SPANISH LYRICS

CHORUS:
Saludemos la patria orgullosos 
de hijos suyos podernos llamar; 
y juremos la vida animosos, 
sin descanso a su bien consagrar.   

1. De la paz en la dicha suprema 
siempre noble soñó El Salvador; 
fue obtenerla su eterno problema, 
conservarla es su gloria mayor.   
Y con fe inquebrantable el camino 
del progreso se afana en seguir; 
por llenar su grandioso destino: 
conquistarse un feliz porvenir.   
Le protege una férrea barrera 
contra el choque de ruin deslealtad 
desde el día que en su alta bandera 
con su sangre escribió: !LIBERTAD!   

2. Libertad es su dogma, es su guía 
que mil veces logró defender; 
y otras tantas, de audaz tiranía 
rechazar el odioso poder.   
Dolorosa y sangrienta es su historia, 
pero excelsa y brillante a la vez; 
manantial de legítima gloria, 
gran lección de espartana altivez.   
No desmaya en su innata bravura, 
en cada hombre hay un héroe inmortal 
que sabrá mantenerse a la altura 
de su antiguo valor proverbial.   

3. Todos son abnegados, y fieles 
al prestigio del bélico ardor 
con que siempre segaron laureles 
de la patria salvando el honor.   
Respetar los derechos extraños 
y apoyarse en la recta razón 
es para ella, sin torpes amaños 
su invariable, más firme ambición.   
Y en seguir esta línea se aferra 
dedicando su esfuerzo tenaz, 
en hacer cruda guerra a la guerra; 
su ventura se encuentra en la paz. 

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION
 
CHORUS:
Let us salute the motherland,
Proud to be called her children.
To her well-being let us swear
Boldly and unceasingly to devote our lives.

1. Of peace enjoyed in perfect happiness,
El Salvador has always nobly dreamed.
To achieve this has been her eternal proposition,
To keep it, her greatest glory.
With inviolable faith, she eagerly follows
The way of progress
In order to fulfil her high destiny
And achieve a happy future.
A stern barrier protects her
Against the clash of vile disloyalty,
Ever since the day when her lofty banner,
In letters of blood, wrote "Freedom",
Wrote "Freedom", wrote "Freedom".

CHORUS

2. Freedom is her dogma and her guide;
A thousand times she has defended it,
And as many times has she repelled
The hateful power of atrocious tyranny.
Her history has been bloody and sad,
Yet at the same time sublime and brilliant,
A source of legitimate glory
And a great lesson in Spartan pride.
Her innate bravery shall not waver:
In every man there is an immortal hero
Who knows how to maintain the level
Of the proverbial valour of old.

CHORUS

3. All are self-denying and faithful
To the tradition of warlike ardour
With which they have always reaped fame
By saving the motherland's honour.
To respect the rights of others
And base her actions on right and justice
Is for her, without infamous intrigue,
The constant and most firm ambition.
And in following this line she persists,
Dedicating her tenacious efforts
In giving hard battle for battle; 
Her happiness is found in peace. 

CHORUS 


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El Salvador

Words by:Juan José Cañas
Music by:Juan Aberle
Adopted:1853

One of the longest national anthems in existence (just counting one verse, that
is), the Salvadoran anthem is a typical example of what I call a "Latin
American_epic_anthem". It was commonly adopted as the National Song on
September 15, 1879 but did not have official recognition until December 11,
1953.

The Official National Anthem was composed by an Italian composer that arrived
in the country at the end of the 18th Century as the Director of an Opera
Company and written by General Juan José Cañas, an inspired poet and
distinguished military that took arms with the National Army against
filibusters, around the year 1856. It was composed by recommendation of
President Dr. Rafael Zaldívar and was sung for the first time on September 15,
1879 at the prior National Palace by children and young students from
government and private schools of the capital city, and the anthem was very
well recieved after that initial performance.

Special thanks to:José Quintanilla for some of this information.
