The lyrics are a slightly modified version of the first verse and chorus of the patriotic song "Šče ne vmerla Ukrainy", written in 1862 by Pavlo Chubynskyi, an ethnographer from Kyiv.

[11] In the first half of the 20th century, during unsuccessful attempts to gain independence and create a state from the territories of the Russian Empire, Poland, and Austria-Hungary, the song was the national anthem of the Ukrainian People's Republic, the West Ukrainian People's Republic, and Carpatho-Ukraine.

A competition was held for a national anthem following Ukraine's secession from the Soviet Union, with one of the songs being "Za Ukrainu" by the Ukrainian writer and actor Mykola Voronyi.

[7] The official lyrics were adopted on 6 March 2003 by the Law on the State anthem of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Закон «Про Державний гімн України»).

[13][14][15] The Polish patriotic song was popular among the nations of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that were at that time fighting for their independence; the January Uprising started a few months after Chubynskyi wrote his lyrics.

[16] According to a memoirist who was present, Chubynskyi wrote the lyrics spontaneously after listening to Serbian students singing Svetozar Miletić's "Srpska pesma" (lit.

In 1862, the head gendarme, Prince Vasily Dolgorukov, exiled Chubynskyi to Arkhangelsk Governorate for the "dangerous influence on the minds of commoners".

[citation needed] The authorities later decided that each separate Soviet republic could have its anthem, but "Šče ne vmerla Ukrainy" was rejected in an attempt to help to suppress separatist sentiments held by Ukrainian nationalists.

[30] Soviet authorities, after a period of struggle, successfully persuaded public intellectuals to create an anthem with lyrics fitting their political interests and music sterile of any Ukrainian national elements.

The law proposed Mykhailo Verbytskyi's music and Pavlo Chubynskyi's first stanza and refrain of his poem "Šče ne vmerla Ukrainy".

The national anthem that up until then had only officially consisted of Mykhailo Verbytskyi's music, would henceforth also include the modified lyrics of Pavlo Chubynskyi.

[40] In World Affairs, Nadia Diuk argues that the national anthem was used as "the clarion call of the 'revolution'" during Euromaidan, which added weight to protests that previous ones, such as the Orange Revolution, lacked.

[44] The incipit "Šče ne vmerla Ukrainy" reminds Ukrainians about their struggle for national self-identity and independence.

Zhynuť naši vorižeńky, jak rosa na sonci, Zapanujem i my, brattia, u svoij storonci.

𝄆 Dušu j tilo my položym za našu svobodu, I pokažem, ščo my, brattia, kozaćkoho rodu.

Згинуть наші вороженьки, як роса на сонці, Запануєм і ми, браття, у своїй сторонці.

За Карпати відіб’ється, згомонить степами, України слава стане поміж народами.

Zhynuť naši vorožeńky, jak rosa na sonci, Zapanujem i my, brattia, u svoij storonci.

Pryspiv: Dušu j tilo my položym za našu svobodu, I pokažem, ščo my, brattia, kozaćkoho rodu!

Stanem brattia, v bij kryvavyj, vid Sianu do Donu V ridnim kraju panuvaty ne damo nikomu.

Згинуть наші воріженьки, як роса на сонці; Запануєм і ми, браття у своїй сторонці.

Наливайко, Залізнякъ и Тарасъ Трясило Кличуть насъ изъ-за могилъ на святеє діло.

Изгадаймо славну смерть лицарства-козацтва, Щобъ не втратить марне намъ своєго юнацтва.

Наші браття Славяне вже за зброю взялись; Не діжде ніхто, щобъ ми по-заду зістались.

Zhynuť naši vorižeńky, jak rosa na sonci; Zapanujem i my, brattia u svoij storonci.

Pryspiv: Dušu j tilo my položym za našu svobodu I pokažem, ščo my brattia kozaćkoho rodu.

Nalyvajko, Zalizniak y Taras Triasylo Klyčuť nas yz-za mohyl na sviateje dilo.

Yzhadajmo slavnu smerť lycarstva-kozactva, Ščob ne vtratyť marne nam svojeho junactva.

Naši brattia Slaviane vže za zbroju vzialyś; Ne dižde nichto, ščob my po-zadu zistalyś.

", written as a "song of resistance" during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, is inspired by the opening motif of the Ukrainian national anthem.