The Chosen Ones

Chapter fifty of the Mandaean Book of John. The longest and most comprehensive chapter in this sequence — a complete spiritual instruction that recapitulates every theme from Chapters 43 through 49. It opens with twelve woe-oracles upon the rulers who rule the forsaken and do no good works, the foolish fools stubborn in their folly, the masters who seek but give not, the forked tongue that gives two judgments, the builder who built nothing for himself, the pathmaker who blazed no path, and the counselor who counseled not himself. Then the Vanitas of Chapter 48 returns in expanded form: precious gold shall be lost, silver sought but not found, the vine uprooted, the king abandoning his crown, the earth decaying in the stench of darkness.

The chapter's new material is the soul's journey after death: the way is long and without end, each league a guardhouse, wardens and toll-collectors at every station, weapons forged, cauldrons seething for the wicked, scales set and settled. And the selection: out of a thousand, he chooses one; out of a myriad, two. The chosen ascend to light's place. The chapter is addressed throughout to "my chosen ones" and "my perfect ones" — a speaker who alternates between woe and consolation, judgment and tenderness.

Classical Mandaic source text from the critical edition of Haberl and McGrath (2020).

He deals in wages and alms
and ascends to see light's place.

Woe to the rulers who rule
over the forsaken and do no good works;
they shall fall into a blazing fire.
With their hands they stoke the coals,
and with their lips they kindle the flames.
Those who acquire to leave to their children —
they shall go to boil in the fire.

5
They shall go and boil in the fire,
and their pride shall be stripped from them.
Woe to the foolish fools
who are stubborn in their folly!
Woe to the students whom they teach,
yet they learn not true wisdom;
they shall be settled in darkness.
Woe to the masters
who seek from them yet give not.

10
Woe to the forked tongue
which gives two judgments to the same case.
Woe to the evil heart
within which wickedness rules!
Wickedness governs within it —
it shall surely end on the great day of the End.
Woe to the wrathful one
who is filled with Satan's wrath.
Woe to the builder
who has built no building for himself.

15
For himself he has built nothing
on which he goes and is upheld.
Woe to the pathmaker
who has blazed no path for himself
on which he walks and does not slip.
Woe to the one who gives good counsel
yet has given himself no counsel.
Woe to the one who had blessings
yet gave no benefits from his blessings.

20
He shall search in his lap and find nothing,
since he had it in his hand and gave not.
He shall surely end on the great day of the End.
The one who hides his eyes with his own hand —
who shall serve as a healer for him?
The one who destroys his own path with his horn —
who shall serve as a builder for you?
I tell and explain to you,
the chosen ones who live in the world:

25
Who shall go to Life's house
and then return to the abode of darkness?

My chosen ones!
See — this world shall surely perish,
and its works shall succumb to destruction.
Its works shall come apart
and not draw near again.
Precious gold shall be lost,
and silver shall be sought but not found.

30
The shadow of deception
and the service of the world shall vanish.
It shall disappear like the scents
and the things of this world.
My perfect ones!
Days, months, hours, and minutes shall end,
and it shall be as though they never were.
The whole world shall end and come to nought —
it shall be as though it never was.

35
The joyful vine shall be uprooted,
and their song shall go there and vanish.
The king shall leave behind his crown,
and the nobles, the rulers of the world —
with the breaking of their hearts
they shall leave the world.
The earth shall decay and come to a stop
in the depths of the stench of darkness.
You, my chosen ones!

40
Have no faith
in this deceptive world!
My chosen ones!
Blessed is the one who has heard and believed;
woe to the one who is exhausted and asleep.
Blessed is the one who heard and believed;
he shall rise up to see light's place.
As for the wicked who heard but believed not —
they set their faces toward the place of darkness.

45
The dark mountain shall devour them.
Blessed is the one who knows himself
and whose heart is his builder.
Whoever is mindful of himself
has no equal in the world.
My chosen ones!
Stay firm and endure the world's persecution.
Endure the world's persecution

50
with a true, faithful heart.
Worship me sincerely,
so that I may aid you as a support.
My chosen ones!
The way that souls must travel
is long and without end.
On it no leagues are measured,
and no milestones are marked off in it.

55
Each league is a guardhouse,
and upon each guardhouse
wardens and toll-collectors sit.
The weapon is forged and set,
and the iron is burnished and set.
The cauldrons are filled and seething,
in which the souls of the wicked wait.
The scales are set and settled.
Out of a thousand, he chooses one.

60
He chooses one out of a thousand,
and chooses two out of a myriad.
He chooses and brings up the souls
that are worthy and deserving of light's place.

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, and this consultation is acknowledged. Key departures from the reference translation: (1) "Woe to" rather than "Shame on" for aileh throughout — the Mandaic woe-formula is cognate with Hebrew hoy and carries the prophetic gravity of Isaiah 5; "shame" flattens the register. This departure was established in Chapter 45. (2) "alms" rather than "rewards" for zidqa — the Mandaic zidqa (cognate with Hebrew tsedaqah, righteousness/charity) is distinct from agra (wage/reward); the reference's "rewards" collapses both into payment-words, losing the distinction between earned wage and charitable giving. (3) "stripped from them" rather than "kept from them" for mistarkalun — the root S-R-K means to strip or plunder, not to withhold; the pride is torn away, not merely denied. (4) "judgments" rather than "decisions" for dinia — the root D-Y-N means to judge; the forked tongue gives contradictory legal rulings, not administrative choices. (5) "counsel" rather than "advice" for malkha — the same root as malik (king); the gravity is regal, not casual. (6) "the one who" rather than "him who" for gender-neutral rendering throughout. (7) "guardhouse" rather than "penitentiary" for maṭarata — established departure; the Mandaic word denotes a watch-station or customs post, not a prison. (8) "wardens and toll-collectors" for gaziraiia and maskia — gaziraiia (from G-Z-R, to decree/guard) are wardens of the guardhouses; maskia (from M-S-K, to seize/hold) are toll-collectors who assess the soul.

Established departures from previous chapters maintained: naṭria = watchers/guardians, šalmaina/šalmainata = perfect men/perfect women, aileh = woe to (not "shame on"), maṭarata = guardhouse, "thresh" for agricultural root, "brothers and sisters, O faithful" for gender-inclusive communal address. This is the longest chapter in the Book of John sequence (65 verse positions), and the most comprehensive in scope: it recapitulates the woe-oracle (Ch 45), the vanitas (Ch 48), the selection metaphor (Ch 49), and introduces the soul's journey through guardhouses — the Mandaean afterlife topology. The chapter is addressed to "my chosen ones" (bhirai) and "my perfect ones" (šalmainai). First independently derived 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.

🌲

Source Text: The Book of John — Chapter 50

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 50. 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). Pages 151 and 153 (0-indexed). Page numbers, verse number markers, and column-break markers stripped. Unicode Mandaic block (U+0840–U+085F) preserves the original script.

ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡂࡍࡀࡓ ࡁࡀࡂࡓࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ
ࡅࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡔࡀࡋࡉࡈࡉࡀ ࡖࡌࡔࡀࡋࡈࡉࡀ
ࡔࡁࡉࡒࡉࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ ࡏࡅࡁࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡐࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡎࡉࡐࡄࡀࡕࡅࡍ ࡌࡎࡀࡓࡎࡉࡉࡐࡍ ࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡍࡋࡐࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡒࡃࡀ
ࡅࡀࡆࡋࡉࡍ ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡔࡋࡉࡀ
ࡁࡉࡃࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡁࡀࡃࡉࡍ ࡂࡅࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡓࡊࡀࡋࡅࡍ ࡂࡉࡅࡕࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡖࡒࡀࡉࡍࡍ ࡅࡔࡀࡁࡒࡉࡍ ࡋࡁࡀࡍࡉࡅࡍ
ࡖࡁࡎࡀࡋࡊࡅࡕࡅࡍ ࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡓࡊࡉࡀ
ࡀࡆࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡀࡔࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡍࡓࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡋࡉࡐࡀ ࡄࡅࡅࡊࡌࡕࡀ ࡖࡔࡓࡀࡓࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡎࡀࡋࡊࡉࡀ ࡕࡌࡉࡌࡉࡀ
ࡁࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡊࡉࡍࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡉࡀࡋࡅࡉࡐࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡉࡐࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡓࡀࡁࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡖࡁࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡉࡀࡄࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡋࡉࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡁࡉࡀ ࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡃࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡁࡄࡀࡃ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡋࡉࡁࡀ ࡁࡉࡔࡀ
ࡖࡁࡉࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡌࡀࡌࡋࡉࡀࡊ
ࡌࡀࡌࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡁࡉࡔࡅࡕࡀ
ࡌࡉࡎࡀࡐ ࡎࡀࡉࡉࡐ ࡋࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡎࡅࡐ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡆࡉࡃࡀࡀࡍ
ࡖࡌࡍ ࡆࡉࡃࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡈࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡁࡀࡀࡍࡉࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡁࡀࡍ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡇ ࡁࡉࡕࡍࡀ
ࡁࡉࡕࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡁࡀࡍ ࡋࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡇ
ࡗ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡌࡉࡎࡕࡌࡉࡊ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡃࡓࡉࡊ ࡃࡉࡓࡉࡊࡀ
ࡖࡃࡉࡓࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡇ ࡋࡀࡃࡓࡉࡊ
ࡖࡌࡅࡋࡀࡊࡀࡍ ࡋࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡇ ࡋࡀࡌࡋࡉࡊ
ࡖࡗ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡄࡒࡉࡋ
ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡇ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡌࡋࡉࡊ ࡌࡉࡋࡉࡊࡀ ࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡄࡅࡀࡋࡇ ࡁࡏࡃࡇ ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡄࡀࡁ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡖࡄࡅࡀࡋࡇ ࡅࡋࡀࡈࡀࡉࡉࡁ
ࡌࡉࡎࡀࡐ ࡎࡀࡉࡉࡐ ࡋࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡎࡅࡐ
ࡁࡀࡄࡉࡔ ࡁࡀࡊࡍࡇࡐ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡖࡁࡏࡃࡇ ࡀࡅࡀࡓ ࡀࡉࡇࡍ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡀࡎࡉࡀ
ࡖࡁࡒࡀࡓࡇࡍ ࡀࡐࡉࡉࡎ ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡀࡓࡃࡉࡋࡊࡀ ࡏࡋࡅࡊࡍ
ࡀࡌࡉࡓࡀࡍ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔࡀࡍ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡃࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡋࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡀࡊࡌࡀࡓ ࡋࡃࡅࡓ ࡄࡀࡔࡉࡊࡀ
ࡅࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡇ ࡌࡉࡕࡄࡀࡌࡁࡋࡀࡍ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡄࡃࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡒࡀࡓࡁࡀࡍ
ࡄࡆࡅࡍ ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡁࡈࡀࡋ ࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋ
ࡅࡌࡉࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡎࡀࡐ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡌࡓࡀࡍ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡇ
ࡅࡔࡀࡌࡀࡔࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡀࡅࡉࡃ ࡆࡀࡄࡁࡀ ࡓࡄࡉࡌࡀ
ࡅࡓࡀࡂࡀࡂࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡉࡀ ࡈࡅࡋࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡆࡉࡀࡐ
ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡎࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ ࡉࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡉࡀࡄࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡔࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡅࡔࡅࡔࡉࡀ
ࡅࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡗ ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡅࡍ
ࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡅࡊࡋࡇ ࡅࡎࡀࡉࡉࡐ
ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡗ ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡅࡀ
ࡌࡉࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡂࡅࡐࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡀࡃࡅࡀ
ࡅࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡆࡌࡀࡓࡅࡍ ࡅࡁࡀࡈࡉࡋ
ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡌࡔࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡕࡀࡂࡇ
ࡅࡁࡉࡍࡀ ࡄࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡁࡕࡉࡉࡍࡄࡕࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡁࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡀࡍࡒࡐࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡄࡀࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡎࡀࡉࡀࡐ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡁࡏࡌࡒࡉࡀ ࡎࡓࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡋࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡍࡉࡊࡋࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍࡕࡅࡍ ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡉࡍࡄࡅࡉࡋࡅࡊࡍ ࡓࡅࡄࡀࡑࡀࡍ
ࡈࡅࡁࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡅࡏࡕࡄࡀࡉࡌࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡏࡕࡀࡊࡋࡀࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡊࡁ
ࡈࡅࡁࡇ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡅࡄࡀࡉࡌࡀࡍ
ࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡀࡉࡌࡀࡍ
ࡌࡀࡆࡁࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡔࡅࡊ
ࡅࡋࡉࡁࡇ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡀࡓࡃࡉࡋࡊࡀ
ࡁࡀࡋࡀࡋࡅࡍ ࡈࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡔࡀࡊ
ࡋࡀࡉࡉࡕ ࡀࡅࡊࡀࡕࡇ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡈࡅࡁࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡁࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡇ ࡉࡍࡃࡀ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡊࡋࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡆࡃࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡁࡀࡍࡔࡐࡉࡇ
ࡀࡔࡀࡓ ࡅࡎࡅࡁࡋࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡓࡉࡃࡀࡐ ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡋࡓࡉࡃࡀࡐ ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡎࡅࡁࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡖࡏࡒࡅࡌ ࡄࡅࡉࡋࡅࡊࡍ ࡁࡀࡄࡉࡃ ࡏࡃࡀ
ࡁࡋࡉࡁࡀ ࡔࡊࡉࡈࡀ ࡅࡌࡄࡀࡉࡌࡀࡍ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ
ࡀࡎࡂࡅࡃࡅࡋࡉࡀ ࡁࡕࡓࡉࡅࡑࡕࡀ
ࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡆࡋࡉࡁࡇ ࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ
ࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀ ࡅࡎࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡋࡀࡉࡊࡋࡁࡇ ࡀࡐࡓࡎࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀࡆ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡅࡊࡃࡉࡊࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡀࡐࡓࡎࡀ ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ
ࡅࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ ࡂࡆࡉࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡎࡀࡎࡒࡉࡋ ࡅࡌࡀࡕࡀࡍ ࡀࡐࡓࡆࡋࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡎࡊࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡋࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡈࡓࡀࡍ
ࡄࡔࡉࡋ ࡅࡌࡀࡕࡀࡍ ࡆࡀࡉࡀࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡐ ࡁࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡄࡀࡃ
ࡓࡌࡉࡀ ࡅࡓࡀࡄࡕࡀ ࡋࡃࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡅࡕࡓࡉࡍ ࡁࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡓࡅࡁࡀࡍ
ࡀࡕࡓࡉࡑ ࡅࡉࡀࡕࡉࡁ ࡌࡅࡆࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡖࡔࡉࡄࡀ ࡅࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡄࡀࡃ ࡁࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡐ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡅࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒ ࡉࡍࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ

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 digital lending under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. URL: archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn. Chapter 50 Mandaic text extracted from PDF pages 151 and 153 (0-indexed). Chapter 50 English reference on pages 152 and 154 (header "50:1 – 50:35" and "50:36 – 51:6"). Page numbers [182], [183], [184], [185] and verse markers stripped. Column-break markers (‖) removed. Couplet order corrected from PyMuPDF extraction artifact. Unicode Mandaic block (U+0840–U+085F) preserves the original script.

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