![the Open Siddur Project [logo]](https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Open-Siddur-Project-Logo-2016.svg){kind=logo}
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 Bukhori, also known as Judeo-Tajik, as translated by the great Shimon ben Eliyahu Hakham (1843-1910), the chief rabbi of the Bukharan Jewish community in Jerusalem. His full translation of all liturgical additions in the month of Nisan for the Bukharan community can be found in חוקת הפסח Ḥuqat haPesaḥ (1904) – the source for this transcription on page 125 (see below, “Source”).
Shimon Hakham transcribed it into vocalized Hebrew script, which is included here alongside transliterations into Tajik Cyrillic and a Roman transcription. Interestingly, the refrain, rather than “one little goat,” translates as “dear little goat,” using the Bukhori diminutive “jon”. This text could be read alongside the traditional text of Ḥad Gadya during a Passover seder. Since Bukhori and Tajik in general are very close to Persian, it could also with only minor alterations for vocalization be read in Persian.
Some notes for pronunciation. Shimon Hakham uses ג to represent four sounds:
- a dagesh גּ for g г /g/
- a rafe ג for gh ғ /ɣ/ (like a French R)
- an upper-dot גׄ for j ҷ /dʒ/
- and a geresh ג׳ for ch ч /tʃ/.
He also uses vowels in a unique method:
- a holam וֹ for ö ӯ /ɵ/ (approximately the vowel in “foot”)
- and a qamas אָ for o о /ɔː/ (the New York pronunciation of “thought”)
Other than those, the Roman system should be pretty easily readable. Some important other notes, though. In this transcription,
- kh = /χ/ (the back sound of Hebrew אך or German “Bach”)
- q = /q/ (as in the Arabic ق)
For a full breakdown of the Tajik Cyrillic system, check the Wikipedia page on the subject.
TOGGLE COLUMNS (on/off):ADJUST COLUMN POSITIONS: select the column header cell and drag it where you want. show me!COPY INDIVIDUAL COLUMN(S): use CopyTables, a browser extension.
| Source (Aramaic) | Translation (Bukhari/Cyrillic) | Translation (Bukhari/Judeo-Tajik) | Translation (Bukhari/Latin) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
חַד גַּדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Йаке бузғола, йаке бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
יַכֵּי בּוּזְגָאלַה, יַכֵּי בּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Yake buzghola, yake buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
One little goat that my father bought for two zuzim, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא שֻׁנְרָא וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад пишак (гӯрбо) ве бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד פִּישַׁךּ (גוֹרְבָּה) וְבִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad pishak (görbo) ve bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
A cat came and ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא כַּלְבָּא וְנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад саг ве бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד סַגּ וְבִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad sag ve bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
A dog came and bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא חֻטְרָא וְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад асо ве бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד עַצָא וְבִּיזַד בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad aso ve bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
A stick came and hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא נוּרָא וְשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад оташ ве бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד אָתַשׁ וְבִּיסוֹזָאנְד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad otash ve bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא מַיָּא וְכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад об ве хомӯш хард бе оташ, ончи бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד אָבּ וְכָאמוֹשׁ כַרְד בְּאָתַשׁ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיסוֹזָנד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad ob ve khomösh khard be otash, onchi bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא תּוֹרָא וְשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад гов ве бинӯшид бе об, ончи хомӯш хард бе оташ, ончи бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד גָּאו וְבִּינוֹשִׁיד בְּאָבּ, אָנְגִ׳י כָאמוֹשׁ כַרְד בְּאָתַשׁ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיסוֹזָנד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad gov ve binöshid be ob, onchi khomösh khard be otash, onchi bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
וְאָתָא הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא, דְּשָׁתָא לְמַיָּא, דְּכָבָה לְנוּרָא, דְּשָׂרַף לְחֻטְרָא, דְּהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא, דְּנָשַׁךְ לְשֻׁנְרָא, דְּאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא, דְּזַבִּן אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי, חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא. |
Ве биёмад шӯҳет ве зобеҳ хорд бе он гов, ончи бинӯшид бе об, ончи хомӯш хард бе оташ, ончи бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד שוֹחֵט וְזַבְּח כַרְד בְּאָן גָּאו, אָנְגִ׳י בִּינוֹשִׁיד בְּאָבּ, אָנְגִ׳י כָאמוֹשׁ כַרְד בְּאָתַשׁ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיסוֹזָנד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad shöhet ve zobeh khord be on gov, onchi binöshid be ob, onchi khomösh khard be otash, onchi bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
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. |
Ве биёмад малах ҳа-мовет ве бихушт бе шоҳет, ончи зобеҳ хорд бе он гов, ончи бинӯшид бе об, ончи хомӯш хард бе оташ, ончи бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד מַלְאַךְ הַמָוֶת וְבִּיכוּשְׁת בְּשׁוֹחֵט, אָנְגִ׳י זַבְּח כַרְד בְּאָן גָּאו, אָנְגִ׳י בִּינוֹשִׁיד בְּאָבּ, אָנְגִ׳י כָאמוֹשׁ כַרְד בְּאָתַשׁ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיסוֹזָנד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad malakh ha-movet ve bikhusht be shöhet, onchi zobeh khord be on gov, onchi binöshid be ob, onchi khomösh khard be otash, onchi bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
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. |
ҳа-Қодӯш Борух Ҳу ве бихушт ве малах ҳа-мовет ончи бихушт бе шоҳет, ончи зобеҳ хорд бе он гов, ончи бинӯшид бе об, ончи хомӯш хард бе оташ, ончи бисӯзонд бе асо, ончи бизад бе он саг, ончи бигозид бе пишок, ончи бихӯрд бе бузғола, ончи бихарид падар бе ду танга. Ҷон бузғола, ҷон бузғола. |
וְבִּיאָמַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְבִּיכוּשְׁת בְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָוֶת אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכוּשְׁת בְּשׁוֹחֵט, אָנְגִ׳י זַבְּח כַרְד בְּאָן גָּאו, אָנְגִ׳י בִּינוֹשִׁיד בְּאָבּ, אָנְגִ׳י כָאמוֹשׁ כַרְד בְּאָתַשׁ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיסוֹזָנד בְּעַצָא, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיזַר בְּאָן סַגּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיגַּזִיד בְּפִּישַׁךּ, אָנְגִ׳י בִּכוֹרְד בְּבּוּזְגָאלַה, אָנְגִ׳י בִּיכַרִיד פַּדַר בְּדוּ תַנְגַּה. גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה גָׄאן בּוּזְגָאלַה. |
Ve biyomad ha-Qodösh Borukh Hu ve bikhusht be malakh ha-movet, onchi bikhusht be shöhet, onchi zobeh khord be on gov, onchi binöshid be ob, onchi khomösh khard be otash, onchi bisözond be aso, onchi bizad be on sag, onchi bigozid be pishok, onchi bikhörd be buzghola, onchi bikharid padar be du tanga. Jon buzghola, jon buzghola. |
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, for two zuzim. |
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. |
|---|
“חַד גַּדְיָא | Йаке бузғола | Yake Buzghola (יַכֵּי בּוּזְגָאלַה) — a Judeo-Tajik translation of Ḥad Gadya by Rabbi Shimon ben Eliyahu Hakham (1904)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Stable Link:
https://opensiddur.org/?p=24918
Associated Image:
Goats (credit: n/a, license: CC0)
(This image is set to automatically show as the "featured image" in category pages and in shared links on social media.)
Terms of Use:
Be a mentsch (a conscientious, considerate person) and adhere to the following guidelines:
- Properly attribute the work to Shimon ben Eliyahu Hakham, Unknown Author(s) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut).
- Clearly indicate the date you accessed the work and in what ways, if any, you modified it. (If you have adapted the work, let us know so that the contributor might consider endorsing your revision.)
- Provide the stable link to this resource: <https://opensiddur.org/?p=24918>.
- Indicate that the original work was shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license. (To redistribute or remix this work in any format, modified or unmodified, you must refer to the terms of the license under which the work is shared.)
Additional Notes:
- The views expressed in this work represent the views of their creator(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Open Siddur Project's developers, its diverse community of volunteer contributors, or its institutional partners.
- We strongly advise against printing sacred texts and art containing divine names as these copies must be regarded with reverence, complicating their casual treatment and disposal.
- If you must dispose of a printed sacred text (one containing Divine Names), please locate the closest genizah (often established by a synagogue) and contact its custodians for further instructions. We also recommend using Morah Yehudis Fishman's Prayer for Adding a Work to the Genizah.
Support this work:
The Open Siddur Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit, non-commercial, non-denominational, non-prescriptive, gratis & libre Open Access archive of contemplative praxes, liturgical readings, and Jewish prayer literature (historic and contemporary, familiar and obscure) composed in every era, region, and language Jews have ever prayed. Our goal is to provide a platform for sharing open-source resources, tools, and content for individuals and communities crafting their own prayerbook (siddur). Through this we hope to empower personal autonomy, preserve customs, and foster creativity in religious culture.
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
Comments, Corrections, and Queries