Ami de Liège [English translation]

You, my friend from Liège

You, cut down by life, by the human beast that spreads throughout here

You, my friend from Liège

You, little brother of the night, who sang poetry, like one who sings of life.

You, my friend, departed far too early for down there, or rather up there

You, the martyr of Liège

You, my friend that knows the price of violence, the price of ignorance

You, my friend down there, give them a greeting to those we've lost

Those that just like you have left before their time

And say to yourself, we’ll be by your side

Like a Hail Mary that sings Hallelujah

To drink a Liege beer or to sing Verdun,1 to sing this flat country that is yours2

This country that cries for you and me in the studio and I, the humble bard who sings platitudes

You, my friend from Liège, from Paris or Roubaix, of palaces or towers, yes from Saint Petersburg

I have a fist raised to the heavens like a never-ending struggle, I have my fist that clenches to take your hand, to tell you that my heart, always in memory, will keep your light in eternal hope

Will keep your light in eternal hope…

You my friend, goodbye, at least, here on earth

Let's bury our eyes in these cemeteries

May the flowers of December carry your scent

May they sing your name to the eternal spray of the sea

And may it fly heavenwards, the blood of swallows

May they carry your soul beyond the eternal

May it fly to the eternal, the song of swallows

May they carry your soul beyond the eternal

1. refers to a song by Michel Fugain, see comments2. refers to song by Jacques Brel, see comments