lyrics O, santa nuech (O, holy night) - Traditional Christmas carol from County of Nice

D’argent à une aigle de gueules, au vol abaissé, membrée, becquée et couronnée d’or, empiétant une montagne de trois coupeaux de sable issant d’une mer d’azur mouvant de la pointe et ondée d’argent.


	Traditional music from County of Nice (France)


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O, santa nuech (version 1) (version 2)
(O, holy night)
Secular song for the midnight supper on Christmas Eve, collected by Albert Blanchi. Traditional from County of Nice.

The version 1 corresponds to the one published in Nice historique on 1923, the version 2 is the more recent given in Anthologie de la chanson du comté de Nice (see below Bibliography).

1^st verse
À Betelen anen toui vite Lou gran misteria countemplà. L’aria es seren, lou temp es mite, N’aiguen pas pau de s’enganà.		To Bethlehem let’s go quickly And the great mystery contemplate. The air is clear, the weather looks [like a] myth, Don’t be afraid to be mistaken.
1^st chorus
Ciuto... l’aurilha subla... li a quaucaren aici, vesin ! Ciuto... sembla que senti li alegressa d’un festin ! Senti lu flagioulet de luen, lu tambourin e li museta. Lu pastre van à Betelen, laisson la cabana souleta ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. Tu, Catarina, fai lou pan, Manda Lucrezia au safran, Despende leù lou lauvanié, Chapla de blea su lou taulié, Gratta de froumai, rompé d’où, Mette-li tout cenqué faù Que mangien toui en abondansa. O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. En atendant, fen au bambin « à la santé » embé lou vin. Cadun n’en toca emb’au vesin, Fa faire au gotou tin, tin, tin, Per lou bambin emb’au vesin, Tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin.		Shush... the ear is ringing... there is something here, neighbour! Shush... it seems I hear the elations of a feast! I ear the distant flageolets, the tambourins and the musettes. Shepherds are going to Bethlehem, let’s leave the cabin alone! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. You, Katherine, let make the bread, Send Lucretia to get saffron, Unhook quickly the roller, Chop Swiss chard on the table, Grate cheese, break eggs, Put all is needed [So] that we all eat in plenty. O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. Meanwhile, let’s do to the small child “cheers!” with the wine. Everyone touches with his neighbour, Let the glass do ding, ding, ding, For the small child with the neighbour, Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
2^nd verse
Vèu ja de luen brilà l’estela Que n’indica lou luec urous ! N’oubliden jamai qu’es aquela Que n’en dèu rendre premurous !		I see already from a distance shining the star Showing us the happy place! Never let’s forget that it is this one Which has to make us [very] happy!
2^nd chorus
Ciuto... l’aurilha subla... li a quaucaren aici, vesin ! Ciuto... sembla que senti li alegressa d’un festin ! Senti lu flagioulet de luen, lu tambourin e li museta. Lu pastre van à Betelen, laisson la cabana souleta ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. Senti de bruì au fugairoun, Vai vìtou veire lou pignatoun. Lou cat s’es mes à gnaugnà, Risca de s’estre tout pilhat ! Pauri raiola qu’aven fà, Qu’aven feni de mitounà, Lou cacha-fuèc ⁽¹⁾ serà maigre ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. En atendant, fen au bambin « à la santé » embé lou vin. Cadun n’en toca emb’au vesin, Fa faire au gotou tin, tin, tin, Per lou bambin emb’au vesin, Tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin.		Shush... the ear is ringing... there is something here, neighbour! Shush... it seems I hear the elations of a feast! I ear the distant flageolets, the tambourins and the musettes. Shepherds are going to Bethlehem, let’s leave the cabin alone! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. I hear noise in the hearth, Go quickly and see the frying pan. The cat starts mewing, May be it has taken up the whole! Poor raviolis we made, We finished to cook slowly, The Christmas Eve dinner will be meagre! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. Meanwhile, let’s do to the small child “cheers!” with the wine. Everyone touches with his neighbour, Let the glass do ding, ding, ding, For the small child with the neighbour, Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
3^rd verse
S’un pòu de fen dintre un’ estable Veires plourà lou rei dei rei. Doui animau d’un mourre afable Cercoun à li parà lou frei !		On a few hay in a cowshed You will see king of the kings weeping. Two animals with an affable muffle Look for preserve him from the cold.
3^rd chorus
Ciuto... l’aurilha subla... li a quaucaren aici, vesin ! Ciuto... sembla que senti li alegressa d’un festin ! Senti lu flagioulet de luen, lu tambourin e li museta. Lu pastre van à Betelen, laisson la cabana souleta ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. Siéu ben countent, ren s’es gastat ! Anen, que ai fam, anen mangià Tourta, raiola, stocafic, De poum, de nouave, d’asebic, Doui det de bouon vin muscàt Per trincà soubre l’amangià. O que pansagna s’anan faire ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. En atendant, fen au bambin « à la santé » embé lou vin. Cadun n’en toca emb’au vesin, Fa faire au gotou tin, tin, tin, Per lou bambin emb’au vesin, Tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin.		Shush... the ear is ringing... there is something here, neighbour! Shush... it seems I hear the elations of a feast! I ear the distant flageolets, the tambourins and the musettes. Shepherds are going to Bethlehem, let’s leave the cabin alone! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. I’m very pleased, nothing goes bad! Let’s go, because I’m hungry, let’s go and eat Pie, raviolis, stockfish, Apples, nuts, raisins, A drop of good muscat wine To drink on the meal. O! What a good bellyful we are going to stuff! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. Meanwhile, let’s do to the small child “cheers!” with the wine. Everyone touches with his neighbour, Let the glass do ding, ding, ding, For the small child with the neighbour, Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
4^th verse
Moumen urous plen d’alegria Vous fes sentì da toui lu couor. Lu ange cantoun lou Messia, Trembla l’infer, fuge la mouort !		Happy moment full of elation You make you feeling up to all the hearts. The angels sing the Messiah, Let tremble hell, let flee the death!
4^th chorus
Ciuto... l’aurilha subla... li a quaucaren aici, vesin ! Ciuto... sembla que senti li alegressa d’un festin ! Ai ben mangiat, n’en pouodi plus, Bessai noun trouvi plus la lus ! Pilha-mi vìtou lou caban ; Avant de endurmì l’enfant, Courri vìtou. Pourta-vous ben. Estournici ! Diéu v’ajude e iéu tamben ! O ! qu’impaciença es mai la miéua ! O santa nuech ! Venes souven nous ralegrà ! Pouortas à toui la pas e la tranquilità. En atendant, fen au bambin « à la santé » embé lou vin. Cadun n’en toca emb’au vesin, Fa faire au gotou tin, tin, tin, Per lou bambin emb’au vesin, Tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin, tin.		Shush... the ear is ringing... there is something here, neighbour! Shush... it seems I hear the elations of a feast! I well ate, I can’t take any more, May be I don’t find the light anymore! Take me quickly the limousine; Before sending to sleep the child, I run quickly. Feel well. I sneeze! God help you and me also! O! What impatience is still mine! O! Holy night! Come often and gladden us! Bring everybody peace and tranquillity. Meanwhile, let’s do to the small child “cheers!” with the wine. Everyone touches with his neighbour, Let the glass do ding, ding, ding, For the small child with the neighbour, Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

1. The cacha-fuèc means literally “hide fire”, an ancient custom in Provence observed on Christmas Eve, during which a log was sprinkled with fortified wine. The word cacha-fuèc has later, by metonymy, referred to fortified wine, then sweet wine, and finally to Christmas Eve dinner.

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. 198-199.
•	revue Armanac niçart, Nice, 1912, p. 32.
•	revue Nice historique, Nice, n° 1, 1914, p. 62 ; n° 6, 1923, p. 191-194.

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