Rule Britannia
Van Wikipedia
Rule Brittania is een onofficieel volkslied van de Engelsen.
Het gedicht 'Rule Britannia' werd door James Thomson (1700-48) geschreven en rond 1740 getoondicht door Thomas Augustine Arne (1710-1778).
Het toondicht werd geschreven ter gelegenheid van de verjaardag van de troonsbestijging van het Huis van Hannover in Engeland. Het besloot het stuk The Masque of Althred.
[bewerk] Tekst van het lied
- When Britain first at Heav'n's command,
- Arose from out the azure main;
- This was the charter of the land,
- And guardian angels sang this strain;
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- Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves;
- Britons never shall be slaves.
- The nations not so blest as thee,
- Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;
- While thou shalt flourish great and free,
- The dread and envy of them all.
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- Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
- More dreadful from each foreign stroke;
- As the loud blast that tears the skies,
- Serves but to root thy native oak.
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- Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,
- All their attempts to bend thee down;
- Will but arouse thy generous flame,
- But work their woe, and thy renown.
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- To thee belongs the rural reign,
- They cities shall with commerce shine;
- All thine shall be the subject main,
- And every shore it circles thine.
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- The Muses, still with freedom found,
- Shall to thy happy coast repair;
- Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,
- And manly hearts to guide the fair.
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Muziek
