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O ! Cristou  
(Oh! Christ)
Music according to Jean-Baptiste Lully, tune adapted by Nicolas Saboly for his Venès lèu vèire la piéucello.
Traditional Christmas carol from County of Nice.
| 1st verse |
O ! Cristou ! La nuech es fouort clara.
O ! Cristou ! Sautas vìtou au sòu
Qu’anen au pais de Jousiòu
Veire Jesù qu’es caua rara.
O ! O ! O ! Mi levi toutàra.
O ! O ! O ! Toutàra li vau ! | | Oh! Christ! The night is very clear.
Oh! Christ! Jump down on the ground
Because we are going to Joshua’s land
To see Jesus that’s a rare thing.
Oh! Oh! Oh! I’ll get up in a few minutes.
Oh! Oh! Oh! In a few minutes I’ll go! |
2nd verse |
Qu es aqui que bat de la souorta ?
Qu es aqui ? — Son vouostre amic
Que pouorton un parèu de cabrit !
Dion qu’es bouon amic qu pouorta.
Ta, ta, ta, duerbe-mi la pouorta,
Ta, ta, ta, vène mi durbì ! | | Who is here knocking in that way?
Who is here? — They are your friends
Carrying a couple of kids!
They say that is a good friend [the one] who brings.
Ta, ta, ta, open the door to me,
Ta, ta, ta, come and open to me! |
3rd verse |
Gros galant, n’aves jamai paua,
Gros galant, taisas-vous un pau.
Marchas plan e parlas plus siou
Coume farìa la cacalousa.
Plan, plan, plan, que l’enfant repaua,
Chu, chu, chu, que le petit dort ! | | Big gallant, you never rested,
Big gallant, be quiet a little.
Walk slowly and speak more quietly
As would do the slug.
Slowly, because the baby is resting,
Shush! Shush! Shush! Because the baby is sleeping! |
4th verse |
Aves touort, vous e vouostra frema,
Aves touort de picà tant fouort !
Vautre, pastras, siès toui de butor ;
Poudès jamai tenì saisia.
Chu, chu, chu, que l’enfant repaua,
Plan, plan, plan, que le petit dort ! | | You are wrong, you and your wife,
You are wrong knocking so strongly!
You, shepherds, all of you are boors;
You are never able to be quiet.
Shush! Shush! Shush! Because the baby is resting,
Slowly, because the baby is sleeping! |
| Bibliography | | • | Tosan (Albert), Princivalle (Gaël) and d’Hulster (Frédéric), Anthologie de la chanson du comté de Nice (Anthology of the Song from County of Nice), Nice, Serre publisher, series “Encyclopædia niciensis – Patrimoine régional”, volume III, 2001, p. 192. | | • | revue Nice historique, Nice, n° 1, 1914, p. 62 ; n° 4, 1920, p. 76. |
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© 2001-2025 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.
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