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Nautre sian d’enfant de cor (We, we are altar boys) Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence. Tune du traquenard.
This Christmas carol has been published on 1669 in the 3rd book. It appears with number 21 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
1st verse |
Nautre sian d’enfant de cor Que sian demoura d’acord De s’ana Permena En Judèio, Galilèio ; De s’ana Permena Au païs que Diéu es na. | | We, we are altar boys Who are agreed To go For a walk In Judea, Galilee; To go For a walk To country where God was born. |
2nd verse |
Lou bèu jour deis Innoucènt, Partiren toutes ensèn. La favour, Aquéu jour, Nous fai èstre Toutei mèstre ; La favour, Aquéu jour, Nous dono tous leis ounour. | | On the beautiful Innocents’ Day (1), We will go all together. The favour, On this day, Makes us All masters; The favour, On this day, Gives us all the honours. |
3rd verse |
Jaques, à l’aubo dòu jour, Fau que bate dòu tambour Ei cantoun D’Avignoun, Ei carriero Coustumiero, Ei cantoun D’Avignoun, Pèr souna sei coumpagnoun. | | James, at dawn of the day, He has to beat the drum In the corners Of Avignon, In the streets Customary (2), To the company at large In Avignon, To call his friends. |
4th verse |
Pièisque lou pichot Louï Dis que se fau rejouï, Cantaren, Dansaren, Faren chiero Tout entiero ; Cantaren, Dansaren, Au defrùtu que faren. | | As little Louis Says we have to rejoice, We will sing, We will dance, We will have a [good] meal Entirely; We will sing, We will dance, At feast (3) we will have. |
5th verse |
Francés dira de nouvè Sus lou cant dei menuet, E Bernard, Sus lou tar, Pèr aubado, Regalado, E Bernard, Sus lou tar, Cantara lou traquenard. | | Francis will tell carols On minuet tunes, And Bernard, Late in the day, For dawn serenade, As a gift, And Bernard, Late in the day, Will sing the traquenard (4). |
6th verse |
Jan-Batisto emé Pierrot Faran peta lei garrot A l’ounour Dòu Segnour, De soun Paire, De sa Maire ; A l’ounour Dòu Segnour Qu’es vengu li a quàuquei jour. | | John the Baptist with Peter Will make the crackers let off In honour Of the Lord, Of his Father, Of his Mother; In honour Of the Lord Who came a few days ago. |
7th verse |
Proufiten d’aquéu bèu jour, Ai pòu que sara trop court ! Troubaren E veiren Qu’après fèsto Lou fòu rèsto ; Troubaren E veiren Que clerc sian e clerc saren. | | Let’s take advantage of this nice day, I’m afraid it could be too short! We will think And will see That after the party The mad remains (5); We will think And will see What [kind of] clerics we are and [what] clerics we will be. |
1. Lou jour deis Innoucènt, Holy Innocents’ Day, on December 28th. 2. Squares and streets where were done publications by the town crier. 3. Defrutu, and better desfrùti: destruction of a great quantity of fruits. 4. Traquenard: a kind of merry dance. 5. Après fèsto, lou fòu rèsto: after the feast, we remain as crazy as before. Jean de La Fontaine wrote: “Gros Jean comme devant”.
Bibliography | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Lei noé de San Pierre de l’année 1669 (Christmas carols of Saint Peter for the year 1669), Pierre Offray printer, Avignon, 1669, p. 7-9. | • | Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 26-27. |
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