My Fatherland is my Love
by Lydia Koidula
Original titleMu isamaa on minu arm
Country Estonia
LanguageEstonian
Estonian Wikisource has original text related to this article:

"Mu isamaa on minu arm" ("My Fatherland is My Love") is an Estonian poem by Lydia Koidula. The poem was first set to music for the first Estonian Song Festival in 1869 by Aleksander Kunileid.

"Mu isamaa on minu arm" became a very popular patriotic song when a new melody was written by Gustav Ernesaks in 1944.[1] Beginning in 1947, it is always the last song performed at the Estonian Song Festival. During the Soviet regime, "Mu isamaa on minu arm" became something of an unofficial national anthem.[2]

English version (non-literal)

My fatherland is my love,
To whom I've given my heart.
To you I sing, my greatest happiness,
My blossoming Estonia!
Your pain boils in my heart,
Your pride and joy makes me happy,
My fatherland, my fatherland!

My fatherland is my love,
I shall never leave him,
Even if I must die a hundred deaths
Because of him!
Though foreign envy slander you,
You still live in my heart,
My fatherland, my fatherland!

My Fatherland is My Love,
And I want to rest,
To lie down into your arms,
My sacred Estonia!
Your birds will sing sleep to me,
Flowers will bloom from my ashes,
My fatherland, my fatherland!

Estonian version

Text of the Poem by Lydia Koidula[3] Text of the Song[4]

Mo issama on minno arm!

Mo issama on minno arm,
Kel süddant annud ma,
Sull’ laulan ma, mo üllem õn,
Mo õitsew Eestima!
So wallo süddames mul keeb,
So õn ja rõõm mind rõõmsaks teeb,
Mo issama!

Mo issama on minno arm,
Ei tedda jätta ma,
Ja peaks sadda surma ma
Sepärrast surrema!
Kas laimab wõera kaddedus,
Sa siiski ellad süddames,
Mo issama!

Mo issama on minno arm,
Ja tahhan puhkada,
So rüppe heidan unnele,
Mo pühha Eestima!
So linnud und mull’ laulawad,
Mo põrmust lilled õitsetad,
Mo issama!

Mo isamaa on minu arm.

Mo isamaa on minu arm,
kell’ südant annud ma,
sull’ laulan ma, mo ülem õn,
mo õitsew Eestimaa!
So walu südames mul keeb,
so õn ja rõõm mind rõõmsaks teeb,
mo isamaa, mo isamaa, mo isamaa!

Mo isamaa on minu arm,
ei teda jätta ma,
ja peaks sada surma ma
seepärast surema!
Kás laimab wõera kadedus,
sa siiski elad südames,
mo isamaa, mo isamaa, mo isamaa!

Mo isamaa on minu arm,
ja tahan puhkada,
so rüppe heidan unele,
mo püha Eestimaa!
So linnud und mull’ laulawad,
mo põrmust lilled õitsetad,
mo isamaa, mo isamaa, mo isamaa!

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Gustav Ernesaks Archived 2008-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ The historical overview of Estonian Song Celebrations
  3. ↑ anonymous (Lydia Koidula): Emmajöe Öpik. I. Tartus, 1866, p. 29
  4. ↑ Wanemuine Kandle Healed. Neljahealega meeste koorid. Eesti Laulupühaks 1869 wälja annug C. R. Jakobson. St.Petersbourg, 1869, p. 9 (Text by L. Koidula, Music by A. Kunileid)
  • Paul Rummo, "Ühe laulu lugu" – Looming 1961, nr 1, lk 111–128 ja Paul Rummo raamatus "Mitme laulu lood" (uurimusi, kõnesid mälestusi), ER 1969, lk 25–53
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