Perhaps known as the first Canadian Christmas carol, this tune was probably first sung in 1641. But its history is more complex than you may think.
Courtesy of John Steckly and Leslie Rejminiak.
e - like 'eh' 8 = 'w' before vowel 'u' before consonant i - like 'ee' in 'freeze', = 'y' a - like 'ah' th = t followed by an aspiration on - as in the French word 'bon' en - as in the French word 'chien' an - as in the French word 'viande' Accents tend to fall on the 2nd last syllable
Iesous Ahatonnia (ee-sus a-ha-ton-nyah= Jesus, he is born)
Estennia,on de tson8e Ies8s ahatonnia eh-sten-nyah-yon deh tson-weh ee-sus a-ha-ton-nyah
Have courage, you who are humans, Jesus, he is born
Onn'a8ate8a d'oki n'on,8andask8aentak on-nah-wah-teh-wah do-kee non-ywah-ndah-skwa-en-tak
Behold, the spirit who had us as prisoners has fled
Ennonchien sk8atrihotat n'on,8andi,onrachatha en-non-shyen skwah-tree-hotat non-ywa-ndee-yon-rah-shah-thah
Do not listen to it, as it corrupts our minds
Iesus ahatonnia
A,oki onkinnhache eronhia,eronnon ayo-kee on-kee-nhah-sheh eh-ron-hya-yeh-ron-non
They are spirits, coming with a message for us, the sky people
iontonk ontatiande ndio sen tsatonnharonnion yon-tonk on-tah-tya-ndeh ndyo sen tsah-ton-nha-ron-nyon
they are coming to say, "Rejoice" (ie., be on top of life)
8arie onna8ak8eton ndio sen tsatonnharonnion wah-ree on-nah-wah-kweh-ton ndyo sen tsah ton-nha-ron-nyon
"Marie, she has just given birth. Rejoice."
Ies8s ahatonnia
Achink ontahonrask8a d'hatirih8annens a-shien-k on-tah-hon-rah-skwah dhah-tee-ree-hwan-nens
Three have left for such a place, those who are elders
Tichion ha,onniondetha onh8a achia ahatren tee-shyon ha-yon-nyon-deh-tha on-hwah a-shya ah-hah-tren
A star that has just appeared over the horizon leads them there
Ondaiete hahahak8a tichion ha,onniondetha on-dee teh-hah-hah-hah-kwah tee-shyon ha-yon-nyon-deh-tha
He will seize the path, he who leads them there
Ies8s ahatonnia
Tho ichien stahation tethotondi Ies8s thoh ee-shyen stah-hah-tyon teh-tho-ton-ndee ee-sus
As they arrived there, where he was born, Jesus
ahoatatende tichion stan chi teha8ennion ah-ho-a-tah-ten-nde tyee-shyon stan shee teh-hah-wen-nyon
the star was at the point of stopping, he was not far past it
Aha,onatorenten iatonk atsion sken a-hah-yon-ah-to-ren-ten yah-tonk ah-tsyon sken
Having found someone for them, he says, "Come here"
Ies8s ahatonnia
Onne ontahation chiahona,en Ies8s on-nen on-tah-hah-tyon shyah-hon-ah-yen ee-sus
Behold, they have arrived there and have seen Jesus
Ahatichiennonniannon kahachia handia,on ah-hah-tee-shyen-non-nyan-non kah-hah-shyah hah-ndyah-yon
They praised (made a name) many times, saying "Hurray, he is good in nature"
Te honannonronk8annnion ihontonk oerisen teh-hon-an-non-ron-kwan-nyon ee-hon-tonk o-eh-ree-sen
They greeted him with reverence, saying "Hurray"
Iesus ahatonnia
Te hek8atatennonten ahek8achiendaen teh-heh-kwah-tah-ten-non-ten ah-heh-kwah-shyen-ndah-en
"We will give to him praise for his name"
Te hek8annonronk8annion de son,8entenrande teh-heh-kwan-non-ron-kwan-nyon deh son-ywen-ten-ran-ndeh
"Let us show reverence for him as he comes to be compassionate to us."
8to,eti sk8annonh8e ichierhe akennonhonstha u-to-yeh-tee skwan-non-hweh ee-shyeh-rheh ah-keh-non-hon-sthah
"It is providential that you love us and wish, "I should adopt them."
Ies8s ahatonnia
The song was sung for many years in the Huron Wendat language to a French tune, “Une Jeune Pucelle” (“A Young Maid”), before being translated into French and then into English. The words were written by Father Jean de Brébeuf, a missionary who worked among the Hurons in the 1600's in what is now part of Ontario. Brébeuf wrote the lyrics in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people.
The English lyrics were written in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton. Of note is the nearly complete absence of reference from the original text, and the number of errors made in present Indigenous references, sparking controversy.
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