What Is The Cambodian National Anthem: English Translation, Original Lyrics And History

What Is The Cambodian National Anthem: English Translation, Original Lyrics And History. Photo: Youtube

"Nokor Reach" ("Majestic Kingdom Song") is the national anthem of Cambodia. It is based on a Cambodian folk tune and was written by Chuon Nath. The anthem was originally adopted in 1941 and reconfirmed in 1947, around the time of independence from France. In 1970, the monarchy was abolished, thereby replacing the anthem as well. Take a look at its history, English translation and original lyrics.

History of The Cambodian National Anthem

"Nokor Reach" originated from a folk poetry usually performed with chapei in ancient era for storytelling and to disclose any recent events.

The music of "Nokor Reach" was composed between 1938 and 1939 by Prince Norodom Suramarit during the reign of King Sisowath Monivong with help of Sir J. Jekyll and Sir François Perruchot, the Royal Palace's musical instructors. The lyrics were not finished until 20 July 1941 by Choun Nath, a few months after King Norodom Sihanouk's coronation. In the same year, it was adopted then reconfirmed in 1947 as a national anthem for the country.

In 1970, the monarchy was abolished, thereby replacing the state's national anthem as well. After the communists' victory in 1975, former royalist symbols, including "Nokor Reach", were reinstated for a short while. The Khmer Rouge then replaced it with "Dap Prampi Mesa Chokchey" ("Glorious Seventeenth of April") in January 1976. After the royalist party FUNCINPEC defeated the former communists (Cambodian People's Party) in the 1993 elections, the royalist state anthem was restored.

"Nokor Reach" is a poem consisting of three verses and each verse consists of five lines.

Khmer lyrics (Khmer script) of The Cambodian National Anthem

1. សូមពួកទេវត្តា

រក្សាមហាក្សត្រយើង

អោយបានរុងរឿង

ដោយជ័យមង្គលសិរីសួស្តី

យើងខ្ញុំព្រះអង្គ

សូមជ្រកក្រោមម្លប់ព្រះបារមី

នៃព្រះនរបតី

វង្សក្សត្រាដែលសាងប្រាសាទថ្ម

គ្រប់គ្រងដែនខ្មែរ

បុរាណថ្កើងថ្កាន។

2. ប្រាសាទសីលា កំបាំងកណ្តាលព្រៃ

គួរអោយស្រមៃ

នឹកដល់យសស័ក្តិមហានគរ

ជាតិខ្មែរដូចថ្ម

គង់វង្សនៅល្អរឹងប៉ឹងជំហរ

យើងសង្ឃឹមពរ

ភ័ព្វព្រេងសំណាងរបស់កម្ពុជា

មហារដ្ឋកើតមាន យូរអង្វែងហើយ។

3. គ្រប់វត្តអារាម ឮតែសូរស័ព្ទធម៌

សូត្រដោយអំណរ

រំឮកគុណពុទ្ធសាសនា

ចូរយើងជាអ្នក

ជឿជាក់ស្មោះស្ម័គ្រតាមបែបដូនតា

គង់តែទេវត្តា នឹងជួយជ្រោមជ្រែង

ផ្គត់ផ្គង់ប្រយោជន៍ឱយ

ដល់ប្រទេសខ្មែរ ជាមហានគរ។

Khmer lyrics (Romanization) of The Cambodian National Anthem

1. Som pouk tepda rak sa moha khsath yeung

Oy ben roung roeung doy chey monkol srey soursdey

Yeung Khnom preah ang som chrok Krom molup preah Bar a ro mey

Ney preah Noropdey vong Khsat tra del sang preah sat thmr

Kroup Kraung dèn Khmer bor ann thkoeung thkann.

2. Pra sath sé la kom bang kan dal prey

Kuor oy srmay noeuk dl yuos sak Moha Nokor

Cheat Khmer dauch Thmar kong vong ny lar rung peung chom hor.

Yeung sang Khim por pheap preng samnang robuos Kampuchea.

Moha rth koeut mien you ang veanh hey.

3. Kroup vath aram lu tè so sap thoeur

Sot doy am no rom lik koun poth sasna

Chol yeung chea neak thioeur thiak smos smak tam bep donn ta

Kong tè thévoda nùng chuoy chrom chrèng phkot phkang pra yoch oy

Dol pra teah Khmer chea Moha Nokor

The Cambodian National Anthem in English translation

1. Heaven protects our King

And gives him happiness and glory

To reign over our souls and our destinies,

The one being, heir of the Sovereign builders,

Guiding the proud old Kingdom.

2. Temples are asleep in the forest,

Remembering the splendour of Moha Nokor.

Like a rock the Khmer race is eternal.

Let us trust in the fate of Cambodia,

The empire which challenges the ages.

3. Songs rise up from the pagodas

To the glory of holy Buddhist faith.

Let us be faithful to our ancestors’ belief.

Thus heaven will lavish its bounty

Towards the ancient Khmer country, the Moha Nokor.

Lyrics video of the Cambodian National Anthem

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