Kaba Ma Kyei

Kaba Ma Kyei ("Till the End of the World, Burma") is the national anthem of Burma. It is often translated as "We Shall Never Give Up Our Motherland, Burma", but is relatively inaccurate in translating the title's meaning. Burma is among only a handful of non-European nations that have anthems rooted in indigenous traditions (including Japan, Iran, and Sri Lanka).^{[citation needed]}

The melody and lyrics were written by Saya Tin, and adopted as the Burmese national anthem in 1947.

The lyrics lack many suffixes and particles to fit the music notes.

Burmese lyrics

Burmese

IPA pronunciation

gəbà mətʃè mjəmà pjè

do̰ bó bwá ʔəmwè siʔ mo̰ tʃʰiʔ mjaʔ nó bè

pjì dã̀ũ zṵ gò ʔəθeʔ pé lo̰ do̰ kà gwɛ̀ məlè

dà do̰ pjè dà do̰ mjè do̰ pã̀ĩ neʔ mjè

do̰ pjè do̰ mjè ʔətʃó gò

ɲì ɲà zwà do̰ dədwè tʰã́ sʰã̀ũ bà so̰ lè

do̰ ta wã pe ʔəpʰó dã̀ mjè

MLC transcription

kam.bha ma.kye / mran.ma prany /

tui. bhui: bwa: a.mwe cac mui. hkyac mrat nui: pe //

prany htaung su. kui a.sak pe: lui. tui. ka kwai ma.le /

da tui. prany da tui. mre to. puing nak mre //

tui. prany tui. mre a.kyui: kui

nyi nya cwa tui. ta.twe htam: hsaung pa sui. le

to. ta wan pe a. hpui: tan mre //

English translation

Literal

Until the world ends up shattering, long lives Burma!

We love our land because this is our real inheritance.

We will sacrifice our lives to protect our country.

This is our nation, this is our land, and we own it.

Being our nation and our land, we will do good cause to our nation in unity!

And, this is our very duty to our invaluable land.

External links

• Szbszig - vocal version taken from Burmese Radio Programme
• Yadanabon - The information website about Burma features a page about the National Anthem, with a sound file taken from the "Myanmar Radio Main Programme" Interval stored in the Interval Signals Online website.
• Ga Ba Majay Ba Ma Pyay (MIDI file)
• Sheet music (from Embassy of Burma to Washington)

Donate to Wikimedia