir oss duftinu frá.
Ó, vert þú hvern dag sem hvern dag var,
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
ó, vert þú hvern dag sem hvern dag var,
Íslands þúsund ár, Íslands þúsund ár.
Translation
O God of our land! O our land's God!
We praise Your holy, holy name!
From the solar systems of the heavens they weave You a crown,
Your legions, the assembly of ages.
Before You one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years a day, no more;
one small flower of eternity with a trembling tear,
that worships its God and dies.
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
one small flower of eternity with a trembling tear,
that worships its God and dies.
O God, o God! We fall before You
and offer You a burning, burning soul,
God the Father, our Lord from generation to generation,
and we speak our holiest prayer.
We speak and give thanks for a thousand years,
for You are each day as each day was.
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
we speak and give thanks for a thousand years,
for You are each day as each day was.
O God of our land! O our land's God!
We live like a flickering, flickering straw.
We perish if You are not the light and the life
that lifts us from the dust.
O, be each day as each day was,
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
o, be each day as each day was,
Iceland's thousand years, Iceland's thousand years.
Norway
Ja, vi elsker dette landet
Original
Ja, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem,
elsker, elsker det og tenker
på vår far og mor
og den saganatt som senker
drømme på vår jord.
Norske mann i hus og hytte,
takk din store Gud!
Landet ville han beskytte,
skjønt det mørkt så ud.
Alt, hva fedrene har kjempet,
mødrene har grett,
har den Herre stille lempet,
så vi vant vår rett.
Ja, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem.
Og som fedres kamp har hevet
det av nød til seir,
også vi, når det blir krevet,
for dets fred slår leir.
Translation
Yes, we love this country,
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea,
with its thousand homes,
love it, love it, and think
of our father and mother
and the saga night that sends
dreams upon our earth.
Norwegian man in house and cabin,
thank your great God!
The country He wanted to protect,
though it looked dark.
All that our fathers fought for,
our mothers wept for,
the Lord has quietly granted,
so we won our right.
Yes, we love this country,
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea,
with its thousand homes.
And as our fathers' struggle raised
it from need to victory,
we too, when called upon,
shall pitch camp for its peace.
Interesting facts
Iceland
- 1. Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson, the composer, lived most of his life in Edinburgh, Scotland, making him the only Icelandic anthem composer who created the music while living abroad.
- 2. Iceland's anthem is almost never played at sporting events; instead, fans traditionally sing the famous Viking clap chant that gained worldwide attention at Euro 2016.
- 3. The anthem's text contains the line 'a thousand years a day,' an allusion to Psalm 90 in the Bible, reinforcing its deeply devotional character.
Norway
- 1. Composer Rikard Nordraak died of tuberculosis at just 23 years old, only a year after writing the melody; his cousin Edvard Grieg composed a famous funeral march in his honor.
- 2. Norway also has a popular second anthem, 'Nordmannen' (The Norseman), which is so well-loved that debates occasionally arise about which song should hold primary status.
- 3. The anthem has eight verses, but Norwegians typically only sing the first and last, with most citizens unable to recall the middle stanzas from memory.
Listen
Iceland
Norway
