לה מרסֵיֶיז | La Marseillaise, by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1792); Hebrew translation by Efrayim Dror (ca. 1940)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription), Efrayim Dror (translation) and Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle

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27 May 2022 under the Public Domain (Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices, § 206.01. Edicts of government)

Categories:

Fête nationale française (14 July), Nirtsah, France

Tags:

Forces Françaises Libres, Le Marseillaise, 56th century A.M., 18th Century C.E., World War Ⅱ, anti-fascist, national anthems, First French Empire

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Source (French)	Translation (English)	Translation (Hebrew)
La Marseillaise	The Marseillaise	מַרְסֵיֶזָה^[1] כך נכון ולא מַרְסֶלְיֶזָה (בלָמד), כי מקורו של כינוי זה היא עיר־הנמל מַרְסֵי כפי ביטויו הנכון של השם הזה בצרפתית.‏
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!	Arise, children of the Homeland, The day of glory has arrived! Against us, tyranny’s Bloody standard is raised, (repeated) Do you hear, in the countryside, The roar of those ferocious soldiers? They’re coming right into your arms To cut the throats of your sons, your women!	נֵלֵךְ, בָּנִים שֶׁל הַמּוֹלֶדֶת הִנֵּה זֶה בָּא יוֹם לִגְדֻלָּה עָרִיצוּת נֶגְדֵּנוּ צוֹעֶדֶת דֶּגֶל דָּם הִיא לָנוּ תִּשָּׂא לַחַיָּלִים הָבָה הַקְשִׁיבוּ אֵיךְ הֵם מִצְטָרְחִים אַכְזָרִים מַמָּשׁ עֲדֵינוּ הֵם בָּאִים לַהוֹרֵג אוֹתָנוּ יַקְרִיבוּ.
Refrain: Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons, Marchons, marchons! Qu’un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons!	Chorus: To arms, citizens, Form your battalions, March, march! Let an impure blood^[2] i.e., the blood of their enemies. Water our furrows!	מקהלה לַנֶּשֶׁק, אֶזְרָחִים! עִרְכוּ אֶת הַשּׁוּרוֹת צָעוֹד נִצְעַד עַד דָּם טָמֵא שַׁדְמוֹת צָרְפַת יַרְוֶה.
Que veut cette horde d’esclaves, De traîtres, de rois conjurés? Pour qui ces ignobles entraves, Ces fers dès longtemps préparés? (bis) Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage Quels transports il doit exciter! C’est nous qu’on ose méditer De rendre à l’antique esclavage!	What does this horde of slaves Of traitors and conspiring kings want? For whom have these vile chains These irons, been long prepared? (repeated) Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage What furious action it must arouse! It is us they dare plan A return to the old slavery!	לְמַה חוֹתֵר הָמוֹן זֶה פֶּרֶא עַבְדֵי מַמְלֶכֶת הָרִשְׁעָה? נֶגֶד מִי מוֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת אֵלֶּה? נֶגֶד מִי הוּכַן הַמִּקְלָע? בְּנֵי צָרְפַת, זֶה נֶגְדֵּנוּ וּכְדֵי קֶצֶף עִם בִּזָּיוֹן חוֹזֵר עָלֵינוּ נִסָּיוֹן לְעַבְדוּת לָכוֹף אֶת גַּבֵּנוּ.
Quoi! des cohortes étrangères Feraient la loi dans nos foyers! Quoi! Ces phalanges mercenaires Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers! (bis) Grand Dieu! Par des mains enchaînées Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient De vils despotes deviendraient Les maîtres de nos destinées!	What! Foreign cohorts! Would make the law in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeated) Great God! By chained hands Our brows would yield under the yoke Vile despots would themselves become The masters of our destinies!	כֵּיצַד יָעֵזּוּ גְּדוּדִי נֶכֶר עַל צַוָּארֵנוּ עֹל לָשִׂים? אֵיךְ תַּדְבִּיר עֵדַת שֹׁד וָמֶכֶר לוֹחֲמֵינוּ הַגְּאוֹנִים? כְּבָלִים יַטִּילוּ עַל יָדֵינוּ עֵינֵינוּ תִּדְמַע בְּשִׁעְבּוּד נִקְלי זָדוֹן וְרוֹדָנוּת הֵם יָשִׁירוּ^[3] (קְרָא: יָשׂוֹרוּ) עתיד של שָׂרֹר.‏ עַל גּוֹרָלֵנוּ?
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides L’opprobre de tous les partis, Tremblez! vos projets parricides Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix! (bis) Tout est soldat pour vous combattre, S’ils tombent, nos jeunes héros, La terre en produit de nouveaux, Contre vous tout prêts à se battre!	Tremble, tyrants and you traitors The shame of all parties, Tremble! Your parricidal schemes Will finally receive their prize! (repeated) Everyone is a soldier to combat you, If they fall, our young heroes, Will be produced anew from the ground, Ready to fight against you!	הֶעָרִיצִים עַזֵּי הַמֵּצַח מְנֻוָּלִים שֶׁל כָּל סִיעָה תָּכְנִיתְכֶם לְמַעַל וָרֶצַח סוֹף כָּל סוֹף מִכֶּם תִּפְרַע. לְהַפִּילְכֶם קָם כָּל בֶּן חַיִל יִפֹּל – יֵשׁ אַחֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ צָרְפַת מַהֵר תִּצֹּר אוֹתוֹ נֶגְדְּכֶם כָּל אִישׁ בַּגַּיִס.
Français, en guerriers magnanimes, Portez ou retenez vos coups! Épargnez ces tristes victimes, À regret s’armant contre nous. (bis) Mais ces despotes sanguinaires, Mais ces complices de Bouillé, Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié, Déchirent le sein de leur mère!	Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Bear or hold back your blows! Spare those sorry victims, For regretfully arming against us (repeated) But these bloodthirsty despots These accomplices of Bouillé All these tigers who, mercilessly, Tear apart their mother’s breast!	הַצָּרְפָתִים, בַּקְּרָב שֶׁלָּנוּ מַכּוֹת הַנְחִילוּ אוֹ מִנְעוּ! חוּסוּ עַל מְסַכֵּן בֵּין הַלָּלוּ שֶׁנֶּגְדֵּנוּ הִזְדַּיְּנוּ. אַךְ רוֹדָנִים כָּל רוֹדְפֵי טֶרֶף אוֹתָם שֻׁתָּפָיו שֶׁל בּוּיֵה^[4] המארקי פ.ק. בּוּיַי (Bouillé). גֶנֶראל צרפתי הוא שסידר את בריחתו של המלך לוּאי השִׁשה־עשר מפאריס (20.6.1791) אחרי שההמון המתמרד בשעת המהפכה הביאוֹ שָמה מִוֶרְסַי, כבוגד במולדת.‏ שֶׁרַק לְדָם לִבָּם צָמֵא נַחֲרוּם, רַטְּשׁוּם שׁוֹק עַל קֶרֶב!
Amour sacré de la Patrie, Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs Liberté, Liberté chérie, Combats avec tes défenseurs! (bis) Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire Accoure à tes mâles accents, Que tes ennemis expirants Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire!	Sacred love of the Fatherland, Lead, support our avenging arms Liberty, cherished Liberty Fight with your defenders! (repeated) Under our flags may victory Hurry to your manly accents So that yoir expiring enemies See your triumph and our glory!	לְתַכְלִיתֵנוּ עוֹד נַגִּיעַ גַּם עֵת בְּכוֹרֵינוּ כְּבָר אֵינָם עֲפָרָם מוּלוֹ יוֹפִיעַ עִם עִקְבוֹת הֲדַר צִדְקָתָם. פָּחוֹת נֹאבֶה שׁוּם בֵּן לָרֶשֶׁת נַעֲדִיף מָוֶת יַחַד אִתּוֹ נִשְׁאֶרֶת קוֹרַת רוּחַ זוֹ אוֹ לִנְקֹם אוֹ יַחַד לָרֶדֶת.
Couplet des enfants: Nous entrerons dans la carrière Quand nos aînés n’y seront plus, Nous y trouverons leur poussière Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis) Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre Que de partager leur cercueil, Nous aurons le sublime orgueil De les venger ou de les suivre.	Children’s couplet: We shall enter the (military) career When our elders are no longer there There we shall find their dust And the trace of their virtues (repeated) Much less keen to survive them Than to share their coffins We shall have the sublime pride To avenge or follow them.	חִבַּת הַקֹּדֶשׁ לַמּוֹלֶדֶת נְקַם יָדֵינוּ סַעֲדִי! הוֹ חֵרוּת, יִקְרַת כָּל מַחְמֶדֶת גוֹנְנַיִךְ אָנָּא לַוִּי! הַנִּצָּחוֹן תַּחַת דִּגְלֵנוּ יִדְהַר עִם קוֹלֵךְ כִּי יִרְעַם! יִרְאוּ שׂוֹנְאַיִךְ עִם גִּזְעָם נִצְחוֹנֵךְ וְהוֹד יִפְעָתֵנוּ!

This Hebrew translation of “La Marseillaise,” the national anthem of France, was made by Efrayim Dror for the Free French Army (Forces Françaises Libres) and its many Jewish volunteers during the early years of World War II. His translation was published in 1951. Some context is offered by Lucien Steinberg: “A Jewish Agency memorandum of 1943 mentions that 40,000 non-French Jews volunteered for the French Army in September-October 1939….They joined special units—the 21st, 22nd and 23rd foreign volunteer infantry battalions. Other units were attached to the Foreign Legion, such as the famous Half-Brigade №13 and the foreign infantry battalions №11 and 12” (in “The Participation of Jews in the Allied Armies,” Shoah Research Center, 1971).^[5] Lucien Steinberg, “The Participation of Jews in the Allied Armies*”, Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust, Proceedings of the Conference on manifestations of Jewish Resistance, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1971 pp. 379-392. On Simḥat Torah (18–19 October) 1973, the Lubavitcher Rebbe adapted the melody to the piyyut “Ha’aderet v’ha’emuna”. In ḤaBaD, the melody is believed to convey the idea of a “spiritual French revolution” – in that Torah should be spread around the world as an advent to the messianic era.

“La Marseillaise” was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by France against Austria, and was originally titled “Chant de guerre pour l’Armée du Rhin” (War Song for the Army of the Rhine). The French National Convention adopted it as the new Republic’s anthem in 1795. The song acquired its nickname after being sung in Paris by volunteers from Marseille marching to the capital. After the fall of Napoleon in 1815, “La Marseilles” was banned and it became the anthem of the French left. The French government brought back the popular anthem in an attempt to motivate the French people during the Franco-Prussian War. It’s adoption by the Paris Commune in 1871 (albeit with new lyrics under the title “La marseillaise de la Commune”) led to “La Marseillaise” becoming an anthem of the international revolutionary movement alongside “L’Internationale.” While other political movements promoted their anthems, by 1879, “La Marseillaise” was restored as France’s national anthem. —Aharon Varady

Recordings

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Notes[+]

Notes
1	כך נכון ולא מַרְסֶלְיֶזָה (בלָמד), כי מקורו של כינוי זה היא עיר־הנמל מַרְסֵי כפי ביטויו הנכון של השם הזה בצרפתית.‏
2	i.e., the blood of their enemies.
3	(קְרָא: יָשׂוֹרוּ) עתיד של שָׂרֹר.‏
4	המארקי פ.ק. בּוּיַי (Bouillé). גֶנֶראל צרפתי הוא שסידר את בריחתו של המלך לוּאי השִׁשה־עשר מפאריס (20.6.1791) אחרי שההמון המתמרד בשעת המהפכה הביאוֹ שָמה מִוֶרְסַי, כבוגד במולדת.‏
5	Lucien Steinberg, “The Participation of Jews in the Allied Armies”, Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust, Proceedings of the Conference on manifestations of Jewish Resistance*, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1971 pp. 379-392.

. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . 4.0 . International .

“לה מרסֵיֶיז | La Marseillaise, by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1792); Hebrew translation by Efrayim Dror (ca. 1940)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

Efrayim Dror (translation)

Efrayim Dror (Troche) (Heb: אפרים דרור (טְרוֹכֶה); 1903-1981), born in Warsaw, was a Hebrew translator of musical texts and an Israeli music critic. In 1925, he immigrated to Mandate Palestine. During World War II he translated songs of warriors and anthems of the Allies, which were distributed to the soldiers of the Jewish Brigade. Beginning in the 1940s, he translated songs for the Erets Israel Opera (later the Israeli Opera). In the 1950s, he was also the regular translator of Eitan Lustig, conductor of the Tel Aviv Chamber Choir, translating many books and works performed in the concert hall in seven languages. He was a music critic and a member of the Committee for Musical Terms of the Academy of the Hebrew Language.

Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle

Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (10 May 1760 – 26 June 1836), was a French army officer of the French Revolutionary Wars. He is known for writing the words and music of the "Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin" in 1792, which would later be known as "La Marseillaise" and become the French national anthem.

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Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=44661

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41 Rabbi Akiva St. in Haifa, Israel, from which the clandestine Levant Free France radio station broadcasted in 1941 (credit: Almog, license: CC BY-SA)

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17