Le Chant des Wallons

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Le Chant des Wallons ( Li Tchant des Walons in Wallonia ) is the hymn of Wallonia .

It was written in the Walloon language by Théophile Bovy in 1900 , the music is by Louis Hillier from 1901 . The song was first sung in Liege , but its success spread pretty quickly across Wallonia.

When the Walloon Parliament established the official emblems for Wallonia in 1998 (flag, anthem, festival), it was natural to take Le Chant des Wallons as the anthem and to adapt the text to the present day.

Official text in French

Text and notes of the national anthem

It is not a literal translation of the original version; the stanzas are not in the same order or in the same number.

I.
Nous sommes fiers de notre Wallonie,
Le monde entier admire ses enfants.
Au premier rank glasses but industry
Et dans les arts on l'apprécie autant.
Bien que petit, notre pays surpasse
Par ses savants de plus grandes nations.
Et nous voulons des libertés en masse:
Voilà pourquoi l'on est fier d'être Wallons!
II.
Entre Wallons, toujours on fraternise.
Dans le malheur, on aime s'entraider:
On fait le bien sans jamais qu'on le dise,
En s'efforçant de le tenir caché.
La charité visitant la chaumière
S'y prend le soir avec cent précautions:
On donne peu, mais c'est d'un cœur sincère:
Voilà pourquoi l'on est fier d'être Wallons!
III.
Petit pays, c'est pour ta grandeur d'âme
Que nous t'aimons, sans trop le proclamer.
Notre œil se voile aussitôt qu'on te blâme
Et notre cœur est prêt à se briser.
Ne crains jamais les coups de l'adversaire.
De tes enfants les bras te défendront
Il ne faut pas braver notre colère:
Voilà pourquoi l'on est fier d'être Wallons!
IV.
On s'aime entre frères de Wallonie
Et on est prêts l'un l'autre à se donner la main.
On fait plaisir bien souvent sans qu'on ne le dise.
Nul ne s'affiche quand il veut faire le bien.
La charité qui entre dans la maisonnette
N'y va que de nuit avec mille precautions.
Le peu qu'on donne on ne le donne qu'en cachette:
Voilà pourquoi nous sommes fiers d'êtres Wallons!

Text in Walloon

The original version in Walloon (in standardized orthography). Usually you only sing the first and third verses. Here is a partially literal translation:

I.
Nos estans firs di nosse pitite patreye,
We are proud of our little fatherland
Ca lådje et lon, on djåze these efants.
Because everywhere people talk about their children.
Å prumî rang, on l 'mete po l' industreye
In the first row you put it for industry
Et dvins les årts, ele riglatixh ostant.
And the arts shine as well.
Nosse tere est ptite, mins nos avans l 'ritchesse
Our earth is small, but we have the wealth
Des omes sincieus k 'anôblixhèt leu nom.
From scientists whose names are honored.
Et nos avans des libertés timpesse:
And we have freedom of people:
Vola pocwè k 'on-z est firs d' esse Walons!
Therefore, Walloons are proud to be!
II.
Di nosse passé cwand c 'est k' on lét l 'istwere,
Of our past, if you read the story of it,
On s' recresteye vormint a tchaeke foyou.
You raise your head, very strongly, in every home
Et nosse cour crexhe cwand c 'est k' on tuze al glwere
And our hearts grow strong when one thinks of honor
Di nos vîs peres ki n 'avît måy pawou.
From our old fathers who were never afraid.
C 'est gråce a zels ki ns djouwixhans del påye.
Thank them that we have peace.
Il ont språtchî l 'innmi dzos leu talon.
They have crushed the enemy under their heels.
On ls a rclamé les pus vayants k 'i gn åye:
They have been praised: the bravest are:
Vola pocwè k 'on-z est fir d' esse Walon!
Therefore we are proud to be Walloons!
III.
Pitit payis, vos k 'a tant d' grandeu d 'åme,
Small country, you have so much soul size
Nos vos inmans bén, sins k 'nos l' breyanxhe tot hôt.
We like you without us shouting it out loud.
Cwand on vs kidjåze, ås ouys montèt nos låmes
When people speak badly of you, we cry
Et nos sintans nosse cour bate a gros côps!
And we feel our heart in strong beats!
N 'åyîz nole sogne et vikez e liyesse,
Do not be afraid and live in joy
Di vos efants, les bresses et l 'cour sont bons.
The arms and hearts of your children are good.
Et nos avans les tchveas foirt près del tiesse:
And we are ready to act:
Vola pocwè k 'on-z est fir d' esse Walon!
Therefore we are proud to be Walloons!
IV.
On s' voet voltî inte frés del Walonreye
One likes each other between brothers from Wallonia
Et on-z est presse onk l'ôte a s' diner l'mwin.
And you're ready to shake hands with each other.
On fwait plaijhi bén sovint sins k 'on l' deye.
You do a favor, very often, without saying it.
Nouk ni s 'håynêye cwand c' est k 'i vout fé l' bén.
Nobody is bored trying to do the good.
Li tchårité ki mousse el måjhinete
Mercy comes to homes
N 'î va k' al nute avou meye precôcions.
Only come in the evening with the utmost caution.
Li pô k 'on dene on nel dene k' e catchete:
Even small gifts are only given in secret:
Vola pocwè k 'on-z est fir d' esse Walon!
Therefore we are proud to be Walloons!