Editing L-Innu Malti

{{Short description|National anthem of Malta}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title         = {{lang|mt|italic=no|L-Innu Malti}}
| english_title = 'The Maltese Anthem'
| image         = Innu malti.png
| prefix        = National
| country       = [[Malta]]
| composer      = [[Robert Samut]]
| music_date    = 1922
| author        = [[Dun Karm Psaila]]
| lyrics_date   = 1922
| adopted       = 1964
| until         = 
| sound         = Malta anthem (instrumental).ogg
| sound_title   = Old official orchestral instrumental recording in [[F major]]}}

"'''{{lang|mt|italic=no|L-Innu Malti}}'''" ('The Maltese Hymn') is the [[national anthem]] of [[Malta]]. It was written in the form of a [[prayer]] to God. Officially adopted in 1964 upon independence [[Crown Colony of Malta|from the United Kingdom]], the music was composed by [[Robert Samut]], and the lyrics were written by [[Dun Karm Psaila]].

== History ==
Between the mid-19th century and the early 1930s, Malta was passing through a national awakening. With the increased national awareness, it was felt by many thinkers that Malta should have its own national anthem. In 1850, [[Ġan Anton Vassallo]] composed "Innu Lil Malta", which used to be played during many Maltese political manifestations and meetings. In 1922, [[Robert Samut]] composed a short melody. A year later, A.V. Laferla, director of primary schools in Malta, obtained possession of this composition, as he wanted to have an anthem that could be sung by students in Malta's schools. Laferla asked [[Dun Karm]] to write lyrics that would fit with Samut's short melody. The poems of Dun Karm Psaila are well known for their religious and patriotic currents, and so are the verses written for Samut's anthem. The hymn was already being sung in December 1922, mostly in governmental schools. The first time it was heard in public was on 27 December 1922 and again on 6 January 1923, during two concerts at the [[Manoel Theatre]]. However, during its two first appearances, someone had changed some verses from the first stanza. This angered Dun Karm, who protested by writing an article in a local newspaper. Since then, the lyrics have remained unchanged. On 3 February 1923, another concert was held at the Manoel Theatre, performed by children from [[Sliema]], with Dun Karm's original verses. The hymn was played by the Duke of Edinburgh's Band, of Vittoriosa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Fsadni|first=Odette|date=2010|title=Tagħrif Ġenerali|trans-title=General Information|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/58490/1/Tagnrif%20Generali.pdf|access-date=2022-02-05|website=[[L-Università ta' Malta]]|language=mt}}</ref>

The Maltese government declared the anthem as the official Maltese anthem on 22 February 1941. In 1942, it was printed for ''Piano e canto'' with an English translation by [[May Butcher]]. This publication helped spread its popularity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.germanmaltesecircle.org/newsletters/2005/200502.htm|website=German-Maltese Circle|title=INNU MALTI, die Nationalhymne der Republik Malta|first=Reinhard|last=Popp|year=2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705101717/http://www.germanmaltesecircle.org/newsletters/2005/200502.htm|archive-date=2008-07-05}}</ref> The 1964 Independence Constitution confirmed it as the national anthem of Malta, which is today one of the symbols of Maltese identity.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Constitution of Malta|url=http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8566|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716233821/http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8566|archive-date=2011-07-16|access-date=2022-02-05|website=Leġiżlazzjoni Malta}}</ref><ref name="guidememalta">{{cite web|url=https://www.guidememalta.com/en/a-song-for-the-nation-what-is-the-meaning-behind-the-maltese-national-anthem|title=A song for the nation: what is the meaning behind the Maltese national anthem?|last=Drury|first=Melanie|website=GuideMeMalta.com}}</ref>

On 25 March 1945, in the [[Gżira]] Stadium, a football match was held between a Malta XI and [[Hajduk Split]], a team from Yugoslavia. At that time, Malta was still under [[Crown Colony of Malta|British rule]], and [[Edmond Schreiber]], the British governor, was present. Before the game, the band played the anthem of [[Yugoslavia]], "[[Hey, Slavs]]", and then it played that of the [[United Kingdom]], "[[God Save the King]]", due to Malta's status as a colony. As the governor was about to sit, the attendees in the stadium stood up and sang the Maltese anthem. The governor, albeit embarrassed, stood up as well until the end of the anthem.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="guidememalta" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zliK30npLlsC&q=G%C5%BCira+Stadium+anthem&pg=PA26|title = Global and Local Football: Politics and Europeanization on the Fringes of the EU|isbn = 9781134269198|last1 = Armstrong|first1 = Gary|last2 = Mitchell|first2 = Jon P.|date = 31 March 2008| publisher=Routledge }}</ref>

The anthem is played during all the official duties of the [[President of Malta]], the [[Prime Minister of Malta]] and other important governmental personalities. It is played during all important national activities.<ref name=":0" />

== Lyrics ==
<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{| class="wikitable"
![[Maltese language|Maltese original]]<ref name="guidememalta" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=National Anthem|url=https://www.themaltesecenter.com/national-anthem|access-date=2022-02-05|website=The Maltese Center|language=en}}</ref>
![[Arabic language|Arabic equivalent]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA transcription]]{{efn|See [[Help:IPA/Maltese]], [[Maltese language#Orthography|Maltese language § Orthography]] and [[Maltese language#Phonology|Maltese language § Phonology]].}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>{{lang|mt|italic=no|Lil din [[Malta|l-art]] ħelwa, l-Omm li tatna isimha,
Ħares, [[God in Christianity|Mulej]], kif dejjem Int ħarist:
Ftakar li lilha bil-oħla dawl libbist.

Agħti, kbir [[God in Christianity|Alla]], id-dehen lil min jaħkimha,
Rodd il-ħniena lis-sid, saħħa 'l-ħaddiem:
Seddaq il-għaqda fil-Maltin u s-sliem.}}</poem>
|<poem>{{lang|ar|italic=no|،لذين [[Malta|الأرض]] حِلوة، الأم اللي عطاتنا اسمها
حارس، [[God in Christianity|مولاي]]، كيف دايم أنت حرست
فتكر لي لِيلْها بالأُحلى دَوْل لبّست

،عطي، كبير [[God in Christianity|الله]]، الذهن لِلْمِنْ يَحكمها
رُد الحنانة للسيد، صحَّة للخدَّام
صدَق العَقدة في المالطين والسلام}}</poem>
|<poem>{{IPA|wrap=none|[lɪl diːn lɐɹt ħɛl.wɐ lɔmː lɪ tɐt.nɐ ɪ.sɪ.mɐ {{!}}]
[ħɐː.rɛs mʊ.lɛj kiːv‿dɛj.jɛm ɪnt ħɐ.rɪst {{!}}]
[ftɐ.kɐɹ lɪ liː.lɐ bɪl.ɔħ.lɐ daʊ̯l lɪb.bɪst ‖]

[ɐ(ˤ).tiː gbiːr ɐl.lɐ ɪd.dɛːn lɪl miːn jɐħ.kɪ.mɐ {{!}}]
[rɔdː ɪl.ħnɪː.nɐ lɪs.siːd (ɪs.)sɐħ.ħɐ lɪl.ħɐd.dɪːm {{!}}]
[sɛd.dɐʔ ɪl.ɐ(ˤ)ʔ.dɐ fɪl.mɐl.tiːn ʊ ɪs.slɪːm ‖]}}</poem>
|}
</div>

<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{|
!Poetic English translation by René Micallef<ref name="guidememalta"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Malta - London 2012 Olympics|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/countries/8662722/Malta-London-2012-Olympics.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613025835/telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/countries/8662722/Malta-London-2012-Olympics.html|archive-date=2012-06-13|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref>
!English translation by [[May Butcher]]<ref name="guidememalta"/>
!Literal English translation by Peter Streich{{cn|date=October 2024}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>Guard, Lord, forever, as you've done erst and ceasing never,
This land whose name we received, our motherly-named Mother.
Her you have draped with a light whose grace exceeds all other.

On those who govern, sovereign God, bestow understanding,
Grant wellness to those who work, largesse to those employing, 
Make firm, make just all our bonds, the peace we are enjoying.</poem>
|<poem>O Little Island, Lord, as ever Thou hast guarded!
This Motherland so dear whose name we bear!
Keep her in mind, whom Thou hast made so fair!

May he who rules, for wisdom be regarded!
In master mercy, strength in man increase!
Confirm us all, in unity and peace!</poem>
|<poem>This sweet land, the Mother that gave us her name,
Protect (her), Lord, as always You protected (her):
Remember that her (You) clothed with the sweetest light. 

Give, great God, discernment to (those) who rule her,
Return mercy to the owner, health to the worker:
Render righteous the unity in the Maltese and the peace.</poem>
|}
</div>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120707021427/http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/state/anthem.asp The Maltese National Anthem]{{spaced ndash}}A website on the anthem hosted by the Malta Department of Information, featuring an instrumental version.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzYV2Jvt0s&t=0m29s Anthem performance] by the Malta Youth Orchestra
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080705101717/http://www.germanmaltesecircle.org/newsletters/2005/200502.htm INNU MALTI, die Nationalhymne der Republik Malta] - Features instrumental version in MP3 format + brief history in German.
* [http://nationalanthems.me/malta-l-innu-malti/ Audio of the national anthem of Malta, with information and lyrics] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20180209021419/http://nationalanthems.me/malta-l-innu-malti archive link])
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061107200250/http://malta4you.ch/html/hymne.html Malta Hymne] - A page on the anthem at the Swiss site "Malta4You".  Features instrumental versions in MIDI and MP3 format.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060511184012/http://www.allmalta.com/folklore/p_031.html Dun Karm Psaila] - A biography
* [http://szbszig.atw.hu/malta.htm Himnuszok] - A vocal version of the Anthem, featured in the "Himnuszok" website.
{{Malta topics}}
{{Nationalanthemsofeurope}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National symbols of Malta]]
[[Category:European anthems]]
[[Category:Maltese songs]]
[[Category:National anthems]]
[[Category:Songs in Maltese]]
[[Category:Compositions in F major]]
[[Category:Catholic hymns]]