Dayenu Song and English

Haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & 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.”

Fun fact: Persian and Afghani Jews hit each other over the heads and shoulders with scallions every time they say Dayenu! They especially use the scallions in the ninth stanza which mentions the manna that the Israelites ate everyday in the desert, because Torah tells us that the Israelites began to complain about the manna and longed for the onions, leeks and garlic. Feel free to be Persian/Afghani for the evening if you’d like.

!אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם,  דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu hotzianu mimitzrayim, dayeinu!

If He hasdbrought us out of Egypt, it would have been enough!

!אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת,  דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu natan lanu et hashabbat, dayeinu!

If he had given us the Sabbath, it would have been enough!

!אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה ,  דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu natan lanu et hatorah, dayeinu!

If he had given us the Torah, it would have been enough!

Read responsively

If He had brought us out from Egypt, and had not carried out judgments against them

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had carried out judgments against them, and had not smitten their first-born

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had smitten their first-born, and had not split the sea for us

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had split the sea for us, and had not taken us through it on dry land

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, and had not drowned our oppressors in it

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had drowned our oppressors in it, and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, and had not given us the Shabbat

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had given us the Shabbat, and had not given us the Torah

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

If He had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land of Israel

— Dayenu, it would have been enough!

Source:  
compiled

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