Trei culori

Trei culori

English: Three Colours
Coat of arms of S.R.Romania (1965-1989)
National anthem of Socialist Republic of Romania
Lyrics	Unknown, 1977
Music	Ciprian Porumbescu
Adopted	1977
Relinquished	1990

Trei culori ("Three colours") was the national anthem of the Socialist Republic of Romania from 1977 until 1990. Since 1990, after the Romanian Revolution of 1989, it has been replaced by Deșteaptă-te, române!. Before 1977 the national anthem had been Te slăvim, Românie, introduced in 1953.

Trei culori is based on a Romanian patriotic song with the same title (music and lyrics by Ciprian Porumbescu). The original text twice underwent non-credited revisions in order to reflect the country's Communist doctrine as well as parallels between past and present glories.

The title refers to the national flag of Romania, which is a red-yellow-blue tricolour. It has not undergone many or major changes in the history of the Romanian state. 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. The Romanian principalities were among many European states during that time that were inspired by the French revolutionary spirit to make a tricolour or dimensionally standardized three-color banner as their national flag.

The song continued as the national anthem for a few months after the overthrow of Communism, but with Porumbescu's original patriotic lyrics.

Original patriotic song (Romanian: Tricolorul) and National anthem lyrics

Romanian lyrics

Trei culori cunosc pe lume

Ce le țin de-un sânt odor,

Sunt culori de-un vechi renume

Suveniri de-un brav popor.

Roșu-i focul ce-mi străbate,

Inima-mi plină de dor

Pentru sânta libertate

Și al patriei amor.

Auriu ca mândrul soare

Fi-va'l nostru viitor

Pururea'n eternă floare

Și cu luci netrecător

Iar albastrul e credința

Pentru nație ce-oi nutrim

Credincioși fără schimbare

Pân' la moarte o să-i fim

Pân' pe cer și cât în lume

Vor fi aste trei culori

Vom avea un falnic nume

Și un falnic viitor

Iar când, fraților, m'oi duce

De la voi ș'oi fi să mor

Pe mormânt, atunci să-mi puneți

Mândrul nostru tricolor

English translation

Three colours I know in the world

And I hold them like a holy jewel

They are colours with an ancient fame

Reminders of a brave nation.

Red is the fire that permeates

My heart which is full of longing

For holy liberty

And the love for the motherland.

Golden as the proud sun

Shall be our future.

Always in eternal blossom

And unwithered radiance.

And blue is our loyalty

To our nation, which we cherish.

To it we shall be loyal

To the death, without faltering.

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.

And when, brothers, I shall leave you

And the time will have come to die,

On my tomb then lay

Our proud tricolor flag.

National anthem

Romanian lyrics

Trei culori cunosc pe lume,

Amintind de-un brav popor,

Ce-i viteaz, cu vechi renume,

În luptă triumfător.

Multe secole luptară

Străbunii noștri eroi,

Să trăim stăpîni în țară,

Ziditori ai lumii noi.

Roșu, galben și albastru

Este-al nostru tricolor.

Se înalță ca un astru

Gloriosul meu popor.

Suntem un popor în lume

Strâns unit și muncitor,

Liber, cu un nou renume

Și un țel cutezător.

Azi partidul ne unește

Și pe plaiul românesc

Socialismul se clădește,

Prin elan muncitoresc.

Pentru-a patriei onoare,

Vrăjmașii-n luptă-i zdrobim.

Cu alte neamuri sub soare,

Demn, în pace, să trăim.

Iar tu, Românie mîndră,

Tot mereu să dăinuiesti

Și în comunista eră

Ca o stea să strălucești.

Literal English translation

Three colours I know in the world,

Reminders of a brave people –

Since old times, with old renown

Victorious in battle.

For long ages

Our heroic forefathers fought

To live as masters of this land,

Builders of our world.

Red, yellow, and blue

Is our tricolour

The glory of my people

Rises like a star

We are a people in the world

Close-knit and industrious,

Free, with a new renown

and an audacious aim.

Today the Party unites us

And on Romanian land

Socialism is being built,

Through the workers' spirit.

For the honor of our homeland,

We crush enemies in battle.

With other nations under the sun,

We live, trustworthy, in peace.

And you, splendid Romania,

Shall stand for ever and ever,

And in the Communist era

Shall shine as a star.

Free English translation

Patriotic song

With three colours I'm acquainted

With their holiness embraced

Since old times by glory painted

And recall a gallant race

Red's the fire that's inside

My own patriotic heart

Liberty, so it decided

Shall be it's goals from the start

Anthem

With three colours I'm acquainted

Which recall a gallant race –

Since old times by glory sainted

Battles has it won apace.

For long ages our forefathers

Have this gallant flag unfurled,

So we may the land's fruit gather,

Building here the future's world.

This tricolour flag of ours

Flutters crimson, yellow, blue,

Like a star in skyey bowers

Rise my people, brave and true.

In this world we are a nation

Keen on work and of one soul.

Free and with new reputation,

Sharing one ambitious goal.

Now united by our Party;

In Romania's meads and fields,

Our work is hard and hearty,

Building Socialism its yield.

For the homeland's greater glory

We crush enemies at fight,

But we'd share a peaceful story

With all peoples in proud light.

Proud Romania, now dearer,

Live forever in fine light!

In the Communist new era

Like a star you must shine bright!

External links

• Sound file (mp3)
• Trei culori music