Traditional
translation of the Aramaic text
On the ______day
of the week, the _________day of the month ______ in the year five
thousand seven hundred and ______ since the creation of the world,
the era according to which we reckon here in the city of _________________
that ________ son of _________ said to this (virgin) _________daughter
of _____. "Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel,
and I will cherish, honor, support and maintain you in accordance
with the custom of Jewish husbands who cherish, honor, support and
maintain their wives faithfully. And I here present you with the
marriage gift of (virgins), (two hundred) silver zuzim, which belongs
to you, according the the law of Moses and Israel; and I will also
give you your food, clothing and necessities, and live with you
as husband and wife according to universal custom." And Miss_____,
this (virgin) consented and became his wife. The trousseau that
she brought to him from her (father's) house in silver, gold, valuables,
clothing, furniture and bedclothes, all this ________, the said
bridegroom accepted in the sum of (one hundred ) silver pieces,
and ______ the bridegroom, consented to increase this amount from
his own property with the sum of (one hundred) silver pieces, making
in all (two hundred) silver pieces. And thus said __________, the
bridegroom: "The responsibility of this marriage contract, of this
trousseau, and of this additional sum, I take upon myself and my
heirs after me, so that they shall be paid from the best part of
my property and possession that I have beneath the whole heaven,
that which I now possess or may hereafter acquire. All my property,
real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged
to secure the payment of this marriage contract, of the trousseau,
and of the addition made to it, during my lifetime and after my
death, from the present day and forever." _______, the bridegroom,
has taken upon himself the responsibility of this marriage contract,
of the trousseau and the additon made to it, according to the restrictive
usages of all marriage contracts and the additons to them made for
the daughters of Israel, according to the institution of our sages
of blessed memory. It is not to be regarded as a mere forfeiture
without consideration or as a mere formula of a document. We have
followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery (kinyan) between
______the son of _______, the bridegroom and _______ the daughter
of _______ this (virgin), and we have used a garment legally fit
for the purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above, and everything
is valid and confirmed. Attested to________________________ Witness
Attested to________________________ Witness
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Lieberman
Clause
This
paragraph is added at the end of the above Traditional Aramaic text
which is then called
Conservative with Lieberman Clause This is more egalitarian than
the original Aramaic.
And
both together agreed that if this marriage shall ever be dissolved
under civil law, then either husband or wife may invoke the authority
of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological
Seminary of America or its duly authorized representatives, to decide
what action by either spouse is then appropriate under Jewish matrimonial
law; and if either spouse shall fail to honor the demand of the
other or to carry out the decision of the Beth Din or its representative,
then the other spouse may invoke any and all remedies available
in civil law and equity to enforce compliance with the Beth Din's
decision and this solemn abligaton.
Traditional
translation and Lieberman clause source: http://www.judaicconnection.com/questions.php#traditional_translation
The
English text on the ketubah is not limited to a strict interpretation
of the original Aramaic. The English text may be customized for
the couple getting married, and is more of a reflection of the values
and beliefs of the couple.
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