Riu Chiu - 16th Century Spanish Villancico

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 10 May 2006, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

Refrain: NIGHT BIRD SING
WHILE RIVER BANK PROTECT+.
LIKE GOD PREVENT WOLF
HURT OUR LAMB.

WOLF DROOL-TO BITE LAMB
BUT GOD ALMIGHTY GOOD-AT PROTECT+.
HE-rt,hi WANT MAKE FEMALE NOT NEED SIN.
MARY BORN WITHOUT ADAM HIS-lf SIN. Refrain

BABY RECENT BORN, KING HEAVEN
CHRIST BECOME HUMAN BORN WITH FLESH.
HE-lf,hi BECOME BABY, PAY-OFF OUR SIN DEBT.
HIMSELF-lf,hi ACCEPT LIMIT, GOD NATURE SET-ASIDE. Refrain

MANY PROPHET ANNOUNCE HE-lf,hi ARRIVE.
NOW WE SEE PREDICT SUCCEED.
GOD BECOME MAN, WE FINISH WITNESS.
NOW PEOPLE LIVE HEAVEN BECAUSE HE-lf,hi WANT THAT. Refrain

ONE THOUSAND WATER BIRD ME SEE FLY.
FROM SKY ONE THOUSAND VOICE ANNOUNCE,
"HEAVEN HAVE GLORY AND EARTH HAVE PEACE.
WHY? JESUS FINISH BORN." Refrain

ARRIVE FOR-FOR? ALLOW DEAD LIVE.
ARRIVE FOR-FOR? PAY-OFF OUR SIN DEBT.
THIS-lf C-H-I-L-D BRING US NEW LIGHT.
HIMSELF-lf LAMB GOSPEL EXPLAIN. Refrain

NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE WANT.
COME-ON GROUP-GO-lf alt.GIFT-TO-rt HIM-lf.
BEST GIFT WHAT? FOLLOW GOD HIS-rt,hi WILL.
HE-lf,hi COME EARTH LEARN WHAT WE EXPERIENCE. Refrain


Notes: DROOL-TO - [4], PO > NDS, FO UP, strokes from corner of mouth down.

BITE - Grab [Bb], PO down, FO away, with teeth of [C].

ALMIGHTY - COMPLETE POWERFUL, that is, (2h)[B^], DH circles around and lands in the palm of NDH, PO up, FO > DS + FT of [C] strike biceps and immediately pull away. For a QuickTime file of COMPLETE, see ASL Pro: Whole.

GOOD-AT - Strike chin with [F], PO > signer, FO > NDS.

HE - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

SIN - (2h)[X] touch their respective sides of the mouth, descend to neutral space and circle antisymmetrically parallel to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Sin.

MARY - [M] touches NDS temple, is drawn across forehead, and descends. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Mary - 1.

ADAM - [A] taps DS temple with thumb tip 2x.

PAY-OFF - [open 8] runs middle finger up palm (> wrist), changes to a [B], PO down, and then moves back across palm.

SET-ASIDE - (2h)[B], POs > DS, with DH higher, palms are pressed against imaginary wall that is pushed to one side.

WITNESS - [1] touches under eye while head moves down.

GLORY - (2h)[5], POs><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.

GOSPEL - G-NEW. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Gospel - 2.

COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

GROUP-GO-lf - (2h)[C], POs ><, FT touch, and both hands move together > left.

alt.GIFT-TO-rt - (2h)[X], POs ><, FOs > the recipents.

WILL - WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.

Lyrics:

Original (translation below)

Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu
La guarda ribera
Dios guarde el lobo
De nuestra cordera.

El lobo rabioso la quiso morder,
Mas Dios poderoso la supo defender;
Quisole hazer que no pudiesse pecar,
Ni aun original esta Virgen no tuviera.
Refrain

Este qu'es nascido es el gran monarca,
Cristo patriarca de carne vestido;
Hanos redimido con se hazer chiquito,
Aunqu'era infinito, finito se hizera.
Refrain

Muchas profecias lo han profetizado,
Y aun en nuestros dias lo hemos alcancado.
A Dios humanado vemos en el suelo
Y al hombre nel cielo porqu'er le quisiera.
Refrain

Yo vi mil Garzones que andavan cantando,
Por aqui bolando, haciendo mil sones,
Diziendo a gascones Gloria sea en el cielo,
Y paz en el suelo qu'es Jesus nascieta.
Refrain

Este viene a dar a los muertos vida
Y viene a reparar de todos la caida;
Es la luz del dia aqueste mocuelo;
Este es el cordero que San Juan dixera.
Refrain

Pues que ya tenemos lo que desseamos,
Todos juntos vamos presentes llevemos;
Todos le daremos nuestra voluntad,
Pues a se igualar con el hombre viniera.
Refrain

English translation

Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu (nightingale's sounds)
The river bank protects it,
As God kept the wolf
from our lamb.

The rabid wolf tried to bite her,
But God Almighty knew how to defend her,
He wished to create her impervious to sin,
Nor was this maid to embody original sin.
Refrain

The newborn child is the mightiest monarch,
Christ patriarchal invested with flesh.
He made himself small and so redeemed us:
He who was infinite became finite.
Refrain

Many prophecies told of his coming,
And now in our days have we seen them fulfilled.
God became man, on earth we behold him,
And see man in heaven because he so willed.
Refrain

A thousand singing herons I saw passing,
Flying overhead, sounding a thousand voices,
Exhulting, "Glory be in the heavens,
and peace on Earth, for Jesus has been born."
Refrain

He comes to give life to the dead,
He comes to redeem the fall of man;
This child is the light of day,
He is the very lamb Saint John prophecied.
Refrain

Now we have gotten what we were all desiring,
Go we together to bear him gifts:
Let each give his will to the God who was willing
To come down to Earth man's equal to be.
Refrain

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a performance of this song, go to Riu, Riu, Chiu.

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