The Pure Fisher's Voice
Chapter 39 of the Book of John (Drāshā ḏ-Yaḥyā), the central narrative scripture of the Mandaean tradition. This is the fourth chapter in the Fisher section, following the three-chapter triptych of the lyre-bearing fisher (Ch. 36), the vessel-sailing fisher (Ch. 37), and the axe-wielding fisher (Ch. 38). Where the previous fishers confronted, warned, and warred, this fisher does something different: he simply appears, and the worldly fishers are undone by his presence alone. His vessel shines like the sun, courses between the waters, carries neither cord nor poison. The worldly fishers, baffled and ashamed, submit without a blow being struck.
Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. The Mandaic source text is from Häberl & McGrath's edition (2020), accessed via the staged PDF. The English translation by Häberl & McGrath was consulted as a reference but the English below is independently derived from the Mandaic.
It is the pure fisher's voice,
which cries out and instructs in the marshes,
and speaks to the fish of the seas:
"Set your company in order!
Rise to the face of the waters,
that your strength may be doubled.
Be watchful against the fishers of fish,
the fishers who peer across the Jordan.
Shelmey and Nedbey lay curses upon them;
depart and keep a farsakh behind me,
and fish lay curses upon their nets —
let them reproach them in their places."
When the fisher had spoken thus,
he warned every one of them,
the fishers who had heard his voice.
They come and they gather near him.
They begin to question him,
not knowing whence he came.
They say to him:
"Where were you, fisher,
whose voice we do not hear in the marsh,
and whose vessel is not like our vessels,
and your vessel has not been among us?
Your vessel is not sealed with pitch,
and you are not like the fishers of this world."
Seeing him, the fishers redden,
become ashamed, and stand in their places.
The fishers say to him:
"Why do you cast but take nothing?
Your ship is not like our ships;
it shines as the sun does in the night.
Your vessel is whole upon the air,
and sublime ensigns are unfurled upon it.
Our vessel courses upon the water,
but your vessel courses between the waters.
The reeds of our marsh
rattle and break together;
within them is an empty acre
in which there are no cisterns or fountains.
Your cleanser, fisher, is the kind
that fish behold and flee far away.
We have never seen fishers who resemble you,
in whose vessel the wind makes its dwelling."
The fisher steered the yard-arm
and the tiller that brings light to the marshes.
"There is no cord in your dragnet,
and no draw-string encircles it.
It has no stones that serve
as an artifice for the fish of the marsh pools —
fish whom your line has taken in its snare.
You have neither cudgel nor axe,
and you have not brought a fisher's tools;
you have neither bait nor poisons.
Your line does not lie still upon the water,
and it does not sink to snatch fish."
When the fishers had spoken thus,
the fisher spoke, saying to them:
"My fishing brothers and sons,
depart from before me!
Flee! Depart! Go up to your city,
the ruin of Jerusalem!
Ask your father, who knows me, about me!
Ask your mother, who is my maidservant, about me!
Say to her: 'There is one fisher in the vessel;
the four winds are his tiller,
and standing within it is a yard-arm,
a scourge of afflictions and liberations.
They shall lay waste the land of Jerusalem.'"
When they heard and recognised
the fisher who had gone there, they say to him:
"Have pity! Have mercy! Be compassionate!
Forgive our sins and our debts!
We are your servants —
be gentle with us!
We shall guard your fish,
and not one shall be taken from among them.
We shall serve your disciples,
who invoke your name in truth.
We shall stand watch and guard
all who invoke your name."
The triumphant Life speaks,
and the man who went here triumphs!
In the name of the Great Life,
and in the name of the precious Truth.
Colophon
Chapter 39 of the Book of John (Drāshā ḏ-Yaḥyā), translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Approximately 45 verses in five movements.
This chapter marks a shift in the Fisher section. Where Chapters 36–38 escalated through confrontation (lyre, vessel, axe), Chapter 39 resolves through presence. The pure fisher needs no weapon. His vessel shines like the sun in the night. He carries no cord, no stones, no bait, no poison. The worldly fishers are not defeated — they are shamed into recognition. Their submission is voluntary: "We are your servants." The violence of Chapter 38 gives way to the authority of being. The stranger who carried an axe now carries only light.
The ruin of Jerusalem: in Mandaean soteriology, Jerusalem represents the fallen religious establishment — the seat of corrupted teaching. The fisher's command to "go up to your city, the ruin of Jerusalem" is both topographical (Jerusalem sits on high ground) and theological (you belong to the ruin, not the marshes). The worldly fishers are sent home to their ruined inheritance.
The fishers' astonishment (vv. 15–29) is the theological heart of this chapter. Their catalogue of the divine fisher's absences — no cord, no stones, no cudgel, no axe, no tools, no bait, no poisons — is a negative theology of salvation. The divine fisher saves by NOT operating as a fisher. His line does not lie still. His vessel is not sealed with pitch. His cleanser drives fish away rather than attracting them. Everything the worldly fishers expect, the divine fisher lacks — and this lack is precisely what makes him divine.
Source: Classical Mandaic text from Charles G. Häberl & James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020). Open access via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Reference translation consulted: The English translation by Häberl & McGrath was consulted as a reference to verify comprehension of the Mandaic. The English above is independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. Key departures are documented below.
Key departures from Häberl & McGrath's English (16 documented):
- "cries out and instructs" for "calls and teaches" — qaria carries more urgency than "calls"; the voice is a cry from the marshes, not a casual summons.
- "face of the waters" for "surface of the water" — apa d-miya, literally "face of the waters"; the Mandaic personifies the water's surface.
- "keep a farsakh behind me" for "stay a league behind me" — preserving the Aramaic unit of distance rather than converting to a European measure.
- "your vessel has not been among us" for "she has not accompanied you among (us)" — the referent is the vessel (safinta, feminine in Mandaic); made explicit to avoid ambiguity.
- "redden" for "blush" — more vivid, more physical; the shame registers in the body.
- "cast but take nothing" for "fish but not catch" — the paradox is in the method, not the activity; the divine fisher casts without taking.
- "whole upon the air" for "perfect in the air" — gmira = complete, whole, perfect; "whole" resonates with the Mandaean emphasis on wholeness and completion.
- "ensigns" for "banners" — slightly more archaic register, fitting the divine vessel's martial aspect.
- "courses between the waters" for "moves between the waters" — the divine vessel is not passive; it courses, it cuts.
- "cleanser" for "purifier" — miskya; less Latinate, more concrete.
- "makes its dwelling" for "dwells" — the wind chooses to dwell in the divine vessel; the expanded phrase captures this intentionality.
- "yard-arm" for "sail-yard" — standard maritime English.
- "bait" for "chum" — the Mandaic qurbana ("offering") functions as bait in the fishing metaphor; "bait" is more universally understood.
- "depart from before me" for "get out of my sight" — literal rendering of min qudamai; more authoritative, less colloquial.
- "invoke your name in truth" for "mention your name in good faith" — b-kushta = "in truth/righteousness"; kushta is the supreme Mandaean virtue, and "invoke" carries more ritual weight than "mention."
- "lay waste" for "destroy" — echoing hurba (ruin) from the preceding verse; the land of Jerusalem is not merely destroyed but laid waste, returning to the ruin that is its nature.
First independent English translation of Chapter 39 of the Book of John. Part of the ongoing New Tianmu Anglican Church translation of the complete Book of John from Classical Mandaic.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ — Chapter 39
Classical Mandaic source text from Häberl & McGrath (2020), pages 124–126 (physical) / PDF pages 133, 135 (0-indexed, Mandaic). Presented for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above. Note: PyMuPDF extraction produces consistent couplet reversal in Mandaic text; the w- prefix (ࡅ) on the second member of each pair confirms correct reading order.
Verses 1–14 (PDF page 133, physical page 124)
ࡖࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔ ࡁࡄࡀࡅࡓࡉࡀ
ࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ
ࡋࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡉࡀࡌࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡆࡒࡅࡉࡐࡅࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡊࡉࡀࡕࡀ ࡕࡓࡅࡑ
ࡖࡄࡀࡉࡋࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡄࡀࡃ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ
ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡒࡉࡐࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ
ࡏࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ
ࡅࡀࡆࡀࡋ ࡅࡔࡅࡊࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡓࡀࡉ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡐࡓࡎࡀ
ࡋࡀࡉࡈࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡔࡉࡋࡌࡀࡉ ࡅࡉࡍࡃࡁࡀࡉ
ࡀࡑࡄࡅࡀ ࡋࡃࡅࡕࡊࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡎࡋࡉࡕࡅࡍ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡉࡈࡉࡀ
ࡆࡀࡄࡓࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡍ
ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡌࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡒࡀࡋࡇ
ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡕࡀ
ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡉࡋࡉࡋࡇ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ
ࡖࡋࡀࡔࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡒࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡂࡌࡀ
ࡄࡀࡀࡊ ࡄࡅࡉࡕ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡋࡅࡀࡕࡀࡊ ࡀࡁࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡏ
ࡅࡋࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡃࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡓࡁࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌࡉࡕ ࡋࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡋࡀࡌࡒࡀࡉࡓࡀ ࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡁࡒࡅࡓࡐࡀ
Verses 15–45 (PDF page 135, physical page 126)
ࡅࡁࡀࡄࡕࡉࡀ ࡅࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡃࡅࡕࡊࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ
ࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀࡍ
ࡋࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡖࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡕ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡉࡊࡕ
ࡀࡑࡄࡌࡀ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡗ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ
ࡅࡂࡍࡉࡃࡁࡇ ࡃࡓࡀࡁࡔࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡂࡌࡉࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓ
ࡅࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡀࡆࡋࡀ ࡁࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡌࡀࡉ ࡋࡌࡀࡉ
ࡀࡓࡁࡀࡍ ࡀࡆࡋࡀ ࡁࡌࡀࡉ
ࡖࡓࡀࡈࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡃࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡕࡀࡁࡓࡉࡀ
ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡂࡌࡀࡍ
ࡄࡀࡅࡎࡉࡀ ࡅࡓࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡁࡇ
ࡏࡕࡁࡅࡍ ࡀࡐࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ
ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡄࡒࡉࡀ
ࡆࡀࡀࡊࡉࡕࡀ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡖࡆࡉࡒࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀࡊ ࡃࡀࡓࡀ
ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡀࡍ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡃࡀࡌࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡎࡅࡀࡊࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡍࡄࡀࡍࡓ ࡁࡄࡀࡅࡓࡉࡀ
ࡎࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡋࡀ ࡋࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡅࡂࡀࡅࡑࡀࡑ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡋࡀࡄࡃࡀࡓ
ࡎࡋࡉࡕࡀࡊ ࡋࡉࡕࡁࡇ ࡀࡔࡋࡀ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡔࡄࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡁࡇ ࡖࡉࡍࡋࡊࡀ
ࡅࡀࡍࡂࡔࡀ ࡅࡉࡐࡋࡒࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡀࡊ
ࡖࡏࡆࡋࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡂࡈࡉࡕ ࡁࡂࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡉࡑࡉࡑࡀ ࡅࡕࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡋࡀࡃࡓࡏࡉࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡁࡑࡉࡀ ࡖࡅࡍࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡂࡈࡀ
ࡏࡆࡋࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡋࡉࡁ ࡌࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ
ࡏࡆࡀࡋ ࡌࡍ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡀࡉ
ࡀࡄࡀࡉ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡀࡍࡉ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡉࡀ
ࡄࡅࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡆࡄࡅࡍ ࡏࡆࡉࡋ ࡎࡋࡅࡒ ࡋࡌࡀࡕࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡔࡀࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡏࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡖࡀࡌࡕࡀࡉ ࡄࡏ
ࡔࡀࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡋࡀࡁࡅࡅࡊࡍ ࡖࡉࡀࡃࡀࡋࡉࡀ
ࡀࡓࡁࡀ ࡃࡉࡒࡉࡀ ࡏࡕࡁࡇ ࡎࡅࡀࡊࡀࡍ
ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡅࡋࡇ ࡖࡄࡃࡀ ࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡁࡀ
ࡀࡍࡉࡂࡀ ࡖࡓࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡅࡔࡉࡓࡉࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡅࡎࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡐࡉࡎࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡋࡀࡑࡉࡃࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡔࡉࡌࡅࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡀࡔࡒࡓࡅࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡈࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡄࡀࡅࡁࡀࡍ ࡕࡉࡔࡁࡅࡒࡋࡀࡍ
ࡄࡅࡎ ࡏࡋࡀࡍ ࡅࡕࡅࡁ ࡅࡕࡓࡀࡄࡀࡌ
ࡕࡉࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡌࡀࡈࡅࡕ ࡏࡋࡀࡍ
ࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡀࡁࡃࡀࡊ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡖࡋࡀࡁࡀࡀࡑࡓ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡄࡃࡀ
ࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡌࡉࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡉࡉࡍࡍ ࡁࡅࡍࡀࡍࡊ
ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀࡊ ࡁࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡊࡉࡀ
ࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡉࡍࡍ ࡖࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀࡊ
ࡁࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀࡊ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡃࡀࡓࡊࡉࡀ
ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡉࡍࡍ ࡅࡌࡉࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡉࡉࡍࡍ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡅࡁࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡖࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡉࡀࡒࡓࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic source text from Charles G. Häberl & James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020), pages 124–127 (physical) / PDF pages 133–136 (0-indexed). Open access via Internet Archive: archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn. Licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
The Mandaic text is presented in Unicode (Mandaic block U+0840–U+085F). The Book of John is preserved in manuscript tradition and is one of the central scriptures of the Mandaean religion, a living Gnostic tradition with approximately 100,000 adherents primarily in Iraq and the global diaspora.
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