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Ḥad Gadya has a place in Seder tables throughout the Jewish world, and in many communities it was read in translation. This translation is in Judeo-Arabic, specifically the dialect of the ancient community of Baghdad, home of Rav Ḥanna Bagdataʾa, Hai Gaon, and Solomon Ma’tuk among many other greats. Partially based on a small portion of a translation into Judeo-Arabic found online by the creator, this translation was extended, completed, and transliterated by Isaac Mayer. It could be added to any Passover Seder alongside the traditionally Aramaic text.
Some pronunciation notes for those unfamiliar with Arabic transcription:
- ʾ א= [ʔ] (as in “uh-oh”)
- ʿ ע= [ʕ] (like Mizraḥi Hebrew)
- j גׄ = [dʒ] (as in “jay”)
- ḏ דׄ= [ð] (as in “the” or “that”)
- ṯ תׄ= [θ] (as in “three” or “thing”)
- š ש = [ʃ] (as in “shin”)
- ḥ ח= [ħ] (like Mizraḥi Hebrew)
- ṣ צ = [sˤ] (like Mizraḥi Hebrew)
- ḍ צׄ= [ðˤ] (somewhat stressed, as in a harder “uh, there!”)
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| Source (Aramaic) | Translation (Judeo-Arabic) | Romanization (Judeo-Arabic) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
WAAḤID JADY waaḥid jady |
One little goat, one little goat. |
דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
…that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא שֻׁנְרָא וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄאת אלבזונה ואכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾat ʾAL-BIZZUUNA wa-akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
A cat came and ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא כַּלְבָּא וְנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלכלב ועץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa ʾAL-KALB wa-ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
A dog came and bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא חֻטְרָא וְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄאת אלעצא וצׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾat ʾAL-ʿAṢAA wa-ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
A stick came and hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא נוּרָא וְשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלנור וחרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa AN-NUUR wa-ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
A fire came and burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא מַיָּא וְכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלמאי וטפא ללנור אלדׄי חרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa ʾAL-MAAʾ wa-ṭafa len-nuur allaḏii ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi abbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
Water came and put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא תּוֹרָא וְשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלתׄור ושרב ללמאי אלדׄי טפא ללנור אלדׄי חרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa AṮ-ṮAWR wa-šariba lel-maaʾ allaḏii ṭafa len-nuur allaḏii ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
An ox came and drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא, דְּשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלדׄבאח ודׄבח ללתׄור ושרב ללמאי אלדׄי טפא ללנור אלדׄי חרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa AḎ-ḎIBAAḤ wa-ḏabaḥa leṯ-ṯawr allaḏii šariba lel-maaʾ allaḏii ṭafa len-nuur allaḏii ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
A butcher came and slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא מַלְאַךְ־הַמָּ֫וֶת וְשָׁחַט לְשׁוֹחֵט, דְּשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא, דְּשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא מלך אלמות ודׄבח ללדׄבאח אלדׄי שרב ללמאי אלדׄי טפא ללנור אלדׄי חרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa MALAK ʾAL-MAWT wa-ḏabaḥa leḏ-ḏibaaḥ allaḏii ḏabaḥa leṯ-ṯawr allaḏii šariba lel-maaʾ allaḏii ṭafa len-nuur allaḏii ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
The Angel of Death came and slaughtered the shoḥet who slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא וְשָׁחַט לְמַלְאַךְ־הַמָּ֫וֶת דְּשָׁחַט לְשׁוֹחֵט, דְּשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא, דְּשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
וגׄא אלמקדס תברכא הוא ודׄבח למלך אלמות אלדׄי דׄבח ללדׄבאח אלדׄי שרב ללמאי אלדׄי טפא ללנור אלדׄי חרק ללעצא אלדׄי צׄרבת ללכלב אלדׄי עץׄ ללבזונה אלדׄי אכלת ללגׄדי אלדׄי אשתראלי אבויי פי עבסתין ואחד גׄדי ואחד גׄדי |
wa-jaaʾa ʾAL-MUQQADAS TABAARAKA HUWA wa-ḏabaḥa li-malak ʾal-mawt allaḏii ḏabaḥa leḏ-ḏibaaḥ allaḏii ḏabaḥa leṯ-ṯawr allaḏii šariba lel-maaʾ allaḏii ṭafa len-nuur allaḏii ḥarraqa lel-ʿaṣaa allaḏii ḍarabat lel-kalb allaḏii ʿaḍḍa lel-bizzuuna allaḏii akalat lel-jady allaḏii ištarali abuyi fi ʿabbastayn waaḥid jady waaḥid jady |
Then the blessed Holy One came and slaughtered the Angel of Death who slaughtered the shoḥet who slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. |
The earliest known appearance of “Ḥad Gadya,” by an unknown author, can be found in the Prague Haggadah (1526). The text of the poem is in a form of playful Aramaic and it is accompanied by the lyrics in medieval Yiddish.[1] The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906, NY) vol. 8 page 190 s.v. “Had Gadya” calls it German. It is unclear which, if either, came first — the Yiddish or the Aramaic. The Aramaic above below follows the text as it appears in the Prague Haggadah (1526). The Aramaic has been vocalized according to the Prague Haggadah (1590). Besides the transcription of the Aramaic with its vocalization, I have also added a translation sourced from Eve Levavi Feinstein’s Passover Haggadah translation. –Aharon N. Varady
Source
Notes
| 1 | The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906, NY) vol. 8 page 190 s.v. “Had Gadya” calls it German. |
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“ואחד גׄדי | חַד גַּדְיָא (Waaḥid Jady) — a Judeo-Arabic translation of Ḥad Gadya” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)
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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17
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