Nokor Reach
"Nokor Reach" is the national anthem of Cambodia; it is based on a Cambodian folk tune and was written by Chuon Nath.
History
"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 F.Perruchot, both were Royal Palace's musical instructors. The lyrics were yet 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". After the royalist party FUNCINPEC defeated the former communists in the 1993 elections, the royalist state anthem was restored.
Lyrics
"Nokor Reach" is a poem consisting of three verses and each verse consists of five lines.អោយបានរុងរឿង ដោយជ័យមង្គលសិរីសួស្តី យើងខ្ញុំព្រះអង្គ សូមជ្រកក្រោមម្លប់ព្រះបារមី នៃព្រះនរបតីវង្ស ក្សត្រាដែលសាងប្រាសាទថ្ម គ្រប់គ្រងដែនខ្មែរ បុរាណថ្កើងថ្កាន។ ប្រាសាទសិលា កំបាំងកណ្តាលព្រៃ គួរអោយស្រមៃ នឹកដល់យសស័ក្តិមហានគរ ជាតិខ្មែរដូចថ្ម គង់វង្សនៅល្អរឹងប៉ឹងជំហរ យើងសង្ឃឹមពរ ភ័ព្វព្រេងសំណាងរបស់កម្ពុជា មហារដ្ឋកើតមាន យូរអង្វែងហើយ។ គ្រប់វត្តអារាម ឮតែសូរស័ព្ទធម៌ សូត្រដោយអំណរ រំឭកគុណពុទ្ធសាសនា ចូរយើងជាអ្នក ជឿជាក់ស្មោះស្ម័គ្រតាមបែបដូនតា គង់តែទេវតា នឹងជួយជ្រោមជ្រែងផ្គត់ផ្គង់ប្រយោជន៍ឱ្យ ដល់ប្រទេសខ្មែរ ជាមហានគរ។ | Qoy pān ruṅ rẏaṅ ṭoy jăy maṅgal sirī suastī Yoeṅ khñuṃ braḥ qaṅg sūm jrak krom mláp braḥ Pāramī Nai braḥ Naraptī vaṅs ksatrā ṭael sāṅ prāsād thma Gráp graṅ ṭaen Khmaer purāṇ thkoeṅ thkān. Prāsād sīlā kaṃ pāṃṅ kaṇṭāl brai Guar qoy sramai nẏk ṭál yassăkti Mahā Nagar Jāti Khmaer ṭūc thma gáṅ vaṅs nau lqa rẏṅ pʹẏṅ jaṃhar Yoeṅ sāṅghẏm bar bhăbv breṅ saṃṇāṅ rapás Kambujā Mahā raṭṭh koet mān yūr qaṅveṅ hoey. Gráp vatt qārām ḹ tae sūr săbd dharm Sūr ṭoy aṃ ṇar raṃ ḹk guṇ buddh sāsnā Cūr yoeṅ jā qnak jẏa jâk smoḥ smăgr tām paep ṭūn tā Gáṅ tae devtā nẏṅ jūy jrom jraeṅ phgád phgaṅ pra yojna° oy Ṭál prades Khmaer jā Mahā Nagar. | To grant him happiness and prosperity We, his servants, wish to refuge under his completeness Of sovereign's line, ones being to build temples Reigning over old Khmer's glorious land. Temples of stone, hidden amid forests Bethought of the mighty Maha Nokor's triumphs Khmer race stands tough and solid as eternal stone We pray for the best upon Kampuchea's destiny A grand nation've ever occurred for. Dharma risen, up from monasteries Chant with joy, commemorate of Buddhism Let us be faithful to our ancestors' belief Assuredly, Devas will grant its bounty Toward Khmer's, the grand nation. |