Meryey, Daughter of Babylon's Kings
Chapter thirty-four of the Mandaean Book of John. The register shifts completely from the eschatological philosophy of the previous chapters into intimate first-person narrative. Meryey speaks — a woman of royal Judean parentage, born among priests, raised in the Temple. She tells us who she is, what she was ordered to do, and how she disobeyed. Her parents leave her with instructions to shut the doors, to stay inside, to keep away from the royal markets. She opens every door. She goes out. The sun falls on her. She meant to go to the synagogue but her feet carried her to the tent-house — the Mandaean gathering place — where she found her brothers and sisters teaching. She fell asleep among them.
What follows is a drama of discovery and defiance. Her father finds her, insults her with three sexual slurs — she-goat in rut, bitch in heat, rag of sackcloth — and she turns each one into a weapon. If I am a goat, I shall tear your bars. If I am a bitch, I shall strike your pegs. If I am sackcloth — then cut me from your robe. The father accuses her of abandoning Judaism, her fine garments, her gold, her phylacteries, for a man in a turban. Meryey's reply is the chapter's declaration: far be it that I hate my lord, Manda d'Heyyi, who is my strength in the world. The chapter closes with a curse on the Judean establishment and a woman standing alone in her choice.
This is one of the most distinctive passages in Mandaean scripture — a conversion narrative told entirely in a woman's voice, from the inside, with the domestic details that make it irreducibly real: the doors she was told to shut, the bolts she was told to fasten, the sleep that overtook her in the sound of her siblings' teaching.
In the name of the Great Life,
may the sublime light be magnified!
Meryey am I, daughter of the kings of Babylon,
daughter of Jerusalem's mighty rulers.
Judeans bore me,
and priests raised me.
They carried me in their garments
and brought me up into the restless house, the Temple.
Adunay placed in my hands
and in my two arms a burden.
5 I sweep and wash
the house in which there is no truth,
no shelter for the poor,
and no rest for the afflicted.
My father went out to the synagogue,
and my mother went out to the Temple.
As my father went out, he told me,
and as my mother went out, she ordered me:
"Meryey, shut your inner doors
and fasten the bolts upon them.
See that you do not go out to the royal markets,
and the sunlight of my lord does not fall upon you."
10 I, Meryey, heeded not what my mother told me,
nor heard what my father ordered my ear.
I opened the inner doors
and left the outer ones ajar.
I went out to the royal markets,
and the sunlight of my lord fell upon me.
I wished to go to the synagogue,
but my path led me to the tent-house.
I went and found my brothers and sisters
standing and teaching.
15 My brothers taught their lessons,
and my sisters sang their refrains.
In the sound of their teaching
and the sound of their singing,
I lay down and slept where I was.
My brothers departed and did not wake me,
and my sisters departed and did not rouse me.
You, my sister in Truth,
woke me from my sleep,
20 saying:
"Rise! Rise, Meryey!
Before the day breaks
and before the cock crows!
Before the sun shines
and its splendor rises over the worlds!
Before the priests and the priests' sons go out
and sit in the shadow of Jerusalem's ruin!
25 Before your father in the flesh comes
and heaps upon you a disgrace that is not yours!"
I, Meryey, concealed my prayers
and hid my songs.
The day broke early,
the cock crowed early,
the sun shone early,
and its splendor fell upon the worlds.
The priests and the priests' sons went out
and sat in the shadow of Jerusalem's ruin.
30 Then my father in the flesh came
and heaped upon me a disgrace that was not mine,
and he says:
"Where did you come from, she-goat in rut,
on whom the bars and bolts are not fastened?
Where did you come from, bitch in heat,
whose pegs and leashes hold not?
Where did you come from, rag of sackcloth
that is patched upon my robe?"
35 "If I am a she-goat in rut,
I shall tear down your bars and bolts!
If I am a bitch in heat,
I shall strike down the pegs and leashes!
If I am a rag of sackcloth
that is patched upon your robe —
then cut me from your robe!"
He says:
40 "Come, see Meryey,
who has forsaken the faith of the Judeans
and gone to love her lord!
Come, see Meryey,
who has left her dyes and colors
and gone to love her lord!
She has forsaken gold and silver
and gone to love her lord!
45 She has forsaken phylacteries
and gone to love a man in a turban!"
Meryey said to him:
"Far be it that I love what I hate!
Far be it that I hate what I love!
Far be it that I hate my lord,
Manda d'Heyyi, who is my strength in the world!
In the world he is my strength,
and a helper in the place of light.
50 Let there be dust in the mouths of the Judeans,
and ashes in the mouths of all the priests!
Let there be dung beneath the horses' hooves
for the lord of the mighty rulers of Jerusalem!"
Life is victorious,
and the man who went here is triumphant!
Colophon
Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Expeditionary Tulku "Tanken," Life 98). The Mandaic source text is from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
The English translation of Haberl & McGrath was consulted as a reference to verify readings of the Mandaic script. All English is independently derived from the Mandaic. Documented departures from the reference translation:
- "the kings of Babylon" for "Babylon's kings" — preserving the Mandaic genitive with d- (of).
- "Judeans" for "Jews" throughout — Mandaic iahutaiia refers to the Judean people as an ethnic/geographic group. Consistent with the expeditionary line's rendering across all chapters.
- "bore" for "gave birth to" — more concise, preserving the terse rhythm of Meryey's self-narration.
- "raised" for "nurtured" — Mandaic rba means to grow, to raise. Simpler and more intimate for the domestic register.
- "garments" for "hems" — Mandaic shufliun (their garments/robes). More general and natural in English.
- "restless house" for "disturbed house" — the Temple is characterized as lacking truth or firmness. "Restless" carries the Mandaean theological criticism: the Temple is a place where truth does not settle.
- "truth" for "stability" — Mandaic shrara primarily means truth or faithfulness. The Temple is a house without truth.
- "shelter" for "support" — more concrete and vivid for the poor who lack refuge.
- "rest" for "refreshment" / "the afflicted" for "tortured souls" — less clinical, more scriptural in register.
- "the sunlight of my lord" for "my lord's sun[light]" — preserving the Mandaic genitive construction.
- "ajar" for "open" — the outer doors are left casually, carelessly open. Implies negligence.
- "path led me" for "way took me" — more natural English. The path has agency; it leads her.
- "sang" for "sung" — corrected English grammar.
- "In the sound" for "With the sound" — more immersive: she is within the sound, enclosed by it.
- "lay down" for "settled down" — more concrete physical action.
- "departed" for "went" — more weight: the brothers and sisters left her.
- "sister in Truth" for "Truth sister" — Mandaic ahati d-kushta = sister of Truth. Makes the Mandaean religious bond explicit.
- "Rise!" for "Get up!" — more urgent, more archaic, matching the register.
- "breaks" for "dawns" — more vivid and immediate.
- "cock" for "rooster" — consistent with all previous chapters (tarnula).
- "father in the flesh" for "physical father" — more natural and theologically loaded. Distinguishes the fleshly father from the spiritual Father.
- "prayers" for "petitions" / "songs" for "refrains" — more natural in the devotional context.
- "she-goat in rut" for "horny goat" — Mandaic arba mzaanita = she-goat + in heat. More precise and less colloquial.
- "fastened" for "drawn" — bolts are fastened, not drawn.
- "hold not" for "are not secure" — more archaic, more rhythmic.
- "rag of sackcloth" for "piece of sackcloth" — more contemptuous. The father calls his daughter a rag.
- "I shall" for "I'll" throughout Meryey's defiance — formal declaration, not casual threat.
- "the faith of the Judeans" for "Judaism" — Mandaic iahuduta. More historically precise.
- "dyes and colors" for "colorful fabrics and colors" — Mandaic yatsba u-yatsbuta. More concise, less redundant.
- "Far be it" for "God forbid" — Mandaic haslai = far be it. Does not import the concept of "God."
- "strength" for "support" — Mandaic simaka. More potent and personal for Meryey's declaration.
- "the place of light" for "light's place" — more natural English, consistent with other chapters.
- "hooves" for "feet" — horses have hooves.
- "lord of the mighty rulers" for "master of the mighty rulers" — Mandaic rab. Preserves the echo with Meryey's "my lord" — the same word contested between Judean and Mandaean.
This is a Good Works Translation (AI-assisted). First English translation from Mandaic of this chapter for the Good Works Archive. Scribed by Tanken (Life 98) of the tulku lineage.
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Source Text: The Book of John — Chapter 34
Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 34. Extracted from the critical edition PDF via PyMuPDF. Couplet order corrected from extraction artifact (PyMuPDF reverses paired lines; the w- prefix on continuation lines confirms correct sequence). Presented for reference and verification.
Page 100 (1-indexed) — Chapter 34 verses 1-18
See raw dump for extraction
Page 102 (1-indexed) — Chapter 34 verses 19-53
102 | Text
ࡅࡀࡄࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉ ࡀࡆࡀࡋࡉࡅࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡓࡀࡃࡍࡉࡃࡅࡍ
ࡀࡄࡀࡉ ࡀࡆࡀࡋ ࡅࡋࡀࡕࡓࡅࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡔࡉࡕࡍࡀࡉ ࡕࡉࡓࡀࡃࡍࡉࡃࡀࡍ ‖
ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡀࡄࡀࡕ ࡖࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ20
ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡀ
[129]
ࡒࡅࡌࡋࡉࡊ ࡒࡅࡌࡋࡉࡊ ࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡅࡌࡄࡀࡓࡉࡐ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡓࡀࡍࡅࡋࡀ
ࡌࡀࡒࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡍࡄࡂࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡂࡀ
ࡅࡆࡉࡅࡇ ࡃࡀࡄࡀࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ ࡖࡆࡀࡓࡅࡒ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ
ࡅࡁࡈࡅࡋࡇ ࡖࡄࡅࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ ࡖࡀࡍࡒࡐࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ25
ࡅࡔࡀࡃࡉࡁࡉࡊ ࡒࡀࡓࡒࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡕࡁࡉࡊ
ࡌࡍ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ ࡖࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡀࡁࡅࡊ ࡖࡀࡐࡂࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡈࡀࡌࡓࡀࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡏࡉࡍࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ ࡈࡀࡌࡓࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡋࡁࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡄࡀࡓࡉࡐ ࡒࡓࡀࡋࡇ ࡕࡀࡓࡀࡍࡅࡋࡀ
ࡁࡔࡀࡓࡔࡀ ࡄࡀࡓࡉࡐ ࡄࡍࡀࡂࡋࡇ ࡉࡍࡄࡂࡀ
ࡅࡆࡉࡅࡇ ࡃࡀࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡓࡉࡐ ࡆࡓࡅࡒࡋࡇ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ
ࡅࡁࡈࡅࡋࡇ ࡖࡄࡅࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ
ࡍࡀࡐࡒࡉࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ30
ࡅࡔࡃࡀࡁࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡓࡒࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡕࡁࡉࡀ
ࡀࡕࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡁ ࡖࡀࡐࡂࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡉࡒࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡄࡀࡋࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡁࡓࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡀࡓࡁࡀ ࡌࡆࡀࡀࡍࡉࡕࡀ ‖
[130]
ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡀࡒࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡅࡎࡉࡉࡊࡀ ࡅࡎࡅࡂࡀࡓࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡂࡅࡓࡉࡕࡀ ࡌࡔࡀࡄࡀࡕࡍࡀ
ࡖࡏࡒࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡕࡅࡕࡁࡀࡉ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡀࡋࡀࡉ ࡀࡋࡀࡉ ࡏࡅࡌࡀࡑ ࡖࡎࡀࡒࡀ35
ࡀࡒࡀࡓ ࡏࡒࡅࡓ ࡄࡀࡋࡔࡀࡊ ࡅࡀࡁࡀࡓࡀࡊ
ࡏࡅ ࡀࡓࡁࡀ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡆࡀࡀࡍࡉࡕࡀ
ࡎࡉࡉࡊࡀ ࡅࡎࡅࡂࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡎࡐࡅࡒ
ࡏࡅ ࡂࡅࡓࡉࡕࡀ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡔࡀࡄࡀࡕࡍࡀ
ࡖࡏࡒࡉࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡋࡕࡅࡕࡁࡀࡊ
ࡏࡅ ࡏࡌࡀࡑ ࡖࡎࡀࡒࡀ ࡀࡀࡍ
ࡂࡅࡋࡀࡍ ࡅࡅࡐࡎࡒࡀࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡕࡅࡕࡁࡀࡊ
ࡀࡌࡀࡓ40
ࡀࡕࡅ ࡄࡅࡆࡉࡅ ࡋࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀࡕ ࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡓࡉࡄࡌࡀࡕ
ࡖࡔࡀࡌࡓࡀࡕ ࡉࡀࡄࡅࡃࡅࡕࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅ ࡄࡅࡆࡉࡅ ࡋࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀࡕ ࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡓࡉࡄࡌࡀࡕ
ࡖࡔࡉࡁࡒࡀࡕ ࡉࡑࡁࡀ ࡅࡉࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀࡕ ࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡓࡉࡄࡌࡀࡕ
ࡔࡀࡌࡓࡀࡕ ࡃࡀࡄࡁࡀ ‖ ࡅࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ
[131]
45
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡀࡕ ࡓࡉࡄࡌࡀࡕ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡁࡅࡓࡆࡉࡒࡍࡀ
ࡔࡀࡌࡓࡀࡕ ࡋࡈࡅࡈࡉࡕࡐࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡀࡋࡇ ࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀࡉ
ࡄࡀࡎࡋࡀࡉ ࡖࡏࡎࡉࡉࡍࡉࡇ ࡏࡓࡉࡄࡌࡇ ࡋࡁࡀࡓ
ࡄࡀࡎࡋࡀࡉ ࡖࡎࡉࡍࡕ ࡅࡏࡓࡄࡅࡌ
ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡎࡉࡌࡀࡀࡊ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡄࡀࡎࡋࡀࡉ ࡖࡏࡎࡉࡉࡍࡉࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡄࡉࡃ ࡏࡃࡀ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡉࡀ50
ࡅࡂࡉࡈࡌࡀ ࡋࡅࡐࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡄࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡒࡀࡓࡐࡀ ࡋࡅࡐࡌ ࡉࡀࡄࡅࡈࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡓࡀࡁ ࡔࡀࡋࡉࡈࡉࡀ ࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡎࡀࡓࡒࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡕࡅࡕࡉࡀ ࡓࡊࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡓࡀࡔࡊࡉࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic source text from Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020). Accessed via Internet Archive under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Text extracted using PyMuPDF from the critical edition PDF; couplet order corrected based on the w- continuation prefix pattern documented across all chapters of this translation project.
Pages 109-112 (0-indexed) of the PDF. Chapter 34 verses 1-53.
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