אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ | Eḥad Mi Yodéa (One I Know), a German translation of stanzas 1-9 by Paul Christian Kirchner in his Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Nuremberg, 1717)

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12 March 2026 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

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Nirtsah

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16th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., Christian Hebraism, counting songs, אחד מי יודע eḥad mi Yodéaʼ, German translation, haggadah supplements, פיוטים piyyuṭim, זמירות zemirot

Born into Judaism, Paul Christian Kirchner was baptized a Christian in 1713. In 1717, he first published the work Jüdisches Ceremoniel (or “Jewish Ceremony”), for which he is most well known — a firsthand recollection (and, to be honest, criticism) of Jewish practices throughout the year and life cycle. While the work is written by an apostate for a Christian audience, and thus it is certainly not an unbiased source — and it had been almost a decade since he left the community so some of his memories are a bit muddled — it is still a fascinating work if only for its depiction of Jewish practices otherwise forgotten. In this portion of Kirchner’s description of the Seder night, he translates three songs — Adir Hu, Eḥad Mi Yodea, and Ḥad Gadya — still sung in Jewish communities the world over to this day! This is his translation/adaptation of Eḥad Mi Yodea, alas only going up to nine.

Note: For clarity, we have replace the use of the Solidus (a/k/a “forward slash”) as found in the Fraktur script of the printed work, with its equivalent — the comma.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (German)	Translation (Modern German)	Translation (English)
אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ אֶחָד אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Eines weiß ich, eines iſt unſer GOtt, der da lebt und ſtrebt, wie im Himmel alſo auch auf Erden.	Eines weiß ich, eines ist unser Gott, der da lebt und strebt, wie im Himmel also auch auf Erden.	One I know: one is our God who lives and strives, on earth as in heaven.
שְׁנַיִם מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנַיִם אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Zwey iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, zwey Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Zwei ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, zwei Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But two is more, that I know! Two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
שְׁלֹשָׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Drey iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, 3. ſind die Vätter, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Drei ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, 3 sind die Väter, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But three is more, that I know! Three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
אַרְבַּע מִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַרְבַּע אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Vier iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, 4. ſind die Mütter nemblich Sara, Rebecca, Rachel u. Lea, 3. ſind die Vätter Abraham, Iſaac u. Jacob, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Vier ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, 4 sind die Mütter nämlich Sara, Rebecca, Rachel und Lea, 3 sind die Väter Abraham, Isaac und Jacob, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But four is more, that I know! Four are the Foremothers, namely, Sara, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah; three are the Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
חֲמִשָּׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Fünff iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, fünff ſind die Bücher, 4. ſind die Mütter, 3. ſind die Vätter, zwey Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Fünf ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, fünf sind die Bücher, 4 sind die Mütter, 3 sind die Väter, zwei Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But five is more, that I know! Five are the books, four are the Foremothers, three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
שִׁשָּׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁשָּׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ. שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה. חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה. אַרְבַּע אִמָּהוֹת. שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת. שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ׃	Sechs iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, 6. ſind die Lehrer, 5. ſind die Bücher, 4. ſind die Mütter, 3. ſind die Vätter, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Sechs ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, 6 sind die Lehrer, 5 sind die Bücher, 4 sind die Mütter, 3 sind die Väter, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But six is more, that I know! Six are the teachers,^[1] It is unclear what “the teachers” refers to. The Hebrew refers to the orders of the Mishnah, and some translations refer to the secular days of the week. five are the books, four are the Foremothers, three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
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׃	Sieben iſt aber mehr das weiß ich, 7. ſind die Feyrung, 6. ſind die Lehrer, 5. ſind die Bücher, 4. ſind die Mütter, 3. ſind die Vätter, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Sieben ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, 7 sind die Feiern, 6 sind die Lehrer, 5 sind die Bücher, 4 sind die Mütter, 3 sind die Väter, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But seven is more, that I know! Seven are the holidays,^[2] It is also unclear what “the holidays” refers to. The idea of the “seven feasts,” while popular in Messianic circles, has little to no authentic Jewish history — not least of which because one of them is Yom Kippur which is definitely not a feast. This could also be referring to the seven days of Pesaḥ, but in diaspora it’s eight days. In the Hebrew, as well as in most translations, this verse refers to the seven days of the week. six are the teachers, five are the books, four are the Foremothers, three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
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׃	Acht iſt aber mehr das weiß ich, 8. ſind die Beſchneidung, 7. ſind die Feyrung, 6. ſind die Lehrer, 5. ſind die Bücher, 4. ſind die Mütter, 3. ſind die Vätter, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Acht ist aber mehr das weiß ich, 8 sind die Beschneidung, 7 sind die Feiern, 6 sind die Lehrer, 5 sind die Bücher, 4 sind die Mütter, 3 sind die Väter, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But eight is more, that I know! Eight is the circumcision, seven are the holidays, six are the teachers, five are the books, four are the Foremothers, three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.
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׃	Neun iſt aber mehr, das weiß ich, 9. ſind die ſchwangeren Weiber, 8. acht die Beſchneidung, 7. die Feyrung, 6. die Lehrer, 5. Bücher Moſe, 4. Mütter, 3. Vätter, 2. Tafeln Moſe, einig ist unser GOtt etc.	Neun ist aber mehr, das weiß ich, 9 sind die schwangeren Weiber, 8 acht die Beschneidung, 7 die Feiern, 6 die Lehrer, 5 Bücher Mose, 4 Mütter, 3 Väter, 2 Tafeln Mose, einig ist unser Gott, usw.	But nine is more, that I know! Nine is pregnant women, eight is the circumcision, seven are the holidays, six are the teachers, five are the books, four are the Foremothers, three are the Forefathers, two tablets of Moses, our God is one, etc.

This is a German translation of the Pesah table-song Ḥad Gadya by Paul Christian Kirchner from his Jüdisches Ceremoniel (1717),

The earliest known appearance of “Ḥad Gadya,” by an unknown author, can be found, handwritten, in the Prague Haggadah (1526). The uncorrected source Aramaic has been vocalized according to the Prague Haggadah (1590). –Aharon N. Varady

Source(s)

Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Paul Christian Kirchner, 1717), p. 128

Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Paul Christian Kirchner, 1717), p. 129

Notes

Notes
1	It is unclear what “the teachers” refers to. The Hebrew refers to the orders of the Mishnah, and some translations refer to the secular days of the week.
2	It is also unclear what “the holidays” refers to. The idea of the “seven feasts,” while popular in Messianic circles, has little to no authentic Jewish history — not least of which because one of them is Yom Kippur which is definitely not a feast. This could also be referring to the seven days of Pesaḥ, but in diaspora it’s eight days. In the Hebrew, as well as in most translations, this verse refers to the seven days of the week.

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.

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)

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 authors his own original works and transcribes Hebrew and Aramaic text, adding niqqud and t'amim as needed.) 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.

Paul Christian Kirchner (translation)

Paul Christian Kirchner (born Gumpel ben Mordechai; ca. 1675-?), born in Krotszyn, Poland was an educated Jewish convert to Christianity. From a rabbinic family, he claimed to have been a rabbi for about eight years before his conversion. He was baptized in November 1713 in the Lutheran church in Bischleben in the presence of eleven godparents from the upper classes of Dutchy of Gotha and the city of Erfurt, indicating the prestigiousness of the event. Kircher then moved to Jena where he matriculated at the Lutheran university. He had hoped to earn a living as lecturer in Hebrew and was given a letter of recommendation for the University of Jena but he was unable to gain a permanent foothold in academia. The search for employment took him across Europe, from Königsberg to Basel. The work took a critical stance on Judaism but which was later republished by Sebastian Jugendres with more neutral text. It is generally assumed, although not proven, that he returned to Judaism. At least fifteen editions of his Jüdisches Ceremoniel were printed between 1716 and 1737. (From the article by Maria Diemling in the Journal of Early Modern Christianity 2025; 12(1), pp. 77-78.)

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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׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "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)