Oh, Magyar, keep immovably your native country's trust, for it has borne you, and at death will consecrate your dust!
No other spot in all the world can touch your heart as home— let fortune bless or fortune curse, from hence you shall not roam!
This is the country that your sires have shed their blood to claim; throughout a thousand years not one but adds a sacred name.
'Twas here brave Árpád's mighty sword ordained your land to be, and here the arms of Hunyad broke the chains of slavery.
Here Freedom's blood-stained flag has waved above the Magyar head; and here in age-long struggles fell our best and noblest, dead.
In spite of long calamity and centuries of strife, our strength, though weakened, is not spent; our country still has life.
To you, O nations of the world, we call with passioned breath: "Should not a thousand years of pain bring liberty—or death?"
It cannot be that all in vain so many hearts have bled, that haggard from heroic breasts so many souls have fled!
It cannot be that mind and strength and consecrated will are wasted in a hopeless cause beneath a curse of ill!
There yet shall come, if come there must, that better, fairer day for which a myriad thousand lips in fervent yearning pray.
Or there shall come, if come there must, a death of fortitude; and round about our graves shall stand a nation washed in blood.
Around the graves where we shall die a weeping world will come, and millions will in pity gaze upon the martyrs' tomb.
Then, Magyar, keep unshakeably your native country's trust, for it has borne you and at death will consecrate your dust!
No other spot in all the world can touch your heart as home; let fortune bless or fortune curse, from hence you shall not roam!
(Translated by Watson Kirkconnel) |