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Ai ! la bono fourtuno   , (bis)
(Ah! The good fortune)
Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Montalay n’est pas fière.
Nicolas Saboly has proposed two versions for this Christmas carol, whose first one is on familiar tune Montalay n’est pas fière (Montalay isn’t proud).
This Christmas carol has been published on 1668 in the 1st book. It appears with number 10 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
Ai ! la bono fourtuno
Que Jèsu siegue na !
Au coucha de la luno
L’ange nous a souna.
Bèn que la nue sie bruno,
Fau ana tous ensèn
Vesita la Jacènt. | | Ah! The good fortune
Jesus was born!
At moonset,
The angel asked us.
Although night was dark,
We have to go all together
To visit the New Mother. |
2nd verse |
Leissaren la famiho
Que Diéu nous a douna ;
Lei garçoun e lei fiho,
Lei poudèn pas mena.
Nàutrei que sian bon driho,
Vòularen lei coutau ;
Li saren dins un saut. | | We will leave the family
God has given us;
The boys and the daughters,
We can’t take them.
All of us are good delighted,
We will fly [through] the hillsides;
We will reach there by a vault. |
3rd verse |
Pèr vous àutrei, pastresso,
Gardarés lou bestiau
E sarés lei mestresso
De ce qu’es à l’oustau ;
Em’ aquelo proumesso
Que saren de retour
Dins très o quatre jour. | | For all of you, shepherd boys,
You will look after the livestock
And will be the masters
Of all which is in the house;
With this promise
That we will be back
Within three or four days. |
4th verse |
Eila vers la pinedo
Coundusès lou troupèu ;
Parquejas vòstei fedo,
Castejas leis agnèu.
Se n’ia pas proun de cledo,
Noste bon chin Gardoun
Gardara lei mòutoun. | | Over there toward the pinewood
Drive the flock;
Park your ewes,
Lock up (1) the lambs.
If there aren’t hurdles,
Our good dog Gardon
Will guard the sheep. |
5th verse |
Quand saren à la jaço,
Qu’es acò que faren ?
N’i a ni pan ni fougasso,
E de que dinaren ?
Garnissen nòstei biasso,
Aro qu’avèn lesi
De nous bèn prouvesi. | | When we will reach the cowshed,
What will we do?
Ther is neither bread nor fougasse (2),
And what will we dine with?
Let’s fill our lunchbag (3),
As long as we have leisure
To well supply us. |
6th verse |
Es verai que lei Mage
Sourtiran dòu Levant
Pèr veni rendre òumage
A’n aquéu bel Enfant.
Mai toujour l’avantage
Es à nàutrei, bergié,
D’èstre lei bèu premié. | | It’s true the Three Wise Men
Will appear from the Levant
To come and pay tribute
To this good-looking Child.
But always the advantage
Is to us, shepherds,
To be the beautiful first ones. |
1. Casteja or encasta, to lock up in a small park called cast (from castrum) and made of contiguous hurdles.
2. Fougasse: flat bread made with olive oil and flavoured with herbs, olives, etc.
3. Biasso, leather pouch or little bag, in which the shepherds used to carry their bread and their supplies.
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© 2001-2024 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.
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