The Fisher of Life
Chapter thirty-seven of the Mandaean Book of John. Where Chapter 36 introduced the celestial fisher as a self-declared figure — "A fisher am I, chosen from among fishers!" — Chapter 37 introduces a second fisher who is explicitly commissioned. This fisher is sent by the Great Life with a specific mandate: catch fish that do not eat filth, that breathe in neither horsebane nor jimson weed. He is not self-appointed. He is an emissary.
The chapter's central image is the indestructible vessel. Life builds it personally — a vessel whose bright sail billows but cannot be torn away, described as a seed that courses through the heart of the heavens. Its cables are splendid. Its tiller holds truth. The crew is cosmic: Sunday takes the punt pole, Life's Son takes the tiller. Lanterns set on the prow cannot be extinguished by any wind. Every vessel that beholds the fisher bows down. The fisher stands at the prow teaching lessons of the heights, clothed in white, no reek upon him.
The chapter closes with a pastoral warning. The fisher does not rout the worldly fishers as in Chapter 36 — he addresses his own fish. Be watchful, he says. There are birds of prey among you. If you are watchful, I shall be your strength from the place of darkness to the place of light. Where Chapter 36 ended with the fisher rising and the Seven staying behind, Chapter 37 ends with a promise still offered — the help is conditional on the fish's own vigilance.
In the name of the Great Life,
may the sublime light be magnified!
A fisher am I, of the Great Life,
a fisher am I, of the Mighty Life.
A fisher am I, of the Great Life,
an emissary whom Life has sent.
He says to me,
"Go, catch fish that do not eat filth,
fish that eat neither horsebane
nor breathe in jimson weed.
5 They draw near neither to bait
nor to necklaces of marsh-nets."
Life tied a ring for me
and built for me a vessel that cannot be destroyed,
a vessel whose bright sail flutters
and billows, yet is not torn away.
The vessel is a seed,
and it courses through the heart of the heavens.
Its cables are splendid cables,
and its tiller holds truth within it.
10 Sunday takes the punt pole,
and Life's Son takes the tiller.
They voyage with them to the settlements
and divide the light among the excellencies.
They raise up thrones in them,
and the Jordans flow outspread.
Upon the prow are set lanterns
that adverse winds cannot extinguish.
All the vessels that behold me
bow down and do me worship.
15 They bow down and worship me,
and they come before me humbling themselves.
Upon the prow stands the fisher,
teaching lessons of the heights.
Beside him are lanterns whose wicks
are not shaken by any tumult.
No reek clings to him, nothing false is in him,
and he is clothed in garments of white.
He summons the fish and says to them,
20 "Be watchful for me in the world!
Be watchful for yourselves,
on account of the birds of prey
that dwell among you!
If you are watchful for me, my brothers,
I shall pledge myself as a helper,
a helper and a strength for you,
from the place of darkness to the place of light."
The victorious Life speaks,
25 and the one who went here rises triumphant!
Colophon
Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic (Eastern Aramaic). Translated by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
The English translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. Haberl & McGrath's English translation was consulted as a reference to verify readings in ambiguous passages, but the English above is the translator's own rendering. Significant departures from the reference translation are documented below.
Key departures from reference: (1) "emissary" for "messenger" — the Mandaic sliha connotes one sent on a specific divine mission, not merely a carrier of messages; the fisher is diplomatically commissioned by Life; (2) "breathe in" for "smell" — the Mandaic root carries inhalation; the fish are corrupted by what they draw into themselves, not merely by proximity; (3) "billows" for "flaps" — the sail swells with wind; "billows" is nautical register for the cosmic vessel; (4) "torn away" for "pulled off" — the Mandaic suggests force resisted; the sail's permanence is the point; (5) "courses" for "travels" — nautical register for purposeful motion through heavenly waters; (6) "holds truth within it" for "one in which there is truth" — the Mandaic genitive is active: the tiller possesses truth; (7) "voyage" for "travel" — nautical consistency; (8) "raise up" for "set up" — the Mandaic verb carries elevation; thrones are lifted, not merely placed; (9) "flow outspread" for "came outspread" — Jordans are rivers of living water; they flow, not "came"; (10) "behold" for "see" — the vessels encounter a divine figure; the register must match; (11) "do me worship" for "worship me" — preserving Mandaic syntax where worship is an action directed toward the fisher; (12) "humbling themselves" for "abasing themselves" — voluntary submission, not degradation; (13) "lessons of the heights" for "sublime lessons" — the Mandaic has directionality; the teaching comes from above and leads above; (14) "shaken by any tumult" for "move around in a commotion" — more concise; the Mandaic root suggests trembling; (15) "No reek clings to him" for "There is no stench" — active construction; the fisher repels corruption; (16) "garments of white" for "white garments" — Mandaic genitive construction preserved; (17) "Be watchful" for "Beware" — the Mandaic imperative carries sustained vigilance, not momentary caution; (18) "birds of prey" for "crafty birds" — following Chapter 36 precedent; the Mandaic suggests predatory function; (19) "pledge myself as" for "undertake to be" — stronger covenant language; the fisher binds himself; (20) "strength" for "support" — simaka carries personal potency, following the rendering established in the Meryey cycle (Chapter 34); (21) "rises triumphant" for "triumphs" — the Mandaic closing formula includes ascent; the one who went here both rises and conquers.
Chapter 37 is the second Fisher chapter and the companion to Chapter 36. Where Chapter 36's fisher was self-declared and confrontational — routing worldly fishers with a lyre, burning their dragnets, binding them in marshes of deceit — Chapter 37's fisher is commissioned and pastoral. His authority comes not from his own skill but from the indestructible vessel Life has built for him. His method is not confrontation but warning: be watchful for the birds of prey among you. The shift from Chapter 36's retrospective triumph ("I and my disciples shall rise") to Chapter 37's conditional promise ("If you are watchful... I shall be a helper") is the shift from narrative to exhortation — from the fisher's victory to the community's ongoing responsibility. First English translation published online by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: The Book of John — Chapter 37
Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 37. Extracted from the critical edition PDF via PyMuPDF. Page 129 (0-indexed) contains both the ending of Chapter 36 (verses 96-100) and the complete Chapter 37 (verses 1-25). The chapter boundary is marked by the standard opening formula (bsumaihun d-hiia rbiia). Couplet order as extracted; the w- prefix on continuation lines confirms sequence. Presented for reference and verification.
Page 129 (0-indexed)
120 | Text
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡍࡓࡂࡀ ࡕࡋࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡊࡃࡇࡐ
ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡋࡁࡀࡔ ࡏࡈࡑࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡂࡍࡀ ࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡍࡂࡃࡀ
ࡋࡃࡉࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡂࡅࡔࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ
ࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡆࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ
ࡖࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡀࡂࡌࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡑࡃࡋࡀࡊ
ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡂࡀࡃࡀࡉࡀ5
ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡏࡉࡊࡋࡕࡀ
ࡋࡀࡄࡆࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡏࡉࡊࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡐࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ
ࡉࡊࡋࡀࡉࡀ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡀࡊ
ࡅࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡗ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡕ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡕ ࡁࡔࡅࡕࡀࡀࡐࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀࡍ ࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡕ
ࡀࡄࡁࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ
ࡅࡄࡁࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡔࡀࡕࡉࡐ ࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡀࡍ10
ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡀࡄࡁࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ
ࡅࡏࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀࡊ ࡏࡅࡓࡁࡇ ࡁࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀࡍ
]ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡋࡀࡊ[ ‖ ࡌࡍ ࡖࡏࡕࡋࡀࡍ
[154]
ࡖࡗ ࡃࡀࡋࡉࡕ ࡔࡓࡀࡂࡀࡊ ࡌࡀࡔࡉࡊࡕ
ࡅࡋࡁࡅࡔ ࡏࡅࡊࡌࡀ ࡗ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡌࡀࡉࡋࡀ
ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡉࡑࡄࡌࡀࡊ
ࡅࡓࡀࡌࡉࡕ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡀࡂࡍࡓࡉࡕ
ࡏࡅ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡕ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡕ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ15
ࡌࡉࡄࡋࡀ ࡀࡋࡊࡉࡕ
ࡏࡅ ࡔࡅࡕࡀࡀࡐࡍ ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡌࡉࡕ
ࡌࡉࡔࡀ ࡅࡃࡅࡁࡔࡀ ࡀࡋࡊࡉࡕ
ࡏࡅ ࡀࡁࡃࡉࡕ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀࡍ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡍ
ࡅࡌࡀࡐࡋࡂࡉࡕ ࡁࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ
ࡄࡀࡁࡉࡑࡕ ࡅࡌࡀࡋࡉࡕ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡀ
ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡀࡊ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡓࡉࡔ ࡅࡊࡋࡀࡉࡀࡍ
ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀࡍࡋࡀࡊ ࡓࡉࡔ ࡅࡊࡋࡀࡉࡀࡍ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡓࡀࡊ
ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡕࡉࡍ20
ࡅࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡖࡏࡕࡋࡀࡍ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡁࡉࡂࡀࡓ
ࡅࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡉࡍࡍ ࡌࡔࡕࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍࡊ ࡉࡍࡕࡒࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡁࡅࡉࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡀࡁࡃࡀࡊ
ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡀ ࡅࡋࡉࡄࡉࡀ ࡂࡀࡈࡓࡀ
ࡏࡌࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡁࡉࡕࡀࡊ
ࡅࡂࡀࡈࡓࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡏࡆࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡏࡂࡅࡀࡍ ࡂࡅࡀࡍ
ࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡅࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡀࡌࡕࡀࡊ ‖
[155]
ࡅࡀࡁࡀࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡀࡍ ࡓࡀࡌࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡐࡋࡂࡀࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡔࡅࡄࡉࡀ25
ࡖࡀࡊࡃࡉࡓ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡏࡕࡀࡀࡍ ࡏࡕࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡅࡕࡀ
ࡗ ࡀࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡓࡊࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡐࡋࡂࡀࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡀ ࡁࡏࡆࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡋࡌࡉࡄࡃࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡋࡀࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡅࡀࡍࡋࡐࡉࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡔࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡉࡐࡓࡒࡅࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡄࡃࡀࡓ ࡀࡍࡇࡐ ࡋࡓࡀࡎࡊࡀ
ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡁࡒࡉࡀ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡆࡀࡒࡉࡐࡀ30
ࡅࡀࡁࡉࡄࡃࡉࡀ ࡋࡊࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡋࡉࡀ
ࡈࡀࡉࡁࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡒࡉࡉࡐࡀ
ࡅࡈࡀࡓࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡈࡀࡓࡉࡀ
ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡁࡃࡉࡂࡅࡓࡉࡀ
ࡖࡀࡉࡋࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡓࡊࡉࡀ
ࡏࡕࡋࡇ ࡁࡀࡆࡀࡍࡒࡉࡕࡀ
ࡏࡋ ࡂࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡆࡀࡍࡒࡉࡕࡀ
ࡀࡁࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡌࡀࡄࡅࡉࡍࡀ
ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡓࡀࡑ ࡓࡌࡉࡋࡇ ࡆࡀࡓࡂࡀ35
Source Colophon
Critical edition: 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 (archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn) under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Classical Mandaic text extracted from PDF page 129 (0-indexed) using PyMuPDF. The critical edition provides both the Mandaic text in Unicode (U+0840-U+085F block) and an English translation; the English above is an independent rendering from the Mandaic, not a reproduction of the editors' translation.
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