Literal translation
to take off one's skin
Meaning
to wear oneself out working hard
Explanation
Literally, one "removes the skin" from one's hands through constant use of a tool, a shovel or a pickaxe. Figuratively, si leva la peu amounts to "breaking one's body", skin being in Provençal a metaphor for the whole body, hence making great efforts, physical or intellectual. The image echoes se crever le bédélet, and shows up in s'esquinter, a Provençal loanword more common in Provence than elsewhere in French. People also say bagna camié or camiso, "to wet one's shirt".