Dayenu
One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and the everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough”.
How many times do we forget to pause and notice that where we are is exactly where we ought to be? Dayenu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to appear, we are missing the whole point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say “Dayenu.”
|
English translation |
Transliteration |
Hebrew |
Ilu hotzianu mimitzrayim, |
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם |
||
and had not carried out judgments against them |
v'lo asah bahem sh'fatim, |
וְלֹא עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had carried out judgments against them, |
Ilu asah bahem sh'fatim |
אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים |
|
and not against their idols |
v'lo asah beloheihem, |
וְלֹא עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had destroyed their idols, |
Ilu asah beloheihem, |
אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם |
|
and had not smitten their first-born |
v'lo harag et b'choreihem, |
וְלֹא הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had smitten their first-born, |
Ilu harag et b'choreihem, |
אִלּוּ הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם |
|
and had not given us their wealth |
v'lo natan lanu et mamonam, |
וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had given us their wealth, |
Ilu natan lanu et mamonam, |
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם |
|
and had not split the sea for us |
v'lo kara lanu et hayam, |
ןלא קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had split the sea for us, |
Ilu kara lanu et hayam, |
אִלּוּ קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם |
|
and had not taken us through it on dry land |
v'lo he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah, |
וְלֹא הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, |
Ilu he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah, |
אִלּוּ הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה |
|
and had not drowned our oppressors in it |
v'lo shika tzareinu b'tocho, |
וְלֹא שִׁקַע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
If He had drowned our oppressors in it, |
Ilu shika tzareinu b'tocho, |
אִלּוּ שִׁקַע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ |
|
and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years |
v'lo sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar arba'im shana, |
וְלֹא סִפֵּק צָרַכֵּנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה |
|
— Dayenu, it would have been enough! |
dayeinu! |
דַּיֵּנוּ |
|
Inspired to create
your own Haggadah?
Make your own Haggadah and share with other Seder lovers around the world
Have an idea
for a clip?
People like you bring their creativity to Haggadot.com when they share their ideas in a clip
Support Us
with your donation
Help us build moments of meaning and connection through
home-based Jewish rituals.
OUR TOP CONTRIBUTORS
Passover Guide
Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
to all of your questions.