The Bright Cloud

Chapter sixty-five of the Mandaean Book of John. The speaker descends from Life's house in a bright cloud and enters the abode of the wicked. He finds the Seven sitting in mourning, casting ashes upon Spirit's head — not in defeat but in conspiracy. They plot in lustful words to put on a false guise, appoint a head, give out fruits, issue an empty summons, and mimic the true emissary's call. They plan to fill the people with perversity and challenge them: why have you forsaken our words?

The speaker sees them, mocks them, and shines. His splendor overwhelms: the nations grow fearful, the godhead of the house trembles, Spirit falls from her throne. The Seven trample their robes and fall upon their faces: "O Master, truly we have sinned!" The speaker declares his mission — not punishment but explanation. He came to do good, to bestow a blessing, to expose the wicked counsel lest his people hear it. The chosen hear him and raise their faces to light's place.

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

In a bright cloud I sit.
From Life's house I went there.
I went there and I came,
as far as the abode of the wicked.
I came upon seven figures
and found them all sitting in mourning.
All of them sat in mourning
and cast ashes upon Spirit's head.
They cast ashes upon Spirit's head
and delighted in unworthy deeds.

5
They spoke in wicked speech;
they said with lustful words.
With lustful words they said:
"Come, let us put on a false guise.
Come, let us appoint a head.
Let us appoint a head
and give out fruits to the world.
Let us give out fruits to the world
and issue an empty summons.

10
Let us make a call like the man who went here.
Let us summon them to worship you;
let us make them listen, fill them with perversity,
sit down and teach them,
and tell them:
'Why have you forsaken our words?
Why have you forsaken our words
and altered what we have said?'

15
Let us sit and tell them,
before the strange man comes there."
I saw them and I mocked them
and laughed at all of them.
I shone in my abounding splendor
so that I appeared to the nations.
The nations who saw me grew fearful,
and the godhead of the house trembled.
Spirit fell from her throne
and all the nations scattered.

20
The Seven trampled their robes
and did not forget what they had done.
All of them bowed their heads
and fell upon their faces.
Down upon their faces they fell;
they raised their faces:
"O Master, truly we have sinned!
Forgive us our sins."
When I had armed myself
and sealed against the nations,

25
I spoke and I said
to the Seven children of the mortal abode:
"When I came to work here,
the Great wished to send me
so that I might come to do good.
I shall do good and bestow a blessing upon my friends.
I shall explain to them your wicked counsel,
in which there is no light.
I shall explain to them your speech,
lest they hear your talk.

30
Why would they hear your words?
Why would they abide in your world?"
My chosen heard me;
all of them were good.
All of them were good
and they raised their faces to light's place.

And Life triumphs!

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) "cast ashes" rather than "scattered ashes" for rmun arpa — the root r-m-y means to throw or cast; "cast" is more active and vivid, fitting the deliberate nature of the act. (2) "delighted in unworthy deeds" rather than "took pleasure in unpleasant deeds" for bsu dlashaifar abdiya — la-shaifar literally means "not fair/beautiful"; "unworthy" carries the moral weight the passage demands. (3) "put on a false guise" rather than "assume a false guise" — concrete rather than abstract. (4) "forsaken" rather than "abandoned" for tishbiqun — the root sh-b-q carries the gravity of scriptural forsaking, not merely leaving. (5) "altered" rather than "changed" for tishawunn mimrann — a slight conspiratorial edge fitting the Seven's plot. (6) "trembled" rather than "shook in fear" for ishtarhizat — more concise, letting the context supply the terror. (7) "bowed their heads" rather than "held their heads low" for akbshia rishaihun — cleaner English. (8) "O Master" rather than "O Lord" for maran — mara can mean lord, master, or sir; "Master" avoids Western Christian associations and preserves Mandaean distinctiveness. (9) "truly we have sinned" rather than "we have really sinned" — "truly" has gospel-register gravity. (10) "bestow a blessing" rather than "extend a blessing" — warmer. (11) "wicked counsel" rather than "wicked advice" for milukkun d'ula — "counsel" carries regal weight, cognate with malka (king). (12) "abide in" rather than "remain within" for yinaktrun — scriptural resonance. (13) "My chosen heard me" rather than "My chosen people certainly listened to me" — shkiria = "the chosen" (established from Ch 64); more concise.

Established departures from previous chapters maintained: maran = O Master (not "O Lord"), shkiria = the chosen, "abounding splendor" for ziwa d-nifash, verse markers at every fifth verse position. 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 65

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl & McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John (2020), Chapter 65. Extracted from the critical edition PDF via PyMuPDF. Couplet order corrected from extraction artifact (PyMuPDF reverses paired lines). Page 199 (0-indexed). Page numbers, verse number markers, and column-break markers stripped. Unicode Mandaic block (U+0840–U+085F) preserves the original script.

ࡁࡀࡀࡍࡀࡍ ࡖࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡉࡀࡕࡉࡁࡀࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡕ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀࡍ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡋࡃࡅࡓ ࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ
ࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ
ࡅࡀࡔࡉࡊࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡁࡌࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ ࡁࡌࡀࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡓࡐࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡔ ࡓࡅࡄࡀ ࡓࡌࡅࡍ
ࡀࡓࡐࡀ ࡓࡌࡅࡍ ࡁࡓࡉࡔ ࡓࡅࡄࡀ
ࡅࡁࡑࡅ ࡖࡋࡀࡔࡀࡉࡐࡓ ࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡁࡔࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ
ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡄࡀ
ࡖࡉࡍࡒࡅࡌ ࡅࡉࡍࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡀ ࡔࡉࡄࡀ ࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡉࡍࡋࡐࡅࡂ ࡉࡐࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ
ࡀࡕࡅࡀࡉࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡃࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡃࡌࡅ ࡀࡊࡃࡁࡀ
ࡅࡉࡍࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡋࡀ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡓࡉࡔࡀ ࡉࡍࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡒࡓࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡎࡂࡀࡃࡀࡊ
ࡉࡐࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡉࡍࡋࡐࡅࡂ
ࡅࡉࡍࡕࡉࡁ ࡅࡀࡍࡋࡉࡐࡅࡍࡍ
ࡉࡍࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡃࡌࡅ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡀࡍࡔࡌࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡅࡉࡍࡌࡋࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡄࡀࡓࡂࡕࡀ
ࡖࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡔࡉࡁࡒࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡀࡍ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡀࡍ ࡕࡉࡔࡉࡁࡒࡅࡍ
ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡅࡍࡓࡊࡀࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡕࡉࡔࡀࡅࡍࡍ ࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀࡍ
ࡅࡂࡉࡄࡉࡊࡕ ࡋࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ
ࡉࡍࡕࡉࡁ ࡅࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌ
ࡖࡏࡕࡀࡄࡆࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡄࡆࡉࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡀࡎࡁࡉࡓࡉࡕ
ࡅࡏࡔࡕࡀࡓࡄࡉࡆࡀࡕ ࡀࡋࡀࡄࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡉࡕࡀ
ࡁࡀࡓࡉࡕ ࡁࡆࡉࡅࡀࡉ ࡖࡍࡉࡐࡔ
ࡅࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡕࡁࡀࡃࡀࡓ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡆࡉࡅࡍ ࡃࡄࡉࡋ
ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡍ ࡌࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ
ࡓࡅࡄࡀ ࡉࡍࡋࡐࡀࡕ ࡌࡍ ࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡇ
ࡅࡏࡎࡕࡀࡄࡀࡐ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡍࡉࡐࡋ
ࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡓࡀࡆ ࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡏࡋ ࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉࡄࡅࡍ ]ࡏࡋ ࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉࡄࡅࡍ[ ࡔࡒࡀࡋ
ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡀࡊࡁࡔࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡄࡀࡈࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡕࡉࡔࡁࡅࡒࡋࡀࡍ
ࡏࡎࡕࡀࡄࡀࡐ ࡍࡀࡐࡋ
ࡅࡌࡉࡄࡕࡉࡌࡀࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡋࡌࡉࡀ
ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡄࡈࡉࡍ ࡄࡈࡀࡉࡉࡍࡍ
ࡋࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡖࡃࡀࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡈࡋࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡌࡀ ࡖࡌࡆࡀࡓࡀࡆࡀࡍ
ࡁࡑࡅ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡔࡉࡄࡋࡅࡍ
ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡉࡕ ࡅࡏࡌࡀࡓࡋࡅࡍ
ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡏࡁࡀࡃ ࡅࡔࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡈࡀࡁࡅ ࡋࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡗ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡁࡀࡃ ࡋࡄࡀࡀࡊ
ࡖࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡁࡇ
ࡖࡏࡕࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡁࡀࡃ ࡈࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡏࡃࡉࡋࡌࡀ ࡌࡀࡌࡋࡀࡋࡅࡊࡍ ࡉࡍࡉࡑࡕࡅࡍ
ࡏࡉࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡌࡉࡋࡅࡊࡍ ࡖࡏࡅࡋࡀ
ࡅࡌࡀ ࡉࡍࡀࡊࡕࡓࡅࡍ ࡁࡀࡋࡌࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡏࡉࡀࡓࡐࡉࡔࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡋࡔࡅࡕࡀࡉࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ ࡄࡅࡍ
ࡌࡀ ࡉࡍࡉࡑࡕࡅࡍ ࡌࡀࡌࡋࡀࡋࡅࡊࡍ
ࡅࡀࡆࡁࡀࡓ ࡀࡍࡀࡐࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀࡉ ࡌࡉࡔࡌࡀ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀࡍ
ࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡄࡅࡍ ࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ

Source Colophon

Source text: 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 under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. The critical edition presents the Mandaic text in Unicode (Mandaic block U+0840–U+085F) with facing English translation. Chapter 65 Mandaic extracted from page 199 (0-indexed) of the PDF using PyMuPDF.

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