How to Sing “Chad Gadya”

 

It’s tradition to celebrate the end of the seder with a few classic Pesach songs. One very fun silly song that families sing is called “Chad Gadya,” which means, “one little goat” in Hebrew. Chad Gadya is what’s called a cumulative song, meaning that each verse builds on the previous one. Do you know the old folk song about the old lady who swallowed a fly? That’s a perfect example of a cumulative song.

In addition to being a high energy and silly way to wrap up your seder, Chad Gadya is also a game. You’ll find instructions for how to play plus lyric sheets in English and Hebrew below.

THE GAME

This song is also a game: a long chase, with one verse after another describing someone chased by someone else stronger, until in the end only God’s power remains. Let each person at the table choose one character or object from the story and make its noise every time its name comes around while everyone else sings. Your table will get noisier and more dramatic as the verses get longer!

LEARN THE ENGLISH VERSION

My father bought it for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the cat came and ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the dog came and bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the stick came and hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the fire came and burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the water came and put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the ox came and drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the butcher came and slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then the Angel of Death came and killed the butcher that slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Then God came and defeated the Angel of Death that killed the butcher that slaughtered the ox that drank the water that put out the fire that burned the stick that hit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for just two coins. One little goat, one little goat!

Print the Lyrics

LEARN THE HEBREW VERSION

Dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata shunra v’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata chalba venashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata chutra vehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata nura vesaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata maya vechava lenura, desaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata tora veshata lemaya, dechava lenura, desaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata hashochet veshachat letora, deshata lemaya, dechava lenura, desaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata malach hamavet veshachat leshochet, deshachat letora, deshata lemaya, dechava lenura, desaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Va’ata haKadosh Baruch Hu veshachat lemalach hamavet, deshachat leshochet, deshachat letora, deshata lemaya, dechava lenura, desaraf lechutra, dehika lechalba, denashach leshunra, d’achla legadya dezabin abba bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya!

Print the Lyrics

April 18, 2019