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Soun très ome fort sage   , (bis)
(They are three men greatly wise)
Lyrics and music by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune Je ne m’aperçois guère (I don’t really notice).
Nicolas Saboly has proposed two versions for this Christmas carol, whose first one is on familiar tune Je ne m’aperçois guère (I don’t really notice).
This Christmas carol has been published on 1670 in the 4th book. It appears with number 30 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition. It is part of the cycle entitled Histori de la naissenso dou Fis de Diou (History of God’s Son birth) made up of the seven carols from #25 to #31.
| 1st verse |
Soun très ome fort sage
Que van en Betelèn ;
Leis apellon de mage
Perçoque soun savènt.
Soun très ome fort sage
Que van en Betelèn. | | They are three men greatly wise
Going to Bethlehem;
They are called wise
Because they are learned.
They are three men greatly wise
Going to Bethlehem. |
2nd verse |
Uno nouvello estello,
Dòu coustat dòu Levant,
Fort brihanto e fort bello,
Li parèis au davan,
Uno nouvello estello,
Dòu coustat dòu Levant. | | A new star,
Over by the Levant,
Greatly sparkling and very beautiful,
Appears there,
A new star,
Over by the Levant. |
3rd verse |
Savon l’astrologìo
Pèr poudé devina
E la filosofìo
Pèr poudé resouna.
Savon l’astrologìo
Pèr poudé devina. | | They know astrology
In order to guess
And philosophy
To be able to reason.
They know astrology
In order to guess. |
4th verse |
An juja que l’estello
Es lou signe d’un rèi
Qu’es na d’uno piéucello
Pèr nous douna sa lèi.
An juja que l’estello
Es lou signe d’un rèi. | | They have decided that the star
Is the sign of a king
Who was born from a virgin
To give us his law.
They have decided that the star
Is the sign of a king. |
5th verse |
An vist la proufecìo
E soun esta countènt,
Que dis que lou Messìo
Vendra de Betelèn.
An vist la proufecìo
E soun esta countènt. | | They have seen the prophecy
And have been pleased,
That says the Messiah
Will come from Bethlehem.
They have seen the prophecy
And have been pleased. |
6th verse |
Se soun mes en vouiage
Pèr ana l’adoura ;
Eiça, sus lou passage,
Iéu lei vau espéra.
Se soun mes en vouiage
Pèr ana l’adoura. | | They are gone off on a trip
To go and worship him;
Here, on their passage,
I’m going to wait for them.
They are gone off on a trip
To go and worship him. |
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Histori de la naissenso dou Fis de Diou composado en noé (History of God’s Son birth composed in Christmas carols), Pierre Offray printer, Avignon, 1670, p. 11-12. | | • | Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 36-37. |
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