Zdravljica
Zdravljica (A Toast) is a famous poem by France PreÃÂÃÂeren written in 1844 and since 1991 it has been the Slovene national anthem. The most famous is its 7th verse which was set to the tune of a composer Stanko Premrl's choral composition of the same name:
| Prijatli! obrodile | The vintage, friends, is over, |
| so trte vince nam sladkÃÂó, | And here sweet wine makes, once again, |
| ki nam oÃÂÃÂivlja ÃÂÃÂile, | Sad eyes and hearts recover |
| srce razjÃÂásni in oko, | Puts fire into every vein. |
| ki utopi | Drowns dull care |
| vse skrbi, | Everywhere |
| v potrtih prsih up budi! | And summons hope out of despair. |
| KomÃÂú narpred veselo | To whom with acclamation |
| zdravljico, bratje! čmo zapÃÂét'! | And song shall we our first toast give? |
| Bog naÃÂÃÂo nam deÃÂÃÂelo, | God save our land and nation |
| Bog ÃÂÃÂivi ves slovenski svet, | And all Slovenes where'er they live, |
| brate vse, | Who own the same |
| kar nas je | Blood and name, |
| sinov sloveče matere! | And who one glorious Mother claim. |
| V sovraÃÂÃÂnike 'z oblakov | Let thunder out of heaven |
| rodÃÂú naj naÃÂÃÂ'ga treÃÂÃÂi grÃÂóm | Strike down and smite our wanton foe! |
| prost, ko je bil očakov, | Now, as it once had thriven, |
| najprej naj bo Slovencov dom; | May our dear realm in freedom grow. |
| naj zdrobÃÂé | May fall the last |
| njih rokÃÂé | Chains of the past |
| si spone, ki jih ÃÂÃÂe teÃÂÃÂÃÂé! | Which bind us still and hold us fast! |
| Edinost, sreča, sprava | Let peace, glad conciliation, |
| k nam naj nazaj se vrnejo; | Come back to us throughout the land! |
| otrÃÂók, kar ima Slava, | Towards their destination |
| vsi naj si v rÃÂóke seÃÂÃÂejo | Let Slavs henceforth go hand-in-hand! |
| de oblast | Thus again |
| in z njo čast, | Will honour reign |
| ko prÃÂéd, spet naÃÂÃÂa boste last! | To justice pledged in our domain. |
| Bog ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂvi vas Slovenke | To you, our pride past measure, |
| prelepe, ÃÂÃÂlahtne roÃÂÃÂice; | Our girls! Your beauty, charm and grace! |
| ni take je mladenke, | There surely is no treasure |
| ko naÃÂÃÂe je krvi dekle; | TO equal maldens of such race. |
| naj sinÃÂóv | Sons you'll bear, |
| zarod nov | Who will dare |
| iz vas bo strah sovraÃÂÃÂnikov! | Defy our foe no matter where. |
| Mladenči, zdaj se pije | Our hope now, our to-morrow - |
| zdravljica vaÃÂÃÂe, vi naÃÂÃÂ up; | The youths - we toast and toast with joy. |
| ljubezni domačije | No poisonous blight or sorrow |
| noben naj vam ne usmŕti strup; | Your love of homeland shall destroy. |
| ker zdaj vas | With us indeed |
| kakor nas, | You're called to heed |
| jo sŕčno brÃÂánit kliče čas! | Its summons in this hour of need. |
| ŽivÃÂé naj vsi narÃÂódi | God's blessing on all nations, |
| ki hrepenÃÂé dočakat' dan, | Who long and work for that bright day, |
| da koder sonce hodi, | When o'er earth's habitations |
| prepir iz svÃÂéta bo pregnan, | No war, no strife shall hold its sway; |
| da rojak | Who long to see |
| prost bo vsak, | That all men free |
| ne vrag, le sosed bo mejak! | No more shall foes, but neighbours be! |
| Nazadnje ÃÂÃÂe, prijatlji, | At last to our reunion - |
| kozarce zase vzdignimo, | To us the toast! Let it resound, |
| ki smo zato se zbratli, | Since in this gay communion |
| ker dobro v srcu mislimo; | By thoughts of brotherhood we're bound |
| dÃÂókaj dni | May joyful cheer |
| naj ÃÂÃÂivÃÂÃÂ | Ne'er disappear |
| vsak, kar nas dobrih je ljudi! | From all good hearts now gathered here. |
The previous national anthem of Slovenia from 1945 to 1991 was a Yugoslav one, Hej Slovani in Slovene.
Zdravljica from censored PreÃÂÃÂeren's handwritting
The Zdravljica was also performed in early 1990s by the punk rock band Pankrti (the Bastards).
In 1844 censorship did not allow that the poem be printed. Later PreÃÂÃÂeren himself was intended to include it to his Poezije (The Poetries). He also omitted the third strophe ÃÂûV sovraÃÂÃÂnike 'z oblakov / rodÃÂú naj naÃÂÃÂ'ga treÃÂÃÂi grÃÂómÃÂë so he could save the rest. But he was wrong as censorship in a fourth strophe ÃÂûEdinost, sreča, sprava / k nam naj nazaj se vrnejoÃÂë anticipated an overall Slavic mentality and did not alowed it. PreÃÂÃÂeren believed that poem would be mutilated so he did not inlude it to Poezije. Zdravljica was printed after the March revolution April 26 1848, when censorship was abolished in Novice (The News).