The Creation of Life

Chapter sixty-four 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 Chapter 63 — in which Mind descended from the everlasting abode and called to ears that would not hear — the Book of John shifts from cosmic instruction back to cosmic mission. A divine emissary arrives to create Life's creation, set Jordans, and plant the faithful as thriving shoots. The mighty ones and beings of the material world come forth against him, not with weapons but with interrogation: who clothed you in this splendor? The speaker declares himself to the Seven children of the mortal abode — "A great one am I, a son of the Great" — and names his mission: to cry Life's call, rouse Life's tribe, and teach prayer and praise. The chapter closes with praise for Splendid Yukabar, the helper who bridges the place of darkness to the place of light.

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

I have come to this world
to make a creation of Life,
to fashion Life's creation
and draw the Jordan from the heights to the depths.

They came from Life —
those who were of Life.
They brought living waters
to set Jordans among them,
to offer prayers to the Great
and plant the thriving shoots,

5

to plant them and water them with living waters,
to let them hear the speech of the Great
and the word that Life spoke to me.

I teach them praise,
and they rise and glorify the mighty ones —
the mighty ones and the beings they beheld.

But these come forth against me —
the mighty ones and the beings come forth
to seize snare upon snare.

10

They seize snare upon snare
and counsel among themselves.
They counsel among themselves
and plot evil against me.

They say:
"Come, let us go and ask him of his dwelling.
Let us question him and tell him —
about the place from which he came.
Let us question him and say:

15

'This splendor — who clothed you in it?
Who clothed you in this splendor,
that your likeness is so sublime?
So sublime is your likeness,
and your radiance brightens this world.
So bright is your radiance,
and your beauty sweetens the worlds.'"

I spoke to the mighty ones
who dwell there — the Seven.

20

I spoke, saying,
to the Seven children of the mortal abode:

"A great one am I, a son of the Great,
by whose power I went there.

I have come to cry Life's call
and rouse Life's tribe,
to plant the shoots of the chosen
and the offshoots of the great,
to plant them and teach them the good,
to teach them prayer and praise,

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that they may rise and glorify the mighty ones,
that they may praise Splendid Yukabar —
the man who was a helper,
a helper was he,
from the place of darkness to the place of light."

And Life triumphs!

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: "from the heights to the depths" for min rish brish — capturing the cosmic geography of the Jordan's descent from the World of Light, versus the reference's literal "from top to bottom"; "They came from Life" for atiyuya min hiia — preserving the G-stem of aty ("to come") rather than the reference's causative reading "They brought from Life," since the next verse uses the explicit causative aytun ("they brought") for the living waters; "prayers" for buta — gospel register rendering versus the reference's formal "petitions"; "shoots" for shitlia — more natural English than the reference's "scions"; "seize" for lagtia (from l-g-t, to catch/capture) — more vivid than the reference's neutral "take"; "snare upon snare" for hignia hignia — preserving the Mandaic's doubled singular, versus "snares after snares"; "likeness" for dmuta — cognate with Hebrew demut (Genesis 1:26), carrying theological weight versus the reference's neutral "appearance"; "So bright is your radiance" for hazin bayar ziwak — preserving the Mandaic's chiastic variation between shayna dmutakh ("sublime is your likeness") and bayar ziwak ("bright is your radiance"), where the reference smooths both into identical "So sublime is your appearance"; "rouse" for the verbal form from ʿ-w-r — consistent with the pipeline's rendering in previous chapters; "the chosen" for shkiria — rendering the successful/rewarded ones as "the chosen" in the context of divine election; all cumulative departures from Chapters 52–63 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 has been confirmed as perfectly consistent through Chapter 64. 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.

Note on structure: Chapter 64 has three movements: (1) The Mission (vv. 1–9) — arrival, creation, planting, teaching; (2) The Opposition (vv. 10–19) — the mighty ones interrogate the speaker about his splendor; (3) The Declaration (vv. 20–29) — "A great one am I" and the closing praise of Yukabar. The opposition is notable for being interrogative rather than combative — the mighty ones respond to the divine mission not with violence but with questions about origin and identity.

First English Translation: This is the first independently derived English translation of Book of John Chapter 64 published freely online.

Scribed by Tanken of the Good Work Library.

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Source Text: ܠܻܐܨܝܐ ܕܝܐܚܝܐ — Chapter 64

Classical Mandaic text from Haberl and McGrath (2020), De Gruyter Open Access (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Chapter 64 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
ࡋࡌࡉࡍࡀࡑࡁ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡅࡑࡁࡕࡀ
ࡋࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡕ
ࡅࡋࡌࡉࡂࡍࡀࡃ ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡓࡉࡔ
ࡉࡍࡅࡑࡁࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡌࡉࡍࡀࡑࡁ
ࡖࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡄࡅࡍ
ࡀࡕࡉࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡑ ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡉࡍࡀ
ࡀࡉࡕࡅࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡋ ࡔࡉࡕࡋࡉࡀ ࡓࡀࡅࡆࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡉࡁࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ5
ࡅࡌࡀࡔࡌࡉࡅࡍࡍ ‖ ࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡋࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡋ ࡅࡌࡀࡔࡒࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡉࡍࡒࡌࡅࡍ ࡅࡉࡍࡔࡀࡁࡅࡍ ࡋࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡐࡀࡍࡋࡅࡍ ࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ
ࡄࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉ ࡀࡍࡒࡐࡉࡀ
ࡋࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡆࡉࡅࡍ
ࡄࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡄࡉࡂࡍࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡂࡍࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡂࡈࡉࡀ
ࡀࡍࡒࡐࡉࡀ ࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡁࡅࡓࡉࡀ 10
ࡅࡁࡉࡄࡃࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡌࡉࡋࡉࡊࡀ
ࡋࡀࡂࡈࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡂࡍࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡂࡍࡉࡀ
ࡅࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡋࡁࡉࡔ ࡌࡉࡕࡄࡀࡔࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡕࡌࡉࡋࡉࡊࡀ ࡁࡉࡄࡃࡀࡃࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡀࡍࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡅࡉࡍࡔࡀࡉࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡃࡀࡅࡓࡇ
ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡋࡃࡅࡕࡊࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡄࡅࡀ15
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡋࡁࡔࡀࡊ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡋࡁࡔࡀࡊ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀࡊ
ࡖࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀࡊ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡆࡉࡅࡀࡊ
ࡅࡁࡀࡉࡀࡓ ࡆࡉࡅࡀࡊ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡅࡄࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡑࡅࡕࡀࡊ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡖࡃࡀࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡁࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡋ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ20
ࡋࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡖࡁࡄࡀࡉࡋࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡕ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡓࡁࡀ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡔࡅࡓࡁࡕࡀ
ࡏࡕࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡒࡓࡉࡀ ‖ ࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡌࡉࡍࡀࡑࡁ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡅࡑࡁࡕࡀ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡋ ࡔࡉࡕࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡊࡉࡓࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡐࡅࡍࡍ ࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡅࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡀ
ࡌࡉࡍࡀࡑࡁ ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡕࡀ25
ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡁࡅࡍ ࡋࡉࡅࡀࡊࡁࡀࡓ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡖࡉࡍࡒࡌࡅࡍ ࡅࡉࡍࡔࡀࡁࡅࡍ ࡋࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡁࡀࡄࡉࡃ ࡏࡃࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡄࡉࡃ ࡏࡃࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡏࡊࡉࡍ

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 page 197 (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. The entire Chapter 64 Mandaic text is contained on page 197 (from line 5, after the Chapter 63 separator, through the end of the page).

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