The original version of the anthem was written by Cornelis Atses Hoekstra in 1893 and based on a 1876 melody by Johannes Corstianus de Puy. It was written to replace the old anthem "Wien Neêrlands Bloed". The anthem did not have an official status. In 1959, the Government of Suriname appointed Surinamese writer Henri Frans de Ziel to add a stanza about the unity of the country to Hoekstra's anthem.[1] De Ziel was concerned about the negative nuance in the original and started to transform the anthem into a positive message. He combined this with a poem he wrote in Sranan Tongo on the death of Ronald Elwin Kappel. His anthem was unanimously approved by the Government of Suriname on 7 December 1959.[2] De Ziel originally used a melody by Surinamese composer Johannes Helstone, however the government preferred the original 1876 melody.[2]
God zij met ons Suriname
Hij verheff'ons heerlijk land
Hoe wij hier ook samen kwamen
Aan zijn grond zijn wij verpand
Werkend houden w'in gedachten
Recht en waarheid maken vrij
Al wat goed is te betrachten
Dat geeft aan ons land waardij.
God be with our Suriname
May He elevate our lovely land
No matter how we came here together
We are dedicated to its soil
Working we keep in mind
Justice and truth will set free
All that is good to devote oneself to
Will give value to our land
Opo, kondreman un' opo!
Sranangron e kari un'.
Wans' ope tata komopo
Wi mu' seti kondre bun.
Strey de f' strey, wi no sa frede.
Gado de wi fesiman.
Eri libi te na dede
Wi sa feti gi Sranan.
[o.po koŋ.dɾe.maŋ uŋ o.po]
[sɾa.naŋ.ɾoŋ e ka.ɾi uŋ]
[waŋs o.pe ta.ta ko.mo.po]
[wi mu se.ti koŋ.dɾe buŋ]
[stɾei̯ de f‿strei̯ wi no sa fɾe.de]
[ga.do de wi fe.si.maŋ]
[e.ɾi li.bi te na de.de]
[wi sa fe.ti gi sɾa.naŋ]
Rise countrymen, rise!
The soil of Suriname is calling you.
Wherever our ancestors came from
We should take care of our country.
There is a fight to fight, we shall not be afraid.
God is our leader.
Our whole life until death,
We shall fight for Suriname.
Sta op, landgenoten, sta op!
De Surinaamse grond roept je.
Waar onze voorouders ook vandaan kwamen
We moeten voor ons land zorgen.
Er is een strijd om te strijden, we zullen niet bang zijn.
God is onze leider.
Ons hele leven tot aan de dood,
We zullen vechten voor Suriname.
