| Compared lyrics and translations of all known versions
|
| National version
|
English translation
|
Narbonne version
|
English translation
|
Provence version
|
English translation
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Valadas version
|
English translation
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Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon
Tota la nuèch canta,
Canta sa cançon.
|
Outside my window,
There is a little bird
It sings all night
It sings its song.
|
Al fons de la prada,
I a'n pibol traucat:
Lo cocut i canta,
Benlèu i a nisat.
|
Across the meadow,
There's a poplar with a hole
Where a cuckoo sings:
It must be nesting there.
|
Sota ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèch canta,
Canta sa cançon.
|
Outside my window
There is a little bird
It sings all night,
It sings its song.
|
Denant de ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèch chanta,
Chanta sa chançon.
|
Outside my window,
There is a little bird
It sings all night,
It sings its song.
|
Chorus:
Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Chorus:
Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia,
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Chorus:
Se canta e recanta,
Canta pas per ieu:
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es au luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Chorus:
Se chanta, que chante,
Chanta pas per ieu,
Chanta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where are my love.
|
Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta sa cançon.
|
Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.
|
Aquelei montanhas
Que tant autas son,
M'empachan de veire
Meis amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where are my love.
|
Aquelas montanhas
Que tant autas son
M'empachan de veire
Mes amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where are my love.
|
Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, levatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire
Mas amors ont son.
|
Lay down, o mountains,
Rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where are my love.
|
Aquelas montanhas,
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire,
Mas amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where are my love.
|
Autas, ben son autas,
Mai s'abaissaràn,
E meis amoretas
Vèrs ieu revendràn.
|
High, they're so high
But they will lay down
And my dear love will come back to me.
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Autas, ben son autas, Ma s'abaissarèn Et mas amoretas vers ieu tornarèn
|
High, they are so high, But they will lay down And my dear love will come back to me.
|
Aquelas montanhas
Tant s'abaissaràn,
Que mas amoretas
Se raprocharàn.
|
Those mountains
Will lay down so low
That my dear love
Will come closer.
|
Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire,
Mas amors ont son.
|
Lay down, o mountains,
Rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where are my love.
|
Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsque veire
Meis amors ont son.
|
Lay down, o mountains
Rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where are my love.
|
Baissatz-vos montanhas, Planas levatz-vos, Perquè pòsque veire Mes amors ont son
|
Lay down, o mountains, Rise up, o plains,
So I may see Where are my love.
|
|
|
|
Aquelas montanhas,
Tant s'abaissaràn,
Que mas amoretas,
Se raprocharàn.
|
Those mountains
Will lay down so low
That my dear love
Will come closer.
|
A la fònt de Nîmes,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Au mes de janvièr.
|
At the fountain of Nîmes,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
In the month of January.
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S'aquelei flors blancas
Èran d'ametlons,
Culhiriáu d'amètlas
Per ieu e per vos.
|
Shall those white flowers
Become green almonds,
I'd pick handfuls of them
For me and for you.
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Se canta e recanta,
Canta pas per ieu:
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es auprès de ieu.
|
If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's come back to me.
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| Béarn version
|
English translation
|
Lozère version
|
English translation
|
Montpellier version
|
English translation
|
Val d'Aran version
|
English translation
|
Devath de ma fenèstra,
Qu'i a un auseron,
Tota la nueit canta,
Canta sa cançon.
|
Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.
|
Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un auselon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta pas per ieu.
|
Outside my window,
There is a little bird:
It sings all night,
It doesn't sing for me.
|
A la font de Nimes,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma lo papièr.
|
At the fountain of Nîmes,
There's an almond tree
That puts on flowers
As white as paper.
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Aqueres montanhes
Que tant nautes son,
M'empèishen de véder
Mèns amors an o son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.
|
Chorus:
Se canti, jo que canti,
Canti pas per jo,
Canti per ma mia
Qu'ei a luenh de jo.
|
Chorus:
If I sing, if I sing myself,
I'm not singing for me,
I'm singing for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Chorus:
Se canta, qué canta?
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings, then what for?
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Chorus:
Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.
|
Nautes, se son nautes,
Ja s'abaisharàn
Es mies amoretes
Que s'aproparàn.
|
High, they're so high,
But they will lay down,
And my dear love
Will come closer.
|
Aqueras mountanhas
Que tan hautas son,
M’empachan de véder
Mas amors on son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.
|
Al fonse de l'òrta,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma de papièr.
|
Across the garden,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
As white as paper.
|
Aval dins la plana,
I a'n pibol traucat:
Lo cocut i canta
Quand i va nisar.
|
Down in the valley,
There's a poplar with a hole:
The cuckoo sings
When it nests in there.
|
Montanhes araneses
A on es pastors
Es hònts regalades
Tròben, e jordons.
|
Aran mountains
Where the shepherds
Shooting water springs
Find, and raspberries too.
|
Baishatz-ve, montanhas,
Planas, hauçatz-ve,
Tà que pòsqui véder
Mas amors on son.
|
Lay down, o mountains,
And rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where my love has gone.
|
Aquelas flors blancas
Faràn d’ametlons
Per remplir las pòchas
De ieu e de vos.
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Those white flowers
Will become green almonds
And fill up our pockets,
Both mine and yours.
|
Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.
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Se cantes, perqué cantes?
Cantes pas per jo,
Cantes per ma hilha
Que non ei près de jo.
|
If you sing, why do you?
You're not singing for me,
You're singing for my girl
Who's not by my side.
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Aqueras montanhas
Que s'abaisharàn
E mas amoretas
Que pareisheràn.
|
Those mountains
Will lay down
And my dear love
Will appear.
|
Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.
|
Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.
|
Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire
Ont son mas amors.
|
Lay down, o mountains
And rise up, o plains
So I may see
Where my love has gone.
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Montanhes coronades
Tot er an de nhèu,
Tan nautes e bères
Que vos pune eth cèu.
|
Mountains crowned
All year long with snow,
So high and beautiful
That the sky kisses you.
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Se sabèvi las véder,
On las rencontrar,
Passarí l'aigueta
Shens paur de'm negar.
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If I knew where she is,
Where I can meet her,
I would cross the river,
Fearless of drowning.
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Aquelas montanhas
Se n'abaissaràn
E mas amouretas
Se raprocharàn.
|
Those mountains
Will lay down
And my dear love
Will come closer.
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Nautas son, plan nautas,
Mas s'abaissaràn
E mas amoretas
Apareisseràn.
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They're high, so high,
But they will lay down
And my dear love
Will appear.
|
Montanhes araneses
Pientades de rius,
De totes grandeses
Vos adorne Diu.
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Aran mountains
Combed with riverlets,
With all majesties
God adorns you.
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Las pomas son maduras,
Las cau amassar
E las joenes hilhas,
Las cau maridar.
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The apples are ripe
And ready to be picked
And the young girls
Are ready to get wed.
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(S'èri 'na virondèla
E posquès volar,
Traversariái l'aiga
Per l'anar 'mbraçar.)
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(If I were a sparrow
And I could fly,
I'd cross the river
Just to hug her.)
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Nòsti amors veiguéretz
Com rosèr florir,
Volem com es pares,
Guardant-vos morir.
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Our love you will see
Like a rose bush blossom,
We're flying like birds
As we watch you die.
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| 1st Ardèche version
|
English translation
|
2nd Ardèche version
|
English translation
|
Shepherd version
|
English translation
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Wedding version
|
English translation
|
Dessús la montanha,
Lo solelh totjorn
L'i lèva l'aiganha
Ben abans miègjorn.
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Over the mountain,
The sun always
Dries off the dew
Well before noon.
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Vès Cruàs e vès Meissa,
Nos i van bastir
Una centralassa,
Nos faràn rostir.
|
In Cruas and Meysse,
They're going to build
A huge power plant
That will us all.
|
Paissètz, mas oelhetas,
Paissètz doçament,
Vos quiti soletas
Per un cort moment.
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Graze, my sheep,
Graze in peace,
I have to leave you
For a short while.
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(Best man)
Quand la prima arriba,
Lo gai rossinhòl,
D'amor per la riba,
Canta coma un fòl.
|
(Best man)
When spring comes,
The merry nightingale,
For the love of the river bank,
Sings like never before.
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Chorus:
Ardecha, Ardecha,
Qu'es nòstre país;
S'as pas vist Ardecha,
As jamai ren vist.
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Chorus:
Ardèche, Ardèche,
This is our country;
Who never saw Ardèche
Has never seen anything.
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Chorus:
Ardecha, Ardecha,
Marvilhós país;
S'as pas vist Ardecha,
As jamai ren vist.
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Chorus:
Ardèche, Ardèche,
My wonderful country;
Who never saw Ardèche
Has never seen anything.
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La pastoreleta
Que ieu vau trobar,
S'anuja soleta
Jos d'aquel albar.
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The nice little shepherdess
That I'm going to meet
Is getting bored
Under that white poplar.
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Chorus:
Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
(Guys) Ni mai per ma mia!
(Girls) Ni mon fringaire!
(All) Qual sap ont l'ai ieu!
|
Chorus:
If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,
(Guys) Neither for my love!'
(Girls) Nor for my lover!
(All) Who knows where they're now!
|
Volana mai Ardecha,
Ovesa sustot,
Se n'es pas tròp secha,
Fai lo serpaton.
|
The Volane and the Ardèche
And above all the Ouvèze,
If they're not too dry,
They will meander.
|
L'estiu, la toristalha
Nos ven visitar,
Chaucha nòstra palha,
Nos pòt pus quitar.
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In the summer, the tourists
Come and visit us,
They walk on our straw
And don't want to leave.
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Sus lo pont de Nantas,
I a un auselon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta pas per ieu.
|
On the bridge of Nantes,
There is a little bird:
It sings all night,
It doesn't sing for me.
|
(Bridesmaid)
Al cèl l'alauseta
Canta bon matin,
Puèi fa 'na pauseta
Dusca al despertin.
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(Bridesmaid)
The little lark in the sky
Has been singing since dawn
And now it's taking a rest
Until the mid-morning meal.
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Per faire la biaça,
L'i a de bon fojon;
La bona fogassa
Se fai a Vernon.
|
For a good meal,
We have good foujou;[15]
The best fougasse
Is made in Vernon.
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Per ganhar sa vida,
Per parlar d'argent,
Anèm a la vila
Qu'es sovent ben luènh.
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To earn our living,
To talk about business,
We go to the city,
Which is usually quite far.
|
Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia,
Qu'es al prèp de ieu.
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If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's close to me.
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(All)
A sa pijoneta
Cada pijonet
Ditz sa cançoneta
E fa'n potonet.
(All kiss.)
|
(All)
To each little pigeon girl
Each little pigeon guy
Sings his sweet little song
And gives her a tender kiss.
(All kiss.)
|
Avèm la calheta
Mai de bons gratons,
La crica jauneta
E lo picodon.
|
We have caillette[16]
And good grattons,[17]
Crique ardéchoise[18]
And picodon.
|
Lo vin e las persèjas
Se vendon pas ben
E mangèm de mèrda
Que siam europencs.
|
Wine and peaches
Don't make good money
And we eat unhealthy food
For being Europeans.
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Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma de papièr.
|
Outside my window,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
As white as paper.
|
(Groom)
Uèi de tu, mon fraire,
Ai bastit mon niu;
Rossinhòl cantaire,
Canta donc per ieu.
|
(Groom)
Today, like you, brother,
I've made my nest;
Singing nightingale,
Sing a tune for me.
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Avèm de montanhas
Que tochan lo cèu
E de verdas planas
Per los bons tropèus.
|
We have mountains
That scrape the sky
And green plains
For good cattle.
|
Avèm de montanhas
Ont i a pus dengun
E nòstra campanha,
L'achapta mai d'un.
|
We have mountains
Where no one lives anymore
And our countryside
Gets sold to foreigners.
|
S'aquelas flors blancas
Fasián d'ametlons,
N'empliriái mas pòchas
Per ela e per vos.
|
Shall those white flowers
Become green almonds,
I'd fill up my pockets
For her and for you.
|
(Bride)
Coma tu, sorreta,
Uèi soi dins l'azur;
Joiala alauseta,
Canta mon bonur.
|
(Bride)
Just like you, little sister,
Today I'm in heaven;
Happy little lark,
Sing my happiness.
|
Avèm de chastanhas
Gròssas coma d'uòus
E de bonas vinhas
Que fan l'òme nòu.
|
We have chestnuts
As big as eggs
And vineyards
To revive our men.
|
Crotz dau cementèri,
Monument aus mòrts,
Nos parlatz d'empèris,
Nòstre fotut sòrt.
|
Crosses in cemetery,
War monuments,
You tell us about empires,
That's how we get paid.
|
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(All but bride and groom)
Que Dieu benesiga
Vòstre gente niu,
Que lèu i espeliga
Un polit pinçon.
|
(All but bride and groom)
May God bless
Your beautiful nest
So that a pretty little bird
Soon hatches in it.
|
Avèm de ribièras
Plenas de peissons
Que chantan dins l'aiga
La nueit mai lo jorn.
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We have rivers
That are full of fish
Singing in the water
Day and night.
|
Totas las usinas
En tren de sarrar;
Lo trauc de las minas,
Nos i l'an barrat.
|
All the factories
Are closing down;
We dug the mines,
They shut us out.
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Final chorus:
Se canta, que cante,
Cantarà per ieu,
(Guys) Emai per ma mia!
(Girls) E mon fringaire!
(All) Qu'es al pè de ieu.
|
Final chorus:
If it sings, let it sing,
It will sing for me,
(Guys) And also for my love!
(Girls) And for my lover too!
(All) Who's here by my side.
|
Avèm la fialuesa
Que bat los cocons
E la fabricuesa
Per leis armoiras.
|
We have spinners
Spinning their cocoons
And female makers
Of wardrobes and cupboards.
|
Los que los anèm quèrre
Per nos ajudar:
Lo prefèct, lo mère
E lo deputat.
|
So we go and call
And ask for help
The prefect, the mayor
And the deputy.
|
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Se l'aiga de Valse
Dins nòstre ventron,
L'i pren tròp de plaça,
Ardit lo corron!
|
If the Vals-les-Bains water
In our stomach
Takes too much room,
It's time to plough!
|
De chamins de fèrre,
Ara n'i a pus ges
E sobre los sèrres,
Lo monde an fugit.
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Railways
Are all gone now
And over the hills,
People have fled.
|
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Fini ma chansonnette!
En bramant pertot
E de ma fenèstra,
Vos mande un poton.
|
My little song is over!
Shouting here and there
And from my window,
I send you a kiss.
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| Corrèze version[19]
|
English translation
|
2nd Narbonne version[20]
|
English translation
|
Si n'auviá 'na mia
Que m'aimèssa pas,
La m'nariá bòrd d'aiga,
La fariá nejar.
|
Should my darling
Stop loving me,
I'd take her by the river
And drown her.
|
Au fons de la prada,
I a un biule traucat;
Lo cocut i canta
Dau matin au ser.
|
Across the meadow,
There's a poplar with a hole
Where a cuckoo sings
From dawn to dusk.
|
Chorus:
Quand ieu canti, quand ieu canti,
Canti pas per me;
Canti per ma mia,
Que n'es près de me.
|
Chorus:
When I sing, when I sing,
I don't sing for myself;
I sing for my darling,
Who's not by my side.
|
Chorus:
Se cantes, que cantes,
Cantes pas per ieu;
Canta per ma miga,
Qu'es auprès de ieu.
|
Chorus:
If you sing, may you sing,
You're not singing for me;
Sing for my darling,
Who's by my side.
|
![[13]](http://www.taptoula.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/petit-pot-de-fougne.jpg){kind=link}
