Istiklâl 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 Çagatay. 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 Üngör, 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, sönmez bu safaklarda yüzen al sancak;
      Sönmeden yurdumun üstünde tüten en son ocak.
      O benim milletimin yildizidir, parlayacak;
      O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak.

      Catma, kurban olayim, çehreni ey nazli hilal! 
      Kahraman irkima bir gül! Ne bu siddet, bu celal? 
      Sana olmaz dökülen kanlarimiz sonra helal... 
      Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!

      Ben ezelden beridir hür yasadim, hür yasarim.
      Hangi çilgin bana zincir vuracakmis? Sasarim!
      Kükremis sel gibiyim, bendimi çigner, asarim.
      Yirtarim daglari, enginlere sigmam, tasarim.

      Garbin afakini sarmissa çelik zirhli duvar, 
      Benim iman dolu gögsüm gibi serhaddim var. 
      Ulusun, korkma! Nasil böyle bir imani bogar, 
      'Medeniyet!' dedigin tek disi kalmis canavar?

      Arkadas! Yurduma alçaklari ugratma, sakin.
      Siper et gövdeni, dursun bu hayasizca akin.
      Dogacaktir sana va'dettigi günler hakk'in...
      Kim bilir, belki yarin, belki yarindan da yakin.

      Bastigin yerleri 'toprak!' diyerek geçme, tani: 
      Düsün altinda binlerce kefensiz yatani. 
      Sen sehit oglusun, incitme, yaziktir, atani: 
      Verme, dünyalari alsan da, bu cennet vatani.

      Kim bu cennet vatanin ugruna olmaz ki feda?
      Suheda fiskiracak topragi siksan, suheda!
      Cani, canani, bütün varimi alsin da hüda,
      Etmesin tek vatanimdan beni dünyada cüda.

      Ruhumun senden, ilahi, sudur ancak emeli: 
      Degmesin mabedimin gögsüne namahrem eli. 
      Bu ezanlar-ki sahadetleri dinin temeli, 
      Ebedi yurdumun üstünde benim inlemeli.

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

      Dalgalan sen de safaklar gibi ey sanli hilal! 
      Olsun artik dökülen kanlarimin hepsi helal. 
      Ebediyen sana yok, irkima yok izmihlal: 
      Hakkidir, hür yasamis, bayragimin hürriyet; 
      Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!

      Mehmet Akif Ersoy