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Aquel ange qu’es vengu  
(This angel who came)
Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Un jour le berger Tircis (One day the shepherd Tircis).
This Christmas carol has been published on 1671 in the 5th book. It appears with number 37 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
Aquel ange qu’es vengu
E que nous a pareigu
A di pèr tout lou terraire
Que lou Fiéu de Diéu es na
De Marìo, Vierge Maire,
Dins un jas abandouna. | | This angel who came
And who appeared us
Said in the whole land
That God’s Son is born
From Mary, Virgin Mother,
In a neglected sheepfold. |
2nd verse |
Helas! Vounte soun louja!
Fai trambla de li sounja!
Iéu que counèisse l’estable,
Save que vau mens que rèn;
Es un lioc abouminable,
Se n’i’a gis dins Betelèn! | | Alas! Where they are living!
That makes tremble when thinking about it!
Me who know the cowshed,
I know it is worth next to nothing;
It’s a place awful,
There is not scarcely in Bethlehem! |
3rd verse |
Es un jas tout descubert,
Vounte n’i’a que de lesert,
De serpènt e de rassado,
D’escourpioun e de crapaud,
De rat e rato-pénado
E semblàbleis animau. | | It’s a sheepfold completely open,
Where there are only lizards,
Snakes and green lizards (1),
Scorpions and toads,
Rats ans bats
And similar animals. |
4th verse |
Avèn resoulu d’ana
Vèire aquel enfant qu’es na;
Iéu emé leis àutrei pastre,
Avèn leissa lou bestiau
(Que Dieu garde de desastre!)
Li sian esta dins un saut. | | We were determined to go
And see this child who is born;
Me and other shepherds,
We left the animals
(God preserve [us] from the disaster!)
We walked there making a flying. |
5th verse |
Avèn trouba Sant Jóusè
Qu’escoubavo emé lei pèd;
Aussitost nòsteis ouleto
Que pourtavian sus lou còu
Nous an servi de paleto:
Li avèn neteja lou sòu. | | We found Saint Joseph
Who were sweeping up (2) with his feet;
Immediately our small pots
We were carrying on our neck
Served us as small shovels:
We cleaned the ground. |
6th verse |
Jóusè, lou bon segne grand,
Nous a fa vèire l’Enfant;
Capèu bas, la tèsto nudo,
A geinous, en grand respèt,
Li avèn fa la benvengudo,
E li avèn beisa lei pèd. | | Joseph, the good grandfather,
Let make us see the Child;
Hats off, naked head,
Kneeling, paying great respects,
We welcomed him,
And we kissed his feet. |
1. Rassado: one of the names of the big green lizard.
2. Escouba: to sweep up, to brush up. In the figurative, to put somebody to flight, to chase away.
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Noés nouveous de l’an M. DC. LXXI. (New Christmas carols for the year 1671), Michel Chastel printer of His Holiness, Avignon, 1671, p. 11-13. | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 45. |
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