Himnusz

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Original Sheet Music

"Himnusz" — the song beginning with the words Isten, áldd meg a magyart listen (help·info) (God, bless the Hungarian) — is the official national anthem of Hungary. It was adopted in 1844 and the first stanza is sung at official ceremonies. The words were written by Ferenc Kölcsey and the music was composed by Ferenc Erkel. Its original title was officially "Hymnus, a magyar nép zivataros századaiból" (Hymn, from the Hungarian nation's stormy centuries). This is rarely used today.

The poem and song titled "Szózat", which starts with the words Hazádnak rendületlenül légy híve, óh magyar (To your homeland be faithful steadfastly, O Hungarian) enjoys a social status nearly equal to that of "Himnusz", even though only "Himnusz" is mentioned in the Constitution of Hungary. Often, Himnusz is sung at the beginning of ceremonies, and Szózat at the end.

Recognition is also given to the Rákóczi March, a short wordless piece (composer unknown, but sometimes attributed to Janos Bihari) which is often used on state military occasions; and the poem Nemzeti dal written by Petőfi Sándor.

The official radio station Kossuth Rádió plays Himnusz every day at ten past midnight when broadcast on AM bands ends.

Another popular song is the "Székely Himnusz" (Szekler Hymn), a national anthem of the Hungarian speaking Szeklers (around 800,000 people) living in Eastern Transylvania (now part of Romania) and in the rest of the world.

The words of the Hungarian anthem are unusual for the genre in expressing a direct plea to God rather than proclaiming national pride. Because of the mention of God, the anthem was played but the words were not sung during the period of the strongest Communist rule in Hungary (1949–1956). (Dictator Mátyás Rákosi even asked composer Zoltán Kodály to write a new, Communist-themed national anthem, but Kodály refused, and Rákosi didn't press the matter.) After the Hungarian Revolution, Janos Kadar attempted to replace the Himnusz with Szózat as its anthem, but failed.

Two English versions are given below; both are free translations of the Hungarian words.

Himnusz (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Instrumental version of Ferenc Kölcsey's poem
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Hungarian Lyrics	Literal Translation	Poetic Translation
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!	O Lord, bless the nation of Hungary With your grace and bounty Extend toward it your guarding arm During strife with its enemies Long torn by ill fate Bring upon it a time of relief This nation has suffered for all sins Of the past and of the future!	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.
Őseinket felhozád Kárpát szent bércére, Általad nyert szép hazát Bendegúznak vére. S merre zúgnak habjai Tiszának, Dunának, Árpád hős magzatjai Felvirágozának.	You brought our ancestors up Over the Carpathians' holy peaks By You was won a beautiful homeland For Bendeguz's sons And wherever flow the rivers of The Tisza and the Duna Árpád our hero's descendants Will root and bloom.	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.
Értünk Kunság mezein Ért kalászt lengettél, Tokaj szőlővesszein Nektárt csepegtettél. Zászlónk gyakran plántálád Vad török sáncára, S nyögte Mátyás bús hadát Bécsnek büszke vára.	For us on the plains of the Kuns You ripened the wheat In the grape fields of Tokaj You dripped sweet nectar Our flag you often planted On the wild Turk's earthworks And under Mátyás' grave army whimpered Vienna's "proud fort."	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.
Hajh, de bűneink miatt Gyúlt harag kebledben, S elsújtád villámidat Dörgő fellegedben, Most rabló mongol nyilát Zúgattad felettünk, Majd töröktől rabigát Vállainkra vettünk.	Alas, but for our sins Anger gathered in Your bosom And You struck with Your lightning From Your thundering clouds Now the plundering Mongols' arrows You swarmed over us Then the Turks' slave yoke We took upon our shoulders.	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.
Hányszor zengett ajkain Ozmán vad népének Vert hadunk csonthalmain Győzedelmi ének! Hányszor támadt tenfiad Szép hazám, kebledre, S lettél magzatod miatt Magzatod hamvvedre!	How often came from the mouths Of Osman's barbarian nation Over the corpses of our defeated army A victory song! How often did your own son agress My homeland, upon your breast, And you became because of your own sons Your own sons' funeral urn!	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!
Bújt az üldözött, s felé Kard nyúlt barlangjában, Szerte nézett s nem lelé Honját e hazában, Bércre hág és völgybe száll, Bú s kétség mellette, Vérözön lábainál, S lángtenger fölette.	The fugitive hid, and towards him The sword reached into his cave Looking everywhere he could not find His home in his homeland Climbs the mountain, descends the valley Sadness and despair his companions Sea of blood beneath his feet Ocean of flame above.	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.
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!	Castle stood, now a heap of stones Happiness and joy fluttered, Groans of death, weeping Now sound in their place. And Ah! Freedom does not bloom From the blood of the dead, Torturous slavery's tears fall From the cold eyes of the orphans!	‘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.
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! Written by: FERENC KÖLCSEY (1823)	Redeem, O Lord, the Hungarians Who are tossed by waves of danger Extend toward it your guarding arm On the sea of its misery Long torn by ill fate Bring upon it a time of relief They who have suffered for all sins Of the past and of the future! Translated by: LASZLO KOROSSY (2003)	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. Translated by: WILLIAM N. LOEW (1881)

[edit] Himnusz sculpture

Front side

Back side

On May 7, 2006, a sculpture was inaugurated for Himnusz at Szarvas Square, Budakeszi, the village then adjacent to Budapest where the composer of the melody, Ferenc Erkel, was born. It was created by Mária V. Majzik, an artist with the Hungarian Heritage Award, depicting the full text of the poem in a circle, centered around a two metres high bronze figure of God, with 21 bronze bells in seven arches between eight pieces of stone, each four and a half metres high. The musical form of the poem can be played on the bells. Its costs, 40 million forints (roughly 200,000 USD[1]), were collected by public subscription.