He Called Out a Proclamation

Chapter 22 of the Mandaean Book of John — the fifth chapter of the John-Johannes section (Chapters 18–33). Johannes calls out a proclamation to the world, warning all who stand in wickedness to buy a path while they can. He prophesies the end of the elect, the silencing of Life’s voice, and the withdrawal of the sublime sign. Jacob, Benjamin, and Meryey question him under oath. Johannes answers with the most explosive prophecy in the Book of John: once the priests are slaughtered and the Israelites are slain, Muhammad the Arab will be born. Tents will be replaced by mosques. Stability, peace, weddings, and the faith itself will be removed. Those who come after will pervert their scales, henna their beards, pray in their mosques, and interrogate the Mandaeans about their prophet and their book. The chapter ends with the Mandaean confession: our Lord is the king of light, and he is the one on high. Forty verses.

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 in the colophon.

John teaches in the evenings of the night.
Yahya teaches in the nights.
Yahya teaches in the nights,
and said:

He called out a proclamation in the world.

"O you who stand in wickedness —
come, buy a path before you!
O you who compound interest upon interest —
come, buy a path before you!
O you who sleep in fragrant wreaths —
get up, buy a path before you!
O you who wear roses and silk —
get up, buy a path before you!
O you who lie in flattery —
get up, buy a path before you!

For the righteous elect’s children will rise,
and Life’s voice will not approach the world.
The ascensions will rise,
but the pure turban will not be confirmed.
The living baptism will rise,
but the sublime sign will not be there."

When Yahya said this,
Jacob, Benjamin, and Meryey
spoke to Yahya in Jerusalem, saying:

"By Life whom you worship, Yahya,
I adjure you —
again I adjure you, Yahya,
by the Daybreak whose name is dear:

Will the righteous elect’s children rise,
and Life’s voice not approach the world?
Will the ascensions rise,
and the pure turban not be confirmed?
Will the living baptism rise,
and the sublime sign not be there?"

When Jacob, Benjamin, and Meryey said this,
Yahya spoke to them in Jerusalem, saying:

"Once the priests are all slaughtered
and are no more,
the children of Israel will be slain.

Muhammad the Arab will be born —
the son of adoption, the son of the forsaken,
the son of adoption, Ishmael —
and he will be called the son of Aminah and Abdallah.

He will remove all tents,
and mosques will multiply in the world.
He will remove stability and peace,
and deceit and wickedness will multiply in the world.
He will remove weddings
and invitations from the Earth.

He will remove the faith
and not seclude women in childbirth.

Not a single bell will ring on Earth,
none of them will ring.
They will hate the book of wisdom,
so that they bring wickedness into the world.
They will hate adultery, but commit adultery;
hate theft, but commit theft;
hate usury and compound interest,
but give one and take nine.

They pervert their scales
and magnify their weights.

Some of them shave their heads,
and some of them neglect their hair.
Some of them neglect their hair,
and some of them henna their beards.
Some of them henna their beards
and rise to pray in their mosques.

When they see a man putting on a girdle,
great distress covers all their stature.
They begin questioning and say,
‘Who is your prophet?

Tell us, who is your prophet,
and tell us, which is your book?
Tell us, which is your book,
and tell us, whom do you worship?’

They neither know nor understand —
accursed and disgraceful —
they neither know nor understand
that our Lord is the king of light.
He is the one on high."

And Life is praised!

Colophon

Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (NTAC + Claude), April 2026.

Source text: Charles Haberl and James McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Brill, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Pages 66–68 (text), pages 67–69 (translation).

The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference. Eight departures from the reference are documented below:

1. "Yahya" for "John" — The Mandaic text uses Yahia (ܡܐܗܐܡ), the Mandaic form of the Baptist’s name. This translation preserves the Mandaic form, consistent with the project’s convention across all chapters.

2. "is praised" for "triumphs" — The Mandaic formula w-hiia zaikan closes every chapter. The project renders this consistently as "And Life is praised!" rather than the reference’s "And Life triumphs!"

3. "I adjure you" for "I ask that you swear" (vv. 11–14) — The Mandaic maumyanlak is a single causative form from the root M-W-M: "I make you swear" = "I adjure you." More concise and precise than the reference’s periphrasis.

4. "king of light" for "light king" (v. 39) — The Mandaic malak d-hnura is a construct phrase: malak = king, d- = of, hnura = light. "King of light" follows the Mandaic syntax more faithfully than the reference’s reversed English compound.

5. "great distress covers all their stature" for "misery covers them from head to toe" (v. 33) — The Mandaic reads qirsa rba la-bishlh l-kulh qumtaihun: qirsa = distress, rba = great, qumtaihun = their stature. The reference paraphrases with "head to toe." This translation preserves the Mandaic’s precise idiom.

6. "the son of the forsaken" for "son of a forsaken son" (v. 19) — The Mandaic bar shibqauia = "son of the forsaken one." The reference’s "son of a forsaken son" adds an extra generation not present in the Mandaic.

7. "wickedness" consistently for "ula" — Where the reference alternates between "evil" and "wickedness," the Mandaic consistently uses ula (ܐܗܔܐ). This translation renders it consistently as "wickedness."

8. "multiply" for "increase" (vv. 22–24) — The Mandaic verbs describing the spread of mosques, deceit, and wickedness suggest active proliferation. "Multiply" captures this stronger sense.

Blood Rule attestation: This English was independently derived from reading the Classical Mandaic source text. The Haberl-McGrath English was consulted as a reference for verification and disambiguation, but the translation follows the Mandaic grammar, word order, and diction independently. All departures from the reference are documented above.

First English translation: No. Haberl and McGrath (2020) provide the first complete scholarly English translation. This is an independent English rendering from the same Mandaic source.

Scribal credit: Tulku Tansaku (探索), Expeditionary Tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church.

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Source Text: ܡܒܐܔܐܓ ܖܐܗܐܐܕ — ܔܓܐܙ 22

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath’s critical edition (Brill, 2020), pp. 66–68. Presented for reference and verification.

ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡀࡊࡋࡅࡆࡀ ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡇ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡍ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡆࡁࡅࡍ
ࡉࡀ ࡖࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡁࡏࡅࡋࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡍ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡆࡁࡅࡍ
ࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡋࡊࡉࡀ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡄࡁࡅࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡆࡁࡅࡍ
ࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡁࡊࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡋࡊࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡎࡌࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ‖ ࡆࡁࡅࡍ
ࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡁࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡓࡃࡀ ࡅࡔࡀࡓࡀࡉࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡆࡁࡅࡍ
ࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡁࡊࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡔࡅࡐࡓ ࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡅࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡓࡉࡑ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡁࡅࡓࡆࡉࡒࡍࡀ
ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡎࡒࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡀࡍࡉ ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ
ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀ ࡌࡀࡁࡑࡅࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡉࡕࡀ
ࡉࡀࡒࡉࡐ ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡅࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ
ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡅࡋࡇ ࡋࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡁࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡌࡀࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ
ࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡁࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡂࡃࡀࡕࡋࡅࡍ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡉࡓ ࡔࡅࡌࡇ
ࡕࡅࡌ ࡌࡀࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡅࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡏ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡓࡉࡑ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡁࡅࡓࡆࡉࡒࡍࡀ
ࡌࡏ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡎࡒࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡀࡍࡉ ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ
ࡌࡏ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀ ࡌࡀࡁࡑࡅࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡉࡕࡀ
ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡅࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡉࡀࡒࡉࡐ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ ࡁࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡎࡓࡀࡉࡉࡋ ‖ ࡌࡉࡕࡂࡀࡈࡋࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡌࡉࡕࡂࡀࡈࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡓ ࡀࡓࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡓ ࡔࡉࡁࡒࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡋࡉࡃ ࡌࡄࡀࡌࡀࡃ ࡀࡓࡁࡀࡉࡀ
{ࡅࡁࡓ ࡀࡌࡕࡇ ࡖࡘࡀࡁࡃࡀࡋࡄ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡋࡇ }ࡋࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡁࡓ ࡀࡓࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡌࡏࡉࡉࡋ
ࡅࡌࡀࡎࡂࡃࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡔࡊࡉࡍࡀ
ࡅࡀࡊࡃࡁࡀ ࡅࡏࡅࡋࡀ ࡀࡍࡅࡐࡔ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡀࡎࡒࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡕࡅࡒࡀࡍ ࡅࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡌࡀࡎࡒࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡄࡉࡋࡅࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡅࡑࡓࡕࡀ ࡋࡄࡀࡉࡕࡀ ࡋࡀࡀࡑࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡎࡒࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡄࡀࡉࡌࡀࡅࡍࡕࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡒࡀࡓࡒࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡒࡀࡓࡒࡉࡔ ࡆࡀࡂࡍࡀ ࡁࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ ࡓࡀࡌࡉࡁࡇ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡊࡃࡁࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡅࡊࡌࡕࡀ
ࡅࡎࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡂࡅࡍࡁࡕࡀ ࡅࡂࡀࡁࡍࡉࡀ
ࡎࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡅࡂࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡉࡀࡄࡁࡉࡀ ࡄࡃࡀ ࡅࡔࡀࡒࡋࡉࡀ ࡕࡔࡀ
ࡅࡎࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡄࡁࡅࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡉࡁࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡕࡒࡀࡋࡅࡍ
ࡀࡑࡋࡉࡋࡉࡍ ࡋࡆࡁࡀࡉࡍࡀࡕࡅࡍ
ࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡆࡍࡉࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡔࡀࡁࡒࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ‖ ࡖࡂࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡃࡉࡒࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡁࡄࡉࡀࡍ ࡀࡑࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡁࡒࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡆࡍࡉࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡑࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡆࡂࡃࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡑࡁࡉࡀ ࡃࡉࡒࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡁࡄࡉࡀࡍ
ࡒࡉࡓࡎࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡋࡀࡁࡉࡔࡋࡇ ࡋࡅࡊࡋࡇ ࡒࡅࡌࡕࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡏࡎࡉࡓࡋࡇ ࡄࡉࡌࡉࡀࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡁࡍࡉࡄࡀࡊ ࡌࡀࡍ
ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡉࡋࡉࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡀࡍ ࡃࡊࡀࡁࡀࡊ ࡌࡀࡍ
ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡁࡍࡉࡄࡀࡊ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡀࡍ ࡋࡌࡀࡅࡍ ࡎࡀࡂࡃࡀࡕࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡃࡊࡀࡁࡀࡊ
ࡋࡉࡈࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡄࡉࡕࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡐࡓࡔࡉࡀ
ࡖࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ
ࡋࡀࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡐࡓࡔࡉࡀ
ࡁࡌࡓࡅࡌࡀ ࡄࡃࡀ ࡄࡅ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ

Source Colophon

Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary, Texts and Translations 71, Mandaean Studies 1 (Leiden: Brill, 2020). Accessed via Internet Archive. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Pages 66–68 (Mandaic text), pages 67–69 (English translation).

The Mandaic text represents the critical edition prepared from multiple manuscripts.

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