A la xacara xacarilla - Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla

A la xacara xacarilla, Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (c. 1590-1664), sung by Krewe de Voix, Paul Weber, director, in a live performance sponsored by The Historic New Orleans Collection on December 15, 2022 at St. Louis Cathedral.

To this dance-feast and song-fest,
though it be but village fare
I bring my song with style and flair
as if a platter of the best.
To the dance that tells a tale,
what’s happening, the latest hit:
against a thousand songs to praise
the Birth, this is the best of all.
Tell the tale, tell it, then:
that the Most High became most low!
tell this story in dance and song,
that Love exceeded nature’s bounds.

1 For now and always, on this night
all that’s wrong is held at bay;
and to set right others’ wrongs
a child of grace is born to us.
If my voice could reach this king,
O! how well I’d sing a song
like no song ever sung before
in praise of this wondrous child!

2 With permission of the muses—
Here’s a song whose tale is true;
like burning rays its message hits you.
Listen up, kids—I mean you!
At last a praise-song of a hero
whose praise began when he was born.
Everybody danced for joy
on seeing him on earth that morn.

3 Reflected in María’s eyes
a brilliant sun begins to rise,
sending fire throughout her heavens
to reveal a dawn beyond all dawns
with the beauty of the ages
in her but few years of age,
For this sun that so adorns her
is the Godhead Sun himself.
To this dance-feast and song-fest...

4 Who like her ever had such beauty?
who like her could ever have it?
Maid, yet mother she will be
of Him without beginning or end.
Mountain-maid, yet more an angel
than maiden, or any woman,
for God now chooses to be born,
and through her womb prepares his path.

5 That beautiful girl—and I’ve seen beauties!
she married well, I’ll tell you that.
The one she married, what a guy!
A gentleman, a real lover,
He does whatever it takes, and then some,
to take good care of her. Ice and snow
won’t slow him down longer than
it takes to say a Hail Mary.

6 Dying now of love she comes,
goddess of love, and lover of God;
the nightingales sing her welcome
and greet her, as is right they should
to the mother of Life itself—
pearl to Pearl, and flower to Flower.
To a lowly stable love guides them,
and on the coldest night of nights.
To this dance-feast and song-fest...

7 Jagged rocks and lofty crags
look down from the snow-capped Sierra;
on those obelisks of nature
there’s not a stone upon a stone.
Shelf of rock enframed in ivy—
yet I know you as a temple!
For on these early-morning visits
glory shines on us in plenty.

8 In an alcove-space, where hardly
can you see a wall, he lies there,
gently working tender mercies.
In his First-dawn morning glow
the Sun begins to shine upon
this tiny piece of heaven,
brings his glory to us on earth
with a heart aflame with love.
12 And now at last there are no more verses,
and my jacarilla goes its way.
It comes to its end, so let it end!
It was but glass, so let it break!
End it now, and it is ended,
For it was but of ice that shatters.
It’s at an end, so wrap it up!
it was of ice, so break it up!