Istikl�l Marsi

The "Istiklal Marsi" (The Independence March) was officially adopted as Turkey's National Anthem on March 12, 1921. 724 poems were submitted to a competition organized to find and select the most suitable original composition for this March, and a poem written by the poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy was adopted unanimously by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Twenty-four composers participated in another competition arranged for the selection of a musical composition for the National Anthem. The Council, which was only able to convene in 1924, due to the War of Independence adopted the music composed by Ali Rifat �agatay. The words of the National Anthem were sung to this music for eight years. Thereafter, the nusic of the National Anthem was changed to an arrangement written by Zeki �ng�r, conductor of the Presidental Symphonic Orchestra, and the words of the National Anthem have been sung to this musical accompainment ever since. Only ther first two verses are sung.

Lyrics by M. Akif Ersoy

Music composed by Zeki Ungor

   Fear not, the crimson flag, waving in these dawns will never fade
   Before the last hearth that is burning in my nation vanishes.
   That is my nation's star, it will shine;
   That is mine, it belongs solely to my nation.

   Oh coy crescent do not frown for I am ready to sacrifice myself for you!
   Please smile upon my heroic nation, why that anger, why that rage?
   If you frown, our blood shed for you will not be worthy.
   Freedom is the right of my nation who worships God and seeks what is right.

[ Original 10 Verses]

      Korkma, s�nmez bu safaklarda y�zen al sancak;
      S�nmeden yurdumun �st�nde t�ten en son ocak.
      O benim milletimin yildizidir, parlayacak;
      O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak.

      Catma, kurban olayim, �ehreni ey nazli hilal! 
      Kahraman irkima bir g�l! Ne bu siddet, bu celal? 
      Sana olmaz d�k�len kanlarimiz sonra helal... 
      Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!

      Ben ezelden beridir h�r yasadim, h�r yasarim.
      Hangi �ilgin bana zincir vuracakmis? Sasarim!
      K�kremis sel gibiyim, bendimi �igner, asarim.
      Yirtarim daglari, enginlere sigmam, tasarim.

      Garbin afakini sarmissa �elik zirhli duvar, 
      Benim iman dolu g�gs�m gibi serhaddim var. 
      Ulusun, korkma! Nasil b�yle bir imani bogar, 
      'Medeniyet!' dedigin tek disi kalmis canavar?

      Arkadas! Yurduma al�aklari ugratma, sakin.
      Siper et g�vdeni, dursun bu hayasizca akin.
      Dogacaktir sana va'dettigi g�nler hakk'in...
      Kim bilir, belki yarin, belki yarindan da yakin.

      Bastigin yerleri 'toprak!' diyerek ge�me, tani: 
      D�s�n altinda binlerce kefensiz yatani. 
      Sen sehit oglusun, incitme, yaziktir, atani: 
      Verme, d�nyalari alsan da, bu cennet vatani.

      Kim bu cennet vatanin ugruna olmaz ki feda?
      Suheda fiskiracak topragi siksan, suheda!
      Cani, canani, b�t�n varimi alsin da h�da,
      Etmesin tek vatanimdan beni d�nyada c�da.

      Ruhumun senden, ilahi, sudur ancak emeli: 
      Degmesin mabedimin g�gs�ne namahrem eli. 
      Bu ezanlar-ki sahadetleri dinin temeli, 
      Ebedi yurdumun �st�nde benim inlemeli.

      O zaman vecd ile bin secde eder -varsa- tasim,
      Her cerihamdan, ilahi, bosanip kanli yasim,
      Fiskirir ruh-i m�cerred gibi yerden na'sim;
      O zaman y�kselerek arsa deger belki basim.

      Dalgalan sen de safaklar gibi ey sanli hilal! 
      Olsun artik d�k�len kanlarimin hepsi helal. 
      Ebediyen sana yok, irkima yok izmihlal: 
      Hakkidir, h�r yasamis, bayragimin h�rriyet; 
      Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!

      Mehmet Akif Ersoy