National Anthem Comparison
Sudan vs South Sudan
2
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
56
56 years apart
✓
Same continent
South Sudan
South Sudan Oyee!
Comparison Analysis
Sudan and South Sudan, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Sudan's "We Are Soldiers of God, Soldiers of the Homeland" was written in 1955, while South Sudan's "South Sudan Oyee!" dates to 2011.
Both anthems share themes of God / Faith and Flag. Sudan additionally explores Battle / War and Resilience, while South Sudan also touches on Independence, Unity and Ancestors / Heritage.
The emotional tones differ: Sudan's anthem is Fierce, while South Sudan's is Joyful.
Sudan's anthem predates South Sudan's by 56 years, having been written in 1955 compared to 2011.
Shared themes
Sudan
✝ God / Faith ⚔ Battle / War 🚩 Flag 💪 Resilience
South Sudan
🗽 Independence 🤝 Unity ✝ God / Faith 🚩 Flag 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Shared themes:
✝ God / Faith 🚩 Flag
Metadata
| Sudan | South Sudan | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1955 | 2011 |
| Adopted | 1956 | 2011 |
| Lyricist | Ahmed Muhammad Salih | Students of the University of Juba |
| Composer | Colonel Ahmed Morjan | Students of the University of Juba |
| Language | ar | en |
| Region | North Africa | East Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
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.
South Sudan
South Sudan Oyee!
Original
Oh God!
We praise and glorify you
For your grace on South Sudan,
Land of great abundance,
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
Oh motherland!
We rise raising flag with the guiding star
And sing songs of freedom with joy,
For justice, liberty, and prosperity
Shall forever more reign.
Oh great patriots!
Let us stand up in silence and respect,
Saluting our martyrs whose blood
Cemented our national foundation,
We vow to protect our nation.
Oh South Sudan! Oh South Sudan! Oh South Sudan!
Interesting facts
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.
South Sudan
- 1. The exclamation 'Oyee!' in the title is a celebratory shout used across many South Sudanese ethnic groups, functioning similarly to 'Hooray!' and often chanted at rallies and gatherings.
- 2. South Sudan's anthem had to be written, composed, and officially adopted within a matter of months before the independence date, making it one of the fastest anthem creation processes in modern history.
- 3. The anthem is performed in English rather than Arabic (the official language of neighboring Sudan), a deliberate choice that symbolizes South Sudan's break from the north.
Listen
Sudan
South Sudan
