Before Earth Existed
Chapter sixty-two of the Mandaean Book of John (Drashia d-Iahia), the principal mythological and liturgical scripture of the Mandaean tradition. The Book of John preserves the cosmological and soteriological teachings of Mandaeism — one of the last surviving Gnostic religions, practised today by approximately 100,000 adherents, primarily in Iraq and the diaspora.
After the cosmological catechism of Chapter 61 — naming twelve Light-beings and their acts of creation — the Book of John now unfolds the creation itself. Before Earth existed, before the world was called into being, four Light-beings stand upon the black waters: Splendid Hibel, Shitel, Shehlon, and Ayar. Shehlon challenges the others with a long series of questions about the impossibility of creation from this formless deep — how will Adam have a wife, how will the earth be plowed, how will fragrant herbs grow from black water? Ptahil steps forward to answer: I will form that which is solid. Shehlon curses him, but Ptahil plunges in. The builders construct columns, firmament, spheres, and a ship. Living water mixes with still water, darkness with light. Yushamen is commissioned with his children to orbit the earth. Sun, moon, and planets are set in order. Eve is given her share. And Life is praised.
Classical Mandaic source text from the critical edition of Haberl and McGrath (2020).
In the name of the Great Life,
may the sublime light be magnified!
When Earth did not yet exist,
and the world had not been called into being,
When it had not yet condensed,
nor had that which is solid been called into being,
When the waters were still black,
Splendid Hibel went forth,
and Shitel, Shehlon, and Ayar,
and they came to stand upon Earth.
Hibel set a boundary and measured the water,
dividing it up inch by inch.
5
As Shehlon stood,
his mind became filled with spite
against Splendid Hibel and Splendid Ayar,
so he said to them,
"My brothers, you foolish excellencies,
you excellencies without polish or beauty,
this world to which you have brought me —
there will be for it no land out of it,
and out of it no firmament will be raised up,
the black water will not dry up,
10
and no land will be called forth
from this world that you have called into being.
How will Adam ever have Eve, his wife?
How will Adam's children ever exist?
How will they sink and rise?
How will the shells and settlements exist?
How will he get his strength?
How will he get his sweet scents?
How will fragrant herbs and aromas
waft up to Adam from this black water?
15
{How will he ever find a wife?}
How will the elder myrtle be planted,
and all the other fragrant plants,
just as marjoram and tarragon are planted?
How will Splendid Qamamir exist here?
How will he plant here flowers,
vegetables, medicinal herbs, and seeds?
How will they come from this black water?
How will there be a muddy land?
20
Studs, cattle, and the plow —
how will they be called into being?
How will the earth be plowed,
and how will the seed fall on the ground?
How will Adam's children go forth,
and with what will they reap it?
With what will they pound it,
and how will Adam make the morsel and eat it?
How will the white ewe come into being?
How will she go down and up?
25
How will she become pregnant and give birth?
How will the wheels of light be summoned,
and grind for Adam so that he may eat?
How will the firmament and the winged birds be?
How will the white dove be summoned,
and become Adam's companion?"
As Shehlon said this,
Ptahil stepped forward and said to him,
"I will form that which is solid,
and Ayar will breathe upon it;
30
I will flush out the black water,
and Hibel will make a drain for it.
I will create Earth,
he will bring a garment from Ur,
Hibel and Shitel
will stretch out the canopy."
Shehlon became full of wrath
against Ptahil and said to him,
"You are a wicked son of a bastard —
Life will not accept your offering.
35
Who are you among excellencies
and men, to call the world into being?"
As Shehlon said so,
Ptahil plunged into the black water,
and the black waters flooded out.
Shitel and Hibel opened a drain for the water.
They made its floods into Earth's land
as if the water were not there.
Ayar buffeted it with his wings,
and as Shehlon stood, it became dry ground.
40
Ptahil pounded in the columns,
Hibel stretched out the firmament,
Shitel made its spheres,
and Ennosh joined the bow to it.
Hibel moved swiftly on;
Yusmir, Shehrun, and Behron
were the carpenters —
they framed the ship,
and made for it a bow and stern.
45
Hibel made its neighbor,
he brought it to the Jordan,
and turned it around under Earth.
He set up a measure, measured the water,
and poured the living water
as it entered still waters,
and the living water wept
as it mixed with still waters.
Just as living water mixed with still water,
darkness mixed with light.
50
They brought Yushamen,
set him on Earth,
and said to him,
"Give us your children,
so they may orbit Earth
and bring light to this world
we are making, and we will establish families,
from which you may take your share."
55
They brought the sun and Zehrun,
and they brought the great moon.
They put them in order and brought them,
set them on the Jordan, and told them:
"You will be a light source
by day on Earth,
and when you are concealed, you, moon,
will be a light source in the night,
60
so that neither a terrestrial war
nor a celestial war will arise,
and they will have power over Adam and his wife."
They received the sun by day,
and the moon they received by night.
They brought forth the great Venus,
the great Jupiter, the great Saturn,
and the great Mars,
and they made him a ship.
They brought Little Eve,
gave her a share,
65
and they made Earth's successor.
They appointed Yushamen's sons
for eighty years,
then Yushamen's sons didn't want it,
and they brought them to the planets.
Each of them received a share.
And Life is praised!
70
Colophon
Source: Classical Mandaic, from Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020). Open Access under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Translation: Good Works Translation by Tanken (探検), Expeditionary Tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. Haberl and McGrath's English translation was consulted as a structural reference to verify verse ordering and resolve clause boundaries in the PyMuPDF extraction (which produces known couplet reversals), but the English wording is independently derived from the Mandaic vocabulary and Semitic roots.
Key departures from the reference translation: "there will be for it no land out of it" — preserving the Mandaic double use of mineh (from it/out of it), maintaining the recursive futility of Shehlon's complaint; "no firmament will be raised up" for la mitqiriat rqiha — preserving the passive-reflexive itqiriat (Mandaic Gt-stem), versus the reference's "will be made up"; "How will they sink and rise?" for hai shalpiya whai zaqqipa — preserving the Mandaic verb pair sh-l-p (sink/strip) and z-q-p (rise/stand erect); "the elder myrtle" for asa qashisha — preserving the Mandaic qashisha (elder/ancient) as an epithet for the sacred myrtle (asa), central to Mandaean ritual; "How will the wheels of light be summoned" for hai mitqiriat girglia d-hnura — reading hnura as "light" (the standard Mandaic form) rather than the reference's contextual interpretation; "I will flush out" for a'giripunn — from the Mandaic root g-r-p (to sweep/flush), more forceful than the reference's neutral verb; all cumulative departures from Chapters 52–61 remain in force.
Couplet Reversal Note: The PyMuPDF extraction of this PDF consistently reverses the two lines within each couplet (the B-line appears before the A-line). This pattern was first identified in Chapter 59 and has been confirmed as perfectly consistent through Chapter 62. The reversal was corrected by cross-referencing the structural logic of the narrative and verified against the reference translation's ordering. The Mandaic source text below preserves the extraction order; the English translation presents the corrected couplet order.
Verse Notes: Verse 15 contains a line marked with braces {curly brackets} in the source text, indicating an editorial insertion or textual variant — preserved as-is. Chapter 62 is the longest chapter translated in the Book of John series to date (~70 verse positions across 3 Mandaic pages), comparable in scope to the great creation and cosmological chapters (cf. Ch. 59, ~105 verses).
First English Translation: This is the first independently derived English translation of Book of John Chapter 62 published freely online.
Scribed by Tanken of the Good Work Library.
🌲
Source Text
Classical Mandaic text from Haberl and McGrath (2020), De Gruyter Open Access (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Chapter 62 of the Mandaean Book of John (Drashia d-Iahia). Extracted via PyMuPDF from the Unicode text layer. Couplet lines appear in extraction order (reversed from reading order — see Couplet Reversal Note in colophon).
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡗ ࡋࡀࡄࡅࡀࡕ ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡕࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀࡕ ࡌࡎࡅࡕࡀ
ࡗ ࡖࡋࡀࡏࡕࡌࡉࡎࡉࡀࡕ
ࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡀࡕࡀ ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡅـࡗ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡕࡅࡍ ࡋࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡒࡀࡌࡉࡅࡍ
ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ ࡅࡀࡉࡀࡓ
ࡅࡀࡐࡋࡂࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡁࡏࡁࡑࡉࡀ ࡏࡁࡑࡉࡀ
ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡓࡌࡀ ࡌࡉࡓࡑࡀ ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡌࡋࡀ ࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ ࡆࡉࡄࡉࡓࡀ
ࡗ ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ
ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡏࡋ ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡅࡏࡋ ࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡐࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡅࡍ
ࡀࡄࡀࡉ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡕࡌࡉࡌࡉࡀ
ࡏࡋࡇ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡀࡀࡍࡕࡅࡍ ࡀࡉࡕࡀࡉࡕࡅࡍ
ࡋࡀࡉࡀࡁࡔࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡓࡒࡉࡄࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡈࡑࡀࡓࡀࡓ
ࡌࡍ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡒࡓࡀࡉࡕࡅࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡕࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡌࡉࡇࡍ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡀࡃࡀࡌ
ࡏࡋ ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡀ ࡆࡀࡅࡇ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡋࡁࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡔࡉࡊࡀࡍࡕࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡔࡀࡋࡐࡉࡀ ࡅࡄࡀࡉ ࡆࡀࡒࡉࡐࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡁࡅࡎࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡉࡋࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡄࡀࡋࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡁࡇ ࡓࡉࡄࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡁࡅࡎࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡉࡋ ࡀࡎࡀ ࡒࡀࡔࡉࡔࡀ
}ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡋࡇ ࡆࡀࡅࡀ{
ࡌࡀࡓࡅࡀ ࡀࡔࡕࡀࡓࡂࡀࡍ
ࡅࡓࡉࡄࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡔࡉࡕࡋࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡀࡊ ࡒࡌࡀࡌࡉࡓ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡅࡉࡀࡓࡒࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡎࡉࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡅࡁࡀࡆࡓࡅࡉࡍࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡀࡊ ࡉࡍࡔࡕࡀࡋ ࡉࡐࡒࡅࡉࡍࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡍࡉࡕࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡄࡀࡋࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡌࡉࡕࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ ࡏࡅࡔࡉࡍࡀ ࡕࡀࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡅࡅࡐࡃࡀࡀࡍ
ࡅࡁࡀࡆࡉࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡍࡉࡐࡋ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡌࡉࡉࡊࡓࡁࡀ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ
ࡅࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡍ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡑࡃࡅࡇࡍ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡀࡆࡋࡉࡍ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡀࡃࡀࡌ
ࡅࡉࡐࡄࡕࡀ ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡅࡉࡍࡅࡊࡋ
ࡅࡁࡌࡀࡄࡅ ࡉࡍࡉࡐࡓࡅࡊࡇࡍ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡔࡀࡋࡐࡀ ࡄࡀࡉ ࡆࡀࡒࡀࡐ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡕࡀ ࡄࡉࡅࡀࡓࡕࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡌࡉࡕࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡂࡉࡓࡂࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡁࡀࡈࡀࡍ ࡄࡀࡉ ࡉࡀࡃࡋࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡓࡒࡉࡄࡀ ࡅࡉࡑࡀࡐࡓ ࡂࡀࡃࡀࡐ
ࡅࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡉࡍࡈࡄࡉࡅࡍࡋࡇ ࡅࡉࡍࡅࡊࡋ
ࡅࡀࡑࡅࡕࡀ ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡕࡉࡄࡅࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉ ࡌࡉࡕࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡍ ࡄࡉࡅࡀࡓࡕࡉࡀ
ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡕࡐࡀࡄࡉࡋ ࡀࡕࡀ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡃࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡉࡍࡔࡍࡉࡌ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡏࡉࡀࡌࡎࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡌࡎࡅࡕࡀ
ࡅࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡅࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡔࡉࡐࡋࡀࡀࡍ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡏࡂࡉࡓࡉࡐࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡓ ࡀࡍࡉࡕࡉࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡏࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ
ࡉࡍࡉࡍࡂࡃࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡎࡓࡀࡃࡒࡀ
ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ
ࡋࡉࡕࡐࡀࡄࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡋࡀ ࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡋࡀࡂࡈࡉࡀ
ࡁࡉࡔࡀ ࡁࡓ ࡁࡉࡔࡀ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡂࡅࡁࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ
ࡕࡐࡀࡄࡉࡋ ࡁࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡍࡀࡐࡋ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ
ࡕࡐࡀ ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡌࡀࡔࡉࡐࡋࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡅࡂࡓࡀࡐ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡆࡀࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡅࡀࡁࡇ
ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡂࡉࡓࡇࡐ ࡋࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡖࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡅࡀࡃࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌ ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡉࡀࡁࡀࡔࡕࡀ ࡄࡅࡀࡕ
ࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡌࡄࡀ ࡁࡂࡀࡍࡇࡐ
ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡓࡒࡉࡄࡀ ࡂࡍࡀࡃ
ࡕࡐࡀࡄࡉࡋ ࡌࡄࡀ ࡏࡈࡑࡅࡉࡍࡀ
ࡅࡀࡅࡍࡔ ࡂࡈࡀࡓࡁࡇ ࡌࡄࡀ
ࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡂࡀࡓࡂࡋࡉࡀ
ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡒࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ
ࡀࡍࡂࡍࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡄࡅࡍ
ࡉࡅࡎࡌࡉࡓ ࡅࡔࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡅࡁࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ
ࡅࡔࡀࡅࡋࡇ ࡌࡄࡀࡓࡀ ࡅࡅࡊࡕࡋࡀ
ࡂࡉࡈࡓࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀ
ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ
ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡓ ࡌࡉࡓࡑࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡅࡕࡉࡁ ࡀࡊࡉࡀࡋࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡋ
ࡅࡀࡄࡃࡓࡇ ࡀࡕࡅࡕࡉࡀ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡖࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡗ ࡁࡌࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡀࡋࡉࡅࡍ
ࡅࡔࡃࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡁࡌࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡀࡓࡁࡉࡅࡍࡍ
ࡅࡁࡀࡉࡊࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡀࡓࡀࡁ
ࡗ ࡀࡓࡁࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡁࡌࡉࡀ ࡕࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡅࡕࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡀࡕࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡖࡉࡍࡄࡉࡃࡓࡅࡍ ࡁࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡀࡄࡁࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡁࡀࡍࡊ
ࡖࡉࡍࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡅࡉࡍࡕࡀࡒࡉࡍ ࡔࡅࡓࡁࡀࡕࡀ
ࡅࡀࡍࡅࡓࡅࡇࡍ ࡋࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡖࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡕࡉࡎࡀࡁ
ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡎࡉࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡀࡕࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ ࡅࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ
ࡅࡀࡒࡌࡅࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡎࡀࡃࡓࡏࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡉࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ
ࡁࡏࡅࡌࡀࡌࡀ ࡁࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡀࡀࡍࡕࡅࡍ ࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡃࡀࡍࡄࡀ
ࡀࡍࡃ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡀࡊࡎࡉࡍ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡎࡉࡍ
ࡅࡕࡉࡂࡓࡀ ࡖࡏࡔࡅࡌࡉࡀ
ࡖࡋࡀࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ ࡕࡉࡂࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡓࡒࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡋࡈࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡅࡆࡀࡅࡇ
ࡅࡎࡉࡍ ࡒࡀࡁࡋࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡒࡀࡁࡉࡋ ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ ࡁࡏࡅࡌࡀࡌࡀ
ࡅࡏࡋ ࡁࡉࡋ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡋࡉࡊࡅࡀࡍ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡋࡉࡁࡀࡕ ࡓࡀࡁࡕࡉࡀ
ࡅࡔࡀࡅࡋࡇ ࡎࡉࡐࡕࡍࡀ
ࡅࡋࡉࡍࡓࡉࡂ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡍࡕࡀ ࡉࡀࡄࡁࡅࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡋࡄࡀࡅࡀ ࡈࡑࡀࡓࡕࡉࡀ
ࡅࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡒࡀࡁࡋࡀࡀࡍ ࡖࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ
ࡕࡌࡀࡀࡍࡍ ࡔࡉࡍࡀ
ࡒࡀࡁࡋࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡀࡕࡅࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡁࡑࡅ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡄࡀࡃ ࡄࡀࡃ ࡁࡒࡀࡁࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡒࡀࡁࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡁࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic text extracted from Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020). PDF pages 191–195 (0-indexed). Open Access under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Text extracted via PyMuPDF from the Unicode Mandaic text layer (U+0840–U+085F). Couplet reversal pattern documented and corrected.
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