Se Canta

Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon
Tota la nuèch canta,
Canta sa cançon.

Chorus

Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.

Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.

Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, levatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire
Mas amors ont son.

Aquelas montanhas
Tant s'abaissaràn,
Que mas amoretas
Se raprocharàn.

Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.

Chorus

If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Lay down, o mountains,
And rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

Those mountains
Will lay down so low
That my dear love
Will come closer.

Al fons de la prada,
I a'n pibol traucat:
Lo cocut i canta,
Benlèu i a nisat.

Chorus

Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia,
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.

Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta sa cançon.

Aquelas montanhas,
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire,
Mas amors ont son.

Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire,
Mas amors ont son.

Aquelas montanhas,
Tant s'abaissaràn,
Que mas amoretas,
Se raprocharàn.

Across the meadow,
There's a poplar with a hole
Where a cuckoo sings:
It must be nesting there.

Chorus

If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Lay down, o mountains,
And rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

Those mountains
Will lay down so low
That my dear love
Will come closer.

Sota ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèch canta,
Canta sa cançon.

Chorus
Se canta e recanta,
Canta pas per ieu:
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es au luènh de ieu.

Aquelei montanhas
Que tant autas son,
M'empachan de veire
Meis amors ont son.

Autas, ben son autas,
Mai s'abaissaràn,
E meis amoretas
Vèrs ieu revendràn.

Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsque veire
Meis amors ont son.

A la fònt de Nîmes,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Au mes de janvièr.

S'aquelei flors blancas
Èran d'ametlons,
Culhiriáu d'amètlas
Per ieu e per vos.

Se canta e recanta,
Canta pas per ieu:
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es auprès de ieu.

Outside my window
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.

Chorus

If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

High, they're so high
But they will lay down
And my dear love
Will come back to me.

Lay down, o mountains
And rise up, o plains
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

At the fountain of Nîmes,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
In the month of January.

Shall those white flowers
Become green almonds,
I'd pick handfuls of them
For me and for you.

If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's come back to me.

Davant de ma fenèstra,
I a un aucelon,
Tota la nuèch chanta,
Chanta sa chançon.

Chorus
Se chanta, que chante,
Chanta pas per ieu,
Chanta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.

Aquelas montanhas
Que tant autas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.

Aquelas montanhas
Lèu s'abaissaràn
E mas amoretas
Se raprocharàn.

Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, levatz-vos,
Per que pòsque veire
Mas amors ont son.

Al fons de la prada,
I a'n pibol traucat:
Lo coguol i canta,
Benlèu i a nisat.

(Lei filhas de Valença
San pas far l'amor;
Quelei de Provença
Lo fan nuèch e jorn.)

Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.

Chorus

If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Those mountains
Will soon lay down
And my dear love
Will come closer.

Lay down, o mountains,
And rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

Across the meadow,
There's a poplar with a hole
Where a cuckoo sings:
It must be nesting there.

(The girls from Valence
Can't make love;
Those from Provence
Do it night and day.)

Devath de ma fenèstra,
Qu'i a un auseron,
Tota la nueit canta,
Canta sa cançon.

Chorus

Se canti, jo que canti,
Canti pas per jo,
Canti per ma mia
Qu'ei a luenh de jo.

Aqueras mountanhas
Que tan hautas son,
M’empachan de véder
Mas amors on son.

Baishatz-ve, montanhas,
Planas, hauçatz-ve,
Tà que pòsqui véder
Mas amors on son.

Aqueras montanhas
Que s'abaisharàn
E mas amoretas
Que pareisheràn.

Se sabèvi las véder,
On las rencontrar,
Passarí l'aigueta
Shens paur de'm negar.

Las pomas son maduras,
Las cau amassar
E las joenes hilhas,
Las cau maridar.

Outside my window,
There is a little bird
Singing all night,
Singing its song.

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.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Lay down, o mountains,
And rise up, o plains,
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

Those mountains
Will lay down
And my dear love
Will appear.

If I knew where she is,
Where I can meet her,
I would cross the river,
Fearless of drowning.

The apples are ripe
And ready to be picked
And the young girls
Are ready to get wed.

Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un auselon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta pas per ieu.

Chorus

Se canta, qué canta?
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.

Al fonse de l'òrta,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma de papièr.

Aquelas flors blancas
Faràn d’ametlons
Per remplir las pòchas
De ieu e de vos.

Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.

Aquelas montanhas
Se n'abaissaràn
E mas amouretas
Se raprocharàn.

(S'èri 'na virondèla
E posquès volar,
Traversariái l'aiga
Per l'anar 'mbraçar.)

Outside my window,
There is a little bird:
It sings all night,
It doesn't sing for me.

Chorus

If it sings, then what for?
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Across the garden,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
As white as paper.

Those white flowers
Will become green almonds
And fill up our pockets,
Both mine and yours.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Those mountains
Will lay down
And my dear love
Will come closer.

(If I were a sparrow
And I could fly,
I'd cross the river
Just to hug her.)

A la font de Nîmes,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma lo papièr.

Chorus

Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia
Qu'es al luènh de ieu.

Aval dins la plana,
I a'n pibol traucat:
Lo cocut i canta
Quand i va nisar.

Aquelas montanhas
Que tan nautas son,
M'empachan de veire
Mas amors ont son.

Baissatz-vos, montanhas,
Planas, auçatz-vos,
Per que pòsca veire
Ont son mas amors.

Nautas son, plan nautas,
Mas s'abaissaràn
E mas amoretas
Apareisseràn.

At the fountain of Nîmes,
There's an almond tree
That puts on flowers
As white as paper.

Chorus

If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's far away from me.

Down in the valley,
There's a poplar with a hole:
The cuckoo sings
When it nests in there.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

Lay down, o mountains
And rise up, o plains
So I may see
Where my love has gone.

They're high, so high,
But they will lay down
And my dear love
Will appear.

Aqueres montanhes
Que tant nautes son,
M'empèishen de véder
Mèns amors an o son.

Nautes, se son nautes,
Ja s'abaisharàn
Es mies amoretes
Que s'aproparàn.

Montanhes araneses
A on es pastors
Es hònts regalades
Tròben, e jordons.

Se cantes, perqué cantes?
Cantes pas per jo,
Cantes per ma hilha
Que non ei près de jo.

Montanhes coronades
Tot er an de nhèu,
Tan nautes e bères
Que vos pune eth cèu.

Montanhes araneses
Pientades de rius,
De totes grandeses
Vos adorne Diu.

Nòsti amors veiguéretz
Com rosèr florir,
Volem com es pares,
Guardant-vos morir.

Those mountains
That are so high
Keep me from seeing
Where my love has gone.

High, they're so high,
But they will lay down,
And my dear love
Will come closer.

Aran mountains
Where the shepherds
Shooting water springs
Find, and raspberries too.

If you sing, why do you?
You're not singing for me,
You're singing for my girl
Who's not by my side.

Mountains crowned
All year long with snow,
So high and beautiful
That the sky kisses you.

Aran mountains
Combed with riverlets,
With all majesties
God adorns you.

Our love you will see
Like a rose bush blossom,
We're flying like birds
As we watch you die.

Dessús la montanha,
Lo solelh totjorn
L'i lèva l'aiganha
Ben abans miègjorn.

Chorus

Ardecha, Ardecha,
Qu'es nòstre país;
S'as pas vist Ardecha,
As jamai ren vist.

Volana mai Ardecha,
Ovesa sustot,
Se n'es pas tròp secha,
Fai lo serpaton.

Per faire la biaça,
L'i a de bon fojon;
La bona fogassa
Se fai a Vernon.

Avèm la calheta
Mai de bons gratons,
La crica jauneta
E lo picodon.

Avèm de montanhas
Que tochan lo cèu
E de verdas planas
Per los bons tropèus.

Avèm de chastanhas
Gròssas coma d'uòus
E de bonas vinhas
Que fan l'òme nòu.

Avèm de ribièras
Plenas de peissons
Que chantan dins l'aiga
La nueit mai lo jorn.

Avèm la fialuesa
Que bat los cocons
E la fabricuesa
Per leis armoiras.

Se l'aiga de Valse
Dins nòstre ventron,
L'i pren tròp de plaça,
Ardit lo corron!

Fini ma chansonnette!
En bramant pertot
E de ma fenèstra,
Vos mande un poton.

Over the mountain,
The sun always
Dries off the dew
Well before noon.

Chorus

Ardèche, Ardèche,
This is our country;
Who never saw Ardèche
Has never seen anything.

The Volane and the Ardèche
And above all the Ouvèze,
If they're not too dry,
They will meander.

For a good meal,
We have good foujou;^[15]
The best fougasse
Is made in Vernon.

We have caillette^[16]
And good grattons,^[17]
Crique ardéchoise^[18]
And picodon.

We have mountains
That scrape the sky
And green plains
For good cattle.

We have chestnuts
As big as eggs
And vineyards
To revive our men.

We have rivers
That are full of fish
Singing in the water
Day and night.

We have spinners
Spinning their cocoons
And female makers
Of wardrobes and cupboards.

If the Vals-les-Bains water
In our stomach
Takes too much room,
It's time to plough!

My little song is over!
Shouting here and there
And from my window,
I send you a kiss.

Vès Cruàs e vès Meissa,
Nos i van bastir
Una centralassa,
Nos faràn rostir.

Chorus

Ardecha, Ardecha,
Marvilhós país;
S'as pas vist Ardecha,
As jamai ren vist.

L'estiu, la toristalha
Nos ven visitar,
Chaucha nòstra palha,
Nos pòt pus quitar.

Per ganhar sa vida,
Per parlar d'argent,
Anèm a la vila
Qu'es sovent ben luènh.

Lo vin e las persèjas
Se vendon pas ben
E mangèm de mèrda
Que siam europencs.

Avèm de montanhas
Ont i a pus dengun
E nòstra campanha,
L'achapta mai d'un.

Crotz dau cementèri,
Monument aus mòrts,
Nos parlatz d'empèris,
Nòstre fotut sòrt.

Totas las usinas
En tren de sarrar;
Lo trauc de las minas,
Nos i l'an barrat.

Los que los anèm quèrre
Per nos ajudar:
Lo prefèct, lo mère
E lo deputat.

De chamins de fèrre,
Ara n'i a pus ges
E sobre los sèrres,
Lo monde an fugit.

In Cruas and Meysse,
They're going to build
A huge power plant
That will us all.

Chorus

Ardèche, Ardèche,
My wonderful country;
Who never saw Ardèche
Has never seen anything.

In the summer, the tourists
Come and visit us,
They walk on our straw
And don't want to leave.

To earn our living,
To talk about business,
We go to the city,
Which is usually quite far.

Wine and peaches
Don't make good money
And we eat unhealthy food
For being Europeans.

We have mountains
Where no one lives anymore
And our countryside
Gets sold to foreigners.

Crosses in cemetery,
War monuments,
You tell us about empires,
That's how we get paid.

All the factories
Are closing down;
We dug the mines,
They shut us out.

So we go and call
And ask for help
The prefect, the mayor
And the deputy.

Railways
Are all gone now
And over the hills,
People have fled.

Paissètz, mas oelhetas,
Paissètz doçament,
Vos quiti soletas
Per un cort moment.

La pastoreleta
Que ieu vau trobar,
S'anuja soleta
Jos d'aquel albar.

Sus lo pont de Nantas,
I a un auselon,
Tota la nuèit canta,
Canta pas per ieu.

Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Canta per ma mia,
Qu'es al prèp de ieu.

Dejós ma fenèstra,
I a un ametlièr
Que fa de flors blancas
Coma de papièr.

S'aquelas flors blancas
Fasián d'ametlons,
N'empliriái mas pòchas
Per ela e per vos.

Graze, my sheep,
Graze in peace,
I have to leave you
For a short while.

The nice little shepherdess
That I'm going to meet
Is getting bored
Under that white poplar.

On the bridge of Nantes,
There is a little bird:
It sings all night,
It doesn't sing for me.

If it sings, let it sing,
It's not singing for me,
It sings for my love
Who's close to me.

Outside my window,
There's an almond tree
That puts on white flowers
As white as paper.

Shall those white flowers
Become green almonds,
I'd fill up my pockets
For her and for you.

Best man:
Quand la prima arriba,
Lo gai rossinhòl,
D'amor per la riba,
Canta coma un fòl.

Chorus

Se canta, que cante,
Canta pas per ieu,
Guys:
Ni mai per ma mia!
Girls:
Ni mon fringaire!
All again:
Qual sap ont l'ai ieu!

Bridesmaid:
Al cèl l'alauseta
Canta bon matin,
Puèi fa 'na pauseta
Dusca al despertin.

All:
A sa pijoneta
Cada pijonet
Ditz sa cançoneta
E fa'n potonet.
All kiss.

Groom:
Uèi de tu, mon fraire,
Ai bastit mon niu;
Rossinhòl cantaire,
Canta donc per ieu.

Bride:
Coma tu, sorreta,
Uèi soi dins l'azur;
Joiala alauseta,
Canta mon bonur.

All but bride and groom:
Que Dieu benesiga
Vòstre gente niu,
Que lèu i espeliga
Un polit pinçon.

Ending chorus

Se canta, que cante,
Cantarà per ieu,
Guys:
Emai per ma mia!
Girls:
E mon fringaire!
All again:
Qu'es al pè de ieu.

Best man:
When spring comes,
The merry nightingale,
For the love of the river bank,
Sings like never before.

Chorus

If it sings and sings again,
It's not singing for me,

Guys:
Neither for my love!'

Girls:
Nor for my lover!

All again:
Who knows where they're now!

Bridesmaid:
The little lark in the sky
Has been singing since dawn
And now it's taking a rest
Until the mid-morning meal.

All:
To each little pigeon girl
Each little pigeon guy
Sings his sweet little song
And gives her a tender kiss.
All kiss.

Groom:
Today, like you, brother,
I've made my nest;
Singing nightingale,
Sing a tune for me.

Bride:
Just like you, little sister,
Today I'm in heaven;
Happy little lark,
Sing my happiness.

All but bride and groom:
May God bless
Your beautiful nest
So that a pretty little bird
Soon hatches in it.

Ending 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 again:
Who's here by my side.