Provençal song

Mary Magdalene

In Provençal: MARIO MADALENO

Song no. 14 Damase Arbaud, 1862

Song no. 14 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

Mario Madaleno, La pauro peccairitz, S'en vai, de pouert’ en pouerto, Cercar Diou Jesus-Christ. Pass’ à-n-uno capelo . Jesus l'y ero dedins, Doou ped piqu” à la pouerto : — Jesus, venetz durbir. Sant Jean di à Sant Peyre: Regardo qu es aquit ; — Es Marie Madaleno La pauro peccairitz. — Mario Madaleno Eici que venes far ? — Seignour Diou, moun bouen paire, Me vene counfessar. — Ah! digo, Madaleno, Ah ! digo tes peccats ; — N'ai tant fach et fa faire Les pourriou pas noumbrar; La terro que me pouerlo Me deurie plus pourtar, La vill’ ounte siou nado Se deurie proufoundar. — Sept ans souto la baumo Te foudr’ ana’ estar. Au bout de sept anneios Jesus-Christ l'y a passat. — Mario Madateno, De que tu n'as viscut ? — Deracinos sauvageos Et n’ai pas toujou’ agut; — Mario Madaleno, De qu'aiguo n'as begut ? — N'es d’aiguo trebourado. Et n'ai pas toujou’ agut. Seignour Diou, mouen bouen paire, Mes mans voudriou lavar; Jesus piqu’ à la roco, D'aiguo n’en a rajat. — Ai! belo man blanqueto, Blanco coumo lou lach : Fresco coumo la roso, Qu t'a vistet te vei! — Mario Madaleno, Tournes dins lou peccat, Sept ans às resta ’n baumo, Sept ans l'y tournaras. — Seignour Diou, moun bouen paire Coumo pourrai l'y ‘star ?: — Ta souere. Santo Martho T'anara counsoular ; La blanco coaloumbelo Te pourlar’ à dinar, Et les auceous que pitoun T'anaran abeurar. — Seignour Diou, moun bouen paire, Me l'y fetz plus tournar, Des larmos de mes uelhs Les mans me lavarai, Des larmos de mes uelhs Les peds vous lavarai, Des chevus de ma testo Vous les eissugarai.

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

This hagiographic legend features Mary Magdalene, a repentant sinner, going from door to door seeking Jesus Christ to confess her sins. After her confession, she must spend seven years in a cave, living on wild roots and murky water, until Jesus finds her and makes clear water spring from the rock to wash her hands. Fearing she will fall back into sin, she is sentenced to seven more years of hermitage, eased by the help of Saint Martha and the birds of the sky, before offering to wash the Lord's feet with her tears. Arbaud notes that the tune of this legend is sung to the air of the Baron Saint-Alexis, another hagiographic legend in the Provençal repertoire.

Notable words

ProvençalFrench
peccairitzpécheresse
baumogrotte
deracinosracines
trebouradotrouble (eau)
coaloumbelopetite colombe
pitounpicorent

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