Provençal song

Crowned Beautiful Virgin

In Provençal: BELO VIERGI COUROUNADO !

Song no. 16 Damase Arbaud, 1862

Song no. 16 from the collection Chants populaires de la Provence by Damase Arbaud (1814-1876), published in 1862. Public domain. The text follows Arbaud's own spelling, which predates the Félibrige standard, and is reproduced unchanged.

Text

Sount {res filhos de la Cioutat Qu'ant fach nouven’ à Nouestro-Damo Belo Vicrgi courounado ! Per un matin l'y sount anad” Mai sur l'autar l'ant pas tronvado ; Belo Viergi courounado | En se virant delà la mar La vien venir touto bagnado ; Belo Viergi courounado ! Tenie soun Fiou entre ses bras, Sus un nivou ero pourlado ; Belo Viergi courounado ! — Santo Mero d'ounte venetz, D'ounte venelz que siatz bagnado ? Belo Viergi courounado! — Jou vene de delà la mar; L’y avie ’n veisseou que se negavo; Belo Viergi courounado! Et jou les ai toutes sauvafs, Hors doou nonchier que renegavo; Belo Viergi courounado! Que renegavo moun cher Fiou, Soun amo sera pas sauvado. Belo Viergi courounado |!

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

This religious song tells how three young women from the town, having made a novena to Our Lady, do not find the statue on the altar and see the Virgin appear coming from the sea, carrying her Son on a cloud. When questioned, the Virgin explains that she has just saved the passengers of a sinking ship, except for the sailor who denied her, whose soul will not be saved. The refrain 'Crowned Beautiful Virgin' returns after every verse, in the classic form of the popular round or hymn. Arbaud notes that the piece was communicated to him by M. Martin.

Notable words

ProvençalFrench
nouven'neuvaine
autarautel
bagnadomouillée
nivounuage
nonchiermarin, nautonier
courounadocouronnée

Glosses are given in French, as delivered by our lexicographic source; an English gloss is not yet available for these words.

Source: Damase Arbaud, Chants populaires de la Provence, 1862, song no. 16. Public domain. Digitization: https://archive.org/details/chantspopulaire00arbagoog. Transcription and formatting by Lingua Nostra.

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