חַד גַּדְיָא |   | וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא | wa' targhHom'e' (One little targ) — a tlhIngan Hol adaptation of Ḥad Gadya by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 16th century C.E., 24th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., 61st century A.M., Aramaic, constructed languages, Jews of Star Trek, Klingon translation, predation, salvation, Star Trek, זמירות zemirot, חד גדיא Ḥad Gadya, פיוטים piyyutim

Excerpt: Ḥad Gadya has a place in Seder tables throughout the Jewish quadrant, and in many communities it was read in translation. This adaptation into tlhIngan Hol is very useful for when your universal translator is malfunctioning at a Seder on Qo'noS. Okay, but to be serious for a moment, while the many connections between the canon of Star Trek and the Jewish community are well known, one of the lesser-known ones is that the inventor of tlhIngan Hol (the Klingon language), Marc Okrand, is Jewish, and a substantial number of Klingon terms come from Hebrew or Yiddish. In honor of that connection, the editor has developed this adaptation of the well-known seder table-song Ḥad Gadya into tlhIngan Hol, as well as a home-brewed transcription system into Hebrew script called pIluy. The wildlife has also been adapted, so instead of a goat the story begins with one little targ. (Sure, they might LOOK like pigs, but who knows if they chew cud or not!) . . .

Content:

Ḥad Gadya has a place in Seder tables throughout the Jewish quadrant, and in many communities it was read in translation. This adaptation into tlhIngan Hol is very useful for when your universal translator is malfunctioning at a Seder on Qo’noS.

Okay, but to be serious for a moment, while the many connections between the canon of Star Trek and the Jewish community are well known, one of the lesser-known ones is that the inventor of tlhIngan Hol (the Klingon language), Marc Okrand, is Jewish, and a substantial number of Klingon terms come from Hebrew or Yiddish.

In honor of that connection, the editor has developed this adaptation of the well-known seder table-song Ḥad Gadya into tlhIngan Hol, as well as a home-brewed transcription system into Hebrew script called pIluy (ODT | PDF). The wildlife has also been adapted, so instead of a goat the story begins with one little targ. (Sure, they might LOOK like pigs, but who knows if they chew cud or not!)

Source (tlhIngan Hol)	Source (tlhIngan Hol, Romanized)	Transliteration (פִקַדְאֶא לֻגִצְבָג יֶאֻדְפֻא^[1] `pIqaD’e’ lughItlhbogh ye’uDpu’` — Literally: “the writing-system that Jews write.” Abbreviated פִלֻ׳׳י `pIluy` Hebraized)	Translation (English)
           	wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’, cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	One little targ,^[2] You know what a targ is! one little targ, that my father had bought for two darsek,^[3] The main unit of currency in the Klingon Empire. one little targ, one little targ.
             	ngugh cholpu’ ghISnar ‘ej targhHom’e’ Soppu’ cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא גִשְנַר אֶז תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּא טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the Grishnar-cat^[4] A Grishnar-cat is an animal whose fearsome appearance belies its relatively docile nature. In DS9: “The Way of the Warrior II” Gowron (incorrectly) compares Sisko to a “toothless old Grishnar-cat.” and ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
               	ngugh cholpu’ Qogh ‘ej ghISnar choppu’ targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא כָג אֶז גִשְנַר טָפֻּא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the korg^[5] This is the translator’s attempt at Anglicizing the word `Qogh`, a dog-like animal mentioned in The Klingon Dictionary (p. 104) with no official English form. and bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                 	ngugh cholpu’ ghanjaq ‘ej Qogh muppu’ ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא גַנְזַק אֶז כָג מֻפֻּא גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the mace and struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                   	ngugh cholpu’ qul ‘ej ghanjaq meQpu’ Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא קֻל אֶז גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻא כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the fire and burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                     	ngugh cholpu’ bIQ ‘ej qul baqpu’ ghanjaq meQpu’bogh Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא בִך אֶז קֻל בַקפֻא גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻאבָג כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the water and ended the fire that burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                       	ngugh cholpu’ tangqa’ ‘ej bIQ tlhutlhpu’ qul baqpu’bogh ghanjaq meQpu’bogh Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא תַעְקַא אֶז בִך צֻצְפֻא קֻל בַקפֻאבָג גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻאבָג כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the tanka^[6] This is the translator’s attempt at Anglicizing the word `tangqa’`, a bull-like animal mentioned in HolQeD vol. 9 issue 4 (p. 16) with no official English form. and drank the water that ended the fire that burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                         	ngugh cholpu’ vutwI’ ‘ej tangqa’ HoHpu’ bIQ tlhutlhpu’bogh qul baqpu’bogh ghanjaq meQpu’bogh Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא בֻֿתְוִיא אֶז תַעְקַא חָחְפֻא בִך צֻצְפֻאבָג קֻל בַקפֻאבָג גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻאבָג כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came the chef and killed the tanka that drank the water that ended the fire that burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                           	ngugh cholpu’ qortar ‘ej vutwI’ HoHpu’ tangqa’ HoHpu’bogh bIQ tlhutlhpu’bogh qul baqpu’bogh ghanjaq meQpu’bogh Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא קָרְתַר אֶז בֻֿתְוִיא חָחְפֻא תַעְקַא חָחְפֻאבָג בִך צֻצְפֻאבָג קֻל בַקפֻאבָג גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻאבָג כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came Kortar^[7] The first Klingon, punished for his destruction of those who created them and condemned to ferry the souls of the dishonored dead to Gre’thor. and killed the chef who killed the tanka that drank the water that ended the fire that burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.
                             	ngugh cholpu’ ‘aqqoDoSboruQ’u ‘ej qortar HoHpu’ vutwI’ HoHpu’bogh tangqa’ HoHpu’bogh bIQ tlhutlhpu’bogh qul baqpu’bogh ghanjaq meQpu’bogh Qogh muppu’bogh ghISnar choppu’bogh targhHom’e’ Soppu’bogh cha’ DarSeqmeyvaD je’ta’bogh vavwI’, wa’ targhHom’e’, wa’ targhHom’e’.	עֻג טָלְפֻא הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָרוּךְ־הוּא אֶז קָרְתַר חָחְפֻא בֻֿתְוִיא חָחְפֻאבָג תַעְקַא חָחְפֻאבָג בִך צֻצְפֻאבָג קֻל בַקְפֻאבָג גַנְזַק מֶכְפֻאבָג כָג מֻפֻּאבָג גִשְנַר טָפֻּאבָג תַרְגְחָמְאֶא שָפֻּאבָג טַא דַרְשֶקְמֵיבַֿד זֶאתַאבָג בַֿבֿוִא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא, וַא תַרְגְחָמְאֶא׃	At that time came ‘aqqoDoSboruQ’u^[8] A direct transcription from the original text. The Klingon language has no canonical words for “holy” or “blessed” that the translator could find. and killed Kortar who killed the chef who killed the tanka hat drank the water that ended the fire that burned the mace that struck the korg that bit the Grishnar-cat that ate the little targ that my father had bought for two darsek, one little targ, one little targ.

Just a brief note on the digital font employed here to render legible text in its native Klingon. Almost all fonts used on the Open Siddur Project are internally addressed according to the Unicode standard. In keeping to this standard, we ensure that the text displayed is preserved as digital text in a form that will remain legible in the future. Unfortunately, at the time of our publication, Klingon remains unaddressed in Unicode. (For information on the process of petitioning Unicode for the inclusion of Klingon, visit here.) So, in order to supply a legible text in a Klingon script, we are using DanIlmoH’s pIqaD qolqoS font, which uses “the encoding for Klingon pIqaD registered in the ConScript Unicode Registry within the Private Use Area of the Unicode Basic Multilingual Plane from code points U+F8D0 to U+F8FF.” We will adapt this post to use a Unicode standard once Klingon is formally added and a Unicode font becomes available. (Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you learn of such an advance before we do.)

Transliteration Schema

Click to access klingon-hebraization-schema-Isaac-Gantwerk-Mayer-2022.pdf

Notes

Notes
1	`pIqaD’e’ lughItlhbogh ye’uDpu’` — Literally: “the writing-system that Jews write.” Abbreviated פִלֻ׳׳י `pIluy`
2	You know what a targ is!
3	The main unit of currency in the Klingon Empire.
4	A Grishnar-cat is an animal whose fearsome appearance belies its relatively docile nature. In DS9: “The Way of the Warrior II” Gowron (incorrectly) compares Sisko to a “toothless old Grishnar-cat.”
5	This is the translator’s attempt at Anglicizing the word `Qogh`, a dog-like animal mentioned in The Klingon Dictionary (p. 104) with no official English form.
6	This is the translator’s attempt at Anglicizing the word `tangqa’`, a bull-like animal mentioned in HolQeD vol. 9 issue 4 (p. 16) with no official English form.
7	The first Klingon, punished for his destruction of those who created them and condemned to ferry the souls of the dishonored dead to Gre’thor.
8	A direct transcription from the original text. The Klingon language has no canonical words for “holy” or “blessed” that the translator could find.

Featured Image:
Targ

Title: Targ
Caption: A Targ as depicted in the Human drama "Where No One Has Gone Before" (Star Trek: The Next Generation, season one, episode six)