La Marseillaise (1792)

To arms, citizens,
Form your battalions,
Let's march, let's march!

Originally titled Chant de Guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin (War Song for the Army of the Rhine) · French National Anthem - "La Marseillaise" with French and English lyrics · La Marseillaise sung in Casablanca (1942) · Mireille Mathieu - La Marseillaise (1988)

• Allons enfants de la Patrie,
  Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
  Contre nous de la tyrannie,
  L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)
  Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
  Mugir ces féroces soldats?
  Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
  Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes!

  Aux armes, citoyens,
  Formez vos bataillons,
  Marchons, marchons!
  Qu'un sang impur
  Abreuve nos sillons!

  • Arise, children of the Fatherland,
    The day of glory has arrived!
    Against us tyranny's
    Bloody banner is raised …
    Do you hear, in the countryside,
    The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
    They're coming right into your arms
    To slaughter your sons, your companions!!

    To arms, citizens,
    Form your battalions,
    Let's march, let's march!
    Let an impure blood
    Soak our fields!

  • Variant translations:
  • Ye sons of France, awake to glory!
    Hark! hark! what myriads bid you rise!
    Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary,
    Behold their tears and hear their cries!

• To arms! to arms! ye brave!
  The avenging sword unsheathe!
  March on! march on! all hearts resolved
  On victory or death!