חַד מָה יוּדָא | אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Ḥad Mah Yuda :: Who Knows One?, a counting-song in Aramaic translation

Contributor(s):

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut) and Unknown Author(s)

Shared on:

5 May 2019 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Nirtsah

Tags:

פיוטים piyyutim, 16th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., counting songs, Aramaic translation, אחד מי יודע eḥad mi yode'a, זמירות zemirot, counting

Eḥad Mi Yodéa is a counting-song that is a beloved part of Seders the world over. It is mostly written in Hebrew, counting up to 13, but there are versions that can be found in many different languages. The Ruzhiner, Sadigura, and Skverer Ḥassidim of Kishinev (today officially spelled Chișinău) had a custom of reading it in Aramaic, and their version is recorded here. Interestingly, the Aramaic of the Ḥad Ma Yuda shows many grammatical signs of Hebraization, including such forms as “mlata” found nowhere else in the Aramaic canon. This may suggest that the translator was not completely comfortable in Aramaic! But it’s still a fun piece, and would make a great conclusion to a Passover seder. (And don’t judge – Ḥad Gadya’s Aramaic is grammatically questionable too!)

A recording of one melody can be found on soundcloud.

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Source (Hebrew)	Translation (Aramaic)	Translation (English)
אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ אֶחָד אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	חַד מָה יוּדָא חַד אָנוּ יוּדָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows one? I know one! One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שְׁנַיִם מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנַיִם אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּרֵי מָה יוּדָא תְּרֵי אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows two? I know two! Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שְׁלֹשָׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּלַת מָה יוּדָא תְּלַת אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows three? I know three! Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
אַרְבַּע מִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַרְבַּע אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	אַרְבַּע מָה יוּדָא אַרְבַּע אָנוּ יוּדָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows four? I know four! Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
חֲמִשָּׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	חַמְשָׁא מָה יוּדָא חַמְשָׁא אָנוּ יוּדָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵ לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows five? I know five! Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שִׁשָּׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁשָּׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	שִׁיתָּא מָה יוּדָא שִׁיתָּא אָנוּ יוּדָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows six? I know six! Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שִׁבְעָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁבְעָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	שְׁבַע מָה יוּדָא שְׁבַא אָנוּ יוּדָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows seven? I know seven! Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שְׁמוֹנָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁמוֹנָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּמַנְיָא מָה יוּדָא תְּמַנְיָא אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows eight? I know eight! Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
תִּשְׁעָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. תִּשְׁעָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵידָה. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּשַׁע מָה יוּדָא תְּשַׁע אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּשַׁע יָרְחֲתָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows nine? I know nine! Nine are the months of pregnancy, Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
עֲשָׂרָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. עֲשָׂרָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָּא. תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵידָה. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	עֲסַר מָה יוּדָא עֲסַר אָנוּ יוּדָא עֲסַר דִּיבְרָתָא תְּשַׁע יָרְחֲתָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows ten? I know ten! Ten are the commandments, Nine are the months of pregnancy, Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
אַחַד עָשָׂר מִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַחַד עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא. עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָּא. תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵידָה. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	חַדְסַר מָה יוּדָא חַדְסַר אָנוּ יוּדָא חַדְסַר כּוֹכְבָתָּא עֲסַר דִּיבְרָתָא תְּשַׁע יָרְחֲתָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows eleven? I know eleven! Eleven are the stars [in Yosef’s dream], Ten are the commandments, Nine are the months of pregnancy, Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטַיָּא. אַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא. עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָּא. תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵידָה. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּרֵיסַר מָה יוּדָא תְּרֵיסַר אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטַיָּא חַדְסַר כּוֹכְבָתָּא עֲסַר דִּיבְרָתָא תְּשַׁע יָרְחֲתָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows twelve? I know twelve! Twelve are the tribes [of Yisrael], Eleven are the stars [in Yosef’s dream], Ten are the commandments, Nine are the months of pregnancy, Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.
שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר מִדַּיָּא. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטַיָּא. אַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא. עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָּא. תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵידָה. שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	תְּלֵיסַר מָה יוּדָא תְּלֵיסַר אָנוּ יוּדָא תְּלֵיסַר מִידָתָא תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטַיָּא חַדְסַר כּוֹכְבָתָּא עֲסַר דִּיבְרָתָא תְּשַׁע יָרְחֲתָא תְּמַנְיָא יְמֵי מְלָתָא שְׁבַע יְמֵי שַׁבְּתָא שִׁיתָּא מִישְׁנָתָא חַמְשָׁא חֻמְשָׁתָא אַרְבַּע אִימְהָתָא תְּלַת אַבְהָתָא תְּרֵי לוּחֲתָא חַד אֱלָהָא מָרָן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא	Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen! Thirteen are the attributes [of divine mercy], Twelve are the tribes [of Yisrael], Eleven are the stars [in Yosef’s dream], Ten are the commandments, Nine are the months of pregnancy, Eight are the days until circumcision, Seven are the days of the week, Six are the orders of the Mishnah, Five are the books of the Torah, Four are the foremothers, Three are the forefathers, Two are the stelae of the covenant, and One is our elo’ah in the Heavens and the Earth.

The counting-song, “Eḥad Mi Yode’ah” appears for the first time in the Prague Haggadah (1526) in Hebrew and Yiddish, and was transcribed and translated into English by Aharon Varady. The Aramaic translation above was edited and vocalized by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer based on a text uploaded to the Wikimedia Commons.

A recording of one melody can be found on soundcloud.

Source(s)

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“חַד מָה יוּדָא | אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Ḥad Mah Yuda :: Who Knows One?, a counting-song in Aramaic translation” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)

From a family of musicians, Isaac Gantwerk Mayer believes that creative art is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with the divine. He composes music and poetry in Hebrew and English. (He also translates and authors his own original works.) Isaac runs a Jewish music transcription service, which will transcribe and set any Jewish music in any language, recorded or written. Contact his service on Facebook or via his music blog.

Unknown Author(s)

Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.

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Works of related interest:

A figure in a woodcut illustration opposite the prayer Nishmat Kol Ḥai in a haggadah from Prague, 1526

אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Eḥad Mi Yode’a :: Who Knows One?, a counting song in Hebrew and Yiddish (Prague Haggadah, 1526)

אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Unum (est &) quis scit? | Eḥad Mi Yode’a, a Latin translation of the counting song by Johann Stephan Rittangel (1644)

אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Якумин кӣ медонад | Yakumin Ki Medonad :: a Bukhori (Judeo-Tajik) Translation of Eḥad Mi Yodea by Rabbi Shimon ben Eliyahu Hakham (1904)

קיו סציאַס אונו? | אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Kiu Scias Unu? — an Esperanto translation of Eḥad Mi Yodéa by Erin Piateski (2010)

Italian Morra Players - Pieter Josselin de Jong (1895)

קְי ווֹלְירַה קְי אְינטְינדְירַה | אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Che volera, che entendera — a Judeo-Sienese translation of Eḥad Mi Yodea

Syrian or Egyptian Tile during the 15th century. Original from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

כָּאנְדְרִי נְדְרִיהוּם | אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Kaanₔdri Nₔdrihom — a Judeo-Moroccan Arabic (Darija) adaptation of Eḥad Mi Yodeaȝ

Cropped image of a pen and ink drawing of a goat, with colour wash; rubrication and text. De animalium proprietate. 2nd quarter of the 16th century-3rd quarter of the 16th century. Source: Burney 97 f.22v. Language: Greek, Ancient. Author: MANUEL PHILES. Vergetio, Angelo.

חַד גַּדְיָא | Ḥad Gadya in Aramaic and Yiddish (Prague Haggadah, ca. 1526)

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A figure in a woodcut illustration opposite the prayer Nishmat Kol Ḥai in a haggadah from Prague, 1526

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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