The Perfected One

Chapter fifty-six of the Mandaean Book of John. A concise chapter of two fates: the perfected one and the one who falls short. The speaker addresses whoever achieves spiritual completion within the Mandaean community. The perfected one receives a great crown, is called the illuminator of settlements, and shines greater than the sun and the moon. Disciples gather daily, taking his sign and rising through his power — because the strength of his forebears is safeguarded in him. At judgment, he is exempt: the Seven planets do not pronounce upon him, he does not walk the so-called holy path, and he rises through secret words and mysteries concealed from the worlds. The counterpoint is stark: the unawakened falls to dark cauldrons, and the one who grew weary and slept is settled in the belly of Leviathan. The chapter closes with a double blessing on whoever separates himself from the world.

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

Whoever is perfected within it,
at the head of the worlds of light will be his settlement.
The excellencies gather to him,
and they extend truth to him.
They extend truth to him,
and they receive from him and of them.
Upon their heads they set a great crown,
in the likeness of the one who enlightens the worlds.
They set for him a wreath, a victory wreath,
and call him the illuminator of settlements.

5

His heart is not of the Great Life's,
unless he is among those versed in truth.
The one in whom truth resides —
his mind is enlightened
and his heart is awakened.
The one whose mind is unenlightened
and whose heart is unawakened
shall be settled in the settlement of Spirit,
the so-called holy.

10

He shall fall into dark cauldrons,
and his form shall not shine.
The one whose heart is awakened
and whose mind is enlightened
shone greater than the sun and the moon.
He shone greater than the sun and the moon,
and set the name and the scent upon the earth.
Each and every day
the disciples gather by his side,

15

and take from him the sign,
and rise through his power,
because the power of his ancestors
is safeguarded in him,
and the word of his ancestors
resides with him.
When he rises to the guardhouse,
he shall not be interrogated,
and the Seven shall not pronounce
judgment upon him.

20

He shall not go upon the so-called holy path,
and his eyes shall not see the darkness.
He shall pass on the path of the righteous elect;
Sunday runs a course within it.
They shall rise through secret words
that conceal the darkness from the mortals.
They shall rise through secret mysteries,
the likes of which are kept hidden from the worlds.
Blessed and twice blessed is
the one who separates himself from the world.

25

He shall rise to see the place of light.
The one who did not — who grew weary and slept —
he shall be settled in the belly of Leviathan.
The triumphant Life speaks,
and the man who went here triumphs!

And Life is victorious.

Colophon

Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Translated by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (NTAC + Claude), 2026.

The English translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. Häberl & 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) "is perfected" rather than "stays perfect" — the Mandaic form mištalamlbeh (etpe'el of Š-L-M, "to complete") has a passive-reflexive sense of achieved completion, not ongoing maintenance; "is perfected" captures the processual quality. (2) "extend truth" without the editorial supplement "[‛s hand]" — the Mandaic kušṭa apšṭia says truth is extended, with no explicit "hand." (3) "in the likeness of" rather than "like" — b-admu d- is more precise than a bare simile. (4) "the so-called holy" rather than "the 'holy'" — continuing the established departure for qadishta/qudiša used with Mandaean ironic distance toward the demiurgic Spirit. (5) "guardhouse" rather than "penitentiary" — maṭarata means a guardhouse or watchtower; "penitentiary" implies a modern penal institution foreign to the Mandaean afterlife. Continuing the rendering established in Chapter 55 (Abator's guardhouses). (6) "the belly of Leviathan" rather than "the guts of Leviathan" — b-gaw-eh means "in its interior" and does not specify viscera; "belly" is anatomically appropriate and carries the right register, echoing the Jonah tradition without the colloquial note of "guts." (7) "grew weary and slept" rather than "got exhausted, and slept" — the Mandaic root ʿ-Ṭ-L carries the sense of weariness and spiritual decline, not acute physical exhaustion; "grew weary" is more literary. (8) "runs a course" rather than "runs a run" — avoiding the awkward English reduplication while preserving the Mandaic rihaṭa (from R-H-Ṭ, to run). Sunday (Habšaba) runs a prescribed course through the righteous elect's passage. (9) "kept hidden" rather than "kept secret" — the Mandaic root K-S-Y means to cover, conceal, hide; "hidden" captures physical concealment, "secret" implies conspiracy. (10) Gender-neutral rendering throughout: "the one who" and "whoever" where the Mandaic permits.

Established departures from previous chapters maintained: utria = excellencies, šikinta/šiktneh = settlement, maṭarata = guardhouse, habšaba = Sunday, qudiša = the so-called holy, bhiria zidqa = the righteous elect, gender-neutral "the one who," "dwell" rather than "live" where appropriate. This chapter introduces a compact eschatological geography: the place of light (the ascent) versus the belly of Leviathan (the descent). The "Seven" who do not judge the perfected one are the seven planetary archons of Mandaean cosmology — the same figures who wrote the Torah in Chapter 54's polemic. The exemption from their judgment is the reward of spiritual perfection: the perfected one bypasses the planetary courtroom entirely, rising through secret words and mysteries. 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.

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Source Text: The Book of John — Chapter 56

Classical Mandaic source text from Häberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 56. Extracted from the critical edition PDF via PyMuPDF. Pages 173 and 175 (0-indexed). Page numbers, verse number markers, and column-break markers stripped. Note: PyMuPDF extracts couplet pairs in reversed order (the w- prefix on continuation lines helps identify the second line of each pair); this source text preserves the raw extraction order. For the critical edition's correct line order, consult the original PDF. Unicode Mandaic block (U+0840–U+085F) preserves the original script.

ࡁࡓࡉࡔ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡔࡉࡊࡕࡍࡇ
ࡖࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡋࡀࡌࡁࡇ
ࡅࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡀࡐࡔࡈࡉࡀ
ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡅࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡅࡋࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡀࡐࡔࡈࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ
ࡁࡀࡃࡌࡅ ࡖࡀࡄࡍࡀࡓ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡕࡀࡓࡉࡑࡀ ࡕࡀࡂࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡄࡍࡀࡓ ࡔࡉࡊࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡋࡇ
ࡕࡓࡀࡋࡑࡉࡀ ࡋࡊࡉࡋࡉࡀ ࡋࡊࡉࡋ ࡆࡀࡀࡊࡅࡀࡕࡀ
ࡄࡉࡉࡍࡋࡀ ࡄࡅ ࡌࡍ ࡎࡀࡁࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡅࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡁࡇ
ࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ ࡌࡀࡄࡍࡀࡓ
ࡖࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡉࡊࡍ
ࡅࡋࡉࡁࡇ ࡌࡀࡉࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡅࡋࡉࡁࡇ ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡉࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡖࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ ࡋࡀࡌࡀࡄࡍࡀࡓ
ࡖࡒࡅࡃࡔࡀ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡉࡊࡍ
ࡁࡔࡉࡊࡕࡍࡇ ࡖࡓࡅࡄࡀ
ࡅࡃࡌࡅࡕࡇ ࡋࡀࡀࡍࡄࡓࡀ
ࡀࡍࡉࡐࡋ ࡁࡃࡅࡃࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡔࡉࡊࡀ
ࡅࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ ࡌࡀࡄࡍࡀࡓ
ࡅࡃࡋࡉࡁࡇ ࡌࡀࡉࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡌࡍ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ ࡅࡎࡉࡓࡀ ࡄࡍࡀࡓ
ࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡅࡓࡉࡄࡀ ࡁࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡓࡀࡌࡉࡀ
ࡄࡍࡀࡓ ࡌࡍ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ ࡅࡎࡉࡓࡀ
ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡀࡊࡍࡉࡐࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡉࡅࡌ ࡅࡊࡋ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ
ࡅࡁࡄࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡃࡉࡋࡇ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡀࡍࡎࡁࡉࡀ ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ
ࡏࡋࡇ ࡈࡍࡉࡓ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡄࡀࡉࡋࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ
ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡉࡊࡍ
ࡅࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ
ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡀࡋ
ࡗ ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡀ ࡁࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ
ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡉࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡆࡉࡀ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡋࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡁࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡌࡒࡀࡃࡀࡔࡕࡀ
ࡄࡀࡁࡔࡀࡁࡀ ࡌࡀࡓࡃࡉࡕࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡇ ࡓࡀࡃࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡋࡉࡐ ࡁࡏࡅࡄࡓࡀ ࡖࡁࡄࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ
ࡖࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡅࡃࡉࡀ
ࡎࡋࡀࡒࡁࡅࡍ ࡌࡉࡌࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡉࡀ
ࡖࡎࡊࡉࡉࡀ ࡅࡈࡍࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡅࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡁࡅࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡆࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡉࡀ
ࡖࡉࡍࡕࡀࡓࡐࡀࡔ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡈࡅࡁࡇ ࡅࡕࡅࡌ ࡈࡅࡁࡇ
ࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡁࡂࡉࡅࡕࡇ ࡖࡋࡉࡅࡉࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡉࡍࡔࡕࡉࡊࡍ
ࡖࡋࡀࡏࡕࡀࡓࡐࡀࡔ ࡅࡏࡕࡀࡊࡋࡀࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡊࡁ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ

Source Colophon

Classical Mandaic source text from Charles G. Häberl 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 56 Mandaic text extracted from PDF pages 173 and 175 (0-indexed). Chapter 56 English reference on pages 174 and 176 (headers "55:80 – 56:27" and "56:28 – 57:32"). Page numbers [209]–[212] and verse markers stripped. Column-break markers (‖) removed. Source text presented in raw PyMuPDF extraction order with couplet-reversal artifact noted. Unicode Mandaic block (U+0840–U+085F) preserves the original script.

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