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Calèna  
(Christmas)
Nissart lyrics and music by Joseph Passeron. Traditional from County of Nice.
| 1st verse |
Gent de la vila, d’en campagna,
Frema, enfant,
Pastre, paisan de la mountagna,
Pichoui e gran,
Au tinte clar de la campana,
Din lou valoun, sus lou camin,
Pressavous toui vers li cabana
Per adourà Jesus bambin. | | People from the town, from the country,
Women, children,
Shepherds, farmers from the mountain,
Small men and tall,
At clear ringing of the bell,
In the small valley, in the lane,
Let you speed up to the shed
To worship baby Jesus. |
2nd verse |
Lou ciel esplendisse d’estèla,
De clavèu d’or.
Semblon de milioun de candèla,
Divin trésor !
Es anounçada la nouvèla
Qu’emplisse lou mounde d’espouar (sic) (1).
Li a pas d’estoria plus bella
Su la terra ni su la mar. | | The sky shines with stars,
With golden nails.
They seem millions of candles,
Divine treasure!
The news are announced
That fill the world with hope.
There is no more beautiful story
Neither on earth nor by the sea. |
3rd verse |
D’aquèu moumèn gardèn memoria,
Toujou, toujou.
À plèna vous cantèn la gloria
D’aquèu bèu jou.
Un souffle plèn de pouesia,
De justicia, de carità,
Ma la venguda dòu Messia,
Va ralegrà l’umanità. | | From this moment let’s keep memory
Always, always.
In a loud voice let’s sing the glory
Of this beautiful day.
An inspiration full of poetry,
Of fairness, of charity,
With the coming of the Messiah,
Is going to delight humanity. |
1. The right word in Nissart is esperança, but it does not rhyme with the following mar ! (Espouar reproduces the French “espoir”, hope.)
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 245. | | • | Tosan (Albert), Princivalle (Gaël) and d’Hulster (Frédéric), Anthologie de la chanson du comté de Nice (Anthology of the Song from County of Nice), Nice, Serre publisher, series “Encyclopædia niciensis – Patrimoine régional”, volume III, 2001, p. 61. |
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