Sire, King of men, disdainer of the mean,

Belgium's inspirer, well thou stand'st for all

She bodes to generations yet unseen,

Freedom and fealty—Kingship's coronal.

Nation of miracles, how swift you start

To super-stature of heroic deeds

So brave, so silent beats your bleeding heart

That ours, e'en in the flush of welcome, bleeds.

No sound of wailing. Look, above, afar,

Throbs in the darkness with triumphant ray