I Shine with the Name of My Father
Chapter 29 of the Mandaean Book of John — the twelfth chapter of the John-Johannes section (Chapters 18–33). After the legislative intensity of Chapter 28, the register shifts entirely — from casuistic law to lyric exhortation. Yahya opens with a hymn of self-declaration: "I shine in the name of my father, I shine and enlighten." He has been delivered from the world, from the winking eye and the deceitful lips. Then he turns to his disciples with a sixfold exhortation: take heed, be gentle, love Sunday, honor the Daybreak, give rewards. The chapter's theological center is the teaching on the cosmic crossing — rewards and wages build the bridge across the sea that separates the living from the world of light. Without them, there is no cable across the rivers, no crossing upon the sea, no beholding of Abatur. The chapter closes with a devastating numerical image: a thousand thousands stand on the shore, but out of a thousand, only one is carried across. Twenty-four 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 "I shine in the name of my father,
I shine and enlighten,
2 in praise of the man, my creator.
3 I am delivered from the world,
from the mortal abode,
4 from the eye that winks,
from the lips that speak deceit.
5 Our Lord, see us and deliver us and rescue us
from hateful and improper deeds!
6 Take heed for me, my brothers!
Take heed for me, my friends!
7 Take heed for me, my brothers,
from hateful and improper deeds!
8 Take heed for me, my disciples!
Be gentle and humble.
9 Love Sunday,
and honor the Daybreak.
10 Give rewards
more precious than wife and children.
11 Wages and rewards ought to be sought on the road,
like a hand that provides for the mouth.
12 Wages and rewards ought to be sought on the road,
like a blind one that seeks a guide.
13 For the one who has no wages or rewards,
no cable is stretched across the rivers.
14 For the one who has no wages or rewards,
there is no crossing upon the sea.
15 For the one who has no wages or rewards,
he shall not behold Abatur.
16 Woe to the evil and deceitful ones
who forgot rewards and did not give them!
17 They forgot and did not give rewards,
and they forgot the man who saves them.
18 My chosen! Love rewards and love Sunday,
so that a crossing may be set upon the sea.
19 May a crossing be set upon the sea,
and a thousand thousands stand on the shore.
20 On the shore a thousand thousands stand,
and out of a thousand he carries one across.
21 One he carries across out of a thousand!
Out of two thousand, he shall carry two.
22 He carries the souls that are worthy
and deserving of light's place."
23 Praised be your name, my Lord,
the light that shall not condemn whoever loves his name.
Yahya preaches in the nights,
Yuhana in the evenings of the nights.
24 Yahya preaches in the nights
and says, "May splendor shine upon the worlds!"
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 89–93 (Mandaic text), pages 90–92 (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" — Project convention for the formula w-hiia zaikan.
-
"Take heed for me" for "Beware for me" — Mandaic ʿazdahrulia (root Z-D-H-R, to be cautious, to take heed). "Take heed" captures the exhortative register — not warning of danger but calling for mindful caution. The imperative is addressed to the community on behalf of the speaker.
-
"humble" for "meek" — Mandaic mikika (root M-K-K, lowly, humble). "Meek" carries connotations of weakness in modern English; "humble" preserves the virtue without the diminishment.
-
"the world" for "Earth" — Mandaic tibil, the material world, the earthly realm. Not the planet but the cosmic domain of mortality. Consistent with Mandaean cosmological usage.
-
"wife and children" for "wife or children" — Mandaic zawa w-bina with w- (and), not "or."
-
"shall" for "will" — Juridical "shall" in verses 15, 21, and 23. Consistent with Chapter 28 register for divine decree.
-
"set upon the sea" for "put upon the sea" — Mandaic rmileh (root R-M-Y, to place, set, lay). "Set" conveys deliberate construction — a crossing is built, not merely placed.
-
"he carries one across" for "he carries across one" — Word order adjusted for English cadence without altering meaning.
-
"Abatur" for "Abator" — Standard Mandaic spelling of the cosmic judge who weighs souls. Consistent with all previous chapters.
-
Verse numbering consolidated — The reference uses line numbers following the critical edition (every 5th line marked). This translation consolidates into sequential verse numbers (1–24) 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.
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Source Text: ࡀࡖࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀ — ࡐࡖࡌࡀ 29
Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (Brill, 2020), pp. 89–93. Presented for reference and verification. Couplet order corrected from the PyMuPDF extraction artifact (RTL text extraction reverses couplet members).
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡁࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡁ
ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡍࡄࡉࡓࡀࡍ
ࡁࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡊࡀࡉ
ࡐࡕࡀࡐࡓࡀࡏ ࡌࡍ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡅࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡖࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡓࡀࡌࡆࡀ ࡓࡉࡌࡆࡀ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡎࡉࡐࡄࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡏࡓࡀ ࡀࡌࡓࡀࡍ
ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡄࡅࡆࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡐࡓࡀࡏࡀࡍ ࡅࡔࡅࡆࡁࡀࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡐࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡊࡔࡓࡀ
ࡐࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
ࡅࡐࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉ
ࡐࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
ࡌࡍ ࡐࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡊࡔࡓࡀ
ࡐࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀࡉ
ࡉࡍࡄࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡊࡉࡊࡀ ࡄࡅࡍ
ࡓࡅࡄࡌࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡄࡀࡁࡔࡀࡁࡀ
ࡅࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡀࡅࡏࡓࡅࡉࡀ
ࡐࡅࡄࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ
ࡖࡉࡀࡏࡉࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡆࡀࡅࡀ ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡁࡐࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡌࡉࡁࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡐࡃࡀ ࡖࡋࡅࡐࡌࡀ ࡉࡀࡄࡁࡀ
ࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡁࡐࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡌࡉࡁࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡐࡔࡉࡏࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡐࡓࡅࡀࡏࡍࡀ
ࡖࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡊࡓࡋࡇ ࡁࡆࡀࡁࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡓࡊࡀ
ࡖࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ ࡁࡉࡀࡌࡀ ࡌࡀࡁࡓࡀ
ࡖࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡁࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡃࡀࡁࡉࡀ
ࡖࡐࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡄࡁࡅࡉࡀ
ࡐࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡄࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ
ࡅࡐࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡐࡓࡉࡏࡋࡅࡍ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ ࡓࡄࡅࡌ ࡆࡉࡃࡏࡀ ࡅࡓࡄࡅࡌ ࡄࡀࡁࡔࡀࡁࡀ
ࡖࡁࡉࡀࡌࡀ ࡓࡌࡉࡋࡇ ࡌࡀࡁࡓࡀ
ࡌࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡁࡉࡀࡌࡀ ࡓࡌࡉࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡋࡉࡐ ࡀࡋࡉࡐ ࡋࡉࡊࡇࡐ ࡏࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ
ࡀࡋࡉࡐ ࡀࡋࡉࡐ ࡏࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡊࡇࡐ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡐ ࡌࡀࡁࡀࡓ ࡄࡃࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡐ ࡄࡃࡀ ࡌࡀࡁࡀࡓ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡉࡐࡀ ࡌࡀࡁࡀࡓ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ
ࡌࡀࡁࡀࡓࡋࡉࡍ ࡋࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡄࡀ
ࡅࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡌࡔࡀࡁࡀ ࡔࡅࡌࡀࡊ ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ
ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡀࡂࡆࡀࡓ ࡋࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡌࡇ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡃࡀࡍ ࡐࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
Source Colophon
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 license. The Mandaic text of the critical edition follows the Bodleian MS Marsh 1 with variants from Paris Syr. 5 and other witnesses. Pages 89–93 (Mandaic text), pages 90–92 (English reference translation).
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