National Anthem Comparison
Mozambique vs Zimbabwe
3
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
8
8 years apart
✓
Same continent
Zimbabwe
Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe
Comparison Analysis
Mozambique and Zimbabwe, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Mozambique's "Beloved Homeland" was written in 2002, while Zimbabwe's "Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe" dates to 1994.
Both anthems share themes of freedom, unity and flag. Mozambique additionally explores love of homeland and battle / war, while Zimbabwe also touches on god / faith and revolution.
The emotional tones differ: Mozambique's anthem is proud, while Zimbabwe's is prayerful.
Mozambique changed its national anthem in 2002, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
Mozambique
❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom 🤝 Unity ⚔ Battle / War 🚩 Flag
Zimbabwe
✝ God / Faith 🕊 Freedom 🤝 Unity 🚩 Flag 🔥 Revolution
Shared themes:
🕊 Freedom 🤝 Unity 🚩 Flag
Metadata
| Mozambique | Zimbabwe | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 2002 | 1994 |
| Adopted | 2002 | 1994 |
| Lyricist | Salomão J. Manhiça | Solomon Mutswairo |
| Composer | Salomão J. Manhiça | Fred Changundega |
| Language | pt | multi |
| Region | East Africa | Southern Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Mozambique
Pátria Amada
Original
Na memória da África e do Mundo
Pátria bela dos que ousaram lutar
Moçambique o teu nome é liberdade
O sol de Junho para sempre brilhará brilhará
Moçambique nossa terra gloriosa
pedra a pedra construindo o novo dia
milhões de braços, uma só força
ó pátria amada vamos vencer
Povo unido do rovuma ao Maputo
colhe os frutos do combate pela Paz
cresce o sonho ondolado na bandeira
e vai lavrando na certeza do amanhã
Moçambique nossa terra gloriosa
pedra a pedra construindo o novo dia
milhões de braços, uma só força
ó pátria amada vamos vencer
Flores brotando do chão do teu suor
pelos montes, pelos rios, pelo mar
nós juramos por ti, ó Moçambique:
nenhum tirano nos irá escravizar
Moçambique nossa terra gloriosa
pedra a pedra construindo o novo dia
milhões de braços, uma só força
ó pátria amada vamos vencer
Translation
In the memory of Africa and the World,
Beautiful homeland of those who dared to fight,
Mozambique, your name is freedom,
The June sun will shine forever, will shine.
Mozambique, our glorious land,
Stone by stone building the new day,
Millions of arms, a single force,
O beloved homeland, we shall prevail!
The people, united from the Rovuma to the Maputo,
Reap the fruits of the struggle for peace;
The dream grows, waving on the flag,
And goes on tilling, certain of tomorrow.
Mozambique, our glorious land,
Stone by stone building the new day,
Millions of arms, a single force,
O beloved homeland, we shall prevail!
Flowers springing from the soil of your sweat,
Over the mountains, over the rivers, over the sea,
We swear by you, O Mozambique:
No tyrant shall ever enslave us.
Mozambique, our glorious land,
Stone by stone building the new day,
Millions of arms, a single force,
O beloved homeland, we shall prevail!
Zimbabwe
Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe
Original
[Shona]
Simudzai mureza wedu weZimbabwe
Yakazvarwa nomoto wechimurenga;
Neropa zhinji ramagamba
Tiidzivirire kumhandu dzose;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.
Tarisai Zimbabwe nyika yakashongedzwa
Namakomo, nehova, zvinoyevedza
Mvura ngainaye, minda ipe mbesa
Vashandi vatuswe, ruzhinji rugutswe;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.
Mwari ropafadzai nyika yeZimbabwe
Nyika yamadzitateguru edu tose,
Kubva Zambezi kusvika Limpopo,
Navatungamiri vave nenduramo.
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.
[English]
O lift high, high, our flag of Zimbabwe
Born of the fire of the revolution
And of the precious blood of our heroes.
Let's defend it against all foes;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Behold Zimbabwe so richly adorned
With mountains and rivers, beautiful.
Let rain abound and fields yield the seed
May all be fed and workers rewarded.
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
O God, bless the land of Zimbabwe,
The land of our heritage,
From the Zambezi to the Limpopo.
May our leaders be just and exemplary,
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
[Ndebele]
Phakamisan' if'legi yethu yeZimbabwe
Eyazalwa yimpi yenkululeko;
Legaz' elinengi lamaqhawe ethu
Silivikele ezithen' izonke;
Kalibusiswe ilizwe leZimbabwe.
Khangelan' iZimbabwe yon' ihlotshisiwe
Ngezintaba lang' miful' ebukekayo,
Izulu kaline, izilimo zande;
Iz'sebenzi zenam', abantu basuthe;
Kalibusiswe ilizwe leZimbabwe.
Nkosi busis' ilizwe lethu leZimbabwe
Ilizwe labokhokho bethu thina sonke;
Kusuk' eZambezi kusiy' eLimpopo
Abakhokheli babe lobuqotho;
Kalibusiswe ilizwe leZimbabwe.
Translation
[Shona]
Lift up our flag of Zimbabwe,
Born of the fire of the liberation struggle
And of the abundant blood of heroes;
Let us defend it against all enemies.
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Behold Zimbabwe, a land adorned
With mountains and rivers, lovely to see;
May rain fall and the fields yield harvests,
May workers be rewarded and the people be fed;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
God, bless the land of Zimbabwe,
The land of the ancestors of us all,
From the Zambezi to the Limpopo,
And may the leaders be righteous;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
[English]
O lift high, high, our flag of Zimbabwe
Born of the fire of the revolution
And of the precious blood of our heroes.
Let's defend it against all foes;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Behold Zimbabwe so richly adorned
With mountains and rivers, beautiful.
Let rain abound and fields yield the seed
May all be fed and workers rewarded.
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
O God, bless the land of Zimbabwe,
The land of our heritage,
From the Zambezi to the Limpopo.
May our leaders be just and exemplary,
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
[Ndebele]
Lift up our flag of Zimbabwe,
Born of the war of liberation
And of the abundant blood of our heroes;
Let us protect it from all enemies.
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Behold Zimbabwe, all adorned
With mountains and beautiful rivers;
May the sky send rain and the crops abound,
May the workers be glad and the people be fed;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Lord, bless our land of Zimbabwe,
The land of the ancestors of us all;
From the Zambezi to the Limpopo,
May the leaders have integrity;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
Interesting facts
Mozambique
- 1. The 2002 law that adopted the anthem did not name its author. After Salomão Júlio Manhiça petitioned parliament in 2011, the Assembly of the Republic amended the law in 2013 to credit him with both the words and the music.
- 2. The title phrase 'Pátria Amada' (Beloved Homeland) also recurs in Brazil's national anthem, each of whose two parts closes with the line 'Pátria amada, Brasil!'
- 3. The official lyrics are in Portuguese, Mozambique's only official language, yet in the 2017 census only 16.5% of Mozambicans named Portuguese as their mother tongue; most grew up speaking one of the country's more than 40 Bantu languages.
Zimbabwe
- 1. The current anthem is Zimbabwe's second since independence in 1980: the first, 'Ishe Komborera Africa' (God Bless Africa), was a version of the hymn 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika' and was used until the present anthem was introduced in March 1994.
- 2. The anthem came out of two national competitions: a words competition in 1987 drew 1,685 entries and was won by Solomon Mutswairo's four-verse poem, which Parliament later condensed into three verses; about 300 entries were then submitted for the music, and Fred Changundega's won.
- 3. Changundega has said the melody came to him on a train to Bulawayo; the two finalist tunes were broadcast on national radio so the public could compare them before his was chosen.
- 4. The anthem is played to pupils at the start of each school day, and the national broadcasters play it every morning at 6:00.
Listen
Mozambique
Zimbabwe
