Dominique – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Sœur Sourire

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

Back in the days when John Lackland

In England was king

Our father Dominique

Fought the Albigensians

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

One day, a heretic

Led him through thorns

But our father Dominique,

Converted him with joy

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

Neither camel nor coach

He travels Europe on foot

Scandinavia or Provence

In holy poverty

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

He ignited every school

Girls and boys full of zeal

And to spread the Word

He founded the Friars Preachers

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

At Dominique’s and his brothers’

Bread began to run out

And two angels appeared

Carrying great golden loaves

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

Dominique saw in a dream

Preachers from all over the world

Beneath the Virgin’s mantle

Gathered in great numbers

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

Dominique, my good father

Keep us simple and happy

To tell our brothers

Of Life and Truth

Dominique, nique, nique

Just walking along simply

Poor street singer singing

On every road, everywhere

He only speaks of God

He only speaks of God

...

[French]

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

À l'époque ou Jean-sans-Terre

D'Angleterre était le roi

Dominique, notre père

Combattit les Albigeois

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Certain jour, un hérétique

Par des ronces le conduit

Mais notre père Dominique,

Par sa joie le convertit

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Ni chameau, ni diligence

Il parcourt l'Europe à pied

Scandinavie ou Provence

Dans la sainte pauvreté

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Enflamma de toute école

Filles et garçons pleins d'ardeur

Et pour semer la Parole

Inventa les Frères-Prêcheurs

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Chez Dominique et ses frères

Le pain s'en vint à manquer

Et deux anges se présentèrent

Portant de grands pains dorés

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Dominique vit en rêve

Les prêcheurs du monde entier

Sous le manteau de la Vierge

En grand nombre rassemblés

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Dominique, mon bon père

Garde-nous simples et gais

Pour annoncer à nos frères

La Vie et la Verité

Dominique, nique, nique

S'en allait tout simplement

Routier pauvre et chantant

En tous chemins, en tous lieux

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dominique /dɔ.mi.nɪk/ A2	noun - a male name; in context, refers to Saint Dominic
routier /ʁu.tje/ B1	noun - a traveler or roving person, especially a monk or friar in historical context
chantant /ʃɑ̃.tɑ̃/ A2	adjective - singing
chemins /ʃɥmɛ̃/ A2	noun - paths, ways
lieux /lø/ A2	noun - places
parler /paʁ.le/ A1	verb - to speak
bon Dieu /bɔ̃ dø/ A2	noun - God
père /pɛʁ/ A1	noun - father
combattit /kɔ̃.ba.ti/ B2	verb - fought
albigeois /al.bi.ʒwa/ C1	noun - Albigensians, a medieval Christian religious group in southern France
herétique /ɛʁɛ.tik/ B2	noun/adjective - heretic; pertaining to heresy
convertit /kɔ̃.vɛʁ.ti/ B2	verb - converted, baptized
diligence /di.li.ʒɑ̃s/ B1	noun - carriage or vehicle; diligence (historical context)
parcourir /paʁ.ku.ʁiʁ/ B1	verb - to travel over; to traverse
paix /pɛs/ A2	noun - peace
espoir /ɛs.pwaʁ/ B1	noun - hope

Key Grammar Structures

• Dominique, nique, nique

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of "Dominique, nique, nique" is used for rhythmic and mnemonic purposes, making the song catchy and memorable. It's a common technique in songs, especially in refrains.

• S'en allait tout simplement

  ➔ Reflexive verb + adverbial phrase of manner

  ➔ "S'en allait" uses the reflexive pronoun "se" indicating movement and the adverbial phrase "tout simplement" describes *how* he was going, meaning simply or easily. The placement of "en" before the verb is common in French.

• Routier pauvre et chantant

  ➔ Adjective agreement and present participle used as an adjective

  ➔ "Routier pauvre" shows adjective agreement (both masculine singular). "Chantant" is the present participle of "chanter" (to sing) used as an adjective, describing the routier. It modifies the noun 'routier'.

• À l'époque ou Jean-sans-Terre D'Angleterre était le roi

  ➔ Relative pronoun "où" introducing a clause of time; Imperfect tense

  ➔ The relative pronoun "où" introduces a clause defining the *time* period. "Était" is the imperfect tense of "être" (to be), used to describe a state or situation in the past. The imperfect indicates a state that continued over time.

• Combattit les Albigeois

  ➔ Simple Past (Passé Simple)

  ➔ "Combattit" is the *passé simple* form of the verb "combattre" (to fight). This tense is mostly found in formal writing and literature to describe a completed action in the past.

• Par des ronces le conduit

  ➔ Preposition "par" indicating means or instrument; Direct object pronoun "le"

  ➔ The preposition "par" indicates *by means of* or *through*. "Le" is a direct object pronoun referring to Dominique. The sentence means he was led by the brambles (metaphorically).

• Et pour semer la Parole Inventa les Frères-Prêcheurs

  ➔ Infinitive clause of purpose; inversion in questions/statements

  ➔ "Pour semer la Parole" is an infinitive clause expressing the *purpose* of the action in the main clause (inventa). "Inventa les Frères-Prêcheurs" demonstrates subject-verb inversion, often used for emphasis or stylistic effect.

• Le pain s'en vint à manquer

  ➔ Impersonal construction with reflexive verb; Idiomatic expression

  ➔ "Le pain s'en vint à manquer" is an idiomatic expression meaning *they ran out of bread* or *the bread started to be lacking*. "S'en vint" is reflexive and combined with "à manquer" it forms an impersonal construction. It emphasizes the bread's lack rather than someone actively running out of bread.