Translation of The Ketuba

Translation of The Ketuba

Like any lawyer will tell you, the fine details matter. While my Ketuba is a piece of art, it still remains a contract and for this reason I wanted my translation to be as precise as possible without losing the gusto of the beautiful, yet archaic, Aramaic. This Ketuba is of specific import because it is the Ketuba that married my parents, and I wanted a lasting tribute to their wonderful marriage; I also want my efforts to preserve their Ketuba to serve as a small token of appreciation for their incredible sacrifice in raising me with so much love. I enlisted the help of a Rabbinic scholar (and fittingly, given the intimacy of this document, a close family friend), Yehiel Poupko, to help me fill in the gaps of my knowledge. Much of the Aramaic I was, in fact, able to decipher; for example, in the portions where it talks about being a devoted partner it was easy for me to translate the Aramaic into English as many of the Aramaic words still appear in modern Hebrew. To give an example of the carryover into modern Hebrew, כסף (money) and אמר (said) are integral words in modern Hebrew. However, for terms like “trousseau” (sometimes translated as “dowry”) and the semantics of "zuzim transfer” I sought elevated counsel. Rabbi Poupko advised me about how to translate these Aramaic words into English in accord with traditional customary language. My translation differs from the standard translation as it gives a more personal touch, recounting the different monetary figures my father symbolically bequeathed, as well as illuminating the origins of my mother’s Hebrew name. Since when my mother was born, female Bat Mitzvah wasn’t very common, she never received a Hebrew name. In the Jewish tradition, in the absence of a given name the default is Chanah. So, when in the translation it refers to her father as the priest, that is actually referring to the father of the biblical Chana! In summation, my translation sought to capture the specialness and “oldness” of the Aramaic by using equally old English in an attempt to be the most accurate in not just diction but also word choice; my translation also illuminates nuances specific to my familial arrangement. By using a mixture of communal-ritual language and personal language, I can be sure that what I produced is an accurate portrayal of the true uniqueness of this document and does not dilute any of its meaning nor its poetry.

Eli Nasatir and Rabbi Yehiel Poupko

Eli Nasatir and Rabbi Yehiel Poupko

English (translated from Aramaic)