FRENCH LYRICS

O Belgique, ô mère chérie,
A toi nos coeurs, à toi nos bras,
A toi notre sang, ô Patrie !
Nous le jurons tous, tu vivras !
Tu vivras toujours grande et belle
Et ton invincible unité
Aura pour devise immortelle :
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté !
Aura pour devise immortelle :
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté ! 
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté ! 
Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté ! 

---  
DUTCH LYRICS
 
O dierbaar België
O heilig land der vaad'ren
Onze ziel en ons hart zijn u gewijd.
Aanvaard ons hart en het bloed van onze adren,
Wees ons doel in arbeid en in strijd.
Bloei, o land, in eendracht niet te breken;
Wees immer u zelf en ongeknecht,
Het woord getrouw, dat ge onbevreesd moogt spreken:
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht. 
Het woord getrouw, dat ge onbevreesd moogt spreken:
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.   
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.  
Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht.  

---
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
 
Noble Belgium - for ever a dear land -
We give you our hearts and our arms.
By the pure blood split for you, our Fatherland,
We swear with one cry - You will live!
You will live, always great and beautiful,
And your invicible unity
Will have as your invincible unity
Will have as your immortal emblem -
For King, Justice and Liberty!
Will have as your immortal emblem -
For King, Justice and Liberty!
For King, Justice and Liberty!
For King, Justice and Liberty! 


-------------------------

Belgium
"La Brabançonne" (The Song of Brabant)

Words by:Louis-Alexandre Dechet (original French), Victor Ceulemans (Flemish
translation)
Music by:François van Campenhout
Adopted:1830

The Belgium anthem had its genesis when Belgium gained its independence in
1830. The popular legend goes that it was written by some young people in a
cafe on Fource St. in Brussels in September 1830. While the story may or may
not be true, the anthem does date back to that time. In 1860, the anti-Dutch
lyrics were softened and the version that is in use today was created. When
Deceht (better known as "Jenneval") wrote his verses, he called the poem 'La
Bruxelloise'. His publisher thought it better to broaden the scope from the
city's to the area's name (Brabant) and renamed it "La Brabançonne".

The music was written in September of 1830 and the first public performance of
the anthem occurred the following month. Finally, in 1921, it was decreed that
only the fourth stanza of the 1860 lyrics are official, although I understand
that all the verses are commonly used and sung. However, an official version of
the "Brabançonne" does not actually exist. Different commissions have been
established to examine the words and melody of the song and establish an
official version. Yet, all of their efforts had been in vain.

There are also regional anthems of the various ethnic groups within Belgium.

See also: Flanders, Wallonia.
