We make war
On the Kings of the earth
Braving the most glorious
Through our prudence
And our valiance.
We rule in myriad places
Vanquishing the efforts
Of the most daring and strong
With our victorious arm.

We chase away the vices,
Through practices
Which virtue teaches us:
We flee like the plague
The grievous flame
Which burns the heart:
For the purity
Of our chastity
Forever protects us.

We hold men prisoners
In the places where we rule
And force them to spin:
Their cowardly spirit
Of a greater endeavor
Is unworthy to assume:
If any among you
Wish to quarrel with us
Let him come forward.

Translation by Anne R. Larsen

We present this work in honor of the 200th anniversary of the poet’s death.

 

South Americans,
look and look
of the sweet homeland
the happy dawn.

The whole of America
is moved at last,
and their dear children
calls to the fight,

to the tremendous fight
that will destroy
how many tyrants
They dare to oppress her.

Of glory the genius
manly ardor
infuse into the breasts; fifteen
feel the strength of him.

If the impious despot
vile attack
your freedom,
to the point you come.

Spain was captured
of the subtle Gaul,
because to tyrants
he gave up his neck.

If there is perfidy
lost a thousand people,
sacred freedom,
and union reign here.

The homeland in chains
don’t moan again,
to your aid everyone
the sword girded.

The father to his children
can now say:
enjoy rights
that I didn’t know.

From homeland to dinner
flying come,
that the sun presides over you
at its highest zenith.

Beautiful Argentines,
of gentle grace,
they weave you crowns
of rose and jasmine.

South Americans,
look and look
of the sweet homeland
the happy dawn.

 

For the spirit confused
With misgiving and with sorrow,
Let me, my Saviour, borrow
The light of faith from thee.
O lift from it the burden
That bows it down before thee.
With sighs and with weeping
I commend myself to thee;
My faded life, thou knowest,
Little by little is wasted
Like wax before the fire,
Like snow-wreaths in the sun.
And for the soul that panteth
For its refuge in thy bosom,
Break, thou, the ties, my Saviour,
That hinder it from thee.

Translation by William Dean Howells

We present this work in honor of the poet’s 115th birthday.

We swear by the lightning that destroys,
By the streams of generous blood being shed,
By the bright flags that wave,
Flying proudly on the high mountains,
That we have risen up, and whether we live or die,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live –
So be our witness -be our witness – be our witness!

We are soldiers in revolt for truth
And we have fought for our independence.
When we spoke, none listened to us,
So we have taken the noise of gunpowder as our rhythm
And the sound of machine guns as our melody,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live –
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

O France, the time of reproof is over
And we have ended it as a book is ended;
O France, this is the day of reckoning
So prepare to receive from us our answer!
In our revolution is the end of empty talk;
We are resolved that Algeria shall live –
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

From our heroes we shall make an army come to being,
From our dead we shall build up a glory,
Our spirits shall ascend to immortality
And on our shoulders we shall raise the standard.
To the nation’s Liberation Front we have sworn an oath,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live –
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!

The cry of the Fatherland sounds from the battlefields.
Listen to it and answer the call!
Let it be written with the blood of martyrs
And be read to future generations.
Oh, Glory, we have held out our hand to you,
We are resolved that Algeria shall live –
So be our witness -be our witness -be our witness!