Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=51249
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft licenseDate: 2023-05-29
Last Updated: 2025-03-24
Categories: Learning, Study, and School
Tags: 13th century C.E., 21st century C.E., 51st century A.M., 58th century A.M., commencement, graduation, Hebrew translation, Latin vernacular
Excerpt: An original Hebrew translation of the popular medieval commercium song and graduation anthem "De Brevitate Vitæ," more commonly known as "Gaudeamus Igitur." First attested in 1287, this Latin poem is irrevocably associated with college life for academics all over the world. It has been translated into many languages, and this Hebrew edition can be added to the list. . . .
Source (Latin) | Translation of Latin (Hebrew) | Translation of Latin (English) |
---|---|---|
Gaudeamus igitur,
Juvenes dum sumus, Post jucundam juventutem Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus. |
אָז עוֹדֶֽנּוּ צְעִירִים
נָא נִשְׂמַח כֻּלָּֽנוּ! אַחֲרֵי סוֹף נְעוּרֵֽינוּ וְצָרוֹת בְּזִקְנוּתֵֽנוּ קֶֽבֶר יֹאחַז בָּֽנוּ |
So, let us rejoice
While we are young. After a pleasant youth After a troublesome old age The earth will have us. |
Ubi sunt, qui ante nos
In mundo fuere, Vadite ad superos, Transite ad inferos, Ubi jam fuere. |
מִי הוּא זֶה וְאֵי־זֶה הוּא
הָיָה כָּאן בְּקֶֽדֶם? מִי עָלָה לִשְׁמֵי עֶלְיוֹן מִי שְׁאֹֽלָה הַתַּחְתּוֹן כְּבָר חַיֵּיהֶם גֶּֽדֶם! |
Where are they who, before us,
Were in the world? Go to the heavens Cross over into hell Where they went through already. |
Vita nostra brevis est,
Brevi finietur, Venit mors velociter, Rapit nos atrociter, Nemini parcetur. |
מַה קֻּצְּרוּ יְמֵי חַיִּים,
קָרוֹב יִגָּמֵֽרוּ! בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא הַמָּֽוֶת יְבַלְּעֵנוּ כְּתִקְרֹֽבֶת אֵין אִישׁ יִשָּׁמֵֽרוּ. |
Our life is brief
Soon it will end. Death comes quickly Snatches us cruelly To nobody shall it be spared. |
Vivat Academia,
Vivant Professores, Vivat membrum quodlibet, Vivant membra quælibet, Semper sint in flore! |
תְּחִי תְּחִי הַיְּשִׁיבָה
יִחְיוּ־נָא רַבָּנֵֽינוּ! וְכׇל־תַּלְמִיד יְהִי בָּרוּךְ! יְחִי מוֹסָד זֶה בַּחִנּוּךְ! לָעַד יְחַנְּכֵֽנוּ! |
Long live the academy!
Long live the professors! Long live each student; Long live the whole fraternity; For ever may they flourish! |
Vivant omnes virgines
Faciles, formosæ Vivant et mulieres Teneræ, amabiles Bonæ, laboriosæ. |
גַּם תִּחְיֶינָה עַלְמְתִיּוֹת
יָפוֹת וּנְעִימוֹת! גַּם תִּחְיֶינָה מַטְרוֹנִיּוֹת אֲדִיבוֹת וַחֲבִיבוֹת בַּעֲלוֹת שֵׁמוֹת! |
Long live all virgins,
Easy [and] beautiful! Long live [mature] women too, Tender [and] lovable, Good [and] hard-working. |
Vivat et respublica,
Et qui illam regit, Vivat nostra civitas, Mæcenatum caritas, Quæ nos hic protegit. |
תְּחִי מַלְכוּת הַצַּדִּיקִים!
יִחְיוּ מוֹשְׁלֵי מֶמְשַׁלְתָּהּ! תְּחִי הָעִיר; הִיא בִּירָתֵנוּ! מִצְוַת צְדָקָה לְמַעֲנֵנוּ לִשְׁמֹר עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתָּהּ. |
Long live the state as well
And he who rules it! Long live our city [And] the charity of benefactors Which protects us here! |
Pereat tristitia,
Pereant osores, Pereat diabolus, Quivis Antiburschius, Atque irrisores. |
יֹאבַד צַֽעַר, יָנוּס יָגוֹן
יִכָּרְתוּ שׂוֹנְאֵֽינוּ נָא יֻרְחַק יֵֽצֶר הָרַע עִם כׇּל־קוֹשְׁרִים עָלֵֽינוּ רַע וְעִם כׇּל־לוֹעֲגֵֽינוּ. |
May sadness perish!
May haters perish! May the devil perish! And also the opponents of the fraternities And their mockers, too! |
Quis confluxus hodie
Academicorum? E longinquo convenerunt, Protinusque successerunt In commune forum. |
מַה־גָּדְלוּ בְּיוֹם כָּזֶה
הַקְהָלַת הַכּוֹלֵל! מִשִּׁבְעִים אֶֽרֶץ נִקְהֲלוּ מִיָּד עָמְדוּ, מִיָּד עָלוּ לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי הַלֵּל. |
What a gathering
of academics is there today? From far away they gathered, Immediately they advanced Into the public forum |
Vivat nostra societas,
Vivant studiosi! Crescat una veritas, Floreat fraternitas, Patriæ prosperitas. |
יְחִי הַקָּהָל בַּתּוֹרָה
וְכׇל־מִתְעַסְּקִים בָּהּ! אֱמֶת וָחֶֽסֶד נָא־יַפְרִֽיחוּ! רַוְחַת הָאָֽרֶץ, כֹּל יַרְבִּֽיחוּ! אַחְוָה וְאַהֲבָה! |
Long live our fellowship,
Long live the students; May truth alone thrive May brotherhood flourish (and) the prosperity of the country. |
Alma Mater floreat,
Quæ nos educavit, Caros et commilitones, Dissitas in regiones Sparsos, congregavit. |
יִפְרַח יְסוֹד יְשִׁיבָה זוֹ
בְּחַצְרוֹתֶֽיהָ לָמַֽדְנוּ לְמַֽעַן אַחַי וְרֵעַי וּלְמַֽעַן כׇּל־נְפוּצוֹתַי לִמְקוֹמָהּ הׇאֳחַֽדְנוּ׃ |
May our Alma Mater flourish,
Which has taught us; Dear ones and comrades, (and) the scattered into places Various, she congregated. |
“Gaudeamus igitur” was written by an unknown author in 1287. I have set the Latin source side-by-side with Isaac Gantwerk Mayer’s original Hebrew translation, and for those not fluent in Hebrew or Latin, an English translation. The English translation provided here was adapted slightly by English Wikipedia editors from the one originally published by Dr. Christopher S. Morrissey on his personal website.
Contributor: Unknown Author(s)
Co-authors:
Featured Image:
Title: Gaudeamus-Bild
Caption: Antique postcard of a graduation festival with students on parade in a horse driven wagon. The illustration is accompanied by a quote from the song "Gaudeamus igitur."