Himni i Flamurit

Himni i Flamurit
Hymn to the flag
National anthem of	Albania
Lyricist	Aleksandër Stavre "Asdreni" Drenova
Composer	Ciprian Porumbescu
Adopted	1912
Relinquished	(not yet)

Himni i Flamurit (English: Hymn to the Flag) is Albania's national anthem. Its lyrics were first published as a poem in Liri e Shqipërisë (Freedom of Albania), an Albanian newspaper in Sofia, Bulgaria, in its issue of 21 April 1912. Later that year they appeared in a volume of collected poems by Drenova, under the title “Ëndra e lot” (Dreams and Tears), which was published in Bucharest. The official anthem uses only the first two stanzas of the original poem (the second stanza is used as a chorus).

The music of the anthem was composed by the Romanian composer Ciprian Porumbescu, originally for the song "Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire" (or "E scris pe tricolor unire").

Back when Albania first gained independence as a monarchy in 1912 from Italy, “Hymni i Flamurit” was adopted, and has been kept as the anthem through its period as a Communist/Marxist state and now as a democratic nation. The original title of the hymn was “Betimi mi flamur,” or “Pledge to the Flag.”

Lyrics

This section contains information from Wikipedia.

Albanian lyrics	Translation
First stanza
Rreth flamurit të përbashkuar Me një dëshir' e një qëllim, Të gjith' atij duke iu betuar Të lidhim besën për shpëtim.	Around our flag we stand united, With one wish and one goal, A sacred oath we bestow upon it Proclaiming loyalty for our salvation.
Second stanza
Prej lufte veç ai largohet Që është lindur tradhëtar, Kush është burrë nuk frikësohet, Po vdes, po vdes si një dëshmor!	From war abstains only he, Who a traitor is born, He who is a true man is not frightened, But dies a martyr to the cause.
Third stanza (not usually sung)
Në dorë armët do t'i mbajmë, Të mbrojmë atdheun në çdo kënd, Të drejtat tona ne s'i ndajmë; Këtu armiqtë s'kanë vënd!	With weapons in our hands a-brandished, We will defend our fatherland, Our sacred rights we’ll not relinquish, The foe has no place in our land.
Fourth stanza (not usually sung)
Se Zoti vetë e tha me gojë Që kombe shuhen përmbi dhé, Po Shqipëria do të rrojë; Për të, për të luftojmë ne!	For God himself proclaimed: The nations of the earth shall wane, And yet will live, will thrive Albania. For her our fight won’t be in vain.
Fifth stanza (not sung)
O Flamur, flamur, shenj' e shenjtë tek ti betohemi këtu për Shqipërinë, atdheun e shtrenjtë, për nder' edhe lavdimn e tu.	O Flag, flag, you sacred symbol upon you we now swear for Albania, our dear fatherland for honour and your commends
Sixth stanza (not sung)
Trim burrë quhet dhe nderohet atdheut kush iu bë therror. Përjetë ai do të kujtohet mbi dhe, nën dhe si një shenjtor!	Brave man is named and honoured the one who sacrificed himself for the fatherland Forever he will be remembered on earth and under as a saint!

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