Es el gran Monarcha,
Christo patriarca
De carne vestido;
Ha nos redimido
Con se hazer chiquito:
Aunque era infinito
La guarda ribera
Dios guardo el lobo
De nuestra cordera.
Translation
Copyright notice: The following translation is a unique work and is the result of years my own labors, countless hours of research and knowledge of etymology, literature, history and language. While the copyrights to the song's music, original arrangement and lyrics are in the public domain, I DO own the copyrights to my translation. You are welcome to share this translation by directing others to this page. However, you may not publish, perform, record, broadcast, reprint, distribute or reuse my translation, in full or in part, in any form, by any means or media.
Chorus
If you've read that the title line in the chorus "riu riu chiu" translates to "river, roaring river," you've read an English language version of the song that is either a mistranslation or a rewrite for the English tongue. It is neither an accurate literal nor contextual translation. The mistranslation or rewrite of that line is probably based on the use of the word "ribera" in the second line. " Ribera" means "river bank." The phrase "Riu riu chiu!" is a shouted cry or exclamation that, at the time this song was written, was used exclusively by Spanish shepherds to keep predators away from their flocks. (We might shout, "Scat!" "Git!" or "Shoo!" to chase off an animal, today.) Given the similarity in pronunciation as well as in meaning, it is quite possible that, over time, the phrase was shortened to just "Chiu" and later evolved into our modern "Shoo!"
Bearing this knowledge in mind, the correct literal translation for the chorus is:
The shepherd's cry of "Shoo!"
Guards the riverside
(as) God kept the wolf
From our pregnant ewe*
Note: The word "cordera" refers specifically to a pregnant ewe that is full term and very close to lambing.. The literal translation of lines in the second verse that refer to Christ's birth or to Christ's time on Earth, is in mixed tense: future tense (the child is about to be born) and past tense (the child's birth has already occured.) The literal translation makes no sense, so only one or the other is correct. On this page, I will show the translation in future tense, since the child is not yet born in the chorus. However, it should be noted that it is equally possible that the author intended past tense.
Bearing in mind the biblical "lamb of God" metaphor that inspired the verse, it is obvious that the wolf is a metaphor for Satan and the ewe is a metaphor for the Virgin Mary. Thus, the correct contextual translation would be:
"As shepherds, who tend their flocks by the riverside,
Cry "Shoo!" to keep the wolves away,
So too did God keep Satan away from Mary."
First Verse
El lobo rabioso The wolf, raging
La quiso morder, Wanted (or tried) to bite her
Mas Dios poderoso But God, more powerful,
La supo defender; Knew (how) to defend her
Quisole hazer que He wanted to make her
No pudiesse pecar, Incapable of (or untouchable by) sin
Ni aun original Not only original (sin)
Esta Virgen no tuviera. Which, as a virgin, she did not have.
Second Verse
Este ques naçido He will be born
Es el gran Monarcha, A great king
Christo patriarca The father Christ
De carne vestido; Clothed in flesh
Ha nos redimido He will redeem us
Con se hazer chiquito: By becoming a child
Aunque era infinito Although he is immortal (literally - infinite)
Finito se hiziera. He makes himself mortal (literally - finite)
Additional verses that are not included in the Monkees rendition:
Muchas profecias
Lo han profetizado;
Y aun en nuestros dias
Lo hemos alcançado.
A Dios humanado
Vemos en el suelo
Y al hombre en el cielo
Porque el le quisiera.
Puer que ya tenemos
Lo que deseamos,
Todos juntos vamos,
Presentes llevemos;
Todos le daremos
Nuestra voluntad,
Pues a se igualar
Con el hombre viniera
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.