As My Father Yushamin Plotted

Chapter 5 is the sons' account of their father's fall. Where Chapter 4 was Yushamin's own confession — first person, singular, inward — Chapter 5 opens in a son's voice: "As my father Yushamin plotted." The son watches the father rage in the shackles, planning one last war against the Great Life. The defiance is magnificent and doomed: "I am the greatest, and great is my splendor, and there is no end to my praise."

The Great Life responds not with force but with bureaucracy — he writes a letter and sends Manda d'Heyyi, the Knowledge-of-Life, as emissary. Manda d'Heyyi's rebuke is both tender and devastating: "I grieve and I ache for you, Yushamin, who is bound in the fetters of the Great Life." Yushamin threatens violence. Manda d'Heyyi does not flinch. The chapter ends with Yushamin in his stronghold, admitting defeat: "I and my brothers, the excellencies, did not alter the things the kings had spoken."

Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Translated from the critical edition text established by Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath (De Gruyter, 2020). The Haberl and McGrath English translation was consulted as a reference for verification of difficult passages and proper names, but the English below was independently derived from the Mandaic source text.

In the name of the Great Life, may the sublime Light be magnified!

"As my father Yushamin plotted
in the shackles, in wrath and defiance,
he plotted in the great wilderness:

'Let me wage a war on high;
let me behold the Great Life
waging this great quarrel — and thus he cast himself upon it.

Now I shall hurl myself against him,
and he has made trouble for himself.
If he comes and escapes from me,
I shall see that there is none greater than me.

Who is worse than me in the place of light?
Than me on high?
I am the greatest, and great is my splendor,
and there is no end to my praise.'"

As soon as Yushamin had spoken thus,
the Great Life knew, and he said:

"I shall put a covering over the deeds
of that worthless Yushamin."

He wrote a letter and sent it;
he summoned Manda d'Heyyi.
He warned him with a severe warning,
and said to him:

"Look upon his splendor — what shall overwhelm him?
Did he not say, 'The Great Sprout despised me,
and the king of light raged against me'?"

Manda d'Heyyi went forth
and came to the house of Yushamin.
Manda d'Heyyi arrived at the house of Yushamin;
he came and spoke to Yushamin, saying:

"When you were not great,
were you not still drawing breath?
You were never great —
so why do you wage war against him?

I grieve and I ache for you, Yushamin,
who is bound in the fetters of the Great Life.
Your prayers are spent,
your troubles overwhelm you;
you forget your own words,
and a tear falls from you to the ground.

I told him what they said on high:
'I made Yushamin dwell upon the earth.'
And just as they spoke,
I say: 'I summoned Yushamin.'

There is no truth
in your sight, and no truth in your speech."

When Manda d'Heyyi had spoken thus,
Yushamin spoke, and said to him:

"Were you not a messenger that was sent?
Had I come instead,
I would have struck you with a great blow
and put an end to your speeches;
your splendor would not shine,
and the light in which you stand would falter."

When Yushamin had spoken thus,
Manda d'Heyyi looked upon Yushamin —
his gathered strength,
the power of his ancestors' spirit, blessed —
and Yushamin knocked upon his dwelling.

"I have covered my splendor,
and the man cast me within the stronghold.
Then I and my brothers, the excellencies,
did not alter the things the kings had spoken."

And Life triumphs!

Blessed is the name of Manda d'Heyyi!

And Life triumphs!

Colophon

Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Chapter 5 of the Mandaean Book of John (Drasha d-Yahia), the Yushamin cycle. Translated from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and 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).

The English translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. The Haberl and McGrath English translation was consulted as a reference for verification of proper names, difficult passages, and narrative structure. Key divergences from the reference: "in wrath and defiance" preserves the Mandaic noun forms rugza and tuqaf (the reference renders these as adverbs); "let me behold" renders the Mandaic causative of HZY (the reference uses "let me see"); "quarrel" renders tigra (the reference uses "war" — tigra denotes a dispute or conflict, distinct from qraba which is battle proper); "praise" renders tushbihta (the reference uses "glory" — the root Sh-B-H carries the primary sense of praise); "I shall put a covering over the deeds" is more literal than the reference's "I shall cover up the accomplishments"; "despised" renders the Mandaic S-N-' root (the reference uses "hated"); "I grieve and I ache" renders the paired emotional terms in the Mandaic (the reference uses "worried and pained"); "your prayers are spent" — "spent" conveys depletion rather than the reference's neutral "completed"; "stronghold" renders the Mandaic term for Yushamin's place of confinement (the reference uses "tower"). In Yushamin's final speech (verses 28-30), the passage concerning the man and the stronghold (gabra) presented translational difficulty — the reference was particularly valuable for clarifying the narrative action.

"The Radiant Transplant" has been rendered as "the Great Sprout" in this chapter to reflect the Mandaic epithet nasb (sprout/plant) as used in the direct speech of the Great Life's quotation, consistent with the critical edition's reading. The chapter title's name is preserved as "Yushamin" throughout for consistency with the preceding chapters.

This is a first free independent English translation. No previous freely available English translation of this chapter existed.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ — ࡐࡓࡀࡒࡀ ࡄ (Drasha d-Yahia — Chapter 5)

Classical Mandaic source text from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020). Open access via Internet Archive. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡁࡎࡀࡃࡀ ࡅࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ ࡅࡕࡅࡒࡀࡐ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡔࡉࡁ ࡀࡁ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡋࡌࡉࡓࡌࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡌࡓࡅࡌ ࡕࡉࡂࡓࡀ ‖
ࡄࡀࡔࡉࡁ ࡁࡀࡑࡃࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡉࡄࡆࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡏࡋ ࡕࡉࡂࡓࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡏࡀࡊ ࡓࡌࡀࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡇ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡔࡕࡀ ࡏࡓࡉࡌࡉࡉࡇ
ࡏࡄࡉࡆࡉࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ ࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡖࡓࡀࡁ
ࡏࡅ ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡀ ࡅࡉࡍࡀࡐࡓࡀࡒ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ5
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ ࡁࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ ࡁࡌࡓࡅࡌ ࡌࡉࡀࡀࡊ ࡖࡁࡉࡔ
ࡅࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ ࡎࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀࡉ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡓࡀࡁࡀࡍ ࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡆࡉࡅࡀࡉ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡏࡃࡀ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡖࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡄࡅࡎࡓࡀࡀࡍ
ࡏࡎࡊࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡕࡊࡀࡁ ࡏࡂࡍࡉࡓࡕࡀ ࡅࡔࡀࡃࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡒࡓࡀࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ10
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ ࡄࡆࡉࡀ ࡁࡆࡉࡅࡇ ࡌࡏ ࡀࡊࡁࡉࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡅࡆࡀࡄࡓࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡆࡀࡄࡀࡓࡕࡀ ࡓࡀࡁࡕࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡓࡂࡀࡆ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓ ࡖࡎࡉࡉࡍࡀࡍ ࡁࡍࡀࡈ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡌࡈࡀ
ࡌࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡌࡀࡈࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡌࡈࡀ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡕࡀࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀ ࡄࡅࡉࡕ
ࡗ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡋࡀࡄࡅࡉࡕ ࡓࡁࡀ15
ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ ‖ ࡋࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡀࡍࡒࡔࡉࡕ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡋࡀࡄࡅࡉࡕ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ
ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡖࡁࡆࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡎࡓࡉࡕ
ࡀࡉࡒࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡊࡓࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡀࡃࡍࡀࡔࡀࡕࡀࡊ ࡀࡊࡁࡓࡀࡍ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ
ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡁࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀࡊ
ࡅࡃࡉࡌࡉࡄࡕࡀ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡊ ࡋࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡀࡍࡄࡕࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡔࡍࡉࡀࡕࡋࡇ ࡋࡅࡐࡂࡃࡀࡌࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡔࡓࡉࡁࡇ ࡁࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍࡋࡇ ࡁࡌࡓࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡉࡀ20
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡒࡓࡉࡕ
ࡀࡅࡊࡀࡕ ࡖࡀࡌࡀࡓࡉࡅࡍ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡁࡁࡉࡕࡍࡀࡊ ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡓࡀࡓࡀ ࡁࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀࡊ
ࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡅ ࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡄࡅࡉࡕ ࡔࡀࡃࡓࡅࡊ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡕ
ࡅࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀࡊ
ࡌࡄࡀࡉࡕࡀࡊ ࡁࡌࡄࡉࡕࡀ ࡓࡀࡁࡕࡉࡀ25
ࡅࡁࡈࡉࡋ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀࡊ ࡖࡒࡀࡉࡌࡀࡕࡁࡇ
ࡅࡋࡀࡃࡀࡍ ࡆࡉࡅࡀࡊ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ
ࡅࡄࡀࡉࡆࡀࡊ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡁࡔࡉࡊࡕࡍࡇ ࡒࡍࡉࡔ
ࡋࡄࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡖࡍࡉࡐࡔ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ ࡁࡉࡓࡅࡊࡉࡀ
ࡀࡐࡓࡒࡎࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡓࡌࡀࡍ
ࡎࡊࡉࡕ ࡆࡉࡅࡇ ࡅࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ
ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡉࡍࡉࡍࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡉࡊࡀ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡅࡄࡀࡉࡆࡀࡊ ‖ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡅࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡄࡀࡉ
30
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡎـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــࡀ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡁࡓࡉࡊ ࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡖࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ

Source Colophon

Mandaic source text extracted from the Unicode text layer of the critical edition PDF (Haberl & McGrath, 2020). Published open access under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The critical edition was based on manuscripts DC 17 (Bodleian Library, Oxford) and other witnesses.

The Mandaic script is presented in Unicode (Mandaic block U+0840-U+085F). Verse numbers from the critical edition are preserved. The doxological formula ("In the name of the Great Life, may the sublime light be magnified") and closing formulas ("And Life triumphs! Blessed is the name of Manda d'Heyyi!") that frame the chapter are included.

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