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Glossing: [Aramaic of the Jewish texts — overview and Biblical Aramaic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc/). Translations are ours and literal; they are not interpretations. ## 1. The opening of the Zohar: 1:1a ``` Aramaic: רבי חזקיה פתח, כתיב: כשושנה בין החוחים. מאן שושנה? דא כנסת ישראל Translit.: rabbī ḥizqiyyā pāṯaḥ, kəṯīḇ: kə-šōšannā bēn ha-ḥōḥīm. mān šōšannā? dā kəneseṯ yiśrāʾēl Gloss: Rabbi Hezekiah open.PEAL.PF.3MS, write.PEAL.PTCP.PASS: like-rose between the-thorns(Heb.). who rose? this assembly.CST(Heb.) Israel English: Rabbi Hezekiah opened: It is written, "Like a rose among thorns" (Song 2:2). Who is "the rose"? This is the Assembly of Israel. Source: Zohar 1:1a (standard text; public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: מה שושנה דאיהי בין החוחים אית בה סומק וחוור, אוף כנסת ישראל אית בה דין ורחמי Translit.: ma šōšannā də-ʾīhī bēn ha-ḥōḥīm ʾīṯ bah sūmāq wə-ḥiwwār, ʾūp̄ kəneseṯ yiśrāʾēl ʾīṯ bah dīn wə-raḥămē Gloss: as rose REL-COP.3FS between the-thorns EXIST in-3FS red and-white, also assembly Israel EXIST in-3FS judgment and-mercy.PL English: As the rose that is among thorns has red and white in it, so too the Assembly of Israel has judgment and mercy in it. Source: Zohar 1:1a (standard text; public domain) ``` Notes: the homily's moves (opening, verse, question, identification, analogy) are marked by פתח, כתיב, מאן, דא, מה … אוף ([Formulas and discourse of the Zohar](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc-x-zohar/style-formulas/) §7). Hebrew phrases (כנסת ישראל, דין ורחמי) stand inside Aramaic grammar; דְּאִיהִי "which is" is the Zohar's copula; אוּף "also" is Palestinian; סוּמָק "red", חִוָּר "white" are ordinary Aramaic (Dan 7:9 חִוָּר). ## 2. "At the head of the king's authority": 1:15a ``` Aramaic: בריש הורמנותא דמלכא גליף גליפו בטהירו עלאה בוצינא דקרדינותא Translit.: bə-rēš hōrmənūṯā də-malkā gəlīp̄ gəlīp̄ū bi-ṭhīrū ʿillāʾā būṣīnā də-qardīnūṯā Gloss: at-head.CST authority.DET REL-king.DET engrave.PEAL.PTCP.PASS(?) engraving in-radiance upper.DET lamp.DET REL-qardinuta English: At the head of the king's authority, a lamp of qardinuta engraved engravings in the upper radiance. Source: Zohar 1:15a (standard text; public domain) ``` Notes: the first words read the Hebrew בְּרֵאשִׁית ("in the beginning") as בְּרֵישׁ "at the head". הוּרְמְנוּתָא is built on Talmudic הַרְמָנָא "royal licence" ([The lexicon of the Zohar](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc-x-zohar/lexicon/) §4). The syntax is famously hard: the subject (בּוּצִינָא דְקַרְדִינוּתָא) comes after the verb and its object; גְּלִיף can be read as a participle or a perfect; קַרְדִינוּתָא is a neologism. The printed editions carry variant readings at almost every word (in the vocalised edition on disk: "(נ"א גליפו)", "(נ"א מרזא)", "(פירוש עשן)"), which a tokenizer must separate from the text. ``` Aramaic: לא חוור ולא אוכם ולא סומק ולא ירוק ולא גוון כלל Translit.: lā ḥiwwār wə-lā ʾūḵām wə-lā sūmāq wə-lā yārōq wə-lā gawwān kəlal Gloss: NEG white and-NEG black and-NEG red and-NEG green and-NEG colour at.all(Heb.) English: not white, not black, not red, not green, and no colour at all Source: Zohar 1:15a (standard text; public domain) ``` ## 3. *Patah Eliyahu*: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 17a ``` Aramaic: פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ וְאָמַר, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין דְּאַנְתְּ הוּא חָד וְלָא בְחֻשְׁבָּן Translit.: pāṯaḥ ʾēliyyāhū wə-ʾāmar, ribbōn ʿālmīn də-ʾant hū ḥāḏ wə-lā ḇə-ḥušbān Gloss: open.PEAL.PF.3MS Elijah and-say.PEAL.PF.3MS, master.CST world.M.PL.ABS REL-you COP.3MS one and-NEG in-number English: Elijah opened and said: Master of the worlds, you are one, but not in number. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 17a, second introduction (Sefaria "Tikkunei Zohar - Vocalized", public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: אַנְתְּ הוּא עִלָּאָה עַל כָּל עִלָּאִין, סְתִימָא עַל כָּל סְתִימִין, לֵית מַחֲשָׁבָה תְּפִיסָא בָךְ כְּלָל Translit.: ʾant hū ʿillāʾā ʿal kol ʿillāʾīn, səṯīmā ʿal kol səṯīmīn, lēṯ maḥăšāḇā təp̄īsā ḇāḵ kəlal Gloss: you COP.3MS upper.DET over all upper.M.PL.ABS, hidden.DET over all hidden.M.PL.ABS, NEG.EXIST thought(Heb.) grasp.PEAL.PTCP.PASS.F in-2MS at.all(Heb.) English: You are the highest over all the high ones, hidden over all the hidden; no thought can grasp you at all. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 17a (public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: אַנְתְּ הוּא דְאַפִּיקַת עֲשַׂר תִּקּוּנִין, וְקָרִינָן לוֹן עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן Translit.: ʾant hū də-ʾappīqaṯ ʿăśar tiqqūnīn, wə-qārīnan lōn ʿăśar səp̄īrān Gloss: you COP.3MS REL-bring.out.APH.PF.2MS ten arrangement.M.PL.ABS, and-call.PEAL.PTCP-1PL to-3MPL ten sefira.PL English: It is you who brought forth ten arrangements, and we call them the ten sefirot. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 17a (public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: וְאַנְתְּ הוּא דְקָשִׁיר לוֹן, וּמְיַחֵד לוֹן Translit.: wə-ʾant hū də-qāšīr lōn, ū-məyaḥēḏ lōn Gloss: and-you COP.3MS REL-bind.PEAL.PTCP.ACT.MS to-3MPL, and-unite.PAEL.PTCP.ACT.MS to-3MPL English: And it is you who binds them and unites them. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar 17a (public domain) ``` Notes: אַנְתְּ הוּא "you are (he who)" — a cleft with the 3rd-person pronoun as copula, repeated as a litany; עָלְמִין, עִלָּאִין, סְתִימִין with absolute plurals; the Hebrew words מַחֲשָׁבָה, כְּלָל, סְפִירָן, מְיַחֵד in Aramaic grammar; **לוֹן** "them" (JPA) as the object, after a JBA-type enclitic 1 pl. participle קָרִינָן "we call". This passage is recited before prayer in several rites. ## 4. The cave of Rabbi Shimon (Tiqqunei ha-Zohar, first introduction) ``` Aramaic: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָזַל לֵיהּ וְעָרַק לְמַדְבְּרָא דְלוּד וְאִתְגְּנִיז בְּחַד מְעַרְתָּא הוּא וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ Translit.: rabbī šimʿōn ʾāzal lēh wə-ʿāraq lə-maḏbərā ḏə-lūḏ wə-ʾiṯgənīz bə-ḥaḏ məʿartā hū wə-rabbī ʾelʿāzār bərēh Gloss: Rabbi Shimon go.PEAL.PF.3MS to-3MS and-flee.PEAL.PF.3MS to-desert.DET REL-Lod and-hide.ITHP.PF.3MS in-one cave.DET he and-Rabbi Elazar son-3MS English: Rabbi Shimon went off and fled to the desert of Lod, and hid in a cave, he and Rabbi Elazar his son. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar, first introduction (Sefaria, public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: אִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָא, נָפַק לְהוֹן חַד חֲרוּב וְחַד מַעֲיָינָא דְמַיָּא Translit.: ʾiṯrəḥīš nīsā, nāp̄aq ləhōn ḥaḏ ḥărūḇ wə-ḥaḏ maʿăyānā ḏə-mayyā Gloss: happen.ITHP.PF.3MS miracle.DET, go.out.PEAL.PF.3MS to-3MPL one carob and-one spring.DET REL-water.DET English: A miracle happened: a carob tree and a spring of water came forth for them. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar, first introduction (public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: וְהֲוָה אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב אָתֵי לְהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא תְּרֵי זִימְנֵי וְאוֹלִיף לוֹן Translit.: wə-hăwā ʾēliyyāhū zāḵūr la-ṭṭōḇ ʾāṯē ləhōn bə-ḵol yōmā tərē zimnē wə-ʾōlīp̄ lōn Gloss: and-be.PF.3MS Elijah remembered(Heb.) for-good(Heb.) come.PTCP.ACT.MS to-3MPL in-every day.DET two times and-teach.APH.PTCP.ACT.MS to-3MPL English: And Elijah, of blessed memory, would come to them twice every day and teach them. Source: Tiqqunei ha-Zohar, first introduction (public domain) ``` Notes: the story retells b. Shabbat 33b in Zoharic language. The ethical dative אָזַל לֵיהּ (as in JPA, [The verb in Jewish Palestinian Aramaic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/jpa/verbs/) §6); חַד as an indefinite article (JPA); תְּרֵי "two" (JBA form without -n); both לְהוֹן and לוֹן "to them" in one sentence; הֲוָה + participle for a habitual past; a Hebrew honorific (זָכוּר לַטּוֹב) inside the Aramaic. ## 5. *Berikh shemeh*: Zohar 2:206a ``` Aramaic: בריך שמיה דמארי עלמא, בריך כתרך ואתרך Translit.: bərīḵ šəmēh də-mārē ʿālmā, bərīḵ kiṯrāḵ wə-ʾaṯrāḵ Gloss: bless.PEAL.PTCP.PASS name-3MS REL-master.CST world.DET, bless.PEAL.PTCP.PASS crown-2MS and-place-2MS English: Blessed is the name of the Master of the world; blessed is your crown and your place. Source: Zohar 2:206a, Vayaqhel (standard text; public domain) ``` ``` Aramaic: לא על אינש רחיצנא, ולא על בר אלהין סמיכנא, אלא באלהא דשמיא Translit.: lā ʿal ʾĕnāš rəḥīṣnā, wə-lā ʿal bar ʾĕlāhīn səmīḵnā, ʾellā bē-ʾlāhā di-šmayyā Gloss: NEG on man trust.PEAL.PTCP.PASS-1SG, and-NEG on son.CST god.M.PL.ABS rely.PEAL.PTCP.PASS-1SG, but in-god.DET REL-heaven.DET English: Not in a man do I trust, nor on an angel do I rely, but on the God of heaven. Source: Zohar 2:206a (standard text; public domain) ``` Notes: the JBA-type enclitic 1 sg. pronoun on passive participles (רְחִיצְנָא "I trust", סְמִיכְנָא "I rely"); בַּר אֱלָהִין "a son of gods" (= an angel) from Dan 3:25 ([Biblical Aramaic texts, annotated](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc/texts/) §4.5); אֱלָהָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא "the God of heaven", the phrase of Ezra and Daniel. The passage is recited in the synagogue when the Torah scroll is taken out. ## 6. The Idra Rabba: 3:127b–128a ``` Aramaic: יתיב רבי שמעון ובכה, ואמר: ווי אי גלינא, ווי אי לא גלינא Translit.: yəṯīḇ rabbī šimʿōn ū-ḇəḵā, wə-ʾămar: way ʾī gallēnā, way ʾī lā gallēnā Gloss: sit.PEAL.PTCP Rabbi Shimon and-weep.PEAL.PF.3MS, and-say.PEAL.PF.3MS: woe if reveal.PAEL.PTCP-1SG, woe if NEG reveal.PAEL.PTCP-1SG English: Rabbi Shimon sat and wept, and said: Woe if I reveal, and woe if I do not reveal! Source: Zohar 3:127b (Idra Rabba; standard text; public domain) ``` Notes: the narrative frame — the master sits, weeps, speaks; the companions are silent, one rises to speak ([Formulas and discourse of the Zohar](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc-x-zohar/style-formulas/) §5). אִי "if" (JBA); the enclitic 1 sg. on the participle (גַּלֵּינָא, JBA type); וַוי "woe". ## 7. Zohar Ḥadash: a homily on "Let there be light" ``` Aramaic: אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, מִכָּאן מַשְׁמַע, דַּעֲקָרָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהַנֵּי נְטִיעָן, וְשָׁתֵיל לוֹן Translit.: ʾāmar ribbī yiṣḥāq, mikkān mašmaʿ, da-ʿăqārān qūḏšā bərīḵ hū lə-hannē nəṭīʿān, wə-šāṯēl lōn Gloss: say.PF.3MS Rabbi Isaac, from-here(Heb.) imply.APH.PTCP, COMP-uproot.PEAL.PF.3MS-3FPL holy.one blessed COP.3MS ACC-these plant.F.PL, and-plant.PEAL.PTCP to-3MPL English: Rabbi Isaac said: From here it is implied that the Holy One, blessed be he, uprooted these plants and planted them (again). Source: Zohar Ḥadash, Bereshit (Sefaria "Zohar Chadash", public domain) ``` Notes: Hebrew מִכָּאן in an Aramaic sentence; הַנֵּי "these" (JBA) beside לוֹן "them" (JPA); prolepsis (עֲקָרָן … לְהַנֵּי, JBA-style object doubling, [The verb in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/tmr/verbs/) §7). One sentence, three dialects: the Zohar in miniature. 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