Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

The Book of John — Chapter 43

✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦

The Judge

Chapter 43 of the Book of John (Drasha d-Yahya), the central narrative scripture of the Mandaean tradition. After Chapter 42's wisdom catalogue — where Manda d'Heyyi taught through riddles — Chapter 43 shifts to the courtroom. Manda d'Heyyi arrives not as teacher but as judge, and the chapter unfolds as a judicial speech in three movements.

First, the indictment: he has judged the treasurers who received wages and alms from him but hoarded them in their treasure houses, letting the speech of Life pass from their minds. Second, the warning: he cautions his brothers and friends about the death the chiefs of the tent shall die — when their mouths open they shall die, when their eyes close they shall be examined upon their souls. Third, the sentences: he calls the corrupt masters and scholars to account, then judges every human relationship — father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and bride, servant and lord, hireling and hirer. All cases shall be judged and resolved, save one: the case of the man and his wife, which is suspended until the Great rests upon it. The marriage bond alone exceeds the prophet's jurisdiction.

Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. The Mandaic source text is from Haberl & McGrath's edition (2020), accessed via the staged PDF. The English translation by Haberl & McGrath was consulted as a reference but the English below is independently derived from the Mandaic.

It is the voice of Manda d'Heyyi,
who judges and has come into the world.

He has judged the treasurers
and enraged the chiefs of the tent.

He has judged those who await Truth,
beseeching with the wages and alms he gave them.

He gave them wages and alms,
and they carried them to their treasury to hide.

5 They carried them to hide in their treasure house,
for the speech of Life has passed from their minds.

Then it is the voice of Manda d'Heyyi,
who calls forth and teaches all his friends.

"Let me warn you, my brothers,
let me warn you, my friends!

Let me warn you, my brothers,
from the death the chiefs of the tent shall die.

When their mouths open, they shall die,
and when their eyes close,
10 they shall be called to account for their souls,
who shall be examined upon their souls there.

There they shall be examined."

He says to them,

"Bring me their masters, who demand
from them, give nothing, and cast them down.

Bring me their scholars, who teach them
yet themselves learn not.

15 There he judges father and son, master and student,
and he judges mother and daughter there.

There he judges mother-in-law and bride,
servant and his lord, hireling and his hirer.

All cases shall be judged
and all shall be resolved,

save for the case of the man and his wife,
until the Great rests upon it.

And Manda d'Heyyi shall acquit him
and raise him up to set him in the house of perfection."

The triumphant Life speaks,
20 and the man who went here triumphs!

In the name of the Great Life,
and in the name of the precious Truth.

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Chapter 43 of the Book of John (Drasha d-Yahya), translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Approximately 20 verses.

This chapter is a judicial speech — the first time Manda d'Heyyi appears explicitly as judge in the Book of John. Where Chapter 42 was a wisdom catalogue (gnomic riddles, the "secret of X is Y" form), Chapter 43 is a courtroom. The register shifts from revelation to indictment. The secrets have been given; now comes the reckoning for those who hid them.

The chapter's structure echoes the parable of the talents (Matthew 25): a master distributes wages and alms, the recipients hide them in their treasury, and the master returns to judge. But the Mandaean version adds two elements absent from the Matthean parallel. First, the indictment extends to the religious leadership — masters who demand but give nothing, scholars who teach but themselves learn not. Second, the final judgment catalogue covers every human relationship (father-son, mother-daughter, mother-in-law-bride, servant-lord, hireling-hirer) except one: marriage. The case of the man and his wife is reserved for the Great alone. In a chapter where every other bond is subject to Manda d'Heyyi's authority, the marriage bond exceeds even the divine revealer's jurisdiction. Only the Great Life can judge what passes between spouses.

The word samik ("rests upon") in the penultimate verse is striking. It does not mean "ordains" or "commands" — it means to lean, to rest, to settle one's weight. The Great does not decree the judgment of marriage; he rests upon it, as one rests upon a matter that requires the fullness of divine deliberation. The case is not dismissed. It is held.

Dramatis Personae:

  • Manda d'Heyyi (ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ, "Knowledge of Life"): The great revealer of the Mandaean tradition. In Chapter 42 he was teacher; here he is judge. He indicts, warns, and sentences — but defers the one case that exceeds his authority.
  • The treasurers (gaznibria): Those who received wages and alms but hoarded them. The hoarders of divine gifts.
  • The chiefs of the tent (rish mashkina): The authorities whose death Manda d'Heyyi prophesies. Mashkina = tent/dwelling, carrying tabernacle associations.
  • The masters (rabbayna): Corrupt religious authorities who demand from their charges, give nothing in return, and cast them down.
  • The scholars (shualayna): Religious intellectuals who teach others but themselves have not learned. The word derives from sh-'-l (to ask, to inquire) — they are "questioners" who do not question themselves.

Source: Classical Mandaic text from Charles G. Haberl & 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 Haberl & 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 Haberl & McGrath's English (15 documented):

  1. "who judges and has come into the world" for "who comes as a judge to the world" — the Mandaic has two separate verbs: dayyin (judges) + atia (has come). Preserving both as coordinate actions rather than collapsing into a single prepositional phrase.
  2. "alms" for "rewards" — zidqa is cognate with Hebrew tsedaqah (righteousness/charity). In Mandaean tradition, zidqa specifically denotes ritual merit or charitable acts. "Alms" preserves the religious dimension that "rewards" flattens.
  3. "those who await Truth" for "those who expect Truth" — sabria = those who hope, await; "await" carries more anticipation than "expect."
  4. "carried" for "took" — ayil = to carry, to bring; "carried" has more physical weight for the act of transporting wages to a treasury.
  5. "the speech of Life has passed from their minds" for "Life's speech has gone from their senses" — bala = mind, thought, attention; "minds" is more precise than "senses," and "passed" for amitanul suggests the gradual loss of understanding.
  6. "Then it is the voice" for "It is the voice" (second occurrence) — the Mandaic has adat (then/again) prefacing the second invocation, marking the transition from narrative to direct speech.
  7. "shall" throughout for "will" — prophetic/judicial register, consistent with previous chapters' rendering.
  8. "masters" for "teachers" — rabbayna = their masters, their rabbis; the term implies religious authority exceeding mere instruction.
  9. "give nothing" for "do not give" — compressed for rhythm; the indictment's force is in the contrast: demand, give nothing, cast down.
  10. "yet themselves learn not" for "but they do not learn" — clarifying that la-yalipa (3sg, "he does not learn") refers back to shualayna (scholars), not to their students. The scholars teach without having learned.
  11. "mother-in-law and bride" for "mother and daughter-in-law" — hamata = mother-in-law (not generic "mother"), aklata = bride/daughter-in-law. Preserving the specificity of both terms.
  12. "his lord" for "master" (in servant context) — distinguishing from raba (religious master) used earlier. Here mareh = his lord/owner.
  13. "hireling and his hirer" for "employee and employer" — agira = hired worker; "employee/employer" introduces modern labor vocabulary foreign to the text.
  14. "until the Great rests upon it" for "until the Great ordains it" — samik = to lean upon, to rest upon, to support. "Rests upon it" preserves the image of divine deliberation: the case is suspended until the Great settles his weight upon it. "Ordains" flattens the metaphor.
  15. "acquit" for "absolve" — zaykeh from z-k-y, cognate with Hebrew zakah (to be pure, to be acquitted). In a judicial chapter, "acquit" preserves the courtroom register better than the ecclesiastical "absolve."

First independent English translation of Chapter 43 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 43

Classical Mandaic source text from Häberl & McGrath (2020), pages 130-132 (physical) / PDF pages 139 and 141 (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 1–6 (PDF page 139, lines 54–66)

ࡖࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ ‖
ࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡓࡂࡉࡆࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡓࡉࡔ ࡌࡀࡔࡊࡉࡍࡀ
ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡋࡍࡅࡍ ࡋࡂࡀࡆࡍࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ
ࡁࡀࡉࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡅࡍ
ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡋࡍࡅࡍ ࡋࡎࡀࡁࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡉࡋ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡂࡉࡆࡍࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡅࡉࡊࡎࡉࡅࡉࡀ
ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡅࡍ ࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡁࡀࡋࡅࡍ
ࡀࡉࡉࡋ ࡎࡊࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡂࡉࡆࡍࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ5
ࡖࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔ ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡇ
ࡀࡃࡀࡕ ࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ

Verses 7–10 (PDF page 141, lines 1–9)

ࡅࡏࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉ
ࡏࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
ࡌࡍ ࡌࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡉࡕࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡔ ࡌࡀࡔࡊࡉࡍࡀ
ࡏࡆࡃࡀࡄࡓࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
ࡅـࡗ ࡏࡌࡉࡀࡑࡍ ࡀࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡗ ࡕࡐࡉࡀ ࡅࡐࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡉࡕࡉࡀ
ࡖࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡔࡀࡉࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀࡋࡅࡍ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡅࡍ10
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀࡋࡅࡍ ࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡔࡀࡉࡀࡋࡕࡀ

Verses 11–15 (PDF page 141, lines 10–17)

ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡄࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡎࡀࡓࡉࡋࡅࡍ
ࡕࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡉࡉࡍ
ࡕࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡀࡋࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡉࡐࡋࡅࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡋࡉࡐࡀ
ࡅࡔࡅࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡌࡀ ࡅࡁࡓࡀࡕࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ‖
ࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡀࡁࡀ ࡅࡁࡓࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ15
ࡀࡁࡃࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡏࡂࡉࡓࡀ ࡅࡀࡂࡓࡇ
ࡄࡀࡌࡀࡕࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡋࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ

Verses 16–20 (PDF page 141, lines 19–26)

ࡅࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡐࡔࡒࡉࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡍࡋࡅࡍ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡀ ࡎࡀࡌࡉࡊ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡏࡋࡀ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡅࡏࡕࡍࡇ
ࡅࡀࡎࡉࡒ ࡕࡉࡓࡇࡑ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡕࡅࡔࡋࡉࡌࡀ
ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡇ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ20

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 130–132 (physical) / PDF pages 139 and 141 (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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