Jewish Palestinian Aramaic texts, annotated
Passages from the Palestinian targums and the Jerusalem Talmud. Sources and licences:
- Fragment targum ("Targum Jerusalem on Torah" in Sefaria's tree): public domain.
- Pseudo-Jonathan ("Targum Jonathan on Genesis" in Sefaria's tree): public domain; a mixed text (Onkelos + Palestinian material), see Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (jpa) §1.
- Jerusalem Talmud, Guggenheimer edition (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015) on Sefaria: CC BY — quoted with attribution; its vocalisation is the editor's, and we follow it in the transliteration.
- Targum Neofiti (Sefaria file "The Vatican Manuscript of the Targum Neofiti", licence unknown → private) is not quoted.
Glossing: Aramaic of the Jewish texts — overview and Biblical Aramaic. English renderings are ours.
1. "In wisdom": the Fragment targum on Gen 1:1
Aramaic: בְּחוּכְמָא בְּרָא יְיָ
Translit.: bə-ḥūḵmā bərā yəyā
Gloss: in-wisdom.DET create.PEAL.PF.3MS LORD
English: With wisdom the LORD created …
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 1:1 (Sefaria "Targum Jerusalem on Torah", public domain)
Notes: בְּרֵאשִׁית is read through Prov 3:19 ("the LORD founded the earth by wisdom") and the identification of "beginning" with Wisdom (Prov 8:22). Compare Onkelos בְּקַדְמִין "at first" (Targum texts, annotated §1). The plene spelling חוּכְמָא (with ו) is typical of Palestinian texts.
2. Cain and Abel: Gen 4:8 in the Palestinian tradition
Onkelos leaves the Hebrew gap ("Cain said to Abel …" — said what?). The Palestinian targums fill it with a theological dispute. Fragment targum:
Aramaic: וַאֲמַר קַיִן לְהֶבֶל אָחוּי: אִיתָא וְנִפּוּק לְאַפֵּי בָרָא
Translit.: wa-ʾămar qayin lə-heḇel ʾāḥūy: ʾīṯā wə-nippūq lə-ʾappē ḇārā
Gloss: and-say.PF.3MS Cain to-Abel brother-3MS: come.IMP and-go.out.IPF.1PL to-face.PL.CST field.DET
English: Cain said to Abel his brother: "Come, let us go out into the open field."
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 4:8 (public domain)
Aramaic: עָנֵי קַיִן וַאֲמַר לְהֶבֶל אָחוּי: לֵית דִּין וְלֵית דַּיָּין וְלֵית עֲלָם אוֹחֲרָן
Translit.: ʿānē qayin wa-ʾămar lə-heḇel ʾāḥūy: lēṯ dīn wə-lēṯ dayyān wə-lēṯ ʿălām ʾōḥărān
Gloss: answer.PTCP Cain and-say.PF.3MS to-Abel brother-3MS: NEG.EXIST judgment and-NEG.EXIST judge and-NEG.EXIST world other
English: Cain answered and said to Abel his brother: "There is no judgment, there is no judge, and there is no other world."
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 4:8 (public domain)
Aramaic: וְלָא לְמִתַּן אֲגָר טַב לְצַדִּיקַיָּא וְלָא לְאִתְפְּרַע מִן רַשִׁיעַיָּא
Translit.: wə-lā lə-mittan ʾăḡar ṭaḇ lə-ṣaddīqayyā wə-lā lə-ʾiṯpəraʿ min rašīʿayyā
Gloss: and-NEG to-give.PEAL.INF reward good to-righteous.M.PL.DET and-NEG to-be.repaid.ITHP.INF from wicked.M.PL.DET
English: "… no giving a good reward to the righteous, and no exacting punishment from the wicked."
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 4:8 (public domain)
Aramaic: עָנֵי הֶבֶל וַאֲמַר לְקַיִן: אִית דִּין וְאִית דַּיָּין וְאִית עֲלָם אוֹחֲרָן
Translit.: ʿānē heḇel wa-ʾămar lə-qayin: ʾīṯ dīn wə-ʾīṯ dayyān wə-ʾīṯ ʿălām ʾōḥărān
Gloss: answer.PTCP Abel and-say.PF.3MS to-Cain: EXIST judgment and-EXIST judge and-EXIST world other
English: Abel answered and said to Cain: "There is judgment, there is a judge, and there is another world."
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 4:8 (public domain)
Aramaic: וַהֲווֹ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן מְנַצִּין בְּאַפֵּי בָרָא, וְקָם קַיִן עַל הֶבֶל אָחוֹי וְקָטַל יָתֵיהּ
Translit.: wa-hăwō tarwēhōn mənaṣṣīn bə-ʾappē ḇārā, wə-qām qayin ʿal heḇel ʾāḥōy wə-qāṭal yāṯēh
Gloss: and-be.PF.3MPL two-3MPL quarrel.PAEL.PTCP.MPL in-face.PL.CST field.DET, and-rise.PF.3MS Cain against Abel brother-3MS and-kill.PEAL.PF.3MS ACC-3MS
English: And the two of them were quarrelling in the open field; and Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Source: Fragment targum, Gen 4:8 (public domain)
Notes on the language: אָחוּי / אָחוֹי "his brother" with the western suffix ־וֹי (Onkelos אַחוֹהִי); לֵית / אִית; the object marker יָתֵיהּ (targumic, not Yerushalmi usage); הֲווֹ + participle (past progressive); עֲלָם אוֹחֲרָן "another world" (the world to come). Pseudo-Jonathan has the same dispute with additions, e.g. Cain's words מִסְתַּכֵּל אֲנָא דִבְּרַחֲמִין אִתְבְּרִי עַלְמָא "I perceive that the world was created with mercy …" and the ending וְטָבַע אַבְנָא בְּמִצְחֵיהּ וְקַטְלֵיהּ "he sank a stone into his forehead and killed him" (Sefaria "Targum Jonathan on Genesis", public domain).
3. Simeon ben Shetaḥ and the donkey: y. Bava Metzia 2:5
Aramaic: שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח הֲוָה עֲסִיק בְּהָדָא כִיתְנָא
Translit.: šimʿōn ben šeṭaḥ hăwā ʿăsīq bə-hāḏā ḵīṯnā
Gloss: Simeon son.CST Shetah be.PF.3MS occupied.PTCP.PASS in-this.F flax.DET
English: Simeon ben Shetaḥ was occupied with (trading in) flax.
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (8c) (Guggenheimer edition, Sefaria, CC BY)
Aramaic: אָמְרִין לֵיהּ תַּלְמִידוֹי: רִבִּי, אַרְפֵּי מִינָּךְ, וַאֲנָן זְבַנִּין לָךְ חָדָא חֲמָר, וְלֵית אַתְּ לָעֵי סוֹגִּין
Translit.: ʾāmrīn lēh talmīḏōy: ribbī, ʾarpē mīnnāḵ, wa-ʾănan zəḇannīn lāḵ ḥāḏā ḥămār, wə-lēṯ ʾat lāʿē sōgīn
Gloss: say.PTCP.MPL to-3MS disciple.PL-3MS: Rabbi, let.go.APH.IMP.2MS from-2MS, and-we buy.PAEL.PTCP.MPL for-2MS one.F donkey, and-NEG.EXIST you toil.PTCP.MS much
English: His disciples said to him: "Rabbi, leave this off; we will buy you a donkey, and you will not have to toil so much."
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: אַזְלוֹן זְבַנּוֹן לֵיהּ חָדָא חֲמָר מֵחַד סִירְקַאי, וּתְלִי בֵיהּ חָדָא מַרְגְּלִי
Translit.: ʾazlōn zəḇannōn lēh ḥāḏā ḥămār mē-ḥaḏ sīrqay, ū-ṯəlī ḇēh ḥāḏā marḡəlī
Gloss: go.PF.3MPL buy.PAEL.PF.3MPL for-3MS one.F donkey from-one Saracen, and-hang.PTCP.PASS in-3MS one.F pearl
English: They went and bought him a donkey from a Saracen, and a pearl was hanging on it.
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: אֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ: מִן כְּדוֹן לֵית אַתְּ צְרִיךְ לָעֵי תוּבָן
Translit.: ʾăṯōn lə-ḡabbēh, ʾāmrīn lēh: min kəḏōn lēṯ ʾat ṣərīḵ lāʿē ṯūḇān
Gloss: come.PF.3MPL to-at-3MS, say.PTCP.MPL to-3MS: from now NEG.EXIST you need.PTCP.PASS toil.PTCP more
English: They came to him and said: "From now on you need not toil any more."
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY; תוּבָן taken as "again, any more", from תּוּב "again", which suits the context)
Aramaic: אֲמַר לוֹן: וְיָדַע בָּהּ מָרָהּ? אָמְרִין לֵיהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לוֹן: אֵיזַל חֲזַר
Translit.: ʾămar lōn: wə-yāḏaʿ bāh mārāh? ʾāmrīn lēh: lā. ʾămar lōn: ʾēzal ḥăzar
Gloss: say.PF.3MS to-3MPL: and-know.PTCP in-3FS owner-3FS? say.PTCP.MPL to-3MS: no. say.PF.3MS to-3MPL: go.IMP return.IMP
English: He said to them: "Does its owner know of it?" They said: "No." He said: "Go, return it."
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: מַה אַתּוֹן סָבְרִין, שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח בַּרְבְּרוֹן הֲוָה?
Translit.: ma ʾattōn sāḇrīn, šimʿōn ben šeṭaḥ barbərōn hăwā?
Gloss: what you.PL think.PTCP.MPL, Simeon ben Shetah barbarian be.PF.3MS
English: What do you think — was Simeon ben Shetaḥ a barbarian?
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: בְּעֵי הֲוָה שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח מִשְׁמַע "בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֵהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי" מֵאַגַר כָּל הָדֵין עָלְמָא
Translit.: bəʿē hăwā šimʿōn ben šeṭaḥ mišmaʿ "bərīḵ ʾĕlāhēhōn də-yəhūḏāʾē" mē-ʾaḡar kol hāḏēn ʿālmā
Gloss: want.PTCP be.PF.3MS Simeon ben Shetah hear.INF "blessed god-3MPL REL-Jew.PL" than-reward.CST all this world.DET
English: Simeon ben Shetaḥ preferred to hear "Blessed is the God of the Jews" to all the reward of this world.
Source: y. Bava Metzia 2:5 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Notes: every JPA mark is here — 3 m. pl. perfects in ־וֹן (אַזְלוֹן, זְבַנּוֹן, אֲתוֹן), לוֹן "to them", כְּדוֹן "now", the indefinite חָדָא / חַד, לֵית + pronoun + participle, הָדָא / הָדֵין, the suffix ־וֹי (תַּלְמִידוֹי), the Greek loan בַּרְבְּרוֹן, and the infinitive מִשְׁמַע "to hear". The JBA retelling of the same tradition would use לְהוּ, הַשְׁתָּא, הַהוּא, קָא.
4. Dreams before Rabbi Akiva: y. Maaser Sheni 4:6
Aramaic: אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲמֵית בְּחֶילְמַאי רַגְלִי קְטִינָא
Translit.: ʾămar lēh: ḥămēṯ bə-ḥelmay raḡlī qəṭīnā
Gloss: say.PF.3MS to-3MS: see.PEAL.PF.1SG in-dream-1SG leg-1SG thin
English: He said to him: "I saw in my dream: my leg was thin."
Source: y. Maaser Sheni 4:6 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּמוֹעֲדָא מַיְיתֵי וְלֵית מֵיכַל קוֹפָּד
Translit.: ʾămar lēh: də-mōʿăḏā mayyṯē wə-lēṯ mēḵal qōppāḏ
Gloss: say.PF.3MS to-3MS: COMP-festival.DET come.APH.PTCP and-NEG.EXIST eat.INF meat
English: He said to him: "That the festival is coming, and there will be no meat to eat."
Source: y. Maaser Sheni 4:6 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: חַד תַּלְמִיד מִן דְּרִבִּי עֲקִיבָה הֲוָה יְתִיב וְאַפּוֹי מְשַׁנְיָין
Translit.: ḥaḏ talmīḏ min də-ribbī ʿăqīḇā hăwā yəṯīḇ wə-ʾappōy məšanyān
Gloss: one disciple from REL-Rabbi Akiva be.PF.3MS sit.PTCP.PASS and-face.PL-3MS change.PAEL.PTCP.PASS.MPL
English: One of Rabbi Akiva's disciples was sitting there, and his face was changed (pale).
Source: y. Maaser Sheni 4:6 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: אָמַר לֵיהּ: תְּלַתֵיהוֹן טָבָא אִינּוּן
Translit.: ʾāmar lēh: təlaṯēhōn ṭāḇā ʾinnūn
Gloss: say.PF.3MS to-3MS: three-3MPL good COP.3MPL
English: He said to him: "All three are good (signs)."
Source: y. Maaser Sheni 4:6 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Notes: חֲמֵית 1 sg. perfect in ־ֵית; בְּחֶילְמַאי "in my dream" (1 sg. suffix ־אי); the pronominal copula אִינּוּן; מַיְיתֵי is an aphel participle of אתי, literally "bringing"; with מוֹעֲדָא it means that the festival is approaching (the reading follows the edition).
5. Kahana goes back to Babylonia: y. Berakhot 2:8
Aramaic: כַּהֲנָא הֲוָה עוּלֶם סַגִּין כַּד סְלִיק לְהָכָא
Translit.: kahănā hăwā ʿūlem saggīn kaḏ səlīq lə-hāḵā
Gloss: Kahana be.PF.3MS young very when go.up.PF.3MS to-here
English: Kahana was very young when he came up here (to the Land of Israel).
Source: y. Berakhot 2:8 (5c) (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Aramaic: חַמְתֵּיהּ חַד בַּר פַּחִין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַה קָלָא בִשְׁמַיָּא?
Translit.: ḥamtēh ḥaḏ bar paḥīn, ʾămar lēh: ma qālā ḇi-šmayyā?
Gloss: see.PF-3MS one son.CST rascal(?), say.PF.3MS to-3MS: what voice.DET in-heaven.DET
English: A certain jester saw him and said to him: "What is the news in heaven?"
Source: y. Berakhot 2:8 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY; the meaning of בַּר פַּחִין is uncertain)
Aramaic: אָמַר: מַה סְלִיקִית מְזַכֵּי וַאֲנָא אִיחֲטֵי? … נִיזוּל וְנִיחוּת לִי מִן הֵן דִּסְלִיקִית
Translit.: ʾāmar: ma səlīqīṯ məzakkē wa-ʾănā ʾīḥăṭē? … nīzūl wə-nīḥūṯ lī min hēn di-slīqīṯ
Gloss: say.PF.3MS: why go.up.PF.1SG acquit.PAEL.PTCP and-I sin.IPF.1SG? … go.IPF.1PL and-go.down.IPF.1PL to-1SG from where REL-go.up.PF.1SG
English: He said: "Why did I come up — to gain merit, and (instead) I sin? … I will go back down to where I came up from."
Source: y. Berakhot 2:8 (Guggenheimer edition, CC BY)
Notes: חַמְתֵּיהּ is the JPA perfect of חמי with an object suffix ("saw him"); סַגִּין "very"; הָכָא "here" = the Land of Israel; the ethical dative לִי; הֵן "where"; the 1 pl. imperfect נִיזוּל with 1 sg. meaning (self-address).
6. Synagogue inscriptions
Aramaic dedicatory inscriptions in the mosaic floors of Galilean and Judean synagogues (4th–7th c.) use a fixed formula: the donor is "remembered for good" (דְּכִיר לְטַב / דְּכִירִין לְטַב) for what he gave, often with "amen" and "peace". The long inscription of the Rehov synagogue (6th–7th c.) lists, in Hebrew and Aramaic, the rules of tithes and the sabbatical year by place; the En Gedi inscription curses whoever "reveals the secret of the town". These are the only JPA texts without manuscript transmission. We describe them rather than quote: the editions (Naveh 1978; Sussmann 1974) are in copyright, and no public-domain transcription is on disk (Sources, wanted).
The Elamur team
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