DAYENU: MY ATTEMPT AT ENGLISH TRANSLATION

I wrote these words to be sung to the familiar tune, one of my favorites.

If He’d brought us out from Egypt,
And had not judged the Egyptians,,
Out from Egypt,
Judged Egyptians,
Dayenu!

If He had judged the Egyptians,
And had not destroyed their idols
Judged Egyptians,
Not their idols,
Dayenu!

If He had destroyed their idols,
And had not destroyed their first-born
Destroyed idols,
Not their firstborn,
Dayenu!

If He had destroyed their first-born,
And not given us their riches,
Destroyed firstborn,
Not their riches,
Dayenu!

If He’d given us their riches,
And had not the Reed Sea parted,
Given riches,
Sea not parted,
Dayenu!

If He had the Reed Sea parted,
And not led us through on dry land
Reed Sea parted,
Not on dry land,
Dayenu!

If He led us through on dry land,
And had not drowned our oppressors,
Through on dry land,
Not oppressors,
Dayenu!

If He had drowned our oppressors,
and not led us in the desert,
drowned oppressors,
Not the desert,
dayenu!

If He’d led us in the desert,
And had not fed us with manna
In the desert,
Not with Manna,
Dayenu!

If He had fed us with manna,
And not given us the Shabbat,
Fed us manna,
Not the Shabbat,
dayenu!

If He’d given us the Shabbat,
And not brought us to Mount Sinai
Gave us Shabbat,
Not Mount Sinai,
Dayenu!

If He brought us to Mount Sinai,
And not given us the Torah
To Mount Sinai,
Not the Torah,
Dayenu!

If He’d given us the Torah,
and had not brought us to Israel
gave the Torah,
not to Israel,
dayenu!

If He had brought us to Israel,
and not built the Holy Temple
brought to Israel,
not the Temple,
dayenu!

Posted on April 5, 2018, in 2018, 5778, April, Nissan, Passover, Ram's Horn. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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