Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre [Mort et convoi de l'invincible Malbrough] [English translation]

Malbrough marches on to war

Mironton mironton mirontaine1

Malbrough marches on to war

Who knows when he'll return?2

He'll be back for Easter

Mironton mironton mirontaine

He'll be back for Easter

or Trinity Sunday

Trinity Sunday is past

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Trinity Sunday is past

Malbrough doesn't come back3

Milady climbs up her tower

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Milady climbs up her tower

as high as she can go.

She glimpses her squire

Mironton mironton mirontaine

She sees her squire coming

all dressed in black.

Fair squire, o fair squire

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Fair squire, o fair squire

what news do you bring?

The news I bring, Madam

Mironton mironton mirontaine

The news I bring, Madam

will make your fair eyes cry.

Mister Malbrough is dead

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Mister Malbrough is dead

He is dead and buried.

I saw him being buried

Mironton mironton mirontaine

I saw him being buried

by four officers.

One carried his breastplate

Mironton mironton mirontaine

One carried his breastplate,

another his buckler4

One carried his great sabre

Mironton mironton mirontaine

One carried his great sabre

the last one carried nothing.

All around his grave

Mironton mironton mirontaine

All around his grave

rosemaries were planted5.

His soul was seen flying

Mironton mironton mirontaine

His soul was seen flying

through a laurel bush6

Once the ceremony was over

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Once the ceremony was over,

everyone went to bed

Some slept with their wives

Mironton mironton mirontaine

Some slept with their wives,

others slept alone.

I won't speak any further

Mironton mironton mirontaine

I won't speak any further

Enough has been said.

1. just a rhythmic pattern with no meaning2. the snappy French would normally read "nul ne sait quand il reviendra" (no-one knows when he'll return)3. the song gave an idiomatic meaning to "...ou à la trinité" similar to "when hell freezes over"4. for all I know, early 18th century soldiers had no shields whatsoever and precious little body armor. Malbrough's gear rather looks like a medieval knight's, possibly in an attempt to mock him5. in the middle ages, rosemary was believed to cleanse pestilence!6. sic transit gloria mundi...

• Artist:Le Poème harmonique