Dayenu is the name of a beautiful prayer which means "It would have sufficed"  or  "We would have been satisfied."   Perhaps grateful would be a better translation.   Dayenu  is our song of our gratitude.  A Jew is defined by his or her capacity for gratitude.  A Jewish philosopher was once asked, "What is the opposite of nihilism?"  and he responded, "Dayenu," the ability to be thankful for what we have received, for what we are.  The first prayer a Jew is expected to recite upon waking expresses gratitude for being alive.  This holds for all generations, and surely for ours.  For each of us, every day, should be an act of grace, every hour an miraculous offering.

I-lu i-lu, ho-tzi-a-nu

Ho-tzi-a-nu mi-mitz-ra-yim

Ho-tzi-a-nu mi-mitz-ra-yim

Da-ye-nu

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

I-lu i-lu na-tan la-nu

Na-tan la-nu et ha-Shabat

Na-tan la-nu et ha-Shabat 

Da-ye-nu

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

I-lu i-lu na-tan la-nu

Na-tan la-nu et ha-Torah

Na-tan la-nu et ha-Torah

Da-ye-nu

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu. Dy, da-ye-nu.

Ilu asa vahem shfatim velo asa veloheihem 
Velo asa veloheihem dayenu
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu asa veloheihem velo harag bechoreihem 
Velo harag bechoreihem dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu harag bechoreihem velo natan lanu et mamonam 
Velo natan lanu et mamonam dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu natan lanu et mamonam velo kara lanu et hayam 
Velo kara lanu et hayam dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu kara lanu et hayam velo he'eviranu betocho becharava 
Velo he'eviranu betocho becharava dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu he'eviranu betocho becharava velo shika tzarenu betocho 
Velo shika tzarenu betocho dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu shika tzarenu betocho velo sipek tzarchenu bamidbar 
Arbaim shana dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu sipek tzarchenu bamidbar arbaim shana 
Velo he'echilanu et haman dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu he'echilanu et haman velo natan lanu et haShabbat 
Velo natan lanu et haShabbat dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu natan lanu et haShabbat velo kervanu lifne Har Sinai 
Velo kervanu lifne har sinai dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu kervanu lifne Har Sinai velo natan lanu et haTorah 
Velo natan lanu et haTorah dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu natan lanu et haTorah velo hichnisanu l'eretz Yisrael 
Velo hichnisanu l'eretz Yisrael dayenu 
Day dayenu (4x) 
  
Ilu hichnisanu l'eretz Yisrael velo bana lanu et Beit Habechira 
Velo bana lanu et Beit Habechira 
Day dayenu (4x)


haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & Dayenu
Source: The Family Haggadah