| C’est une histoire d’un Bey de Tunis
| It's a story of a Bey from Tunis
|
| Qui avait engagéàson service
| who had engaged in his service
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| Un petit groom, mais l’enfant
| A small groom, but the child
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| Demeurait tout tremblant
| remained trembling
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| Devant la mère du palais,
| Before the mother of the palace,
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| Une bonne vieille qui voulait
| A good old woman who wanted
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| Que tout marche et disait: «Mon garçon,
| Let everything walk and say, "Boy,
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| Écoute bien cette leçon.
| Listen carefully to this lesson.
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| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
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| Obé, obéis au Bey.
| Obey, obey the Bey.
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| Il ne faut pas devant le Bey rester comme ça bouche bée.
| You shouldn't stay in front of the Bey like that with your mouth open.
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| Il faut écouter, mon petit,
| You have to listen, my little one,
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| Ce que le Bey dit,
| What the Bey says,
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| Ce que le Bey dit.
| What the Bey says.
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| Oui. | Yes. |
| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
|
| Obéis au Bey.
| Obey the Bey.
|
| Obé, obéis au Bey.
| Obey, obey the Bey.
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| Au Bey obéis,
| To the Bey obey,
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| Au Bey obéis
| Au Bey obey
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| Et fais bien tout ce qu’il te dit.
| And do well whatever he tells you.
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| Il ne faut pas, devant le Bey,
| One must not, in front of the Bey,
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| Saluer les Abbés
| Greet the Abbots
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| Car si j’en crois ce qu’on m’a dit de lui,
| For if I believe what I have been told of him,
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| Il est athée le Bey.
| He is an atheist the Bey.
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| Eh bé!»
| Well!”
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| Ceci dit,
| That said,
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| Le gentil petit sidi
| The nice little sidi
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| Fit au mieux son service midi minuit.
| Did his noon midnight shift as best he could.
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| Il grandit au palais
| He grew up in the palace
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| Et devint pas trop laid,
| And didn't get too ugly,
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| Puis il s’amouracha
| Then he fell in love
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| De la fille d’un pacha.
| From a pasha's daughter.
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| Il se maria, tout ça, grâce aux conseils
| He married, all thanks to advice
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| De la charmante bonne vieille
| From the charming good old woman
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| (Qui disait dans le temps):
| (Who once said):
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| «Obéis au Bey,
| "Obey the Bey,
|
| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
|
| Obé, obéis au Bey.
| Obey, obey the Bey.
|
| Au Bey obéis,
| To the Bey obey,
|
| Au Bey obéis,
| To the Bey obey,
|
| Obé, obéis au Bey.
| Obey, obey the Bey.
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| Il ne faut pas, devant le Bey,
| One must not, in front of the Bey,
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| Ouvrir en grand la baie.
| Open the bay wide.
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| Il ne faut pas, j’espère que tu me crois,
| Don't, I hope you believe me,
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| Que le Bey ait froid,
| May the Bey be cold,
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| Que le Bey ait froid.
| May the Bey be cold.
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| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
|
| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
|
| Au Bey obéis,
| To the Bey obey,
|
| Au Bey obéis,
| To the Bey obey,
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| Et fais bien tout ce qu’il te dit.»
| And do well whatever he tells you."
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| A présent, il n’y a plus de Bey
| Now there's no more Bey
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| Mais deux gros bébés
| But two big babies
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| Qu’en bon papa il fait sauter
| That like a good dad he blows up
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| Sur ses deux genoux
| On both knees
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| Mous.
| Soft.
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| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
|
| Obéis au Bey,
| Obey the Bey,
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| Au Bey obéis.
| Au Bey obey.
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| Ah! | Ah! |
| Ah! | Ah! |