Anthem 1: Nokor Reach, 1941-1970, 1993-Present

English Translation
Verse I
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.

Khmer lyrics
1st verse
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Verse II
Temples are asleep in the forest
Remembering the glory of the grand
kingdom
Like a rock the Khmer race is eternal.
Let us trust in the fate of Kampuchea
The empire which challenges the
ages.

2nd verse
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Verse III
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 Grand Kingdom.

3rd verse
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Anthem 2: Song of the Khmer Republic, 1970-1975

English Translation
1st Verse
Khmers are famous for its
singular skill in the world
Its victories, successes and
building temples of stone
Civilization and religion are
most superior
The heritage of our
ancestors kept away safe on
the Earth.

Khmer Lyrics
1st Verse
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2nd Verse
Khmers, rise up!
Khmers, rise up!
Khmers, rise up!
Fight to build the Republic!

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3rd Verse
The enemy is invading
Cambodia,
Don't be anxious
Bring the ultimate victory to
the Khmer people
Independence will shine the
way to a superior country
from now on.

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2nd Verse
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3rd Verse
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Anthem 3: Dahp Prampi Mesa Moha Chokchey, 1976-1979

English Translation
Verse 1
The bright scarlet blood
Flooded over the towns and plains of our
motherland Kampuchea,
The blood of our good workers and
farmers,
Our revolutionary fighters' blood, both men
and women.
Verse 2
Their blood produced a great anger and
the courage
To contend with heroism.
On 17 April, under the revolutionary
banner,
Their blood freed us from the state of
slavery.
Verse 3
Hurrah, hurrah,
For the glorious 17 April!
That wonderful victory had greater
significance
Than the Angkor period!
Verse 4
We are uniting
To construct a Kampuchea with a new and
better society,
Democratic, egalitarian and just.
We follow the road to firmly-based
independence.
Verse 5
We absolutely guarantee to defend our
motherland,
Our fine territory, our magnificent
revolution!
Verse 6
Hurrah, hurrah,
Hurrah! For the new Kampuchea
A splendid, democratic land of plenty!
We guarantee to raise aloft and wave the
red banner of the revolution.

Khmer Lyrics
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Anthem 4: National Anthem of Cambodia, 1979-1993

English Translation
Verse 1
Cambodian citizens are Struggle Our
Land
Vow to destroy all their enemies
Committed solidarity of Almighty
Lay bloody life.
Verse 2
Cambodian troops bubbling courage
exploration
Impediments forward through the
attainment
Crush enemies weed seed saman
Brilliant, free people.
Verse 3
Hero Son wills in war
Determination paid blood enemies
Flag high temple furnace
To build peace.

Khmer Lyrics
Verse 1
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Verse 2
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Verse 3
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Questions
1. Read Anthem 1 again. What stands out to you? Looking at this anthem, what appears
to be the most important themes, ideas, beliefs, etc of the country?

2. Read Anthem 3 again. What stands out to you? Looking at this anthem, what appears
to be the most important themes, ideas, beliefs, etc of the country?

3. Read all anthems. Do you see anything that these anthems have in common? What
are they? Why do you think these commonalities are included?

4. Compare Anthem 1 and Anthem 3. What sort of country do you think would have
each as their anthem? How do you think the country of Anthem 1 would have to change
in order to become a country that would have a song like Anthem 3.

5. How do you think Cambodia changed over time during the period of 1941-1993? Use
all four anthems as your evidence.