lyrics L’estrange deluge (The strange deluge) - Nicolas Saboly, Traditional Christmas carol from Provence

D’argent à une aigle de gueules, au vol abaissé, membrée, becquée et couronnée d’or, empiétant une montagne de trois coupeaux de sable issant d’une mer d’azur mouvant de la pointe et ondée d’argent.


	Traditional music from County of Nice (France)


You are here: Home > MIDI music! > Christmas carols from Provence > lyrics L’estrange deluge (The strange deluge).	Friday June 6th 2025

L’estrange deluge , (bis)
(The strange deluge)
Lyrics and music by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Malgré tant d’orages.

This Christmas carol has been published on 1674 in the 8th book. It appears with number 57 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.

Chorus
L’estrange deluge! Tout noste refuge, Bon Diéu, es à vous! Agés pieta de nous!		The strange deluge! Our whole refuge, Good God, is yours! Have mercy on us!
1^st verse
Dins nòstei rivièro N’i’a plus gis de foun, Leis aigo soun fièro, La terro s’escound. Nosto pauro vilo N’a sa bono part: Parèis plus qu’uno ilo Coume la Sicilo Au miè de la mar.		In our rivers There is no more bottom, Waters are proud, The land hides. Our poor town ⁽¹⁾ Has its share: It seems only an island Like Sicily In the middle of the sea.
2^nd verse
Cent milo pistolo Pourrien pas paga Moussu d’Anguissolo, Lou Vice-Legat: Vai de porto en porto, Pèr nous secouri, Es toujour pèr orto: Lei gènt de sa sorto Dèvon pas mouri!		One hundred thousand pistoles ⁽²⁾ Could not pay Mr d’Anguisciola ⁽³⁾, The papal legate: He is going from house to house To assist us, He always scours the countryside: People of his kind Have not to die.!
3^rd verse
Dins nòstei bastido Mourèn tous de fam; N’avèn plus de vido, A fauto de pan; A-n-un tau desordre, Lou Vice-Legat Li bouto bon ordre: Avèn dequé mordre; Li sian óubliga.		In our country house We are starving; We have no more life, Through lack of bread; To such a disorder, The papal legate Puts it on good order: We get enough to bite; We are under an obligation to him.
4^th verse
Moussu de Libelle, Qu’es noste Pastour, Nous mostro soun zèle, Soun cor, soun amour; Sei pàureis ouvaio Lou veson fort bèn, Alor que travaio, E lorsque li baio Soun or, soun argent.		Mr Libelli ⁽⁴⁾, Who is our minister, Shows us his zeal, His heart, his love; The poor workers Well see this, While they work, And he delivers them His gold, his silver.

1. Avignon is located at confluence of Rhône and Durance.
2. Pistolo: pistole. Old French currency.
3. d’Anguissolo: Charles d’Anguisciola, papal legate appointed in Avignon on 1673, who died on 1676, august 17th.
4. de Libelle: Hyacinthe Libelli, archbishop of Avignon from 1673, who died on 1684, October 24th. See also A la ciéuta de Betelèn.

Bibliography
•	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. 72-73.

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