The lyrics of the "Himnusz" are a prayer beginning with the words God bless the Hungarians („Isten, áldd meg a magyart”, pronounced [ˈiʃtɛn ˈaːld mɛɡ ɒ ˈmɒɟɒrt] ⓘ).

His version was first performed in the National Theatre (where he was conductor) in July 1844, then in front of a larger audience on 10 August 1844, at the inaugural voyage of the steamship Széchenyi.

[2] In the early 1900s, various members of the Hungarian Parliament proposed making the status of Himnusz as the national anthem of Hungary within Austria-Hungary official, but their efforts never got enough traction for such a law to be passed.

Recognition is also given to the "Rákóczi March", a short wordless piece (composer unknown, but sometimes attributed to János Bihari and Franz Liszt) which is often used on state military occasions; and the poem Nemzeti dal written by Sándor Petőfi.

Isten, áldd meg a magyart Jó kedvvel, bőséggel, Nyújts feléje védő kart, Ha küzd ellenséggel; Bal sors akit régen tép, Hozz rá víg esztendőt, Megbűnhődte már e nép A múltat s jövendőt!

Hajh, de bűneink miatt Gyúlt harag kebledben, S elsújtád villámidat Dörgő fellegedben, Most rabló mongol nyilát Zúgattad felettünk, Majd töröktől rabigát Vállainkra vettünk.

Bújt az üldözött, s felé Kard nyúlt barlangjában, Szerte nézett s nem lelé Honját a hazában, Bércre hág és völgybe száll, Bú s kétség mellette, Vérözön lábainál, S lángtenger fölette.

Bal sors akit régen tép, Hozz rá víg esztendőt, Megbűnhődte már e nép A múltat s jövendőt!

[säːnd mɛ̞g ˈɪʃ.tɛ̞n ɒ ˈmɒ.ɟɒrt |] [kɪt ˈveː.sɛ̞k ˈhäː.ɲäː.nɒk ‖] [ɲuːjt͡ʃ ˈfɛ̞.leː.jɛ̞ ˈveː.døː kɒrt |] [ˈtɛ̞ŋ.gɛ̞.reːn ˈkiːɲ.jäː.nɒk ‖] [bɒl ʃorʃ ˈɒ.kɪt ˈreː.gɛ̞n teːp |] [hozː räː viːg ˈɛ̞s.tɛ̞n.døːt ‖] [ˈmɛ̞g.byːn.høːt.tɛ̞ mäːr ɛ̞ neːp |] [ɒ ˈmuːl.tɒt ˈʃ‿jø.vɛ̞n.døːt ‖] O God, bless the nation of Hungary With your grace and bounty Extend over it your guarding arm During strife with its enemies Long torn by ill fate Bring upon it a time of relief This nation has suffered for all sins Of the past and of the future!

You brought our ancestors up Over the Carpathians' holy peaks By You was won a beautiful homeland For Bendeguz's sons And wherever flow the rivers of The Tisza and the Danube Árpád our hero's descendants Will root and bloom.

For us on the plains of the Kuns You ripened the wheat In the grape fields of Tokaj You dripped sweet nectar Our flag you often planted On the wild Turk's earthworks And under Mátyás' grave army whimpered Vienna's "proud fort."

Ah, but for our sins Anger gathered in Your bosom And You struck with Your lightning From Your thundering clouds Now the plundering Mongols' arrows You swarmed over us Then the Turks' slave yoke We took upon our shoulders.

The fugitive hid, and towards him The sword reached into his cave Looking everywhere he could not find His home in his homeland Climbs the mountain, descends the valley Sadness and despair his companions Sea of blood beneath his feet Ocean of flame above.

Pity, O Lord, the Hungarians Who are tossed by waves of danger Extend over it your guarding arm On the sea of its misery Long torn by ill fate Bring upon it a time of relief They who have suffered for all sins Of the past and of the future!

Fate, who for so long did'st frown, Bring him happy times and ways; Atoning sorrow hath weighed down Sins of past and future days.

Thou our flags hast planted o'er Forts where once wild Turks held sway; Proud Vienna suffered sore From King Mátyás' dark array.