The Song of Friends

Poem by Alfred De Musset Period 19th century

From your pure and limpid source
Awaken, silvered river;
Carry three words, swift steed:
Love, homeland and liberty!

What sail, unfurled to the wind,
Traces a green furrow in the wave?
Who has sent you to us?
What is your name, your flag?

— I have borne the celestial flame
To every place where God permitted it.
My flag is the oriflamme;
My name is that of friends.

Sons of the Saxons, sons of France,
Do you remember the blood spilled?
Near the sun of Hope
Do you see the shadow of the past? —

The Rhine is no longer a border;
Friends, it is our great highway,
And now all of Europe
On both banks reaches out its hand.

From your pure and limpid source
Steel yourself again, silvered river;
Keep repeating, swift steed!
Love, homeland and liberty.

Alfred De Musset

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

Text published on Poésies 123: https://www.poesies123.com/en/poem-the-song-of-friends-alfred-de-musset/