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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. Probably not this one though, seeing as it was written almost a thousand years after the Sabaic language became extinct. But Sabaic, a South Semitic language somewhere between Arabic and Ge’ez, is worth studying for any Jewish scholar because of the light it sheds on the history of the Semitic languages and the Middle East as a whole. (Not to mention that it was a lingua franca of the Yemenite Jewish kingdom of Himyar!)
The following is a Sabaic translation, transcription, and hypothetical vocalization of Ḥad Gadya. The transcription is pretty one-for-one with Judeo-Arabic norms but unlike Judeo-Arabic, nunation (and the Sabaic-unique process of mimation) is written down instead of simply being implied. (Thank you to Dr. Benjamin Suchard for his extensive help with this translation!) There are more or less no sources for how Sabaic vocalization actually worked. The vocalization included here was created by the translator, largely based on Proto-Semitic reconstructions. It should not be considered an accurate representation of how the Sabaic sounded.
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| Source (Aramaic) | Translation (Sabaic) | Translation (Romanized Sabaic) | Translation (hypothetical vocalized Sabaic) | Translation (Hebraized Sabaic) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
אחת סבום אחת סבום דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
One little goat, one little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, one little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא שֻׁנְרָא וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ *dmm-m[1] This word, *dmm-, is marked with an asterisk because it’s the only word in the text not attested in Sabaic texts. It is reconstructed based on the Semitic root *dimm-, also found in Ge’ez and Amharic ድመት dəmmät and Yemenite Arabic دِمّ dimm. This root is thought to be a Lockwort, i.e. a term used originally to attract an animal. For an English example of a Lockwort see “pussycat,” from “pspsps.” w-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa *dimmamum waʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח דממם ואכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the cat and ate the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, one little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא כַּלְבָּא וְנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ klb-m w-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa kalbum wanaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח כלבם ונתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the dog and bit the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, one little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא חֻטְרָא וְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ qḍb-m w-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa qatɬʼbum watɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח קצׄבם וצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the stick, and struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, one little goat, one little goat. |
וְאָתָא נוּרָא וְשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ ḫmṭn-m w-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa χamtʼanum wahanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח חׄמטנם והנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the fire, and burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, 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. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩰𐩪𐩷𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ mw-m w-fsṭ ḫmṭn-n ḏ-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa mawum wafasatʼa χamtʼanan ðihanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח מום ופסט חׄמטנן דׄהנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the water, and quenched the fire, that had burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, 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. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩻𐩥𐩧𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩪𐩤𐩺𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩰𐩪𐩷𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ ṯwr-m w-sqy mw-n ḏ-fsṭ ḫmṭn-n-n ḏ-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa θawrum wasaqaya mawan ðifasatʼa χamtʼanan ðihanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח תׄורם וסקי מון דׄפסט חׄמטנן דׄהנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the bull, and drank the water, that had quenched the fire, that had burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, 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. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩣𐩽 𐩥𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩻𐩥𐩧𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩪𐩤𐩺𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩰𐩪𐩷𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ ḏbḥ-m w-ḏbḥ ṯwr-n ḏ-sqy mw-n ḏ-fsṭ ḫmṭn-n ḏ-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa ðabːaħum waðabaħa θawran ðisaqaya mawan ðifasatʼa χamtʼanan ðihanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח דׄבחם ודׄבח תׄורן דׄסקי מון דׄפסט חׄמטנן דׄהנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the slaughterer, and slaughtered the bull, that had drunk the water, that had quenched the fire, that had burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, 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. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩣𐩡𐩱𐩫𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩩𐩬𐩽 𐩥𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩻𐩥𐩧𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩪𐩤𐩺𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩰𐩪𐩷𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ mlʾk mwt-n w-ḏbḥ ḏbḥ-n ḏ-ḏbḥ ṯwr-n ḏ-sqy mw-n ḏ-fsṭ ḫmṭn-n ḏ-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa malʔaki mawtun waðabaħa ðabːaħan ðiðabaħa θawran ðisaqaya mawan ðifasatʼa χamtʼanan ðihanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח מלאך מותן ודׄבח דׄבחם דׄדׄבח תׄורן דׄסקי מון דׄפסט חׄמטנן דׄהנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the Angel of Death, and slaughtered the butcher, that had slaughtered the bull, that had drunk the water, that had quenched the fire, that had burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, 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. |
𐩥𐩥𐩮𐩢𐩽 𐩧𐩢𐩣𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩨𐩧𐩫𐩽 𐩥𐩩𐩨𐩧𐩫𐩽 𐩪𐩣𐩠𐩥𐩽 𐩥𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩣𐩡𐩱𐩫𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩩𐩬 𐩹𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩹𐩨𐩢𐩽 𐩻𐩥𐩧𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩪𐩤𐩺𐩽 𐩣𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩰𐩪𐩷𐩽 𐩭𐩣𐩷𐩬𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩠𐩬𐩧𐩽 𐩤𐩳𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩳𐩧𐩨𐩽 𐩫𐩡𐩨𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩬𐩻𐩫𐩽 *𐩵𐩣𐩣𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩱𐩫𐩡𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩬𐩽 𐩹𐩩𐩦𐩱𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩨𐩺𐩽 𐩨𐩬𐩮𐩰𐩬𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣 |
w-wṣḥ rḥmn-n brk w-tbrk sm-hw w-ḏbḥ mlʾk mwt-n ḏ-ḏbḥ ḏbḥ-n ḏ-ḏbḥ ṯwr-n ḏ-sqy mw-n ḏ-fsṭ ḫmṭn-n ḏ-hnr qḍb-n ḏ-ḍrb klb-n ḏ-nṯk *dmm-n ḏ-ʾkl sbw-n ḏt-šʾm ʾb-y b-nṣf-n ʾḥt sbw-m ʾḥt sbw-m |
wawatsʼaħa raħmanan bariku watibːariku samaːhu waðabaħa malʔaki mawtan ðiðabaħa ðabːaħan ðiðabaħa θawran ðisaqaya mawan ðifasatʼa χamtʼanan ðihanara qatɬʼban ðitɬʼaraba kalban ðinaθaka *dimmaman ðiʔakala sabawan ðitiʃaʔama ʔabiy binatsʼfiːn ʔaħat sabawam, ʔaħat sabawam |
ווצח רחמנן ברך ותברך סמהו ודׄבח מלאך מותן דׄדׄבח דׄבחם דׄדׄבח תׄורן דׄסקי מון דׄפסט חׄמטנן דׄהנר קצׄבן דׄצׄרב כלבן דׄנתׄך דממן דׄאכל סבון דׄתשאם אבי בנצפן אחת סבום אחת סבום |
Then came the blessed Holy one, and slaughtered the Angel of Death, that had slaughtered the butcher, that had slaughtered the bull, that had drunk the water, that had quenched the fire, that had burned up the stick, that had struck the dog, that had bitten the cat, that had eaten the little goat, that my father had bought with two silver coins, one little goat, one little goat. |
This is a translation of Ḥad Gadya into Sabaic by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer including a romanization and hebraization of the text. The earliest known appearance of “Ḥad Gadya,” by an unknown author, can be found, handwritten, 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 adapted from Eve Levavi Feinstein’s Passover Haggadah translation.
Notes
| 1 | This word, *dmm-, is marked with an asterisk because it’s the only word in the text not attested in Sabaic texts. It is reconstructed based on the Semitic root *dimm-, also found in Ge’ez and Amharic ድመት dəmmät and Yemenite Arabic دِمّ dimm. This root is thought to be a Lockwort, i.e. a term used originally to attract an animal. For an English example of a Lockwort see “pussycat,” from “pspsps.” |
|---|
“אחת סבום | 𐩱𐩢𐩩𐩽 𐩪𐩨𐩥𐩣𐩽 | חַד גַּדְיָא (ʔaħat sabawam) — a Sabaic translation of Ḥad Gadya, by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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