Written in the days following the French revolution, “La Marseillaise” was composed by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792 and was first declared the French national anthem in 1795.
In honor of Bastille Day, here is a copy of the lyrics in both French and English.
French | English Translation |
---|---|
Verse 1:
Allons enfants de la patrie, |
Verse 1:
Let’s go children of the fatherland, The day of glory has arrived! |
Refrain:
Aux armes, citoyens ! |
Refrain:
Grab your weapons, citizens! |
Verse 2:
Que veut cette horde d’esclaves, |
Verse 2:
This horde of slaves, traitors, plotting kings, |
Verse 3:
Quoi ! ces cohortes étrangères |
Verse 3:
What! These foreign troops |
Verse 4:
Tremblez, tyrans ! et vous, perfides, |
Verse 4:
Tremble, tyrants! and you, traitors, |
Verse 5:
Français, en guerriers magnanimes, |
Verse 5:
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, |
Verse 6:
Amour sacré de la patrie, |
Verse 6:
Sacred love of France, |
Verse 7:
Nous entrerons dans la carrière |
Verse 7:
We will enter the pit |
Source: Thought.Co