"Denes nad Makedonija" (Macedonian: Денес над Македонија, pronounced [ˈdɛnɛs nat makɛˈdɔnija]; lit.

Todor Skalovski composed the music and Vlado Maleski wrote the lyrics of the song in the early 1940s.

The lyrics of "Denes nad Makedonija" were penned by Vlado Maleski, a writer who was active in the Partisan movement during World War II.

[2][1] According to oral recounts, the hymn was played by Maleski himself on New Year's Eve in the presence of 24 youths, whose identities were subsequently documented in writing only in 1981.

Even though the resistance consisted of fighters from the different ethnic groups across Yugoslavia, the aforementioned youths are believed to have all identified as Macedonians.

[3] From the end of the war, it was utilized – albeit unofficially[3] – as the regional anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia (which was part of Yugoslavia at the time)[4] until 1989.

[8] On 14 April 1989, the socialist republic's Assembly amended the Constitution of 1974, expressly affirming "Denes nad Makedonija" as its official regional anthem.

[3] "Denes nad Makedonija" was one of several candidates in contention[2] – the others in the running were "Himna" (English: "Anthem", lit.

'Hymn') by Taki Hrisik and "Da ni bideš večna" (English: "That You Should be Eternal") by Aleksandar Džambazov[3] – and ended up finishing runner-up in the final results.

[2] Despite this, most members of the Assembly Commission voted to make it the national anthem of the state, and it was duly adopted on 11 August 1992.

This officially adopted "Denes nad Makedonija" as the national anthem of the country,[3] with Article 2 specifically confirming the song's status as such.

[14][13] The lyrics of "Denes nad Makedonija" are reflective of a military marching song, which is fitting given its connection to the Yugoslav Macedonian theatre of the Second World War.

This is in line with the national anthems – both past and present – of other Southeast European countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Jedna si jedina"), Croatia ("Horvatska domovina"), and Montenegro ("Oj, svijetla majska zoro").

Не плачи Македонијо мајко мила, Крени глава гордо, високо, 𝄆 Старо, младо, машко и женско, На нозе се кренало!

Ne plači Makedonijo majko mila, Kreni glava gordo, visoko, 𝄆 Staro, mlado, maško i žensko, Na noze se krenalo!

Do not cry, dear mother Macedonia, Raise your head proudly high, 𝄆 Old, young, men, and women, have risen to their feet!

Now once again the flag flutters, (that) of the Kruševo Republic 𝄆 Gotse Delchev, Pitu Guli Dame Gruev, Sandanski!