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Lei mage dins Jerusalèn   , (bis)
(The Three Kings in Jerusalem)
Lyrics and music by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Non, je ne vous le dirai pas (No, I’ll not say it to you).
Nicolas Saboly has proposed two versions for this Christmas carol, whose first one is on familiar tune Non, je ne vous le dirai pas (No, I’ll not say it to you).
This Christmas carol has been published on 1670 in the 4th book. It appears with number 31 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition. It terminates the cycle entitled Histori de la naissenso dou Fis de Diou (History of God’s Son birth) made up of the seven carols from #25 to #31.
| 1st verse |
Lei mage dins Jerusalèn
An demandat à proun de gènt :
« Dounas-nous de nouvello
D’un rèi qu’es na li a pas lontèm :
Avèn vist soun estello. » | | The three kings in Jerusalem
Have asked a lot of people:
“Give us news
From a king who was born a few time ago:
We have seen his star.” |
2nd verse |
Lou rèi Erodes a grand pòu
E touto la vilo s’esmòu
De vèire de gènt sage
Que cercon un rèi dei Jusiòu
Qu’es nat au vesinage. | | The king Herod is very much afraid
And the whole town gets worried
To see wise people
Looking for a king of the Jews
Who was born in the neighbourhood. |
3rd verse |
Erodes lei mando souna,
Li fai signe de s’enana ;
Li dis, sus sa partènço :
« Cercas-m’aquéu rèi nouvèu-na
E fasès diligènço ! | | Herod sends for them,
He makes a sign for them to go away;
He says them, while departing:
“Look for this newborn king
And make haste! |
4th verse |
« Quand aurés trouva lou Petit,
Fasès que vengués m’averti ;
Pèr li ana rèndre òumage,
Aussitost me veirés parti
Em’un grand équipage. » | | “When you’ll have found the little child,
Act to come and let me know;
To go and pay him tribute,
Immediately you’ll see me leave
In great style.” |
5th verse |
A la fin, lei mage s’envan
E l’estello marcho davan :
Rèn de plus amirable !
Pèr li moustra vount es l’Enfant,
S’arrèsto sus l’estable. | | In the end, the wise men leave
And the star goes ahead:
Nothing more admirable!
To show them where is the Child,
It stops above the cowshed. |
6th verse |
Soun descendu de sei camèu,
An adoura lou rèi nouvèu,
Li an òufert, à sa guiso,
Tout lou plus rare e lou plus bèu
Qu’avien dins sei valiso. | | They came down from their camels,
Worshipped the new king,
Gave him, as his pleases,
All the rarest and the most beautiful
They have got in their luggage. |
7th verse |
Vautre que sias tous gènt de sèn,
Counsideras bèn lei présent
Qu’an fach au rèi de glòri :
L’or e la mirro emé l’encèn
Metran fin à l’istòri. | | All of you who are people of [good] sense,
Consider well the gifts
They have done to the king of glory:
Gold and myrrh with incense
Will end the history (1). |
1. L’or e la mirro emé l’encèn | Metran fin à l’istòri: these two verses show that here ends the cycle Histori de la naissenso dou Fis de Diou (History of God’s Son birth) made up of the seven carols from #25 to #31.
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Histori de la naissenso dou Fis de Diou composado en noé (History of God’s Son birth composed in Christmas carols), Pierre Offray printer, Avignon, 1670, p. 12-14. | | • | Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 37. |
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