Trei culori
"Trei culori" was the former national anthem of Romania prior to the anti-communist Romanian revolution of 1989. It has been replaced with "Deşteaptă-te, române!".
It is based on a Romanian patriotic song with the same title, the same music (composed by Ciprian Porumbescu), but a somewhat different text.
The title refers to the national flag of Romania, which is a tricolor: red, yellow and blue. It has not undergone many or major changes in the course of history. Only the distribution of the colors (in point of proportion and position) changed to a certain extent, being made equal after the abortive Romanian revolution of 1848 when, under the spur of the French revolutionary spirit, many states in Europe adopted as their national flag the Tricolour, or dimensionally standardized three-color banner.
Original patriotic song
Romanian lyrics
- Trei culori cunosc pe lume
- Ce le ştiu ca sfânt odor,
- Sunt culori de-un vechi renume
- Amintind de-un brav popor.
- Cât pe cer şi cât pe lume,
- Vor fi aste trei culori,
- Vom avea un falnic nume,
- Şi un falnic viitor.
- Roşu-i focul vitejiei,
- Jertfele ce-n veci nu pier
- Galben, aurul câmpiei,
- Şi-albastru-al nostru cer.
- Multe secole luptară
- Bravi şi ne-nfricaţi eroi
- Liberi să trăim în ţară
- Ziditori ai lumii noi.
English translation
- Three colours are known throughout the world
- That knows them like a holy jewel
- They are are colours with an ancient fame
- Reminders of a brave nation
- As long as in the sky and in the world
- There will be these three colours
- We'll have a glorious name
- And a glorious future.
- Red is the bravery's fire
- Sacrifices that in eternity won't be lost
- Yellow, the plain's gold
- And blue is our sky
- Many centuries fought
- O, brave and undismayed heroes
- Let's live free in the country
- Builders of the new world
National Anthem of Socialist Romania
Romanian lyrics
- Trei culori cunosc pe lume
- Amintind de-un brav popor
- Ce-i viteaz, cu vechi renume
- În luptă triumfător.
- Roşu, galben şi albastru
- E al nostru tricolor
- Se inalţă ca un astru
- Gloriosul meu popor.
- Suntem un popor în lume
- Strâns unit şi muncitor,
- Liber, cu un nou renume
- Şi un ţel cutezător.
English translation
- Three colors I know on this world
- That remind of a brave nation,
- Reckless, with an ancient fame
- That triumphs in battle.
- Red, yellow and blue
- Is our tricolor.
- It rises like a star
- My glorious nation.
- We are a nation in the world
- United tight and hardworking
- Free, with a new fame
- With a bold goal.