Pastre, pastresso
This is one of the Occitan carols by Nicolás Saboly (1614- 1675). He was a chapel master in Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Carpentras, Nîmes and Avignon.
The lyrics below are copied in their original Provençal spelling. You'll find a version in classical spelling in the notes.
There's a shorter and lightly different version on a different tune called Pastres, pastretas.
Pastre, pastresso
Shepherds, Shepherdesses
Christmas Carol
Christmas Carol
(Occitan)
(English)
1 Pastre, pastresso,
Courrès, venès tous, pecaire!
Pastre, pastresso,
Courrès, venès tous:
Vosto mestresso
A besoun de vous, pecaire!
Vosto mestresso
A besoun de vous.
2 A la bourgado,
Près de Betelèn, pecaire!
A la bourgado,
Près de Betelèn,
S'es acouchado
Sus un pau de fen, pecaire!
S'es acouchado
Sus un pau de fen.
3 Dins un estable,
Tout arrouïna, pecaire!
Dins un estable
Tout arrouïna,
L'enfant eimable
De matin es na, pecaire!
L'enfant eimable
De matin es na.
4 Aquéu bèl ange,
Au gros de l'iver, pecaire!
Aquéu bèl ange,
Au gros de l'iver,
Fauto de lange
Es tout descubert, pecaire!
Fauto de lange
Es tout descubert.
5 La Vierge Maire
Countèmplo soun fru, pecaire!
La Vierge Maire
Countèmplo soun fru,
Saup pas que faire,
Quand lou vèi tout nud, pecaire!
Saup pas que faire,
Quand lou vèi tout nud.
6 Lou pichot plouro,
Vous farié pieta, pecaire!
Lou pichot plouro,
Vous farié pieta,
Li a mai d'uno ouro
Que noun a teta, pecaire!
Li a mai d'uno ouro
Que noun a teta.
7 Nostei pastresso
Boulegou lei man, pecaire!
Nostei pastresso
Boulegou lei man,
E fan caresso
A-n-aquel enfant, pecaire!
E fan caresso
A-n-aquel enfant.
8 Cercon de paio
A l'entour dóu lio, pecaire!
Cercon de paio
A l'entour dóu lio,
E de buscaio
Pèr faire de fio, pecaire!
E de buscaio
Pèr faire de fio.
9 Uno lou mudo,
L'autro lou soustèn, pecaire!
Uno lou mudo,
L'autro lou soustèn,
Un pau d'ajudo
Fai toujour gran bèn, pecaire!
Un pau d'ajudo
Fai toujour gran bèn.
1. Shepherds, shepherdesses,
Run, come all - poor dear!
Shepherds, shepherdesses,
Run, come all:
Your mistress
Needs you, poor dear!
Your mistress
Needs you.
2. In the town
Near Bethlehem, poor dear!
In the town
Near Bethlehem,
She gave birth
On a little hay, poor dear!
She gave birth
On a little hay.
3. In a stable
All in ruins, poor dear!
In a stable
All in ruins,
The lovable child
Was born this morning, poor dear!
The lovable child
Was born this morning.
4. This fine angel,
In the coldest of winter, poor dear!
This fine angel,
In the coldest of winter,
For lack of swaddling cloths
He's totally unclothed, poor dear!
For lack of swaddling cloths
He's totally unclothed.
5. The Virgin Mother
Admires her fruit, poor dear!
The Virgin Mother
Admires her fruit,
She doesn't know what to do,
When she sees him naked, poor dear!
She doesn't know what to do,
When she sees him naked.
6. The little one cries,
You would feel sorry for him, poor dear!
The little one cries,
You would feel sorry for him,
It's been more than an hour
Since he's been nursed, poor dear!
It's been more than an hour
Since he's been nursed.
7. Our shepherdesses
Move their hands, poor dear!
Our shepherdesses
Move their hands,
And caress
This child, poor dear!
And caress
This child.
8. They look for straw
Around the place, poor dear!
They look for straw
Around the place,
And kindling wood
To make a fire, poor dear!
And kindling wood
To make a fire.
9. One changes him,
The other holds him, poor dear!
One changes him,
The other holds him,
A little help
Is always a great thing, poor dear!
A little help
Is always a great thing.
Notes
Saboly wrote the lyrics to this carols on the tune to a former song called Vàutrei, fiheto, qu'avès de galant (You, girls, who have suitors/sweethearts)
Here are the lyrics in classical Occitan spelling.
1 Pastres, pastressas,
Corrètz, venètz tots, pecaire!
Pastres, pastressas,
Corrètz, venètz tots:
Vòsta mestressa
A besonh de vos, pecaire!
Vòsta mestressa
A besonh de vos.
2 A la borgada,
Près de Betelèm, pecaire!
A la borgada,
Près de Betelèm,
S'es acochada
Sus un pauc de fen, pecaire!
S'es acochada
Sus un pauc de fen.
3 Dins un estable,
Tot arroïnat, pecaire!
Dins un estable
Tot arroïnat,
L'enfant aimable
De matin es nat, pecaire!
L'enfant aimable
De matin es nat.
4 Aquèu bèl àngel,
Au gròs de l'ivèrn, pecaire!
Aquèu bèl àngel,
Au gròs de l'ivèrn,
Fauta de langes
Es tot descubèrt, pecaire!
Fauta de langes
Es tot descubèrt.
5 La Vièrge Maire
Contèmpla son fruch, pecaire!
La Vièrge Maire
Contèmpla son fruch,
Saup pas qué faire,
Quand lo vèi tot nud, pecaire!
Saup pas qué faire,
Quand lo vèi tot nud.
6 Lo pichòt plora,
Vos fariá pietat, pecaire!
Lo pichòt plora,
Vos fariá pietat,
L'i a mai d'una ora
Que non a tetat, pecaire!
L'i a mai d'una ora
Que non a tetat.
7 Nòstei pastressas
Bolegan lei mans, pecaire!
Nòstei pastressas
Bolegan lei mans,
E fan caressa
A-n-aquel enfant, pecaire!
E fan caressa
A-n-aquel enfant.
8 Cercan de palha
A l'entorn dau luòc, pecaire!
Cercan de palha
A l'entorn dau luòc,
E de buscalha
Per faire de fuòc, pecaire!
E de buscalha
Per faire de fuòc.
9 Una lo muda,
L'autra lo sostèn, pecaire!
Una lo muda,
L'autra lo sostèn,
Un pauc d'ajuda
Fai totjorn gran bèn, pecaire!
Un pauc d'ajuda
Fai totjorn gran bèn.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing this song and translating it with Lisa.
Image: Birth of Jesus by Lorenzo Lotto
Mercé plan!
