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חַד גַּדְיָא | Hād-ĕi Gădìyă (הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א) — a Tărgŭn Bìyènlìyén Dì translation of Ḥad Gadya derived from an alternate timeline by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

In our timeline, the Kaifeng Jewish community had originally spoken Persian as their lingua franca, before adopting the Kaifeng dialect of Mandarin that their neighbors spoke. But just change a little and all of history could be different! This is a translation of Ḥad Gadya in a timeline where Judeo-Aramaic was a little more prevalent in eastern Persia all those years ago. In this timeline, instead of speaking Judeo-Persian before adopting Chinese, the Kaifeng Jews spoke Aramaic. And this dialect of Aramaic, like many other languages spoken in the greater Chinese cultural sphere, underwent tonogenesis!

Along with this translation (with words of Chinese and Hebrew origin footnoted), I’ve also included some notes on my methodology for developing this dialect I call Tărgŭn Bìyènlìyén Dì (or “Aramaic of Kaifeng”). If you’d like to add to the corpus, let me know! Everything that has yet been developed is included here.


TABLE HELP

Source (Aramaic)Translation (Tărgŭn Bìyènlìyén Dì, romanized)Translation (Tărgŭn Bìyènlìyén Dì, hebraized)Translation (English)
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא.
דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא
בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי,
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא.
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
băbá[1] From 爸爸 băbá  zăbĕn dāwăr
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén[2] From 錢 qián [3] From 的 dì 
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
One little goat, one little goat
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.
wì-māw[4] From 貓 māo  mádē dāwăr
wì-mĭhăr nà[5] From 那 nà -ĕi gădìyă
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖מַ֨ו מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-gŏ[6] From 狗 gŏu  mádē dāwăr
wì-nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖ג֬וֹ מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-gān[7] From 桿 găn  mádē dāwăr
wì-dăqī[8] From 打擊 dăjí  nà-ĕi gŏ
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖גַ֨ן מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-nŭr mádē dāwăr
wì-xāw[9] From 燒 shāo  nà-ĕi gān
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖נ֬וּר מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-mĕi mádē dāwăr
wì-mìyè[10] From 熄 miè  nà-ĕi nŭr
xāw nà-ĕi gān dì
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖מֵ֬י מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖מִ֖יֵ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י נ֬וּר
שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן דִ֖י
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-níw[11] From 牛 níu  mádē dāwăr
wì-hē[12] From 喝 hē  nà-ĕi mĕi
mìyè nà-ĕi nŭr dì
xāw nà-ĕi gān dì
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖נִ֥ו מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖הֵ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י מֵ֬י
מִ֖יֵ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י נ֬וּר דִ֖י
שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן דִ֖י
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-xōhèdì mádē dāwăr
wì-tú[13] From 屠 tú  nà-ĕi níw
hē nà-ĕi mĕi dì
mìyè nà-ĕi nŭr dì
xāw nà-ĕi gān dì
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖שׁ֨וֹחֵ֖ט֖[14] Phonetic: ש֨וֹהֵ֖דִ֖י  מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י נִ֥ו
הֵ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י מֵ֬י דִ֖י
מִ֖יֵ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י נ֬וּר דִ֖י
שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן דִ֖י
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-mărăhă măwĕtì mádē dāwăr
wì-tú nà-ĕi xōhèdì
tú nà-ĕi níw dì
hē nà-ĕi mĕi dì
mìyè nà-ĕi nŭr dì
xāw nà-ĕi gān dì
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖מַ֬לְאַ֬ךְ הַ֬מַּ֬וֶ֬ת֖[15] Phonetic: מַ֬רַ֬הַ֬א מַ֬וֵ֬תִ֖י  מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י שׁ֨וֹחֵ֖ט֖
ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י נִ֥ו דִ֖י
הֵ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י מֵ֬י דִ֖י
מִ֖יֵ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י נ֬וּר דִ֖י
שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן דִ֖י
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.
wì-kádŏxì bălŭhŭ mádē dāwăr
wì-tú nà-ĕi mărăhă măwĕtì
tú nà-ĕi xōhèdì dì
tú nà-ĕi níw dì
hē nà-ĕi mĕi dì
mìyè nà-ĕi nŭr dì
xāw nà-ĕi gān dì
dăqī nà-ĕi gŏ dì
nĭhĕtì nà-ĕi māw dì
mĭhăr nà-ĕi gădìyă dì
băbá zăbĕn
wì-sídì tìr-ĕi qén dì
hād-ĕi gădìyă, hād-ĕi gădìyă
וִ֖קָ֥ד֬וֹשׁ֖ בָּ֬ר֬וּךְ־ה֬וּא[16] Phonetic: כַּ֥ד֬וֹשִ֖י בַּ֬ל֬וּה֬וּ  מַ֥דֵ֨י דַ֨וַ֬ר
וִ֖ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֬לְאַ֬ךְ הַ֬מַּ֬וֶ֬ת֖
ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י שׁ֨וֹחֵ֖ט֖ דִ֖י
ת֥וּ נַ֖אֵ֬י נִ֥ו דִ֖י
הֵ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י מֵ֬י דִ֖י
מִ֖יֵ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י נ֬וּר דִ֖י
שַ֨ו נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֨ן דִ֖י
דַ֬גִׄ֨י נַ֖אֵ֬י ג֬וֹ דִ֖י
נִ֬הֵ֬תִ֖י נַ֖אֵ֬י מַ֨ו דִ֖י
מִ֬הַ֬ר נַ֖אֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א דִ֖י
בַ֬בַ֥א זַ֬בֵ֬ן
וִ֖סִ֥דִ֖י טִ֖רֵ֬י גֵ֥ׄן דִ֖י
הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א, הַ֨דֵ֬י גַ֬דִ֖יַ֬א
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.

This is the translation of Ḥad Gadya into an invented dialect of Aramaic in Kaifenfg 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 an English translation adapted from Eve Levavi Feinstein’s Passover Haggadah translation. –Aharon N. Varady

Notes on Targun Biyenliyen Di (Isaac Gantwerk Mayer 2024)

 

Notes

Notes
1From 爸爸 băbá
2From 錢 qián
3From 的 dì
4From 貓 māo
5From 那 nà
6From 狗 gŏu
7From 桿 găn
8From 打擊 dăjí
9From 燒 shāo
10From 熄 miè
11From 牛 níu
12From 喝 hē
13From 屠 tú
14Phonetic: ש֨וֹהֵ֖דִ֖י
15Phonetic: מַ֬רַ֬הַ֬א מַ֬וֵ֬תִ֖י
16Phonetic: כַּ֥ד֬וֹשִ֖י בַּ֬ל֬וּה֬וּ

 

 

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