Himno Nacional de la República de Colombia (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia) is the official name of the national anthem

National anthem

A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...

 of Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

. The anthem, commonly known as ¡Oh gloria inmarcesible! (O Unfading Glory), was largely the creation of José Domingo Torres, an actor from Bogotá, who took a poem written by former Colombian president Rafael Núñez and asked a friend, opera singer Oreste Sindici, to set it to music.

The official announcement came in the form of Act 33 of October 28 of 1920. The law 198 of 1995, which legislates national symbols, its distribution became mandatory in all radio and television

Television in Colombia

Television in Colombia or Colombian television is a media of Colombia. It is characterized for broadcasting telenovelas, series, game shows and TV news. Until 1998 it was a state monopoly...

 in the country both at 6:00 am as at 18:00 h (the latter half, at various times for private open signal and not applicable to national TV channels by cable), and public intervention in the President of the Republic

President of Colombia

The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...

 and other official events.

Sheet music

• Piano sheet music of National Anthem of Colombia

Lyrics

Spanish lyrics	English translation
CORO	CHORUS
¡Oh gloria inmarcesible! ¡Oh júbilo inmortal! En surcos de dolores el bien germina ya. (repeat) ((Repeat all))	O unfading glory! O inmortal joy! In furrows of pain the good now germinates. (Repeat) ((Repeat all))
I	I
Cesó la horrible noche, la libertad sublime derrama las auroras de su invencible luz. La humanidad entera, que entre cadenas gime, comprende las palabras del que murió en la cruz.	The fearful night has ceased, Liberty sublime shines forth the dawning of its invincible light. All of mankind, moaning in chains, understands the words of the one who died on the cross Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity... .
II	II
"¡Independencia!" grita el mundo americano; se baña en sangre de héroes la tierra de Colón. Pero este gran principio, "El rey no es soberano" resuena, y los que sufren bendicen su pasión.	"Independence!" cries the America Americas The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily... n world; The land of Columbus Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the... . Is bathed in heroes' blood. But this great principle, "The king is not sovereign", resounds, and those who suffer bless the heroes' suffering.
III	III
Del Orinoco el cauce se colma de despojos, de sangre y llanto un río se mira allí correr. En Bárbula no saben las almas ni los ojos, si admiración o espanto sentir o padecer.	The Orinoco Orinoco The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia... 's bed Is heaped with plunder, The river runs With blood and weeping. In Bárbula neither soul nor eyes, know whether to feel shock or to suffer fright.
IV	IV
A orillas del Caribe, hambriento un pueblo lucha, horrores prefiriendo a pérfida salud. ¡Oh, sí!, de Cartagena la abnegación es mucha, y escombros de la muerte desprecia su virtud.	On the shores of the Caribbean Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles.... , the famished people fight, choosing the horrors over fickle health. O, aye! for Cartagena Battle of Cartagena de Indias The Battle of Cartagena de Indias was an amphibious military engagement between the forces of Britain under Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon and those of Spain under Admiral Blas de Lezo. It took place at the city of Cartagena de Indias in March 1741, in present-day Colombia... heavy is the hardship, but her virtue disdains death's rubble.
V	V
De Boyacá en los campos, el genio de la gloria, con cada espiga un héroe invicto coronó. Soldados sin coraza ganaron la victoria; su varonil aliento de escudo les sirvió.	From Boyacá Battle of Boyacá The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years....  in the fields, the genius of glory, for every ear Ear (botany) An ear is the grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant, such as wheat or maize. It can also refer to "a prominent lobe in some leaves".The ear is a spike, consisting of a central stem on which grows tightly packed rows of flowers...  a hero undefeated crowned. Soldiers without breastplate won victory; their virile breath as shield served.
VI	VI
Bolívar cruza el Ande que riegan dos océanos, espadas cual centellas fulguran en Junín. Centauros indomables descienden a los llanos, y empieza a presentirse, de la epopeya el fin.	Bolívar Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...  crosses the Andes Andes The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated... that two oceans bathe, swords as sparks shine in Junín Battle of Junín The Battle of Junín was a military engagement of the Peruvian War of Independence, fought in the highlands of the Junín Region on August 6, 1824. The preceding February the royalists had regained control of Lima, and having regrouped in Trujillo, Simón Bolívar in June led his rebel forces south to... . Untameable centaurs descend to the plains, and a prescience begins to be felt, the epic' end has come.
VII	VII
La trompa victoriosa en Ayacucho truena, que en cada triunfo crece su formidable son. En su expansivo empuje la libertad se estrena, del cielo americano formando un pabellón.	The victorious trumpet in Ayacucho Battle of Ayacucho The Battle of Ayacucho was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that sealed the independence of Peru, as well as the victory that ensured independence for the rest of South America...  loudly thunders, that in every triumph grows its formidable sound. In its expansive thrust Liberty is worn for the first time, from the American sky a pavilion forming up.
VIII	VIII
La virgen sus cabellos arranca en agonía y de su amor viuda los cuelga del ciprés. Lamenta su esperanza que cubre loza fría, pero glorioso orgullo circunda su alba tez.	In agony, the Virgin Tears out her hair, and bereft of her love, leaves it to hang on a cypress. Regretting her hope is covered by a cold headstone, but glorious pride hallows her fair skin.
IX	IX
La patria así se forma, termópilas brotando; constelación de cíclopes su noche iluminó. La flor estremecida mortal el viento hallando, debajo los laureles seguridad buscó.	Thus the motherland is formed, Thermopylae Battle of Thermopylae The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August... s are breaking forth; constellation of cyclops its night brightened. The trembling flower finding the wind mortal, underneath the laurels its safety sought.
X	X
Mas no es completa gloria vencer en la batalla, que el brazo que combate lo anima la verdad. La independencia sola el gran clamor no acalla; si el sol alumbra a todos, justicia es libertad.	But it's not complete glory to defeat in battle, that the arm that fights is encouraged by truth. For independence alone The great clamour doesn't silence; if the sun illuminates everyone, justice is liberty.
XI	XI
Del hombre los derechos Nariño predicando, el alma de la lucha profético enseñó. Ricaurte en San Mateo, en átomos volando, "Deber antes que vida," con llamas escribió.	From men the rights Nariño Antonio Nariño Antonio de la Santísima Concepción Nariño y Álvarez was an ideological Colombian precursor and one of the early political and military leaders of the independence movement in the New Granada - Early political activity :Nariño was born to an aristocratic family... 's preaching, the soul of struggle was prophetically taught. When Ricaurte Antonio Ricaurte -Further reading:* FUNDACIÓN POLAR. Diccionario de Historia de Venezuela. Caracas: 1997, second edition.* ROMERO MARTÍNEZ, VINICIO. ...Y Ricaurte se inmoló en San Mateo. Caracas: Edigraph, 1973....  in San Mateo Battle of San Mateo The Battle of La Victoria occurred on 20 and 29 June 1812, in La Victoria, Venezuela. Both Spanish assaults on the city by captain Domingo de Monteverde against the forces of Francisco de Miranda were repulsed by the Venezuelan forces entrenched in the city and Monterverde fell back to San Mateo... , in atoms flying, "Duty before life," with flames he wrote.

Instrumental Introduction Lyrics

During the border conflict with Peru (1932-1934)

Colombia-Peru War

The Colombia–Peru War was an armed conflict between the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Peru.-Civilian takeover:...

, the soldiers who defended Colombia's national sovereignty added a new verse after the trumpet fanfare. Written specifically for that time of war, it soon fell into disuse. The words are:

Hoy que la madre patria se halla herida,

Hoy que debemos todos combatir, combatir,

Demos por ella nuestra vida

Que morir por la patria no es morir, es vivir

Now when the motherland is wounded,

Now when we must all fight, fight,

Let us give our life for her,

Because to die for one's country is not to die but live.

According to José Antonio Amaya, elementary school students in the 1930s were taught this stanza.

The final line is very similar to a line in the national anthem of Cuba that goes, "¡Qué morir por la patría es vivir!"

Usage

By law, radio and TV broadcasts must play the national anthem at 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM in the following manner: Chorus, first verse* and chorus once again. This is also how it is customarily performed in all public, political, and other official events.

Although the first verse is usually sung in between choruses, any of the eleven verses may be used. The anthem must be played chorus-verse-chorus regardless of which verse is selected.

In sports events is played instrumental introduction-chorus-verse,instrumental introduction-chorus or chorus-verse

In ceremonies of the Colombian Artillery, the last verse is used instead of the first verse.