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Provençal song

The First Miracle

In Provençal: LOU PREMIER MIRACLE

Song no. 7 Damase Arbaud, 1862

Song no. 7 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

Sant Jause eme Marie S'en van tous dous proumenar, Viergi Mario! S'en van tous dous proumenar, Jesus, Maria ! Dins lou jardin que promenouñ Un tant bel aubre l'y a. La Viergi Hi prend enio De soun fruit voudrié mangesr. La Viergi ausso ses menotos Lou poumier s'es abeissat. Sant Jause n'en voou tant faire Lou pounier s'es enaussat. — Aro iou couneisse, Viergi, Que siatz viergi 'n verita. La Viergi li prend envio À Bethelem voou anar. Quand nen es vers les ounz' houros La Viergi voou enfantar. — Sant Jause aro l'en pregue Cerco gens per m'assistar. — Ah! Mario touto puro, Ounte iou me fau anarŸ — Vai enco de l'houstagiero Touto la nuech l'y ant cantat. De long soun camin rescontro Une filho senso bras. — La Viergi eila te prego Que la vengues assistar. — Coumo vouretz que l'assiste, Siou 'no filho senso bras. Ant pas marchat un quart d'houro Que la filh' aguet ses bras. Aquo 's lou premier miracle Que Jesus-Christ ague fach, Viergi Mario, Que Jesus-Christ ague fach, Jesus, Maria !

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

This popular Christmas carol tells an apocryphal episode from the life of the Holy Family, following the pattern of the cherry tree carols where a tree bows before the pregnant Virgin. Saint Joseph and Mary go walking, an apple tree bends toward her and then straightens before Joseph, proof of Mary's virginity. The song then follows the journey to Bethlehem and the birth, and recounts a first miracle attributed to the Christ Child, the healing of a girl born without arms. Arbaud marks gaps in the collected text with suspension points indicating the repeat of the refrain.

Notable words

ProvençalFrench
houstagierohôtelière, aubergiste
menotospetites mains
envioenvie
pounierpommier
veritavérité
enfantarenfanter, accoucher

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. 7. Public domain. Digitization: https://archive.org/details/chantspopulaire00arbagoog. Transcription and formatting by Lingua Nostra.

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