| |
Helas ! qu noun aurié pieta  
(Alas! Who wouldn’t have pity)
Lyrics and music by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Noé sur un er nouveou (Christmas carol on a new tune).
This Christmas carol ends the 2nd book holding 6 carols, published on 1669 by Pierre Offray. It appears with number 18 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
Helas ! qu noun aurié pieta
Quand veirié la grand paureta
Vount soun redu, pechaire !
Sant Jóusè, lou bon segne-grand,
E soun tan bèu pichot enfant
Emé sa pauro maire ? | | Alas! Who wouldn’t have pity
If he would see the great poverty
In which are reduced, well! well (1)!
Saint Joseph, the good old grandfather (2),
And his so handsome little child
With his poor mother? |
2nd verse |
Soun tous très pauramen loujas
Dins un cantoun d’un marrit jas,
Tout descubert, pechaire !
Noun li a ni fusto ni travet,
Li a rèn que lei quatre paret,
Emai noun valon gaire. | | They all are very poorly lived
In the corner of a bad sheepfold,
Completely exposed, well! well!
There is neither wood nor joist,
There is nothing but the four walls,
And even, they are not much worth. |
3rd verse |
Lou pichot enfant mor de fre
E Sant Jóusè s’endor tout dre
Sus soun bastoun, pechaire !
Un paure ome qu’es tracassa,
Iéu vous laisse un pau à pensa,
Qu’es acò que pòu faire. | | The little child is dying of exposure
And saint Joseph falls asleep standing up
On his staff, well! well!
A poor man worried,
I let you think a lot,
What can he do? |
4th verse |
Quand vèi l’enfant dins un tau lio,
E que n’a pas brigo de fio
Pèr l’amaga, pechaire !
Li fai un brès de soun capèu,
Un làni de soun gros mantèu,
Pedas de soun moucaire. | | When I saw the child in such a place,
And who gets not a bit fire
To warm him up, well! well!
I made a crib with his hat,
A wool with his heavy coat,
Swaddling clothes with his handkerchief. |
5th verse |
Lou pichot fai rèn que ploura ;
Sa maire fai que souspira
E Sant Jóusè, pechaire !
Es talamen descounsoula
Que qu lou voudri’ assoula,
Aurié bèn proun à faire. | | The little child does nothing but weeping;
His mother is only sighing
And saint Joseph, well! well!
Is so much saddened
That any one wanting to console him
Would have quite enough to do. |
6th verse |
Un ange es descendu dòu cèu,
Que vòulavo coume un aucèu,
Pèr li dire : « Pechaire !
Devès pas tan vous atrista,
Car acot es la voulounta
Dòu Segnour Diéu lou Paire. » | | An angel came down from heaven,
Flying as a bird,
To say him: “Well! well!
You don’t have to sadden so much,
Because this is wish
Of the Lord God the Father.” |
7th verse |
Tout ce que vesès endura
A ’n aquéu pichot dèu dura
Quauque pau mai, pechaire !
Car pèr lei pàurei pecadous
Fau que more sus uno crous
Au mitan de dous laire ! | | All you see bearing
By this little child has to last
A little more, well! well!
For the poor sinners
He has to die on a cross
In the middle of two thieves |
1. Pechaire or pecaïre: interjection which expresses tender feelings, pity, an affectionate commiseration.
2. Lou bon segne-grand, the good old grandfather.
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Lei noé de San Pierre (Christmas carols of Saint Peter), Pierre Offray printer, Avignon, 1669, p. 11-12. | | • | Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 23. |
Back music page - Top
© 2001-2024 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.
|
