The Commandments

Chapter forty-seven of the Mandaean Book of John. A divine being descends from light's place — the eternal abode — clothed in robes of splendor and crowned with a wreath of triumphs. Arriving among the Nazoreans at the banks of the Jordan, the speaker sets up a throne and sits like a father among his sons, then delivers a series of moral commandments.

The chapter contains ten prohibitions: against adultery, theft, sorcery, shifting boundaries, delivering the weak to the strong, taking an unfree maid, informing, usury, idol worship, and bearing false witness. It culminates in a Mandaean Golden Rule — "Whatever is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow" — followed by eschatological warnings of judgment, the tollhouse of the soul, and the burning fire that consumes those who would not see or hear. The setting — the Jordan, the Nazoreans, the father-figure — frames the instructions as a baptismal teaching. The eschatological imagery of tollhouses and guardhouses is distinctly Mandaean: post-mortem waypoints where the soul's deeds are weighed.

At approximately fifty-three verses, this is the longest single chapter translated for the archive from the Book of John. Classical Mandaic source text from the critical edition of Haberl and McGrath (2020).

From light's place, I went forth —
from you, enduring abode!
In robes of splendor I was clothed,
and a wreath of triumphs was hung upon my head.
I came and found the Nazoreans
standing on the banks of the Jordan.
I set up my throne and sat down,
like a father who sits among his sons.
The good one sits and teaches his sons
5 all truth, in which there is no straying.

My sons!
See that you do not commit adultery;
see that you do not commit theft;
those who steal and commit adultery
will not ascend to Life's house.
They will not ascend to Life's house;
they will not behold light's place.

My sons!
10 See that you do not perform sorcery
and oppress the soul in the body.
Sorcerers and liars will be tossed in cauldrons
that seethe, and fire will be their judge.

My sons!
See that you do not shift boundaries.
The day you displace the great marker —
those who shift boundaries,
15 their eyes will not see the light.

My sons!
See that you do not deliver
a servant into his master's hand, nor a maid into her mistress's,
nor deliver the weak to the strong,
to be bound in a remote place.
At the tollhouse, his eye will see only darkness,
and his foot will find no firm ground.

My sons!
20 See that you do not take
a maid who has not been freed,
and bring up your sons
in her master's house.
If the servant sins one day,
on the day his master judges him,
the sins the servant committed
will come upon the head of his father.

My sons!
25 See that you are not informers,
and that your eyes give no signs,
for informers and signalers
will be assigned to the guardhouse.
To the guardhouse they will be assigned,
and they will surely be judged harshly.

My sons!
See that you do not practice
usury and compound usury,
30 lest you be judged in the dark mountain.

My sons!
See that you do not worship
idols and demons,
pagan gods and impiety,
and the vanity of this world,
35 for upon the idols and demons
a harsh judgment will be,
and those who worship them
will not ascend to Life's house.
They will not ascend to Life's house,
and they will not behold light's place.

See what I have commanded you, and
a false and lying witness do not bear.
On account of false and lying witness,
they will be questioned before the judge.
They will be questioned before the judge
40 who judges the entire world.
He judges every person
as to his works and his reward.

My sons!
Whatever is hateful to you,
do not do to your fellow,
for the world to which you have gone
has judgment and a great reckoning.
It has judgment and a great reckoning,
45 in which guarded vessels
are tested every day,
for all who are laden will ascend,
and the empty-handed will be cut off.

Woe to the empty-handed one
50 who stands empty-handed at the tollhouse.
It was in his hand, and he gave not.
He searched in his lap, and he found not.
They cast the wicked and liars in darkness.
They cast him in burning fire.
In burning fire they cast him —
in whose ear they called, and he heard not.
I showed it to his eye, and he saw not.
I showed him, and he saw not with his eye.

Life is victorious,
and victorious is the man who came here!

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. Key departures from the reference: (1) "went forth" rather than "left" for inqpit — established departure, N-Q-P-T carries deliberate departure; (2) "enduring" rather than "everlasting" for taqan — denotes stability and persistence, not infinite duration; (3) "sorcerers" rather than "magicians" for harašia — the Ḥ-R-Š root denotes magical arts and sorcery, not performance; (4) "pagan gods" rather than "Olympians" for ʿukria — the Mandaic word means "foreigners" or "foreign gods," not specifically Greek deities; rendering as "Olympians" is an interpretive specification not warranted by the source; (5) "vanity" rather than "impiety" for haliuta — the H-L-Y root means "to decay, to pass away," yielding "vanity/transience"; hainupta (H-N-P) is the word meaning "impiety"; (6) "guardhouse" rather than "penitentiary" for maṭarata — the N-Ṭ-R root means "to guard/watch," preserving the ancient Near Eastern setting; (7) "hateful" rather than "disgusting" for sina — the S-N-A root means "to hate"; (8) "signalers" rather than "snitches" for ramazya — the R-M-Z root means "to signal/make signs," preserving the specific physical act of eye-signaling rather than modern slang; (9) "reward" (singular) rather than "merits" (plural) for agrh — the Mandaic is singular; (10) "compound usury" rather than "compound interest" for hubul hublia — the H-B-L root specifically denotes usury, preserving the moral condemnation; (11) "straying" rather than "error" for ṭʿia — the Ṭ-ʿ-Y root means "to stray/wander"; (12) "woe to" rather than "shame on" for ailh — parallels Hebrew hoy and Greek ouai, preserving the prophetic woe-formula register.

Chapter 47 is the Mandaean Decalogue — a moral instruction delivered by a divine being to the Nazoreans by the Jordan, framed as a father's counsel to his sons. The ten commandments parallel both the Hebrew Decalogue and early Christian ethical teaching, while reflecting distinctly Mandaean concerns: sorcery binding the soul in the body, the post-mortem tollhouse (bit maskia) where deeds are weighed, and the guardhouse (maṭarata) as a place of harsh judgment. The Golden Rule in verse 44 — "Whatever is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow" — parallels Hillel's formulation in the Talmud (Shabbat 31a) and constitutes one of the earliest Mandaean ethical universals. The eschatological section (vv. 46–53) presents the Mandaean theology of merit: the laden ascend, the empty-handed are cut off, and those who would not see or hear are cast in fire. 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 47

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 47. 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.

ࡌࡍ ࡀࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡉࡍࡒࡐࡉࡕ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡊ ࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡕࡀࡒࡀࡍ
ࡏࡈࡑࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡋࡁࡉࡔࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡊࡉࡋࡀ ࡖࡆࡀࡀࡊࡅࡀࡕࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉ ࡕࡓࡉࡋࡑࡉࡀ
ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡅࡀࡔࡉࡊࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡀࡍࡅࡑࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡉࡊࡇࡐ ࡖࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡀ
ࡕࡓࡀࡕࡑࡇ ࡋࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡀࡉ ࡅࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡕ
ࡀࡁࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡕࡉࡁ ࡀࡁࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡁࡇࡍ
ࡉࡀࡕࡉࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋࡐࡅࡍ ࡋࡁࡇࡍ 5
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡔࡓࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡈࡏࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡁࡇ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡂࡅࡁࡍࡀ ࡕࡉࡂࡉࡁࡍࡅࡍ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡕࡉࡂࡉࡓࡅࡍ ࡂࡀࡅࡓࡀ
ࡖࡂࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡂࡀࡁࡍࡉࡀ
ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ 10
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡁࡃࡅࡍ ࡄࡀࡓࡔࡉࡀ
ࡅࡕࡉࡓࡑࡅࡍ ࡁࡀࡐࡂࡓࡀ ࡉࡍࡔࡉࡌࡕࡀ
ࡄࡀࡓࡀࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡀࡐࡉࡍࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡁࡃࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡖࡓࡀࡄࡕࡀࡍ ࡅࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡀࡅࡍࡍ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡐࡅࡊࡍ ࡌࡉࡓࡑࡉࡀ
ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡕࡉࡔࡀࡅࡍࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡊࡃࡀࡊ
ࡄࡀࡋࡉࡍ ࡖࡀࡐࡉࡊࡀ ࡌࡉࡓࡑࡉࡀ 15
ࡀࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀࡍ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡎࡓࡅࡍ
ࡀࡁࡃࡀ ࡁࡉࡀࡃ ࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡕࡀ ࡁࡉࡀࡃ ࡌࡀࡓࡕࡇ
ࡌࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡕࡀࡒࡉࡀࡐ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡕࡅࡍࡍ
ࡌࡉࡕࡉࡀࡁࡀࡈ ࡁࡀࡕࡓࡀ ࡂࡆࡉࡓࡀ
ࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡎࡊࡉࡀ ࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡅࡋࡉࡂࡓࡇ ࡔࡓࡀࡓࡀ ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ 20
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡋࡉࡂࡈࡅࡍ
ࡀࡌࡕࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡓࡐࡉࡒࡀ
ࡅࡁࡀࡍࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡕࡀࡉࡋࡅࡍ
ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡓࡉࡀ
ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡈࡉࡀ ࡀࡁࡃࡀ
ࡁࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡓࡇ ࡌࡀࡂࡆࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡄࡀࡈࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡈࡉࡀ ࡀࡁࡃࡀ
ࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ 25
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡓࡀࡉࡑࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡀࡍࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡓࡉࡌࡆࡀ ࡉࡍࡓࡉࡌࡆࡀࡍ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡀࡊࡓࡀࡉࡑࡀ ࡅࡓࡀࡌࡀࡆࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡃࡍࡉࡆࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡃࡍࡉࡆࡉࡀ ࡋࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡀࡆࡉࡆࡀ ࡌࡉࡃࡉࡉࡍࡍ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡕࡉࡋࡊࡅࡍ 30
ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡄࡁࡅࡋ ࡄࡁࡅࡋࡉࡀ
ࡕࡉࡃࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡁࡈࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡎࡉࡂࡃࡅࡍ
ࡋࡀࡐࡕࡉࡓࡊࡉࡀ ࡅࡏࡋ ࡀࡑࡈࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡅࡏࡋ ࡏࡅࡊࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡏࡋ ࡄࡀࡉࡍࡅࡐࡕࡀ
ࡅࡋࡄࡀࡋࡉࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡀࡐࡕࡉࡓࡊࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡑࡈࡀࡉࡍࡀ 35
ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡂࡆࡉࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡎࡀࡂࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡂࡃࡉࡋࡅࡍ
ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡖࡀࡐࡒࡉࡃࡕࡉࡍࡅࡊࡍ ࡅࡎࡀࡄࡃࡅࡕࡀ
ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ ࡅࡔࡉࡒࡓࡀ ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡎࡉࡄࡃࡅࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡒࡁࡀࡋ ࡖࡎࡀࡄࡃࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ ࡅࡔࡉࡒࡓࡀ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ ࡃࡀࡉࡀࡀࡍ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ ࡃࡀࡉࡀࡀࡍ 40
ࡖࡃࡀࡉࡉࡋࡍࡅࡍ ࡋࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡃࡀࡉࡉࡋࡍࡅࡍ ࡋࡅࡊࡋ ࡏࡉࡍࡔ
ࡏࡅࡁࡀࡃࡇ ࡅࡀࡂࡓࡇ
ࡁࡀࡍࡉ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡉࡃࡍࡀࡌ ࡖࡎࡉࡍࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡅࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡁࡄࡀࡁࡓࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡁࡃࡅࡍ
ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡀࡆࡋࡉࡕࡅࡋࡇ
ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡃࡍࡀࡆࡕࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡏࡕࡁࡇ
ࡏࡕࡁࡇ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡃࡍࡀࡆࡕࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ 45
ࡖࡅࡊࡋ ࡉࡅࡌ ࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡎࡌࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡌࡉࡕࡁࡉࡄࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡈࡉࡍ ࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ
ࡖࡓࡉࡒࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡀࡊ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡂࡆࡀࡓ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡓࡉࡒࡀࡀࡍ 50
ࡖࡓࡉࡒࡉࡍ ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡎࡊࡉࡀ
ࡄࡅ ࡁࡏࡃࡇ ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡄࡀࡁ
ࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡁࡀࡄࡉࡔ ࡁࡀࡊࡍࡇࡐ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡈࡀࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡃࡀࡁࡉࡀ ࡁࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡔࡀࡃࡉࡋࡇ ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀ
ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡉࡋࡇ
ࡖࡒࡓࡅࡋࡇ ࡁࡏࡅࡃࡇࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡌࡀ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡕࡇ ࡁࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡆࡀ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡕࡇ ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡆࡀ ࡁࡀࡉࡇࡍ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ

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 145, 147, and 149 (0-indexed) of the PDF. Chapter 47 Mandaic text, spanning book pages 136–140 (facing pages to Translation pages 137–141). Chapter 47 verses 1–53.

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