National Anthem of Hungary – The Hungarian Republic

Hungary is one of the landlocked countries in the European continent. It is located in the Carpathian Basin. The capital city of Hungary is Budapest, which is the largest city of the country. The National day and the independence day of Hungary are celebrated on the same day. It is the foundation day of Cristian Hungary.  It is also known as Stephan’s day, the first king of Hungary – Cristian Stephan.

"Himnusz" is the one of the poetic prayers of Hungary. The words Himnusz, hymn and hymnus are the derivative from the same origin, though they are from different languages. The meaning of all the three words is Anthem. The lines “Isten, áldd meg a magyart” from the prayer is the National Anthem of Hungary.

This was adopted as the National Anthem of Hungary in 1844. The first stanza of this prayer is generally considered as the national anthem of Hungary and is sung at the occasions. The National Anthem of Hungary was originally written in Hungarian.

The National Anthem of Hungary was written by Ferenc Kolcsey in 1823. The music for the National Anthem of Hungary was composed by Fernec Erkel.

National Flag of Hungary

National Anthem of Hungary in Hungarian:

The following is Hungarian version of National Anthem of Hungary.

Isten, áldd meg a magyart

Jó kedvvel, bőséggel,

Nyújts feléje védő kart,

Ha küzd ellenséggel;

Bal sors akit régen tép,

Hozz rá víg esztendőt,

Megbűnhődte már e nép

A múltat s jövendőt!

Őseinket felhozád

Kárpát szent bércére,

Általad nyert szép hazát

Bendegúznak vére.

S merre zúgnak habjai

Tiszának, Dunának,

Árpád hős magzatjai

Felvirágozának.

Értünk Kunság mezein

Ért kalászt lengettél,

Tokaj szőlővesszein

Nektárt csepegtettél.

Zászlónk gyakran plántálád

Vad török sáncára,

S nyögte Mátyás bús hadát

Bécsnek büszke vára.

Hajh, de bűneink miatt

Gyúlt harag kebledben,

S elsújtád villámidat

Dörgő fellegedben,

Most rabló mongol nyilát

Zúgattad felettünk,

Majd töröktől rabigát

Vállainkra vettünk.

Hányszor zengett ajkain

Ozmán vad népének

Vert hadunk csonthalmain

Győzedelmi ének!

Hányszor támadt tenfiad

Szép hazám, kebledre,

S lettél magzatod miatt

Magzatod hamvedre!

Bújt az üldözött, s felé

Kard nyúlt barlangjában,

Szerte nézett s nem lelé

Honját a hazában,

Bércre hág és völgybe száll,

Bú s kétség mellette,

Vérözön lábainál,

S lángtenger fölette.

Vár állott, most kőhalom,

Kedv s öröm röpkedtek,

Halálhörgés, siralom

Zajlik már helyettek.

S ah, szabadság nem virúl

A holtnak véréből,

Kínzó rabság könnye hull

Árvák hő szeméből!

Szánd meg Isten a magyart

Kit vészek hányának,

Nyújts feléje védő kart

Tengerén kínjának.

Bal sors akit régen tép,

Hozz rá víg esztendőt,

Megbűnhődte már e nép

A múltat s jövendőt!

National Anthem of Hungary in Poetic English translation:

The following is the National Anthem of Hungary in English.

O, my God, the Magyar bless

With Thy plenty and good cheer!

With Thine aid his just cause press,

Where his foes to fight appear.

Fate, who for so long did’st frown,

Bring him happy times and ways;

Atoning sorrow hath weighed down

Sins of past and future days.

By Thy help our fathers gained

Kárpát’s proud and sacred height;

Here by Thee a home obtained

Heirs of Bendegúz, the knight.

Where’er Danube’s waters flow

And the streams of Tisza swell

Árpád’s children, Thou dost know,

Flourished and did prosper well.

For us let the golden grain

Grow upon the fields of Kún,

And let nectar’s silver rain

Ripen grapes of Tokay soon.

Thou our flags hast planted o’er

Forts where once wild Turks held sway;

Proud Vienna suffered sore

From King Mátyás’ dark array.

But, alas! for our misdeed,

Anger rose within Thy breast,

And Thy lightnings Thou did’st speed

From Thy thundering sky with zest.

Now the Mongol arrow flew

Over our devoted heads;

Or the Turkish yoke we knew,

Which a free-born nation dreads.

O, how often has the voice

Sounded of wild Osman’s hordes,

When in songs they did rejoice

O’er our heroes’ captured swords!

Yea, how often rose Thy sons,

My fair land, upon Thy sod,

And Thou gavest to these sons,

Tombs within the breast they trod!

Though in caves pursued he lie,

Even then he fears attacks.

Coming forth the land to spy,

Even a home he finds he lacks.

Mountain, vale – go where he would,

Grief and sorrow all the same –

Underneath a sea of blood,

While above a sea of flame.

‘Neath the fort, a ruin now,

Joy and pleasure erst were found,

Only groans and sighs, I trow,

In its limits now abound.

But no freedom’s flowers return

From the spilt blood of the dead,

And the tears of slavery burn,

Which the eyes of orphans shed.

Pity, God, the Magyar, then,

Long by waves of danger tossed;

Help him by Thy strong hand when

He on grief’s sea may be lost.

Fate, who for so long did’st frown,

Bring him happy times and ways;

Atoning sorrow hath weighed down

All the sins of all his days.

However, the national anthem of Hungary was translated into English by William N Loew in 1881. In all the occasions, only the first stanza of the hymn is sung.