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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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