French National Anthem Lyrics Translation or Meaning
“La Marseillaise” (la maʁsɛjɛz) The Song of Marseille was written and composed in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg afterward the affirmation of war by France in contradiction of Austria, and was formerly named (Chant de guerre pour l’Armée du Rhin). La Marseillaise was an innovative song, an anthem to independence, a xenophobic call to mobilize all the citizens and an appeal to fight against the tyranny and the overseas conquest. Here is the translation or meaning of the national anthem of France.
Arise children of the fatherland
The day of glory has arrived
Against us tyranny’s
Bloody standard is raised
The bloody standard is raised
Listen to the sound in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers
They are coming into our midst
To cut the throats of your sons and consorts
CHORUS
To arms citizens
Form you battalions
March, march
Let impure blood
Water our furrows
What do they want this horde of slaves
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings?
For whom these vile chains
These long-prepared irons?
These long-prepared irons?
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What methods must be taken?
It is we they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!
Chorus
What! These foreign cohorts!
They would make laws in our courts!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons
Cut down our warrior sons
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our brow would yield under the yoke
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny
Chorus
Tremble, tyrants and traitors
The shame of all good men
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward
Will receive their just reward
Against you we are all soldiers
If they fall, our young heros
France will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you
Chorus
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows
Spare these sad victims
Who with regret are taking up arms against us
With regret are taking up arms against us
But not these bloody despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who pitilessly
Are ripping open their mothers’ breasts
Chorus
Sacred Love for the Fatherland
Lead and support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty
Join the struggle with your defenders
Join the struggle with your defenders
Under our flags, let victory
Hasten to you virile force
So that in death your enemies
See your triumph and our glory!
Chorus
We shall enter into the pit
When our elders will no longer be there
There we shall find their ashes
And the mark of their virtues
And the mark of their virtues
We are much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining them
Chorus