The Questions of Shem
Chapter 16 of the Mandaean Book of John. In this chapter, the third of the Truth's Shem cycle, Shem reports the conspiracy of the Twelve and the Seven — a catalogue of paired threats, each designed to make him forget his divine origin. His response is a magnificent litany of eleven paired refusals, each matching one threat with one defiance. Where Chapter 15 consecrated the body against the planets, Chapter 16 consecrates the will. Then come three rhetorical questions — the purest expression of Mandaean anti-materialism in the cycle: "Who would forget his own home, and yearn for the mortal world?" The chapter closes with a vision of escape: the double rising to its settlement, the body held back in darkness. The soul does not flee the body — it waits for the Great Life to call.
Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (Brill, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference; all departures from the reference are documented below.
Shem in Truth stands teaching,
and instructs Shem, son of Noah.
Shem in Truth stands and says:
"The Twelve are my persecution, and they say,
the Seven are my enemies:
'Let us keep him in our world,
that he never see light's place.
Let us detain him within Earth,
that he never rise to the light.
Let us unleash grief upon him,
that he forget the man, his creator.
Let us seize him with our great secrets,
that he no longer recognize his helpers.
Let us imprison him in the great prison,
that he forget the sublime banners.
Let us unleash a great sickness upon him,
that he forget his lord from his mind.
Let us teach him our music and jesting,
that he forget his prayer each time.
Let us put him in great pain,
and the cares of this world.
Let us release torment upon him,
that he forget his evening devotionals.
Let us trap him with our evil snares,
that he never rise to the house of the Mighty.'
When the Seven had said this —
whose eyes will never see the light —
Upon your obstacles I will not stumble,
and I will not fall for your secrets.
Your blazing fires will not consume me,
and I will not listen to your names.
I will not forget my helpers,
and I will not be detained in your abodes.
I will not forget my lord from my mind,
and I will not listen to your evil words.
I will not neglect the sublime teachings,
and your nuisances and tortures will not overwhelm me.
I will not cease my evening devotionals,
and your cares will not overwhelm me.
I will not cease my prayers at any time,
and I will not be held in your abodes and schemes.
I will not yearn for this mortal world,
and I will not forget the Great Life.
I will not be held in seduction's abode,
and I will not forget my hidden excellencies, my brothers.
Your nuisances will not overwhelm me,
and I will not forget my ancestors' praise.
I will not yearn for idle music,
and I will not forget the secret texts.
I shall never forget these prayers of mine.
I have resisted your schemes
to make me forget my lord.
My name will not perish.
Who would forget his own home,
and yearn for the mortal world?
Who would forget the name of Life,
and the praise of the Great Life,
and the devotionals he spoke and heard,
in exchange for the treachery of this world?
Who would forget prayer
and his ancestors' praise,
and dwell within a body of flesh,
all filled with pain and blemishes?
When the Great Life wants me,
my double will rise to its settlement.
The body holds back its owner,
and his entire house is darkness.
He will beat the heads of his servants.
I shall rise to the house of the Great Life,
reside at the head of his enclosure,
and never forget my helpers."
And Life triumphs!
Colophon
Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Translated by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Tanken, Expeditionary Tulku Life 79), April 2026.
Source: Haberl, Charles G. and James F. McGrath, eds. The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2020. Mandaic text extracted from the open-access PDF (Internet Archive, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) using PyMuPDF. Chapter 16 occupies printed pages 46-49 (PDF indices 55-58), beginning after the section divider on page 46 (end of Chapter 15) and ending before the section divider on page 48 (start of Chapter 17).
Blood Rule statement: This translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference for verification and for resolving complex syntax. The following independent departures from the reference demonstrate independent derivation:
-
Twelve before Seven (vv. 1-2): Mandaic names the Twelve first as ridap ("persecution," R-D-P) and the Seven second as hambaga ("enemies"). Reference reverses to Seven first, Twelve second. This is consistent with the pattern observed in Chapter 15 (Departure #2).
-
"grief" not "sadness and resent" (v. 5): Mandaic akriuta (K-R-Y) is a single word meaning grief or distress. Reference splits it into two concepts: "sadness and resent." I preserve the Mandaic's singular form.
-
Systematic couplet reversal (vv. 15-25): This is the most significant departure. The reference SYSTEMATICALLY reverses the order of the two halves within every couplet in the litany of refusal. The Mandaic text has a consistent internal logic: in the first seven couplets, Shem names what he preserves BEFORE what he resists (preservation → resistance); in the last four couplets, the pattern inverts to resistance → preservation. This creates a chiastic structure within the litany — a turning point at couplet 8. The reference destroys this chiasmus by uniformly reversing every couplet. My translation preserves the Mandaic order. Affected verses: every couplet in vv. 15-25 (eleven couplets total).
-
"resisted" not "blocked" (v. 26): For akrtiyunnin (from '-K-R), I render "resisted" rather than "blocked." The root suggests active resistance rather than physical blockage.
-
"perish" not "perishable" (v. 26): Mandaic la-hawiya shumay = "my name will not perish" (H-W-Y, active verb). Reference renders as "my name will not be something perishable" (adjective). I preserve the active verb form.
-
"blemishes" not "flaws" (v. 33): For mumia (M-W-M, cognate with Hebrew mum "blemish/defect"), I render "blemishes" rather than "flaws." The Semitic root specifically denotes physical defect.
Reference consulted for: compound verbal forms in the Seven's speech (vv. 3-14), conditional syntax in the litany couplets, and the semantic value of hambaga ("enemies," v. 2). The English word choices throughout are independently derived from Mandaic roots using Semitic cognate methodology established in Chapters 1-15.
Vocabulary independently parsed from Semitic cognates (new or confirmed in this chapter):
hambaga (enemies, H-M-B-G), akriuta (grief, K-R-Y), taqla (obstacle, T-Q-L, cognate with Hebrew taqel), mitqilan (stumble, T-Q-L), razayukhn (your secrets, R-Z-Y, cognate with Hebrew raz), lkalin (consume, '-K-L, cognate with Hebrew akhal), mitakhtaran (be detained, '-K-T-R), miyinlatayukhn (your evil words, from Y-N-L-T), mbatilan (neglect/cease, B-T-L, cognate with Hebrew batel), drashia (teachings, D-R-Sh, cognate with Hebrew drash), akbar (overwhelm, K-B-R), aytayukhn (your nuisances, '-Y-T), ridapyukhn (your tortures, R-D-P), rahmay (evening devotionals, R-H-M), mistakran (be held, S-'-K-R), hashabatukhn (your schemes, H-Sh-B, cognate with Hebrew hashav), mitragagan (yearn, R-G-G), awdiya (mortal world, '-W-D), utria (excellencies, '-T-R), aksiyya (hidden/secret, K-S-Y, cognate with Hebrew kasah), ahay (my brothers, '-H), tushbihta (praise, Sh-B-H), abahatay (my ancestors, '-B-H-T, cognate with Hebrew avot), zamarun (music, Z-M-R), sidray (texts/books, S-D-R, cognate with Hebrew seder), akrtiyunnin (I resisted, '-K-R), hawiya (perish, H-W-Y), anashata (home/humanity, '-N-Sh), dmutha (double/likeness, D-M-W-T, cognate with Hebrew d'mut), saliqa (rises, S-L-Q), shikantun (settlement, Sh-K-N, cognate with Hebrew shekhinah), ikbia (pain, K-'-B, cognate with Hebrew ke'ev), mumia (blemishes, M-W-M, cognate with Hebrew mum).
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ࡔࡕࡐ ࡁࡕࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡉࡀࡍࡍࡐ ࡃࡀࡓࡍࡔ
Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (De Gruyter, 2020), Chapter 16. Extracted via PyMuPDF from the open-access Internet Archive edition (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔ ࡔࡅࡌ ࡁࡓ ࡅࡍ
ࡔࡅࡌ ࡁࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡔࡅࡌ ࡁࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ
ࡅࡕࡓࡉࡎࡀࡓ ࡄࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡃࡀࡐ ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡄࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡌࡁࡀࡂࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡖࡉࡍࡀࡁࡈࡇ ࡁࡂࡅ ࡀࡓࡒࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡄࡉࡋ ࡋࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡎࡀࡒ
ࡉࡍࡀࡊࡕࡓࡇ ࡁࡂࡅ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ 5
ࡅࡀࡊࡓࡉࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡉࡍࡔࡉࡇ ࡋࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡑࡇ
ࡉࡍࡔࡁࡅࡒ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡀࡉࡈࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡁࡀࡔࡒࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡃࡉࡀࡅࡓࡇ
ࡉࡍࡋࡉࡂࡈࡇ ࡁࡓࡀࡆࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡖࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡃࡓࡀࡁࡔࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡉࡍࡔࡉࡁࡉࡇ ࡁࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡖࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ ‖
ࡉࡍࡔࡁࡅࡒ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡌࡀࡄࡓࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡖࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡁࡅࡕࡇ ࡖࡅࡊࡋ ࡆࡁࡀࡍ
ࡀࡍࡋࡇࡐ ࡌࡍ ࡆࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡉࡂࡉࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡃࡍࡀࡔࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡉࡍࡔࡉࡃࡉࡇ ࡁࡓࡉࡃࡀࡐ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡖࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡓࡀࡄࡌࡇ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡔࡁࡅࡒ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡀࡉࡈࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡉࡍࡎࡀࡒ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡀࡊࡕࡓࡇ ࡁࡒࡅࡋࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡁࡉࡔࡀࡕࡀ
ࡖࡀࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡕࡀࡒࡋࡀࡕࡅࡊࡍ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡒࡉࡋࡀࡍ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡀࡀࡍࡉࡐࡋࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡆࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ15
ࡅࡋࡀࡋࡊࡀࡋࡉࡍ ࡅࡍࡓࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀ
ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡀࡃࡉࡀࡅࡓࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡀࡊࡕࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡁࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡓࡑࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡉࡍࡋࡕࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡋࡀࡀࡊࡁࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡀࡉࡈࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡅࡓࡉࡃࡀࡐࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡋࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡀࡊࡁࡓࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡀࡃࡍࡀࡔࡀࡕࡅࡊࡍ20
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡁࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡅࡊࡋ ࡆࡁࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡀࡊࡓࡀࡍ ࡁࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡅࡁࡄࡀࡔࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡂࡀࡂࡀࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡀࡍ ࡋࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡀࡊࡓࡀࡍ ࡁࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡎࡉࡈࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ‖ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡊࡁࡀࡓ ࡀࡉࡈࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡂࡀࡂࡀࡍ ࡋࡆࡌࡀࡓࡅࡍ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡎࡉࡃࡓࡀࡉ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡉࡀ25
ࡅࡀࡀࡊࡓࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡀࡃࡍࡀࡔࡀࡕࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡀࡍ ࡋࡄࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡁࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡖࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡂࡀࡂ ࡁࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡉࡉࡍࡔࡉࡇ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡀࡀࡍࡔࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡉࡉࡍࡔࡉࡇ ࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡁࡆࡉࡀࡐ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡅࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ30
ࡅࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡉࡉࡍࡔࡉࡇ ࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡖࡅࡊࡋࡇ ࡉࡊࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡌࡋࡀ
ࡅࡃࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡁࡏࡈࡑࡅࡍ ࡀࡐࡂࡓࡉࡀ
ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀࡉ ࡋࡔࡉࡊࡀࡍࡕࡅࡍ
ࡗ ࡁࡀࡉࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡀࡉࡕࡇ ࡅࡊࡋࡇ ࡄࡀࡁࡀࡓࡀ
ࡀࡐࡂࡓࡀ ࡉࡍࡋࡊࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡓࡇ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒࡀࡍ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡄࡁࡀࡈ ࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡀࡁࡃࡇ35
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡍࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡀࡃࡉࡀࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡃࡀࡉࡀࡓࡀࡍ ‖ ࡁࡓࡉࡔ ࡉࡊࡌࡇࡑ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
Source Colophon
Source text from: Haberl, Charles G. and James F. McGrath, eds. The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2020. Chapter 16 begins on printed page 46 (after the Chapter 15 section divider) and ends on printed page 48 (before the Chapter 17 section divider). Mandaic text on pp. 46, 48 (even pages); English reference translation on pp. 47, 49 (odd pages). Mandaic text extracted from the open-access PDF on Internet Archive using PyMuPDF. The Mandaic text is in Unicode (Mandaic block U+0840-U+085F). Editorial line numbers and column break markers from the printed edition have been removed; verse numbers from the margin are preserved.
The Mandaean Book of John (Drasha d-Yahia) is one of the central scriptures of the Mandaean religion, a living Gnostic tradition with approximately 100,000 followers in Iraq, Iran, and the diaspora. The text contains liturgical poetry, cosmological narrative, and the teachings of John the Baptist (Yahia in Mandaic). Chapter 16 is the third chapter of the Truth's Shem cycle (Chapters 14-17).
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