Leonard Bernstein
Symphony No. 3 “Kaddish”
(Spoken English text)
O, my Father: ancient, hallowed
Lonely, disappointed Father:
Betrayed and rejected Ruler of the Universe:
Angry, wrinkled Old Majesty:
I want to pray
I want to say Kaddish
My own Kaddish. There may be
No one to say it after me
I have so little time, as You well know
Is my end a minute away? An hour?
Is there even time to consider the question?
It could be here, while we are singing
That we may be stopped, once for all
Cut off in the act of praising You
But while I have breath, however brief
I will sing this final Kaddish for You
For me, and for all these I love
Here in this sacred house
I want to pray, and time is short

(Sung Hebrew text)
יִתְגַדַל וְיִתְקַדַשׁ שְמֵהּ רַבָא
בְעָלְמָא דִי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ
וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ
וְיַצְמַח פֻרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִיחֵהּ
בְחַיֵיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן
וּבְחַיֵי דְכָל בֵית יִשְרָאֵל
בַעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְמֵהּ רַבָא מְבָרַךְ
לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָא
יִתְבָרַךְ וְיִשְתַבַח וְיִתְפָאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם
וְיִתְנַשֵא וְיִתְהַדָר וְיִתְעַלֶה וְיִתְהַלָל
שְמֵהּ דְקֻדְשָא בְרִיךְ הוּא
לְעֵלָא (וּלְעֵלָא מִכָל) מִן כָל בִרְכָתָא
וְשִירָתָא תֻשבְחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא
דַאֲמִירָן בְעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
תִתְקַבֵל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן
דְכָל בֵית יִשְרָאֵל
קֳדָם אֲבוּהוֹן דִי בִשְמַיָא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
(transliteration)
Yitgaddal veyitqaddash shmeh rabba
Beʻalma di vra khir'uteh
Veyamlikh malkhuteh
Beḥayekhon uvyomekhon
Uvḥaye dekhol bet yisrael
Beʻagala uvizman qariv veʼimru, Amen
Yehe shmeh rabba mevarakh
Leʻalam ulʻalme ʻalmaya
Yitbarakh veyishtabbaḥ veyitpaar veyitromam
Veyitnasse veyithaddar veyitʻalleh veyithallal
Shmeh dequdsha berikh hu
Leʻella (lʻella mikkol) min kol birkhata
Veshirata tushbeḥata veneḥemata
Daamiran beʻalma veʼimru, Amen
Titqabbal tzelotehon uvaʻutehon
D'khol bet yisrael
Qodam avuhon di bishmayya, vʼimru, Amen