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Se vàutre sias countènt  
(If you people you are pleased)
Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Vous dirai bèn soun noum (I’ll tell you his name).
This Christmas carol ends the 5th book holding 8 carols, published on 1671 by Michel Chastel. It appears with number 39 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
Se vàutre sias countènt
De ce qu’ai di dei pastre,
Vous dirai quaucarèn
Dei Rèi de l’Ouriènt,
Que van après un astre
Jusques en Betelèn. | | If you people you are pleased
I’ve said about shepherds,
I will tell something
About Kings of Orient (1),
That are going following a star
Up to Bethlehem. |
2nd verse |
Élei, tout en passant,
Vèson lou Rèi Erode
E li dison que van
Vèire un rèi fort puissant;
Que, s’an lou tèms coumode,
Dins trei jour tournaran. | | They, while passing,
See the king Herod
And say him they are going
To see a king very powerful;
That, if they get convenient weather,
Within three days they come back. |
3rd verse |
E coume fan grand cas
De la nouvello estello,
La segon pas à pas;
Lei meno dins un jas
Vount èro uno piéucello
Em’ un enfant au bras. | | And as they attach great importance
To the new star,
They follow it step by step;
It leads them in a sheepfold
Where a virgin
With a child at her arm. |
4th verse |
Après qu’an amira
Lou bèu rèi que cercavon,
Toui tres l’an adoura
E pièi l’an ounoura
Dei presènt que pourtavon,
E se soun retira. | | After they admired
The nice king they were looking for,
All the three worshipped him
And then honoured him
With gifts they were carrying
And they retired. |
5th verse |
Erode cependant
Espèro lei nouvello,
Leis armos à la man,
Pèr ana quantecant,
Dins sa ràbi cruello,
Faire mouri l’Enfant. | | Herod meanwhile
Waits news,
Weapons in hands,
To go immediately,
Mad with cruel rage,
To make die the Child. |
6th verse |
L’Ange, que lou counèi,
Vèn averti lei Mage:
Tournés plus vers lou Rèi,
Car n’a ni fe ni lèi:
Cresès-me, se sias sage,
Leissas l’aqui vount èi. | | The Angel, who knows him,
Comes and warn the Magi:
Don’t go back to the King,
Because he fears neither God nor man:
Believe me, if you are wise,
Leave him where he is. |
7th verse |
Élei sorton dóu jas
Plus vite qu’uno vèro;
S’envan d’un autre las;
Erode lou saup pas,
Encaro leis espèro
Em’un grand pan de nas. | | They go out from the sheepfold
Faster than an arrow;
They go on another side;
Herod doesn’t know it,
Still he waits them
With a great piece of nose. |
1. Rèi de l’Ouriènt: kings of Orient, i.e. the Magi, the Wise Men, the Three Kings: Gaspard, Melchior, Belshazzar.
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Noés nouveous de l’an M. DC. LXXI. (New Christmas carols for the year 1671), Michel Chastel printer of His Holiness, Avignon, 1671, p. 14-15. | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 47. |
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