National Anthem of Colombia

¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
En surcos de dolores
el bien germina ya.

O unfading glory!
O immortal joy!
In furrows of pain
the good now germinates.

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 mankind,
moaning in chains,
understands the words
of He who died on the Cross.

el mundo americano;
se baña en sangre de héroes
la tierra de Colón.
Pero este gran principio,
"El rey no es soberano"^[1]
resuena, y los que sufren
bendicen su pasión.

"Independence!" cries
the American world;
The land of Columbus.
Is bathed in heroes' blood.
But this great principle,
"The king is not sovereign",
resounds, and those who suffer now
Esteem the heroes' blood.

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'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 suffer fright.

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,
famished people fight,
choosing horror
over fickle health.
O, aye! for Cartagena
heavy is the hardship,
but her virtue
disdains death's rubble.

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 in the fields,
the genius of glory,
for every ear a hero
undefeated crowned.
Soldiers without breastplate
won victory;
their virile breath
as shield served.

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.

Bolivar crosses the Andes
that two oceans bathe,
swords as sparks
shine in Junín.
Untameable centaurs
descend to the plains,
and a prescience begins to be felt,
of the epic the end.

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 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.

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.

The virgin her hairs
pulls out in agony
and from her beloved widowed
hangs them on a cypress.
Regretting her hope
covered by a cold headstone,
but glorious pride
hallows her fair skin.

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,
Thermopylaes are breaking forth;
constellation of cyclops
its night brightened.
The trembling flower
finding the wind mortal,
underneath the laurels
safety sought.

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.
Independence alone
The great clamour doesn't silence;
if the sun illuminates everyone,
justice is liberty.

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's preaching,
the soul of struggle
prophetically taught.
Ricaurte in San Mateo,
in atoms flying,
"Duty before life,"
with flames he wrote.