Bože pravde


"Bože pravde" is the national anthem of Serbia, as defined by the Article 7 of the Constitution of Serbia. "Bože pravde" was the state anthem of the Principality of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbia until 1919 when Serbia became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes which was formed one year earlier. It was recommended by the regional Parliament of Serbia on August 17, 2004 and constitutionally adopted on November 8, 2006, after Serbia became a sovereign state again. The recommended text was made Law on May 11, 2009. The original song was written in 1872 with music by Davorin Jenko and lyrics by Jovan Đorđević. It was then a piece for the theater play Marko kazuje na kome je carstvo, and its immense popularity with audiences prompted its adoption as the Serbian national anthem.

History

While being the national anthem of the Kingdom of Serbia, it occasionally was referred to as the "Serbian National Prayer" and the original lyrics contained a petition for the Serbian king. Various rulers of Serbia changed the words of the anthem to suit them. During the rule of Prince Milan I of Serbia, the words were "God, save Prince Milan", which changed to King Milan when Serbia became a kingdom. Later it was tailored to Peter I and Alexander I as well. During the time of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "Bože pravde" was part of its national anthem.
"Bože pravde" used as the Serbian national anthem utilizes slightly modified original lyrics, asserting that Serbia is no longer a monarchy — four verses are different. In three, "Serbian king" is changed to "Serbian lands" and in one, "God save the Serbian king" is changed to "O God, save; O God, defend".
"Bože pravde" was also used as the regional anthem of the Republika Srpska, a constituency of Bosnia and Herzegovina until 2006, when it was ruled down by the country's constitutional court for being unconstitutional. and the decision was upheld by the Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska.
In 1992, "Vostani Serbije" and "Marš na Drinu" were proposed as the regional anthem of Serbia along with "Bоže pravde". The latter, promulgated by then-ruling Socialist Party of Serbia, even received a plurality of popular vote on referendum, but was never officially adopted.

Lyrics

The full Serbian national anthem as officially defined consists of eight stanzas, but usually only the first two are performed on public occasions for reasons of brevity.
Serbian CyrillicSerbian LatinEnglish translation

Боже правде, ти што спасе
од пропасти досад нас,
чуј и од сад наше гласе
и од сад нам буди спас.
Моћном руком води, брани
будућности српске брод,
? Боже спаси, Боже xрани, ?
? српске земље, српски род! ?
Сложи српску браћу драгу
на свак дичан славан рад,
слога биће пораз врагу
а најјачи српству град.
Нек на српској блиста грани
братске слоге златан плод,
? Боже спаси, Боже xрани ?
? српске земље, српски род! ?
Нек на српско ведро чело
твог не падне гнева гром
Благослови Србу село
поље, њиву, град и дом!
Кад наступе борбе дани
к победи му води ход
? Боже спаси, Боже xрани ?
? српске земље, српски род! ?
Из мрачнога сину гроба
српске славе нови сјај
настало је ново доба
Нову срећу, Боже дај!
Отаџбину српску брани
пет вековне борбе плод
? Боже спаси, Боже брани ?
? моли ти се српски род! ?
Bože pravde, ti što spase
od propasti dosad nas,
čuj i odsad naše glase
i od sad nam budi spas.
Moćnom rukom vodi, brani
budućnosti srpske brod,
? Bože spasi, Bože hrani, ?
? srpske zemlje, srpski rod! ?
Složi srpsku braću dragu
na svak dičan slavan rad,
sloga biće poraz vragu
a najjači srpstvu grad.
Nek na srpskoj blista grani
bratske sloge zlatan plod,
? Bože spasi, Bože hrani ?
? srpske zemlje, srpski rod! ?
Nek na srpsko vedro čelo
tvog ne padne gneva grom
Blagoslovi Srbu selo
polje, njivu, grad i dom!
Kad nastupe borbe dani
k pobedi mu vodi hod
? Bože spasi, Bože hrani ?
? srpske zemlje, srpski rod! ?
Iz mračnoga sinu groba
srpske slave novi sjaj
nastalo je novo doba
Novu sreću, Bože daj!
Otadžbinu srpsku brani
pet vekovne borbe plod
? Bože spasi, Bože brani ?
? moli ti se srpski rod! ?
God of Justice; Thou who saved us
when in deepest bondage cast,
Hear Thy Serbian children's voices,
Be our help as in the past.
With Thy mighty hand sustain us,
Still our rugged pathway trace;
? God, our hope; protect and cherish,?
? Serbian lands and Serbian race!?
Bind in closest links our kindred
Teach the love that will not fail,
May the loathed fiend of discord
Never in our ranks prevail.
Let the golden fruits of union
Our young tree of freedom grace;
? God, our Master! Guide and prosper, ?
? Serbian lands and Serbian race! ?
Lord! Avert from us Thy vengeance,
Thunder of Thy dreaded ire;
Bless each Serbian town and hamlet,
Mountain, meadow, hearth and spire!
When our host goes forth to battle
Death or victory to embrace-
? God of armies! Be our leader, ?
? Strengthen then the Serbian race! ?
On our sepulchre of ages
Breaks the resurrection morn,
From the slough of direst slavery
Serbia anew is born.
Through five hundred years of durance
We have knelt before Thy face,
? All our kin, O God! Deliver, ?
? Thus entreats the Serbian race! ?