... not very Christmasy. But there are numerous other versions on the Web in French and/or English, including some five-verse ones with more customary Nativity themes — shepherds, three kings, etc. — which I have adapted here.

As usual, my intent is to align the original language (French in this case), plus English, plus Esperanto, layered in the score to indicate the rhymes, and translations as close as possible to the original. (Others' English versions go somewhat astray.)

Also, I've always been inimical to excess repetition in songs, and this carol would otherwise have 10 repeats of the "Noël Nouvelet" refrain — half of its 20 lines — including twice in a row three times. In my translations, plus the French, I have sometimes reversed or enhanced the refrain-line's twin phrases: for the sake of rhyme, and for variety.

Note: in the French original, verse 4, line 2, I inserted the word "vinrent" (came), to sync and facilitate the joint translations. Some versions of the carol's verses have 5 lines; most have 4. The fifth line is often irrelevant, but in this case, "vinrent" was taken from that extra line.

13-verse lyrics version from Henry Poulaille, Bible Des Noëls Anciens ("Club Des Éditeurs, Édition Nouvelle,". c 1958) pp. 61-62].

13-strofo-lirikoj-versio de . . . " " "

Another 13-verse version.

As described in Hymns and Carols of Christmas, (ibid).:

Keyte and Parrott, The New Oxford Book of Carols (1992) contains 13 French verses, with a corresponding 13 English verses; see Carol 188. They note that nouvelet comes from the same root as noël, and that both denote "news" or "newness." This was a New Year's carol*, as opposed to a Christmas carol, with versions dating to the early 1500s. Numerous versions have been found, largely inconsistent. They took their version from the 1721 Grande Bible des noëls, taunt vieux que nouveaus. Even so, they made alterations to several of the French verses, according to their notes, which contain additional material to which the reader is referred.

*I added a New Year's mention in my translation, verse 3.—gk

Alia 13-strofo-versio.

Kiel priskribata en Hymns and Carols of Christmas, (ibid).:

Keyte kaj Parrott, The New Oxford Book of Carols (1992) enhavas 13 francajn strofojn, kun akordantajn 13 anglajn strofojn; vidu Carol 188. Ili rimarkas ke nouvelet devenas de la sama radiko kiel noël, kaj ke ambaŭ indikas "novaĵoj" aŭ "noveco". Ĉi tiu estas nov-jara karolo*, malsama ol Kristnaska karolo, kun versioj ekde la fruaj 1500-oj. Oni trovas multajn versiojn, plejparte malkonformajn. Ili prenis ilian version el la 1721-a Grande Bible des noëls, taunt vieux que nouveaus. Eĉ tiel, ili faris retuŝojn al kelkoj de la francaj strofoj, laŭ iliaj notoj, kiuj enhavas aldonan materiaĵon al kiu la leganto estas direktata.

*Mi aldonis novjaran mencion en mia traduko, strofo 3.—gk

Simplfied arrangements for piano. (English).
Simpligitaj aranĝoj por piano. (Angla)

The only complete (French) 5-verse score which I could find on the Web. This is a 5-line version, not 4.
La nura kompleta (franca) 5-strofo-partituro kiun mi povas trovi sur la reto. Ĉi tiu estas 5-linia versio, ne 4.