The Book of John — Chapter 28 · Tianmu Anglican Church

The Judgments of Yahya

Chapter 28 of the Mandaean Book of John — the eleventh chapter of the John-Johannes section (Chapters 18–33). This is the longest and most structurally complex chapter in the Book of John: a full Mandaean ethical code delivered through question-and-answer. The Jews gather before Yahya, swear oaths by the light king and by Sunday and the Daybreak, and present him with every category of sin — adultery, theft, sleeping with a friend's wife, abandoning one spouse for another, fortune-telling, wine-drinking in taverns, songstresses who bear illegitimate children and poison them, ritual impurity, usury, hoarding gold and silver, inhaling Life's scent without invoking Life's name, disgusting deeds, dyeing the hands and feet, and loving colorful fabrics. For each sin, Yahya delivers the punishment: fire, the dark mountain, twin wheels, fire-pots, vessels of ice, asphalt rakes, the bowels of Leviathan, blow upon blow, enraged dogs, deaf and mute interrogators, clouds of darkness, the Seven's sword and blade, coals in the hand and flame on the lips, blazing sandals and gloomy shrouds. The chapter closes with Yahya addressing his elect: do not do disgusting deeds, lest you sink to darkness' place. Ninety 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.

Yahya preaches in the nights,
Yuhana in the evenings of the nights.

Yahya preaches in the nights
and says:

1 "Lofty strongholds shall fall,
and houses that are raised shall be destroyed.

2 Is there no one to whom they say, 'Peace be upon you!'
who would not at once reply, 'Go to ruin!'
in this world?"

3 Jews gathered
and went to Yahya.

4 They said to him,

5 "We ask that you swear, Yahya,
by the light king whom you worship.

6 We ask that you swear, Yahya,
by Sunday and the Daybreak,
whose name is precious and great:

7 The one who falls into adultery —
with what shall he be judged?

8 The one who falls into theft —
with what shall he be judged?

9 The one who sleeps with his companion's wife —
with what shall he be judged?

10 Every man who lets one go and keeps one —
with what shall he be judged?

11 Every woman who commits adultery —
with what shall she be judged?

12 Every one who goes to fortune-tellers
and false astrologers —
with what shall he be judged?

13 Every one who drinks wine in a tavern
and commits drunkenness and harm within it —
with what shall he be judged?

14 Every one who goes to a songstress
and sows an illegitimate seed,
and she conceives by him and takes poison,

15 goes out to the marketplaces and casts it away,
and the eyes of the child see its mother
but the mother does not see the child —
with what shall he be judged?

16 Every one who sleeps with his wife
and does not wash himself with water —
with what shall he be judged?

17 A woman who does not wash with water —
with what shall she be judged?

18 Every one who sleeps with his wife
on that first day when she washes away
defilement and menstruation —
with what shall he be judged?

19 Every one who practices usury
and charges interest on gold and silver —
with what shall he be judged?

20 Every one who loves gold and silver —
with what shall he be judged?

21 Every one who loves gold and silver
and does no good with it —
with what shall he be judged?

22 Every one who inhales Life's scent
but does not invoke Life's name over it —
with what shall he be judged?

23 Every one who does loathsome deeds —
with what shall he be judged?

24 Every one who dyes his hand and foot
and distorts the likeness his Lord ordained —
with what shall he be judged?

25 Every one who loves colorful fabrics and colors —
with what shall he be judged?"

26 When the Jews said this,
Yahya cried out with a mighty cry and said:

27 "Far be it that the great and mighty light
should seek a garment from the dregs!

28 Every one who falls into adultery —
his judgment shall be in the fire.

29 Every one who falls into theft
shall be bound in the dark mountain.

30 Every one who sleeps with his companion's wife —
his judgment shall be in the fire,

31 until his spirit yields.

32 Every one who sleeps with a widow
shall be bound in the dark mountain.

33 Every one who sleeps with an unmarried bride
shall be tormented to his limit by twin wheels,
and shall not behold Abatur.

34 Every one who lets one go and takes another
shall be tormented in the fire-pots.

35 The woman who commits adultery
shall become kindling for an oven,
and shall not behold Life's house.

36 Every one who goes to fortune-tellers
and false astrologers
shall be tormented in vessels of ice.

37 Every one who drinks wine
in a tavern and gets drunk,

38 engaging in drums, revelry,
and whoring within it —
they shall tear him apart with asphalt rakes,
and he shall not behold Abatur.

39 Every one who goes to a songstress
and sows his illegitimate seed,
and she conceives by him and takes poison,

40 goes out to the dung heap and sets it down,
and digs a pit and buries it,
and with her heel she tramples it,

41 and the eyes of the child see its mother
but the mother does not see the child —

42 the child shall die in the dung heap,
and its mother shall weep for it in secret.

43 She shall be interrogated in that penitentiary
of the enraged and furious dogs.

44 She shall be interrogated in that penitentiary
of the deaf and the mute,
and she shall not behold Abatur,
and her name shall be blotted from Life's house.

45 Every one who approaches his wife
and does not wash in water
shall dwell in the bowels of Leviathan.

46 The woman who does not wash in water
shall be beaten with blow upon blow,
and the pure name shall curse her,
and there shall be no final release for her.

47 Light's watcher shall strike her,
and her name shall be blotted from Life's house.

48 The man who sleeps with his wife
on that first day when she washes away
defilement and menstruation —
they shall raise him into clouds of darkness.

49 Every one who practices usury
and charges interest on gold and silver —
they shall raise him into the dark mountain.

50 Every one who loves gold and silver
and does no good within it

51 shall die twice instead of once,
and be cut off.

52 Every one who inhales Life's scent
and does not invoke Life's name over it
shall be interrogated in Abatur's house.

53 Every one who does loathsome deeds
shall be seized by the Seven's sword and blade.

54 Every one who dyes his hands and feet
and distorts the likeness his Lord ordained —

55 he shall hold the coals in his hand,
and he shall kindle the flame with his lips.

56 He shall seek death but shall not die.
Life shall not approach him,

57 and shall neither let him die
nor relieve him from his suffering,
to rise and see light's place.

58 He has not been condemned in sin's abode
because of the baptism he received.

59 Every one who loves colorful fabrics and colors
shall be clothed in darkness.

60 They shall cover him with gloomy shrouds
and put blazing sandals on his feet.

61 Darkness shall go out before him,
and gloom shall come after him.

62 He shall have demons beside him,
because he loved colors and colorful fabrics.

63 He shall be bound in the penitentiary
until his spirit becomes perfect."

64 "To you I am speaking and explaining,
the souls of my righteous elect who testify to Life.

65 Do not do loathsome deeds,
lest you sink to darkness' place."

66 The victorious Life speaks,
and the man who went here is praised,
so that those who love them are not condemned.

67 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 85–91 (Mandaic text), pages 86–90 (English translation).

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

"Yahya" for "John" — Mandaic Yahia. Project convention throughout all chapters.
"Yuhana" for "Johannes" — Mandaic Yuhana. Project convention.
"is praised" for "triumphs" — The Mandaic formula w-hiia zaikan. Project convention: "And Life is praised!"
"shall" for "will/should" — Throughout the punishments section. The Mandaic imperfect conveys divine decree. "Shall" carries the juridical weight appropriate to casuistic law — these are not predictions but sentences.
"Peace be upon you" for "Have a nice day" — Mandaic greeting formula. "Peace be upon you" (shlama) is the standard Mandaic/Aramaic salutation. "Have a nice day" is an anachronistic colloquialism that breaks the register.
"Go to ruin" for "Go to Hell" — The Mandaic does not reference a specific afterlife location here. "Go to ruin" preserves the cursory dismissal without importing Christian eschatology.
"falls into" for "lapses into" — Mandaic root H-S-R (to fall short, transgress). "Falls into" is more direct and matches the juridical register.
"companion's wife" for "friend's wife" — Mandaic habr-eh (his companion, associate). "Companion" captures the social bond the sin violates.
"conceives" for "gets pregnant" — More formal register consistent with legal/religious discourse.
"casts it away" for "tosses it" — Mandaic shadya-leh. "Casts away" preserves the gravity of the act.
"loathsome" for "disgusting" — Mandaic sayanata (hateful, abominable deeds). "Loathsome" carries the religious condemnation; "disgusting" is too colloquial for juridical context.
"invoke" for "mention" — Mandaic andakar (root D-K-R, to remember, invoke, mention). In ritual context, the act is invocation — the deliberate calling of the Name — not casual mention. Consistent with Chapter 27 departure #13.
"defilement" for "uncleanness/uncleanliness" — Mandaic tunipa (ritual impurity). "Defilement" carries the specific Mandaean sense of ritual pollution.
"blotted" for "erased" — Mandaic yintikpar (to be wiped out, blotted). "Blotted from Life's house" echoes biblical "blotted from the Book of Life" — the theological resonance is appropriate for an Aramaic tradition.
"mighty cry" for "loud cry" — Mandaic qidihteh w-qda. The doubling conveys intensity beyond mere volume.
"Far be it" for "God forbid" — Mandaic hasla (far be it, may it not be). "God forbid" imports a theistic idiom foreign to Mandaean theology. "Far be it" is closer to the Aramaic.
Verse numbering consolidated — The reference uses verse numbers following the critical edition's line numbering. This translation consolidates into sequential verse numbers (1–67) for readability, as the original text is continuous prose with no verse divisions in the manuscript.

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.

🌲

Source Text: ࡀࡖࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡁࡉࡀ — ࡐࡖࡌࡀ 28

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (Brill, 2020), pp. 85–91. Presented for reference and verification. Couplet order corrected from the PyMuPDF extraction artifact (RTL text extraction reverses couplet members).

ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ15
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡖࡌࡃࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡐࡎࡀࡎࡉࡀ
ࡀࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡓࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡋࡐࡉࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡅ ࡋࡉࡂࡀࡋ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡅࡋࡇ ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡖࡀࡌࡀࡓࡅࡋࡇ ࡈࡅࡁࡀࡊ
ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡅࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡀࡆࡋࡉࡀ
ࡏࡕࡀࡊࡀࡍࡉࡐࡅࡍ ࡉࡀࡄࡅࡈࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ5
ࡁࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡂࡃࡀࡕࡋࡇ
ࡌࡀࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡁࡄࡀࡁࡔࡀࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ
ࡕࡅࡌ ࡌࡀࡅࡌࡉࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡉࡓ ࡅࡀࡊࡁࡉࡓ ࡔࡅࡌࡇ
ࡔࡀࡉࡀࡋࡕࡇ ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡖࡁࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡎࡀࡓ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡖࡁࡂࡅࡁࡍࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡎࡀࡓ10
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡖࡌࡍ ࡏࡕࡍࡀ ‖ ࡖࡄࡀࡁࡓࡇ ࡂࡀࡉࡀࡓ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡁࡉࡒ ࡄࡃࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡂࡉࡈ ࡄࡃࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡀࡕࡅࡀࡕ ࡖࡂࡀࡉࡓࡀ ࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡀࡊࡅࡑࡌࡉࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡊࡋࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡒࡓࡀ15
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡌࡓࡀ ࡁࡄࡀࡅࡍࡕࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡓࡅࡉࡕࡀ ࡅࡄࡅࡎࡓࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡀࡁࡉࡃ
ࡖࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡆࡀࡌࡀࡓࡕࡀ
ࡅࡆࡉࡓࡀ ࡆࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡊࡃࡁࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡈࡀࡍ ࡅࡎࡀࡌࡀ ࡔࡀࡒࡋࡀ20
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀ ࡁࡔࡅࡒࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡉࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡖࡉࡀࡋࡃࡀ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀࡋࡇ ࡋࡏࡌࡇ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡏࡌࡀ ࡋࡉࡀࡋࡃࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡉࡊࡁ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡆࡀࡅࡇ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡎࡀࡉࡉࡀ25
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡀࡕࡅࡀࡕ ࡖࡋࡀࡎࡀࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡄࡀࡀࡍࡕࡇ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ
ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡀ ‖ ࡆࡀࡅࡇ ࡌࡍ ࡈࡅࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡃࡀࡔࡕࡀࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡀࡉࡊࡁ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡉࡊࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ30
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡄࡁࡅࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡓࡄࡀࡌ ࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡓࡄࡀࡌ ࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡁࡀࡃ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡍࡓࡄࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡄࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ35
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡀࡍࡃࡀࡊࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡀࡃ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍࡕࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡑࡀ ࡏࡃࡇ ࡅࡋࡉࡂࡓࡇ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡉࡍࡐࡇࡊ ࡋࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡀࡐࡒࡉࡃ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡓࡄࡅࡌ ࡉࡑࡁࡀ ࡅࡉࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ40
ࡀࡔࡋࡀ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡁࡒࡉࡃࡉࡄࡕࡇ ࡅࡒࡃࡀ ‖ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡉࡀࡄࡅࡈࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡀࡊࡁࡉࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡃࡅࡓࡃࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡎࡋࡇ ࡋࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡔࡀࡉࡀࡋࡕࡇ ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡁࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡎࡀࡓ
ࡌࡉࡕࡉࡀࡁࡀࡈ ࡁࡈࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡁࡂࡅࡁࡍࡀ ࡄࡀࡎࡀࡓ
ࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡀࡇࡍ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡍ ࡏࡕࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡁࡓࡇ ࡂࡀࡉࡀࡓ45
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡓࡅࡄࡇ ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡀࡁࡀࡈ ࡁࡈࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡍ ࡏࡕࡍࡀ ࡀࡓࡌࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡂࡀࡉࡀࡓ
ࡏࡋ ࡌࡀࡄࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡕࡀࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡍࡂࡍࡀࡓ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡃࡅࡕࡀ ࡂࡀࡉࡀࡓ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡌࡋࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡍࡂࡍࡀࡓ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡁࡉࡒ ࡄࡃࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡂࡉࡈ ࡄࡃࡀ50
ࡉࡑࡁࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡕࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡀࡕ ࡖࡂࡀࡉࡓࡀ ࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡌࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡊࡋࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡒࡓࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡀࡊࡅࡑࡌࡉࡀ
ࡏࡋ ࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡓࡃࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡍࡂࡍࡀࡓ
ࡁࡄࡀࡅࡍࡕࡀ ࡅࡓࡅࡉࡕࡀ ࡓࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡌࡓࡀ55
ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡀࡁࡉࡃ
ࡁࡈࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡌࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡍࡅࡕࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡌࡋࡉࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡎࡉࡓࡒࡉࡀ ‖ ࡒࡅࡁࡋࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡎࡓࡉࡒࡅࡇࡍ
ࡅࡆࡉࡓࡀ ࡆࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡊࡃࡁࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡆࡀࡌࡀࡓࡕࡀ
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀ ࡁࡒࡉࡒࡋࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡉࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡈࡀࡍ ࡅࡎࡀࡌࡀ ࡔࡀࡒࡋࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡄࡉࡃࡓࡀ ࡁࡏࡒࡁࡇ ࡃࡀࡉࡔࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡄࡀࡓࡐࡀ ࡁࡉࡓࡀ ࡅࡒࡀࡁࡓࡀࡋࡇ60
ࡅࡏࡌࡀ ࡋࡉࡀࡋࡃࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡖࡉࡀࡋࡃࡀ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡏࡌࡇ
ࡅࡏࡌࡇ ࡁࡀࡉࡊࡀࡋࡇ ࡁࡂࡅࡍࡁ ࡂࡅࡍࡁ
ࡉࡀࡋࡃࡀ ࡌࡀࡉࡉࡕ ࡁࡒࡉࡒࡋࡉࡀ
ࡖࡀࡊࡋࡁࡉࡀ ࡔࡉࡄࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡌࡔࡀࡓࡂࡉࡆࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡋࡀ ࡁࡄࡀࡀࡍࡕࡇ ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ
ࡖ[ࡀࡋࡂࡉࡀ ࡈࡓࡅࡔࡉࡀ ࡕࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡀࡋ
]ࡁࡄࡀࡀࡍࡕࡇ ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ
ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡊࡀࡐࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡌࡋࡉࡀ65
ࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡎࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡒࡓࡅࡁ ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡆࡀࡅࡇ
ࡁࡂࡉࡅࡕࡇ ࡖࡋࡉࡅࡉࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡉࡊࡍ
ࡁࡂࡅ ࡌࡄࡉࡕࡀ ࡕࡉࡕࡉࡌࡄࡉࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡀࡕ ࡖࡋࡀࡎࡀࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡌࡄࡉࡕࡀ
ࡅࡔࡉࡓࡉࡀࡀࡍ ࡖࡎࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ ‖
ࡅࡉࡍࡋࡉࡈࡇ ࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ
ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡊࡀࡐࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡌࡉࡄࡉࡇ ࡀࡍࡈࡓࡀ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ
ࡗ ࡎࡀࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡅࡇ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡈࡅࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡀࡍࡕࡇ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ
ࡁࡓࡉࡐࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡀࡍࡒࡌࡅࡇࡍ
ࡅࡃࡀࡔࡕࡀࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡀࡉࡊࡁ
ࡅࡄࡁࡅࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡅࡊࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ
ࡀࡍࡒࡌࡅࡇࡍ ࡁࡈࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡈࡅࡓ ࡄࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡅࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡁࡀࡃ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡓࡄࡅࡌ ࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ75
ࡅࡉࡍࡎࡕࡀࡀࡊࡓ
ࡉࡍࡌࡅࡕ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡌࡅࡕࡉࡀ ࡁࡄࡀࡃ
ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡀࡍࡃࡀࡊࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡍࡓࡄࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡄࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡉࡍࡔࡕࡀࡉࡀࡋ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡎࡉࡀࡐ ࡖࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡎࡍࡉࡁ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡀࡃ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍࡕࡀ
ࡅࡉࡍࡐࡇࡊ ࡋࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡀࡐࡒࡉࡃ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡑࡀ ࡏࡃࡇ ࡅࡋࡉࡂࡓࡇ80
ࡅࡁࡉࡎࡉࡐࡄࡀࡕࡇ ࡌࡎࡀࡓࡎࡉࡐ ‖ ࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀࡀࡍ
ࡁࡏࡃࡇ ࡋࡀࡂࡉࡈ ࡂࡅࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡔࡀࡉࡉࡋ ࡌࡅࡕࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡉࡉࡕ
ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡀࡁࡒࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡉࡌࡀࡕ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡋࡀࡒࡀࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡉࡎࡀࡒ ࡌࡉࡄࡉࡆࡉࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡓࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡋࡀࡑࡇࡍ
ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡂࡆࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡁࡃࡅࡓ ࡄࡀࡈࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡋࡌࡀࡁࡑࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡏࡈࡑࡁࡀࡁࡇ ࡁࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ85
ࡌࡀࡋࡁࡉࡔࡉࡋࡇ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡓࡄࡅࡌ ࡉࡑࡁࡀ ࡅࡉࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡅࡎࡀࡃࡍࡋࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀࡀࡍ ࡎࡀࡉࡌࡉࡋࡇ ࡁࡋࡉࡂࡓࡇ
ࡅࡀࡈࡉࡐࡀ ࡄࡀࡁࡀࡓࡀ ࡌࡀࡊࡎࡉࡋࡇ
ࡅࡄࡀࡁࡀࡓࡀ ࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡓࡇ
ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡀࡒࡀࡌࡇ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡓࡄࡀࡌ ࡉࡑࡁࡀ ࡅࡉࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡔࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡅࡍࡍ }ࡃࡀࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡅࡍࡍ{ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡁࡉࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡓࡅࡄࡇ ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡉࡕࡉࡀࡁࡀࡈ ࡁࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ90
ࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡁࡄࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ ࡖࡁࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡄࡃࡉࡍ
ࡏࡋࡅࡊࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡕࡉࡔࡉࡋࡐࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡔࡅࡊ
ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡁࡃࡅࡍ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍࡕࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ‖ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡖࡏࡋ ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡂࡆࡓࡉࡀ
ࡎـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــࡀ
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡍࡄࡉࡓࡀࡍ
ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡁࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡁ
ࡁࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡑࡀࡉ
ࡅࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡖࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡏࡕࡀࡐࡓࡀࡒ ࡌࡍ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡎࡉࡐࡄࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡒࡓࡀ ࡀࡌࡓࡀࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡓࡀࡌࡆࡀ ࡓࡉࡌࡆࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡊࡔࡓࡀ
ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡄࡅࡆࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡐࡓࡒࡀࡍ ࡅࡔࡅࡆࡁࡀࡍ5

Source Colophon

Classical Mandaic source text from Charles Haberl and James McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Brill, 2020), pp. 85–91. Open access via Internet Archive (archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn), licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Extracted from the PDF's Unicode text layer using PyMuPDF. Couplet order corrected: PyMuPDF extracts RTL Mandaic text with a consistent couplet reversal (second line of each pair appears first in extraction). The w- prefix and grammatical context confirm the correct ordering.

🌲