כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה | Ki Lᵊkha Tuqra Kol Bᵊrakhah, a macaronic poem for Yom Meturgeman by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., macaronic poetry, multilingual translation, polyglot, universalist, universalist prayers, zemer, פיוטים piyyuṭim

Excerpt: This is a macaronic poem for Yom Meturgeman. Macaronic poetry is poetry in multiple languages at once. In this case, the languages reflected are Hebrew, Aramaic, Judeo-Arabic, Yiddish, Ladino, and English, with a repeated Hebrew refrain. Each language is meant to rhyme with the colloquial Hebrew as it would be read — i.e. though the Yiddish doesn't rhyme with the modern Hebrew pronunciation, it rhymes with the traditional Ashkenazi one. . . .

Content:

This is a macaronic poem for Yom Meturgeman on the 8th of the month of Tevet. Macaronic poetry is poetry in multiple languages at once. In this case, the languages reflected are Hebrew, Aramaic, Judeo-Arabic, Yiddish, Ladino, and English, with a repeated Hebrew refrain. Each language is meant to rhyme with the colloquial Hebrew as it would be read — i.e. though the Yiddish doesn’t rhyme with the modern Hebrew pronunciation, it rhymes with the traditional Ashkenazi one.

Source (various Jewish languages)	Transliteration (Romanized)	Translation (English)
בְּכׇל־שָׂפוֹת נוֹדֶה לְךָ דְּבָרְךָ מֵרִאשׁוֹן כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	B-khol śafot nodeh lᵊkha dᵊvar-kha me-rishon Ki lᵊkha tuqra kol bᵊrakha, tisshavaȝ kol lashon.	In all tongues we thank You; Your word is primary. For to You all blessings are proclaimed, all tongues swear.
תֻורגמָנַיָא תַרגִימֻו לְאוֹרַיתָא בַאְשוֹן כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	Turgmanæyya tærgīmu lᵊ-oræytha bæ-æshon Ki lᵊkha tuqra kal bᵊrakha, tisshabhæȝ kal lashon.	Translators translated the Torah at this very time. For to You all blessings are said, all tongues swear.
אَלחَמדُ לِלَّה אَמَרתَא כُל־שُאוُן כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	Al-ḥamdu lil-Lah amarta kul shu’un Ki lexā tuqrā kol berāxā, tisshābaȝ kol lāshon.	Praise God! You ordered all matters. For to You all blessings are said, all tongues swear.
דאָס הייליגע פֿײַערל איז ניט קײן פֿאַרלאָשן כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	Dos heylige fayerl is nit keyn farloshn! Ki lkho tukro kol brokhe, tishove kol loshn.	The holy fire is not extinguished! For to You all blessings are said, all tongues swear.
אוי איס לה דייה דילה טראדוקסיון כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	Oy es la diya dela traduksyon Ki leha tukra kol beraha, tishava kol lashon.	Today is the day of translation. For to You all blessings are said, all tongues swear.
אן־איטש טוֹנג וִי פּרוֹקליים: גאד׳ס גלוֹרי איז שוֹן כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃	In each tongue we proclaim: God’s glory is shown! Ki lkha tukra kol brakha, tishava kol lashon.	In each tongue we proclaim: God’s glory is shown! For to You all blessings are said, all tongues swear.

Featured Image:

Title: letter-of-aristeas-vat–gr–747-f–1r-crop
Caption: The Letter of Aristeas. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 747, f. 1r