The national anthem of Cambodia "Nokor Reach"/នគររាជ, adopted 1941

"Nokor Reach"(Nokoreach;/Khmer: នគររាជ, Nôkôr Réach /'Majestic Kingdom') 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 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 by the Khmer Republic, 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.

Lyrics:
"Nokor Reach" is a poem consisting of three verses and each verse consists of five lines. The first verse is considered to be official and is usually performed at most official settings.

Khmer original :
I
សូមពួកទេព្តា រក្សាមហាក្សត្រយើង
ឱ្យបានរុងរឿង ដោយជ័យមង្គលសិរីសួស្តី
យើងខ្ញុំព្រះអង្គ សូមជ្រកក្រោមម្លប់ព្រះបារមី
នៃព្រះនរបតីវង្ស ក្សត្រាដែលសាងប្រាសាទថ្ម
គ្រប់គ្រងដែនខ្មែរ បុរាណថ្កើងថ្កាន ។

II
ប្រាសាទសិលា កំបាំងកណ្តាលព្រៃ
គួរឱ្យស្រមៃ នឹកដល់យសស័ក្តិមហានគរ
ជាតិខ្មែរដូចថ្ម គង់វង្សនៅល្អរឹងប៉ឹងជំហរ
យើងសង្ឃឹមពរ ភ័ព្វព្រេងសំណាងរបស់កម្ពុជា
មហារដ្ឋកើតមាន យូរអង្វែងហើយ ។

III
គ្រប់វត្តអារាម ឮតែសូរស័ព្ទធម៌
សូត្រដោយអំណរ រំឭកគុណពុទ្ធសាសនា
ចូរយើងជាអ្នក ជឿជាក់ស្មោះស្ម័គ្រតាមបែបដូនតា
គង់តែទេវតា នឹងជួយជ្រោមជ្រែងផ្គត់ផ្គង់ប្រយោជន៍ឱ្យ
ដល់ប្រទេសខ្មែរ ជាមហានគរ ។

UNGEGN Romanisation:

I
Som puŏk tépda rôksa môhaksâtr yeung
Aôy ban rŭngrœăng daôy chey môngkôl sĕri suŏsdei
Yeung khnhŭm preăh ângk som chrôk kraôm mlób preăh barômi
Ney preăh nôrbtei vôngs ksâtra dêl sang prasat thmâ
Króbkrông dên khmêr bŏréan thkaeungthkan

II
Prasat sĕléa kâmbăng kândal prey
Kuŏr aôy srâmey nœ̆k dál yôssăk môhanôkôr
Chéatĕ khmêr doch thmâ kóngvôngs nŏu l’â rœ̆ng pœ̆ng chŭmhâr
Yeung sângkhœ̆m pôr phoăpv préng sâmnang rôbás kâmpŭchéa
Môharôdth kaeut méan yu ângvêng haeuy

III
Krób vôtt aréam lœ tê so săpt thôrm
Sotr daôy âmnâr rumlœ̆k kŭn pŭtthôsasnéa
Chor yeung chéa ‘nôk chœăcheăk smaôhsmăkr tam bêb donta
Kóng tê tévta nœ̆ng chuŏy chroŭmchrêng phkótphkóng prâyoŭchn aôy
Dál prâtés khmêr chéa môhanôkôr

..................................

English translation :


I
May the Angels save our king
Granting 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.

II
Temples of stone, hidden amid forests
Bethought of the mighty great kingdom triumphs
Khmer race stands tough and solid as eternal stone
We pray for the best upon Cambodia's destiny
A grand nation've ever occurred for.

III
Dharma risen, up from monasteries
Chant with joy, commemorate of Buddhism
Let us be faithful to our ancestors' belief
Assuredly, Angels will grant its bounty
Toward Khmer's, the grand nation.

..............