Missa Mexicana
Text and Translation
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1 Villancico Canten dos jilguerillos FRANCISCO ESCALADA
Canten dos jilguerillos
al sol infante
porque los pajaritos
al niño acallen,
canten suaves.
Que esta noche de cielo
sus voces salen.
Copla
A esta noche le llaman
la Noche Buena:
para todos de gozo,
de gusto, de gloria,
y adiós de pena.
Canten dos jilguerillos... etc.
2 Kirie [Missa Ego flos campi]
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
Kirie eleison
Christe eleison
Kirie eleison
4 Xácara Los que fueren de buen gusto
FRANCISCO DE VIDALES
Introducción
" Los que fueren de buen gusto,
óiganme una xacarilla nueva
que he de cantar en Belén. "
" ¡Siempre el garbo y la voz!
Yo la cantaré también ".
" ¿Cómo qué, cómo qué? "
" A que só me toca a mí,
y el porque yo me lo sé. "
" ¿Cómo qué, cómo qué? "
" Pues quitémonos de ruidos
y cantemos a las tres. "
" Tres a tres y una a una,
¡vaya, vaya de xácara, pues. "
Coplas
En el mesón de la luna
junto a la Puerta del Sol
del cielo de una doncella
en tierra un lucero dió.
A ser galán de las almas
el Verbo al hielo nació,
que lo tomó con fineza
pero con poco calor.
Sin duda el Jayán divino
- ya naçe a morir de amor,
pues cuando se emboza el rostro
me descubre el coraçón.
Por ser de la Trinidad
vino por la redempçión.
Metióse en Santa María,
ya dado en San Salvador.
" Tres a tres y una a una,
¡vaya, vaya de xácara, pues! "
Metióse en cuna de nieve,
que no es nuevo en su afiçión
dexarse llevar del agua
el espíritu de Dios.
Al soberano Cupido
desde que naçe le hirió
la flecha, que en el desnudo
hiere más presto el harpón.
A matar vi-vino a la muerte,
picado de que el amor
le dió una herida mortal,
y fue porque le encarnó.
Que no se caiga el portal
es un milagro de Dios.
Bien puede el Jayán haçer
cuenta que ha naçido hoy.
" Tres a tres y una a una,
¡vaya, vaya de xácara, pues! "
Se anda perdonando vidas,
muy preçiado de león,
y le suele haçer llorar
el más pobre pecador.
El naçer en la campaña
es prueba de su valor,
y esperarle cuerpo a cuerpo
es cosa de confesión.
El sangriento açero esgrime
Herodes, que en su región
contener mala conçiencia
deseaba ver de Dios.
¡Bien haya la xacarilla
y el padre que la engendró,
y a las que también la cantan
buenas Pascuas las dé Dios!
" Tres a tres y una a una,
¡vaya, vaya de xácara, pues! "
5 Gloria [Missa Ego flos campi]
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
Gloria in exelssis Deo:
Et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis.*
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
adoramus te, glorificamus te,
gratias agimus tibi propter
magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus Rex caelestis
Deus Pater omnipotens,
Domine Fili unigenite
Iesu Christe.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Filius Patris
Qui tollis peccata mundi
miserere nobis,
qui tollis peccata mundi
suscipe deprecationem nostram,
qui sedes ad dexteram Patris
- miserere nobis. -
Quoniam tu solus sanctus,
tu solus Dominus,
tu solus altissimus, Iesu Christe
miserere nobis
cum sancto spiritu
in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
*Text in bold is repeated as a refrain
7 Xácara: A la xácara xacarilla
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
A la xácara xacarilla,
de buen garbo y lindo porte,
traigo por plato de corte
siendo pasto de la villa
a la xácara xacarilla.
Xacarilla de novedad,
novedad de novedades
aunque ha más de mil navidades
que alegra la navidad.
¡Vaya, vaya de xacarilla!,
que el altísimo se humilla,
¡vaya de xácara, vaya!
que amor pasa de raya,
¡vaya, vaya!
Coplas
Agora* que con la noche
se suspenden nuestras peñas
y a pagar culpas ajenas
nace un bello Benjamí,
si el Rey me escuchara a mí
¡oh qué bien cantara yo!
Como ninguno canto
del niño más prodigioso.
*Ahora
Con licençia de lo hermoso
rayos desenvaina ardientes.
Escúchenme los valientes
esta verdadera historia
que al fin se canta la gloria
y a él la cantan al naçer.
General se vió el plaçer
que el velo a la tierra envía.
Que en los ojos de María
madrugaba un claro sol;
con celestial arrebol
mostró la aurora más pura
muchos siglos de hermosura
en pocos años de edad.
Si no sol, era deidad,
y el sol es quien la ha vestido.
¡Vaya, vaya!
¿Quién como ella le ha tenido,
quién como ella le tendrá?
Virgen y Madre será
de él que es sin principio y fin;
Serrana, y más serafín
que serrana y que mujer,
porque Dios quiere naçer,
aperçibe su jornada.
La bella bien maridada,
de las más lindas que ví,
bien es que se diga aquí
de su esposo lo galante:
el más verdadero amante
y el más venturoso joven,
sin que los hielos la estorben
dentro de una Ave María.
Muerta de amores venía
la diosa de los amores;
salúdanla ruiseñores
y por madre de la vida
la daban la bienvenida
perla a perla y flor a flor.
A un portal los llevó amor,
y en la noche más helada.
¡Vaya, vaya!
Miran de sierra nevada
altos y encumbrados riscos.
En los grandes obeliscos
ya no hay piedra sobre piedra.
Escollo armado de hiedra,
yo te conoçí edifiçio.
Ya se miran por resquiçio
las glorias a manos llenas.
En un retrete que apenas
se divisan las paredes,
está para haçer merçedes,
que en su primer arrebol
dividido se vió el sol
en breve espaçio de çielo.
Su gloria puso en suelo
con la voluntad más viva.
Quien liberta descautiva,
quien roba la voluntad,
la Noche de Navidad
la tierra vió su alegría.
Al pie de una peña fría,
que es madre de perlas ya,
tierno sol mostrando está
opuesto al hielo y al aire.
¡Vaya, vaya!
Valentía en el donaire
y donaire en el mirar,
para empezar a pagar
de un criado obligaciones.
Bañando está las prisiones
con lágrimas que derrama.
Tiene de campo la cama,
del hielo puesto al rigor.
¡Ay verdades, que en amor
siempre fuisteis desgraçiadas
las promesas confirmadas!
El más tosco más se afila,
y a la gaita baila Gila
que tocaba Antón Pascual.
Dejémosle en el portal
con prinçipios de romançes.
Y pues no ha de haber más lançes
y mi xacarilla vuela,
acabóse y acabéla
que era de vidrio y quebréla.
Acabéla y acabóse,
que estaba al hielo y quebróse.
Acabóse y acabéla,
que estaba al hielo y quebréla.
¡Vaya, vaya de xacara, vaya!,
que amor pasa de raya
¡Vaya, vaya!
8 Credo [Missa Ego flos campi]
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
Credo in unum Deum:
Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae
- credo -
visibilium omnium et invisibilium,
et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum,
et ex Patre natum
ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum non factum,
consubstantialem Patri
per quem omnia facta sunt,
qui propter nos homines
et propter nostram salutem
descendit de caelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine
et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis
- credo -
sub Pontio Pilato,
passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die
secundum scripturas,
et ascendit in caelum,
sedet ad dexteram Patris,
et iterum venturus est cum gloria
iudicare vivos et mortuos:
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum
Dominum et vivificantem
- credo -
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit,
qui cum Patre et Filio
simul adoratur et conglorificatur,
qui locutus est per prophetas,
et unam sanctam catholicam.
et apostolicam ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma
in remissionem peccatorum,
et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum
et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
9 Cumbées
SANTIAGO DE MURCIA
El Cumbe... Paracumbe... Zarambe...
10 Negrilla A siolo flasiquiyo
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
¡A siolo flasiquiyo!
¿Qué manda siol Thome?
¿Tenemo tura trumenta
templarita cum cunsielta?
Sí siolo ven poté
avisa bosa misé
que sa lo molemo ya
cayendo de pularrisa
y muliendo pol baylá
llámalo llámalo aplisa
que a veniro lo branco ya
y lo niño aspelandosa
y se aleglalá ha-ha ha-ha
con lo zambamba ha-ha ha-ha
con lo guacambe con lo cascavé
Sí siñolo Thome
repicamo lo rrabe
ya la panderetiyo Anton
baylalemo lo neglo al son.
Responsión
Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú
y toquemo pasito querito
tumbucutú cutú cutú
no pantemo a lo niño sesú.
Coplas
Turu neglo de Guinea
que venimo combirará
A detlá e su criara
Munglavé con su liblea.
Y pluqué lo branco vea
quere branco nos selvimos
con vayal de un tamo plimo
y haleme a lo niño bú.
Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú.
De mérico y silujano
se vista Minguel aplisa
pues nos culase su clisa
las helilas con su mano
Bayle el canario y el villano
mas no pase pol detlás
de mula que da lasas
de toro que dira mú.
Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú.
Antoniyo con su sayo
que tluxó re pueltorrico
saldrá vestiro re mico
y Minguel de papangayo
Y quando yegue adorayo
al niño le dira así
si tu yo lamo pol mi
yo me aleglamo por tu.
Responsión: Tumbucutú... etc.
11 Sanctus [Missa Ego flos campi]
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dominus Deus sabaoth,
pleni sunt celi et terra
gloria tua,
Osanna in exelssis.
benedictus qui venit
in nomine Domini
Osanna in exelssis.
12 Marizápalos a lo humano: Marizápalos bajó una tarde
ANON. / TEXT M. LOPEZ DE HONRUBIAS, 1657
Marizápalos baxó una tarde
al verde Sotillo de Vaciamadrid,
porque entonces, pisándole ella,
no hubiese más Flandes que ver su país.
Estampando su breve chinela,
que tiene ventaja mayor que chapín,
por bordar con sus perlas las flores,
el raso del campo se hizo tabí.
Marizápalos era muchacha
y enamorada de Pedro Martín,
por sobrina del cura estimada,
la gala del pueblo, la flor del abril.
Al sotillo la bella rapaza
de su amartelado se dexó seguir,
y llevando su nombre en la boca,
toda su alegría se le volvió anís.
Al volver la cabeza la niña
fingió de repente el verle venir
y fue tanto su gusto y su risa,
que todo el recato se llevó tras sí.
Recibióle con rostro sereno
y, dándole luego su mano feliz,
aguardarle en la palma le ofrece
toda la victoria cifrada en jazmín.
Dijo Pedro, besando la nieve,
que ya por su causa miró derretir:
"En tus manos más valen dos blancas
que todo el Ochavo de Valladolid".
Merendaron los dos en la mesa
que puso la niña de su faldellín,
y Pedrico, mirándole verde,
comió con la salsa de su perejil.
Pretendiendo de su garabato
hurtar las pechugas, con salto sutil
respondió Marizápalos "¡Zape!",
llevando sus voces cariños de "¡Miz!"
Al ruido que hizo en las hojas
de las herraduras de cierto rocín,
el Adonis se puso en huida,
temiendo los dientes de algún jabalí.
Era el cura que al soto venía
y, si poco antes aportara allí,
como sabe gramática el cura,
¡pudiera cogerlos en el mal latín!
13 Marizápalos a lo divino: Serafín que con dulce harmonía
JOAN CEREROLS
Estribillo
Serafín, que con dulce harmonía
la Vida que nace requebrando estás;
cántale glorias mirándole en penas,
que amante y quejoso, su alivio es un ¡ay!
¡ay, ay, ay!
Coplas
Tan fragrantes, lucientes y bellas
en cielo y en tierra distantes se ven
las estrellas vestir de colores,
las flores brillar y las selvas arder.
En albergue, aunque pobre dichoso
en nuevos afectos se mira esta vez
una luna que alumbra el empíreo,
y un sol que de aljófar guarnece sus pies.
¡Ay, ay, ay!
En los brazos de alma más pura,
picado de amor un hermoso clavel
desabrocha el color encarnado
del nácar precioso que quiere verter.
¡Oh! mil veces dichosa la culpa,
en cuya sentencia ha llegado a tener
por descargo un tesoro infinito:
un Dios por padrino y un Niño por juez.
¡Ay, ay, ay!
Llora el sol y la aurora se alegra,
la pena y el gozo en sus ojos se ven;
que es afecto muy propio del alma
llorar y reír al amanecer.
Un jazmín entre espinas y abrojos
nos da testimonio en metáfora fiel,
que entre humanos y graves pesares
siempre hay escondido un divino placer.
¡Ay, ay, ay!
Hoy el hombre suspenso y absorto
ignora, cobarde, lo mismo que ve:
pues mirar tan divino lo humano
es cosa que apenas se puede entender.
Una noche de siglos tan largos
dobladas las luces habrá menester,
y por eso amanecen dos soles
que bañan de luz el portal de Belén.
Estribillo: Serafín... etc.
15 Agnus Dei [Missa Ego flos campi]
JUAN GUTIERREZ DE PADILLA
Agnus Dei
qui tollis peccata mundi
miserere nobis
qui tollis peccata mundi
dona nobis pacem.
16 Guaracha Convidando está la noche
JUAN GARCIA DE ZESPEDES
Convidando está la noche
aquí de músicas varias
Al recién nacido infante
canten tiernas alabanzas
Alegres cuando festivas
unas hermosas zagales
Con novedad entonaron
juguetes por la guaracha.
Coplas
¡Ay, que me abraso, ay! divino dueño, ay!
en la hermosura, ay! de tus ojuelos, ¡ay!
¡Ay, cómo llueven, ay! ciento luceros, ay!
rayos de gloria, ay! rayos de fuego, ¡ay!
¡Ay, que la gloria, ay! del portaliño, ay!
ya viste rayos, ay! si arroja hielos, ¡ay!
¡Ay, que su madre, ay! como en su espero, ay!
mira en su lucencia, ay! sus crecimientos, ¡ay!
¡En la guaracha, ay! le festinemos, ay!
mientras el niño, ay! se rinde al sueño, ¡ay!
¡Toquen y bailen, ay! porque tenemos, ay!
fuego en la nieve, ay! nieve en el fuego, ¡ay!
¡Pero el chicote, ay! a un mismo tiempo, ay!
llora y se ríe, ay! qué dos extremos, ¡ay!
¡Paz a los hombres, ay! dan de los cielos, ay!
a Dios las gracias, ay! porque callemos, ¡ay!
Spanish texts translated and edited by Jack Sage © 2002 harmonia mundi usa
1 Villancico Canten dos jilguerillos
Two little goldfinches are singing
to the infant sun,
that the little birds
may lull the child Jesus to sleep.
Sing softly,
for tonight from heaven
their notes do come.
Stanza
Tonight indeed is called
Christmas Eve:
for all an evening of enjoyment,
of relish, of glory
- and farewell to pain.
Two little goldfinches are singing... etc.
2 Kirie [Missa Ego flos campi]
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy.
3 Xácara Los que fueren de buen gusto
Introduction
'All those who have good taste,
listen to the nice new xácara
I'm going to sing in Bethlehem.'
'A jaunty style and voice are always needed,
so I'll sing it too.'
'What's all this, what's all this?'
'I'm the one to do it,
because I know how to.'
'What's all this, what's all this?'
'Come on, let's stop shouting
and let's sing all three of us together.'
'Three by three and one by one,
on to the xácara, then!'
Stanzas
In the Moon Inn
next to the Gate of the Sun,
a young girl brought down from heaven
a star to us on earth.
So as to become the suitor of souls
the Word of God was born to the freezing world,
which took him with grace
but with little warmth.
Doubtless the divine Giant
willed his birth that he might die of love,
for when he hides his face
he opens up his heart to me.
Being one of the Trinity
he came down for our redemption.
He entered unto Holy Mary
and so became our Holy Saviour.
'Three by three and one by one,
on to the xácara, then!'
He settled into a snowy cradle,
for there is nothing new, given his love,
in the spirit of God
being borne along by water.
The sovereign Cupid was wounded
by the arrow from the moment of birth,
for a dart wounds flesh
more readily when naked.
He came to slay death,
spurred on by love's
having dealt him a mortal blow,
and 'twas because he was incarnated.
That the gates [of Bethlehem] did not fall down
is one of God's miracles.
Well may the Giant remark
that today he has been born.
'Three by three and one by one,
on to the xácara, then!'
He goes about forgiving our lives,
prized greatly as a lion,
yet tears are brought to his eyes
by the poorest sinner.
His birth on the battlefield
is proof of his valour,
and to encounter him hand to hand
is a matter for the confessional.
Like Herod he wields a bloody blade,
seeking, in the name of the Lord,
to suppress evil thinking
within his kingdom on earth.
Hurrah for our little xácara
and for the father who begot it,
and as for those who sing it,
may God grant them a happy Christmas!
'Three by three and one by one,
on to the xácara, then!'
5 Gloria [Missa Ego flos campi]
Glory be to God on high:
And in earth peace,
goodwill towards men.*
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee, we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee
for thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King,
God the Father almighty,
O Lord the only-begotten Son
Jesu Christ,
O Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father
That takest away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father
- have mercy upon us. -
For thou only art holy,
thou only art the Lord,
thou only O Christ, art most high
have mercy upon us
with the Holy Ghost
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
7 Xácara: A la xácara xacarilla
For my jaunty little xácara,
all neat and natty,
I've brought instead of a courtly dish
plain food from the village,
for my jaunty little xácara.
For my jaunty little xácara,
novelty of novelties
even though for countless Christmases
the xácara has been enlivening the fiesta.
On with the xácara,
for the Lord on high has come in humility,
On, on with the xácara,
for love knows no bounds.
Go on, go on!
Stanzas
Now that with nightfall
our suffering has abated
and, to pay for the faults of others,
a lovely Benjamin has been born,
if only our King would listen to me,
oh how well I'd sing!
No one can sing as I do
of that most prodigious child.
With the assent of beauty on high
he unsheathes burning shafts.
Hear me all who are valiant
recount this true story
which in the end sings of glory,
the glory sung to him at birth.
Widespread rejoicing greeted
the devotional veil he brought to earth.
For in the eyes of Mary
dawned a bright sun;
in a celestial glow
the purest of dawns revealed
many centuries of beauty
in but a few years of age.
If not the sun, a goddess she was
and the sun it was who clothed her.
Go on, go on!
Who like Mary has borne him,
who like her will ever bear him?
Virgin and mother will she ever be
of him who has no beginning and no end.
Shepherdess - yet more seraphim
than shepherdess or woman,
since God wills the birth,
she gets ready for the journey.
This beautiful, happily married maid,
one of the loveliest I've ever seen,
'tis well one speaks also
of her husband's gallantry:
the truest of lovers
and the happiest of youths,
shielding her from any iciness
within a Hail Mary.
Dying of love came
the goddess of love;
nightingales greet her,
welcoming her
as the mother of life
on every pearly dewdrop, every flower.
Love led them to the gate of Bethlehem,
through the iciest of nights.
Go on, go on!
From a snow-capped ridge they look upon
lofty and jagged crags.
The great obelisks
no longer rise up stone upon stone.
Ruins shielded by ivy,
I knew you once as a building.
Now only through cracks can one see
the glories once copiously displayed.
In a dark refuge where
scarcely one can descry the walls,
she rests ready to grant favours,
for in its glow on rising
the sun peeped up divided
within a small area of sky.
His glory was brought to our earth
with his most fervent assent.
She who, unshackled, offers freedom,
she who wins over hearts and minds,
on Christmas Eve
was seen by us on earth rejoicing.
At the foot of a cold rock,
now mother-of-pearl,
she reveals a tender sun
confronting ice and wind.
Go on, go on!
Valour in gallantry
and gallantry in his gaze,
as he begins to repay
the obligations of being fostered.
He bathes his shackles
with tears he sheds.
For a bed he has the countryside,
freezing in the extreme.
Alas! truths spoken in love,
ever hapless were
your firm promises!
The rudest peasant smartens up most,
and Gila dances to the bagpipe
played by Antón Pascual.
Let's leave him now at the gate
with our medley of ballad opening lines.
And since there'll be no more incidents
and my xácara has taken flight,
it's all finished and I've finished with it,
because 'twas made of glass and I broke it.
I've finished with it and it's all finished,
because 'twas frozen and it broke.
It's all finished and I've finished with it,
because 'twas frozen and I broke it.
On, on with the xácara,
for love knows no bounds.
Go on, go on!
8 Credo [Missa Ego flos campi]
I believe in one God:
The Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
- I believe -
in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of his Father
before all worlds.
God of God, light of light,
very God of very God,
begotten not made,
being of one substance with the Father
by whom all things were made,
Who for us men
and for our salvation
came down from heaven.
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
And was crucified also for us
- I believe -
under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day he rose again,
according to the scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sitteth at the right hand of the Father
And He shall come again with glory
to judge both the quick and the dead:
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe
in the Holy Ghost,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
together is worshipped and glorified.
Who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic
and apostolic church.
I acknowledge one baptism
for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen
9 Cumbées
El Cumbe... Paracumbe... Zarambe...
10 Negrilla A siolo flasiquiyo
'Ah, Mr Francisco!'
'At your command, Mr Tomás!'
'Do we have all the instruments
tuned up together?'
'Yes sir, you could well
tell your lady
that the dark-skinned folk are about to appear,
falling about with laughter
and dying to start dancing.'
'Call them out right away,
for the White One has come now
- the resplendent Child -
and he will rejoice, ha ha ha ha!,
with the zambomba*, ha ha ha ha!,
with guacambe-dancing and bell-ringing.'
'Yes, Mr Tomás,
we'll strum the rebec
and Antón jingling the tambourine,
all we black people will dance to their sounds.'
* friction drum
Response
Toomboocootoo...
and let's play gently, softly,
toomboocootoo...,
lest we disturb baby Jesus.
Stanzas
All of us, blacks from Guinea,
have come and we'll invite
Andrea and her maid,
and Mongrave in his livery.
And so that the White One may see
we love white, we'll dress
in fine, fleecy white cotton
and give the babe a bit of a scare.
Toomboocootoo.
Let Miguel dress up quickly
as a doctor-surgeon,
so the knife in his hand
may heal our wounds.
Dance the canario and the villano,
but don't step behind
a mule that kicks out,
nor a bull that goes moo.
Toomboocootoo.
Antonio, wearing the smock
he brought from Puerto Rico,
will come out dressed as a monkey,
and Miguel as a parrot.
And when he goes up to adore
the babe he'll say to him:
'if you cry for me,
I'll be made happy by you.'
Response: Toomboocootoo... etc.
11 Sanctus [Missa Ego flos campi]
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full
of thy glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord,
Hosanna in the highest.
12 Marizápalos a lo humano: Marizápalos bajó una tarde
Marizápalos went down one evening
to lush Vaciamadrid Grove,
that, setting her foot upon it,
the meadow might flourish beyond all compare.
As she stepped with her dainty slipper,
finer by far than cork-soled clog,
seeking to embroider its flowers with pearls,
the meadow turned its satin into watered silk.
Marizápalos was a lass
in love with Pedro Martín,
esteemed because she was the priest's niece,
the toast of the town, the flower of Spring.
Into the grove the lovely girl
allowed her lovesick swain to pursue her,
and when he brought her name to his lips
her joy was flavoured with sweetness.
Turning her head towards him,
she pretended only then to notice him;
so great was her delight and laughter
that all caution was thrown to the winds.
She welcomed him with a serene smile
and, holding out straightway a happy hand,
offered him unconditional surrender
in her jasmine-scented palm.
Said Pedro, kissing that snowy-white skin
as it melted under his gaze:
"In your hands two blancas * are worth
all the ochavos ** in Valladolid."
* small coins ** large coins
The couple picnicked on a table
made by our young girl from her petticoat,
and young Pedro, seeing how fresh her fare was,
devoured it with his own parsley sauce.
As his twitching hands
sought out her breasts, with a sly little start
Marizápalos cried 'Shoo!'
in a loving tone of voice more like 'Pussy!'
Hearing the sound of horse-hoofs
rustling the fallen leaves,
our Adonis took to his heels,
fearing the tusks of some boar or other.
'Twas the priest on his way to the grove
and if he had come onto the scene a little earlier,
knowing grammar as he did,
he would have caught them out using bad Latin!
13 Marizápalos a lo divino: Serafín que con dulce harmonía
Refrain
Seraphim, you who with sweet harmony
are paying court to the new-born Life,
sing of glory to him as you watch him suffer,
for, in his love, his sole comfort is a sigh.
Ah, ah, ah!
Stanzas
From afar in heaven and earth,
fragrant, gleaming and beautiful,
the stars seem to be bedecked with colours,
the flowers seem to gleam and the woodlands sparkle.
In a stable, blessed though poor,
now shine with renewed affection
a moon lighting up the heavens
and a sun embellishing his feet.
Ah, ah, ah!
In the arms of the purest of souls
a beautiful carnation touched by love
reveals the crimson colour
of the pearly drops it sheds.
Oh, a thousand times fortunate is original sin
since the sentence it was given has now received
a discharge through an infinite treasure:
God as godfather and a Son as judge.
Ah, ah, ah!
The sun weeps and the dawn rejoices,
pain and joy can be seen in their eyes,
for weeping and laughing are emotions
proper for the spirit.
A jasmine amidst the thorns and thistles
is a faithful metaphor that bears
witness for us that amidst the grave cares of human life
there always lies hidden a divine delight.
Ah, ah, ah!
Today man, amazed and spell-bound,
fails to grasp what with his very eyes he can see;
for the sight of humanity made so divine
is something which almost passes understanding.
A night of time so infinite
must needs have twice as many lights,
and so two suns rise
to bathe the gate of Bethlehem in light.
Refrain: Seraphim... etc.
15 Agnus Dei [Missa Ego flos campi]
O Lamb of God
that takest away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
grant us thy peace.
16 Guaracha Convidando está la noche
Night-time was an invitation
for various bands
to sing tender, joyful hymns
to the new-born babe,
whereupon some lovely, festive girls
intoned novel
comic interludes as
the guaracha was being danced.
Stanzas
Ah, how I burn, divine master,
in the beauty of your little eyes!
Ah, how a hundred stars pour down
rays of glory, rays of fire!
Ah, how the glory of the little gate [of Bethlehem]
is bathed in sunlight even as it shoots out icy shafts!
Ah, how his mother, as if in hope,
watches him grow in the light he creates!
Let us toast the child with our guaracha
while he goes to sleep!
Let them play and dance, because we have
fire in the snow, snow in the fire!
But the little fellow at one and the same time
cries and laughs, what two extremes!
Peace from heaven to all men is given;
let all give thanks to God, that we now may be silent!
Spanish texts translated and edited by Jack Sage
Translations of Latin Mass taken from the Book of Common Prayer
