Translate "Frère Jacques" into Bohairic Coptic.

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

To translate the nursery rhyme "Frère Jacques" into the Bohairic dialect of Coptic (ⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ), we use terms that reflect the monastic setting of the song.

Here is the translation:

Ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ Ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ, ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ Ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ,

(Pason Iakobos, Pason Iakobos)

Brother James, Brother James,

Ⲁⲕⲉⲛⲕⲟⲧ? Ⲁⲕⲉⲛⲕⲟⲧ?

(Ak-enkot? Ak-enkot?)

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?

Ⲥⲉⲧ ⲛⲓⲕⲱⲇⲱⲛ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲟⲟⲩⲓ! Ⲥⲉⲧ ⲛⲓⲕⲱⲇⲱⲛ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲟⲟⲩⲓ!

(Set ni-kodon ente to-ou-i! Set ni-kodon ente to-ou-i!)

Ring the bells of the morning! Ring the bells of the morning!

Ⲇⲓⲛⲅ, ⲇⲁⲛⲅ, ⲇⲟⲛⲅ. Ⲇⲓⲛⲅ, ⲇⲁⲛⲅ, ⲇⲟⲛⲅ.

(Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.)

Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

Linguistic Notes:

• Ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ (Pason): A native Coptic word meaning "my brother," commonly used in monastic settings to address a fellow monk.
• Ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ (Iakobos): The Greek-derived name for James/Jacques, as used in Coptic liturgical texts.
• ⲉⲛⲕⲟⲧ (Enkot): A native Coptic verb meaning "to sleep."
• ⲕⲱⲇⲱⲛ (Kodon): A Greek loanword (ⲕⲱⲇⲱⲛ) used in Coptic for "bell."
• ⲧⲟⲟⲩⲓ (To-ou-i): The native Coptic word for "morning" or "dawn."