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Ḥad Gadya has a place in Seder tables throughout the Jewish quadrant, and in many communities it was read in translation. This adaptation into the language of the Na’vi is very useful when celebrating liberation from the tyrannical RDA. Okay, but to be serious for a moment, one of the key themes of James Cameron’s Avatar series of films is the interconnectedness of life in the food chain — predators and prey all part of the cycle. So a piyyut like Ḥad Gadya actually works quite well. Some unique challenges in translating Ḥad Gadya into Na’vi include:
1) the Na’vi don’t have agriculture, but survive on hunting and gathering. Thus there is no word for a butcher or slaughterer! So instead I used taronyu = hunter.
2) Seeing as they live in a communal substinence method of hunting and gathering, they also have no word for purchasing or buying. So instead I used “acquiring.” Also, the only canonical words for currency are borrowed from “dollar” and “euro!”
I’ve also included a system for writing Na’vi text in Hebrew script! A hearty “Irayo!” to Prof. Paul Frommer at USC Marshall, creator of the Na’vi conlang, who was kind enough to proofread my attempt in time for the holiday.
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| Source (Aramaic) | Translation (Na’vi, romanized) | Translation (Na’vi, hebraicized) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
One little tapirus, one little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא שֻׁנְרָא וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ רִיתִי אֿוּלְתֶה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the stingbat and it ate the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא כַּלְבָּא וְנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ נָנְתָע, אֿוּלְתֶה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the viperwolf and it bit the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא חֻטְרָא וְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ בֿוּלְצְיִב, אֿוּלְתֶה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the stick and it struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא נוּרָא וְשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ טֶב אֿוּלְתֶה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the fire and it burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא מַיָּא וְכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ בָי אֿוּלְתֶה תוֹע טֶבִית אָה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the water and it quenched the fire that had burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא תּוֹרָא וְשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ תָלִיאוֹאָע אֿוּלְתֶה נַך בָיִית אָה תוֹע טֶבִית אָה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the sturmbeest and it drank the water that had quenched the fire that had burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
וְאָתָא הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא, דְּשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ תָרוֹנְיוּ, אֿוּלְתֶה צְבָע תָלִיאוֹאָעִית, אָה נַך בָיִית, אָה תוֹע טֶבִית, אָה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the hunter and killed the sturmbeest that had drunk the water that had quenched the fire that had burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
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. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ תִירֶאָה תִתֶרכוּבַה, אֿוּלְתֶה צְבָע תָרוֹנְיוּת, אָה צְבָע תָלִיאוֹאָעִית, אָה נַך בָיִית, אָה תוֹע טֶבִית, אָה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the spirit of death and killed the hunter that had killed the sturmbeest that had drunk the water that had quenched the fire that had burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. | |
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. |
צָכרּ זָאוּ נָוְמָה סָאנוֹך אֿוּלְתֶה צְבָע תִירֶאָת תִתֶרכוּבַה, אָה צְבָע תָרוֹנְיוּת, אָה צְבָע תָלִיאוֹאָעִית, אָה נַך בָיִית, אָה תוֹע טֶבִית, אָה נֶק בֿוּלְצְיִבִית, אָה תָכוּך נָנְתָעִית, אָה פְֿרִב רִיתִית, אָה יוֹם פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִבִּית, אָֿה כוֹלָנוֹם אֿוֹאֶֿיַה סֶמְבוּלִל מֶתוֹלַרְיוֹאָה, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב, אָוָה פְֿוָמְבוֹבְצְיִב׃ |
Then came the Great Mother and killed the spirit of death that had killed the hunter that had killed the sturmbeest that had drunk the water that had quenched the fire that had burned the stick that had struck the viperwolf that had bitten the stingbat that had eaten the little tapirus, that my father had acquired for two dollars. One little tapirus, one little tapirus. |
This is the translation of Ḥad Gadya into Na’vi with a Hebraicization schema for Na’vi by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.
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. –Aharon N. Varady
Transliteration Schema
Click to access Transliteration-schema-for-hebraicized-Navi-Isaac-Gantwerk-Mayer-2025.pdf
“חַד גַּדְיָא | ‘Awa Fwampoptsyìp (One Little Tapirus) — a Na’vi translation of Ḥad Gadya” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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