Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

English: My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy
National anthem of	Estonia
Lyrics	Johann Voldemar Jannsen
Music	Fredrik Pacius
Adopted	1920 1990

"Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" (Estonian pronunciation: [mu ˈisɑ.mɑː mu ˈɤnʲ jɑ ˈrɤːm] moo EE-sah-mah moo UHN yah RUHM, "My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy") is the incipit of the national anthem of Estonia, first adopted in 1920.

This song has been around since the 19th century; its lyrics (words) were written in 1869 by Estonian poet Johann Voldemar Jannsen, and its melody—the same one used in Finland's national anthem "Maamme"—was composed in 1848 by Friedrich Pacius.

When the Soviets took control of Estonia in 1940, this anthem was banned, then four years later when the small Baltic country became part of the Soviet Union, a regional Soviet anthem was adopted. In May 1990, shortly before the Soviet Union fell, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was renamed the "Republic of Estonia" and this anthem was adopted again.

Lyrics

Estonian lyrics

Latin script

IPA transcription

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm, kui kaunis oled sa! Ei leia mina iial teal see suure, laia ilma peal, mis mul nii armas oleks ka, kui sa, mu isamaa! Sa oled mind ju sünnitand ja üles kasvatand; sind tänan mina alati ja jään sull' truuiks surmani, mul kõige armsam oled sa, mu kallis isamaa! Su üle Jumal valvaku mu armas isamaa! Ta olgu sinu kaitseja ja võtku rohkest õnnista, mis iial ette võtad sa, mu kallis isamaa!

[mu ˈisɑ̝mɑ̝ː mu ˈɤnʲ jɑ̽ ˈrɤːm ǀ] [kui̯ ˈkɑ̝u̯nis ˈolet̬ sɑ̝ ǁ] [ei̯ ˈlei̯ɑ̽ ˈminɑ̝ ˈiːɑ̽l ˈteɑ̝̯l] [se̞ː ˈsuːre̞ ˈlɑ̽i̯ɑ̽ ˈilmɑ̝ ˈpeɑ̝̯l ǀ] [mis ˈmul niː ˈɑ̝rmɑ̝s ˈoleks kɑ̝ ǀ] [kui̯ ˈsɑ̝ː mu ˈisɑ̝mɑ̝ː ǁ] [sɑ̝ ˈolet̬ mint̬ ju̟ ˈsÿnːitɑ̝nt̬] [jɑ̽ ˈÿles ˈkɑ̝sʋɑ̝tɑ̝nt̬ ǁ] [sint̬ ˈtæ̈nɑ̝n ˈminɑ̝ ˈɑ̝lɑ̝ti] [jɑ̽ ˈjæ̈ːn sulʲ ˈtru̟ːi̯ks ˈsurmɑ̝ni ǀ] [mul ˈkɤi̯k̬e̞ ˈɑ̝rmsɑ̝m ˈolet̬ sɑ̝ ǀ] [mu ˈkɑ̝lːis ˈisɑ̝mɑ̝ː ǁ] [su ˈÿle̞ ˈju̟mɑ̝l ˈʋɑ̝lʋɑ̝ku] [mu ˈɑ̝rmɑ̝s ˈisɑ̝mɑ̝ː ǁ] [tɑ̝ ˈolk̬u ˈsinu ˈkɑ̽i̯tsejɑ̽] [jɑ̽ ˈʋɤtku ˈroxkest ˈɤnːistɑ̝ ǀ] [mis ˈiːɑ̽l ˈetːe̞ ˈʋɤtɑ̝t̬ sɑ̝ ǀ] [mu ˈkɑ̝lːis ˈisɑ̝mɑ̝ː ǁ]

Poetic English translation

My native land, my joy – delight,

How fair thou art — how bright!

For nowhere in the world around

Can ever such a place be found

So well belov'd, from sense profound,

My native country dear!

My tiny crib stood on thy soil,

Whose blessings eased my toil.

May my last breath be thanks to thee,

For true to death I'll ever be,

O worthy, most belov'd and fine,

Thou, dearest country mine!

May God in Heaven thee defend,

My own beloved land!

May He be guard, may He be shield,

For ever bless and guardian wield

Protection for all deeds of thine,

My own, my dearest land!

Trivia

• This anthem uses the same tune as "Maamme", the national anthem of Finland.