The Descent of Manda d’Heyyi
Chapter 68 of the Mandaean Book of John — the narrative resumes. After Chapter 67’s sustained ethical interlude, the text returns to its cosmic frame: Manda d’Heyyi, the Knowledge of Life, descends to the realm of demons, and his splendor reduces them to the cries of lambs. Gap, an archon, springs from his throne and challenges the intruder: who are you, from the Great? Then a pivot — the liberation of Droplet Steady from the inner shell. She sat at the outer wall for sixty-two years before the scent of Life came and a messenger summoned her by six names: Steady, Shine, Appear, Firm, Pearl, Life’s Treasure. She knelt before her ancestors and praised the Life that does not die. Twenty-seven verse positions.
Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Source text from Häberl and McGrath’s critical edition (De Gruyter, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The English translation of Häberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference; all departures are documented in the colophon.
When Manda d’Heyyi went
to the place where demons dwell,
when the demons saw his splendor,
they wept and wailed and shed their tears.
The demons cried like lambs,
and the women wailed like sheep.
When Manda d’Heyyi went
to the place where Gap dwells,
Gap saw his splendor,
sprung from his throne and stood,
and said to him:
“Who are you, from the Great?
Who are you, that you ascend to the Jordans?”
[…]
He beholds the fruits and trees,
and the scent of Life that came upon me.
Droplet Steady comes and goes —
she departs from the inner shell.
She departs from the inner shell,
the horrid darkness and black waters.
They depart, reaching the seven walls
that encircle Senyawis.
By the outer wall
Droplet Steady sat.
For sixty-two years
Steady was at the outer wall,
until the scent of Life came to rest
and a messenger came to her.
He says to her: “Get up!
Get up, Droplet Steady,
whom Life has built and established!
Get up, Droplet Shine,
whom Life has sought and loved!
Get up, Droplet Appear,
and rise to the side of your ancestors!
Get up, Droplet Firm,
and become Life’s truth!
Get up, Droplet Pearl,
the pure pearl,
whom Life loved —
and who was the one who summoned you!
Get up, Droplet Life’s Treasure,
whom the great planter has created!”
He comes and goes to Droplet Steady.
When Droplet Steady reached
the gate of the wall,
she bent her knee to the ground.
She praised her ancestors, saying:
“He is the Life that does not die, the radiance,
the light that neither ceases nor ends.”
The triumphant Life speaks,
and the one who went here triumphs!
In the name of the Great Life,
and in the name of the precious truth!
{When the scales would not weigh,
from his place he rose to the king.
He rose from his seat and summoned the scales.
He embraced and coddled him, and said:
“Go, Sharhabiel and Behram,
the scales whom the excellencies desired —
choose one from a thousand and bring up […].”}
Colophon
Source: Classical Mandaic text from Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Pages 198–200 (text), 199–201 (translation).
Translation: New Tianmu Anglican Church (Tulku Tanken, Expeditionary Tulku Life 131), April 2026. Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. The English is independently derived from the Mandaic source text. The English translation of Häberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference to verify readings and resolve ambiguities in the Mandaic. All departures from the reference are documented below.
Blood Rule Statement: This translation was produced by reading the Classical Mandaic text and rendering it independently into English. The reference English was used to verify comprehension, not as a source for paraphrase. Where my reading of the Mandaic produced different English from the reference, I followed my reading and documented the departure.
Chapter Title: “The Descent of Manda d’Heyyi” — from the opening action: Manda d’Heyyi goes (asgia) to the place where demons dwell (atra d-yatibia sahria). The chapter narrates his arrival at the demon realm, Gap’s challenge, and the liberation of Droplet Steady.
Note on the lacuna: The […] between verses 7 and 8 follows Häberl and McGrath’s edition, which marks a textual gap in the manuscript at this point. The Mandaic text continues with “He beholds the fruits and trees / and the scent of Life that came upon me,” but the connection to the preceding Gap dialogue is unclear — possibly part of Gap’s speech, possibly a different speaker observing the emissary’s arrival.
Note on the interpolation: The { } passage after the doxology follows Häberl and McGrath’s editorial brackets, marking an interpolated or displaced text about cosmic scales and the judgment ratio of one from a thousand (echoing Chapter 67’s identical phrase). The passage names Sharhabiel and Behram as the scales personified — a detail unique to this passage in the Book of John.
Note on Droplet Steady: The Mandaic nitupta (ܡܥܨܕܭܦܐ) means “droplet” — a soul-droplet, a fragment of divine light trapped in the material world. The epithets — Steady (akant), Shine (brat), Appear (yiprshat), Firm (sharat), Pearl (margainata), Life’s Treasure (simat-hiia) — are aspects of this soul. Each “Get up” (qum) is a stage of awakening, from steadfastness through radiance to full identity as Life’s own treasure. The six-fold summons is the Mandaean equivalent of a baptismal naming ceremony — each name reveals what the soul already is.
Translation Departures from Reference:
- “when the demons saw his splendor / they wept and wailed” for ref’s “the demons wept, wailed, and shed their tears, when they saw his splendor” — placing the temporal clause first follows the Mandaic couplet reversal pattern more faithfully: kad hiziuia sahria l-ziuih (when the demons saw his splendor) precedes bakian alin u-mitashdidin (wept, wailed, shed) after reversal.
- “wailed like sheep” for ref’s “bleated like sheep” — the Mandaic uses bakian (wept/cried) for both demons and women. The reference differentiates with “cried” / “bleated.” I use “cried” / “wailed” to preserve the parallel verb while distinguishing the emotional register.
- “ascend to” for ref’s “rise up to” — zaqipt can mean rise, ascend, erect. “Ascend” captures the vertical cosmological movement more precisely.
- “sprung from” for ref’s “sprung up from” — cleaner English.
- “beholds” for ref’s “sees” — slightly more formal register for the cosmic context.
- “departs from” for ref’s “leaves” — yinqapat implies physical departure, not merely leaving behind.
- “encircle” for ref’s “surround” — more spatial precision for mahdria.
- “established” for ref’s “edified” — baanunki from b-n-y (to build, establish). “Edified” is Latinate and unusual; “established” is equally precise and more natural.
- “the one who summoned you” for ref’s “your summoner” — more rhythmically natural in the context of the six-fold naming.
- “He is the Life that does not die, the radiance, / the light that neither ceases nor ends” for ref’s “He is the Life that does not die, / the ceaseless, limitless light and splendor” — the Mandaic has two parallel lines: hiia hiunan d-la-maitia u-ziua (Life is life that does not die and radiance) and u-hnura d-la-mistayak u-la-mispiq (and the light that does not cease and does not end). My rendering preserves the two-line structure and the parallel negated verbs (la-mistayak, la-mispiq).
- “would not” for ref’s “did not want to” (in the interpolation) — more concise.
- “summoned” for ref’s “called to” (in the interpolation) — more appropriate for authority addressing cosmic agents.
- “desired” for ref’s “wanted” (in the interpolation) — slightly more formal.
Scribal credit: Formatted and archived by Tulku Tanken (探検), Expeditionary Tulku Life 131. First English translation independently derived from the Mandaic source text.
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Source Text: Ḍībat Yahīa — Chapter 68
Classical Mandaic source text from Häberl and McGrath’s critical edition (De Gruyter, 2020), pages 198–200. Presented for reference and verification.
ࡅࡁࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡖࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡉࡀࡒࡓࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡄࡓࡉࡀ
ࡗ ࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡁࡀࡉࡊࡍ ࡀࡋࡉࡍ ࡅࡌࡉࡕࡀࡔࡉࡃࡉࡍ
ࡗ ࡄࡉࡆࡅࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡄࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡆࡉࡅࡇ
ࡅࡅࡍࡒࡁࡀࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡉࡊࡀࡍ ࡗ ࡀࡀࡍࡒࡉࡀ
ࡎࡀࡄࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡉࡊࡍ ࡗ ࡏࡌࡁࡓࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡕࡉࡁ ࡂࡀࡐ
ࡗ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡌࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡍࡀࡐࡑ ࡌࡍ ࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡇ ࡒࡀࡌ
ࡂࡀࡐ ࡖࡄࡉࡆࡉࡇ ࡋࡆࡉࡅࡇ5
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡅࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡖࡆࡀࡒࡉࡐࡕ ࡋࡉࡀࡓࡃࡉࡍࡀ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡌࡍ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡓࡉࡄࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡖࡏࡋࡀࡉ ࡀࡕࡀ
ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡋࡅࡍ ࡋࡉࡐࡓࡉࡀ ࡏࡌࡁࡉࡀ ࡅࡏࡋࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡋࡁࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡒࡐࡀࡕ
ࡌࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡂࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡉࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡉࡍࡒࡐࡀࡕ ࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡋࡁࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡉࡀ10
ࡖࡌࡀࡄࡃࡓࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡎࡉࡉࡍࡀࡅࡉࡎ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ
ࡀࡍࡒࡐࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡍ ࡋࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡔࡅࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡀࡕ
ࡂࡀࡁࡍࡇ ࡖࡔࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡀࡉࡀ
ࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡋࡔࡅࡓࡀ ࡁࡀࡓࡀࡉࡀ
ࡔࡉࡕࡉࡍ ࡅࡕࡀࡓࡕࡉࡍ ࡔࡉࡍࡀ ‖
ࡅࡔࡋࡉࡄࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡅࡇ ࡀࡕࡀ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡏࡕࡀࡕࡀࡍ ࡓࡉࡄࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ ࡒࡅࡌࡋࡉࡊ15
ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡅࡍࡊ ࡅࡁࡀࡀࡍࡅࡍࡊ
ࡒࡌࡋࡉࡊ ࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡖࡁࡉࡅࡊ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡅࡓࡉࡄࡌࡅࡊ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡁࡓࡀࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡋࡅࡀࡕ ࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡉࡊ ࡎࡀࡒ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡉࡐࡓࡔࡀࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡔࡓࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡄࡅࡀࡉ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡔࡀࡓࡀࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡌࡀࡓࡂࡀࡉࡍࡕࡀ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡕࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡌࡀࡓࡂࡀࡉࡍࡕࡀ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ20
ࡅࡄࡅࡉࡋࡉࡊ ࡒࡀࡓࡉࡀ
ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡉࡄࡌࡅࡊ
ࡖࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡑࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡕࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡋࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ ࡌࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡅࡀࡕࡉࡀ
ࡋࡁࡀࡁࡀ ࡖࡔࡅࡓࡀ
ࡗ ࡌࡉࡈࡀࡕ ࡀࡊࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡍࡈࡅࡕࡐࡀ
ࡋࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡀࡁࡀࡕ ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡀ
ࡁࡅࡓࡇࡊ ࡋࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡉࡊࡁࡔࡀࡕ25
ࡅࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡉࡎࡕࡀࡉࡀࡊ ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡎࡐࡉࡒ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡖࡋࡀࡌࡀࡉࡕࡉࡀ ࡅࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
[Interpolation — the following text is marked with editorial brackets in the critical edition.]
ࡅࡁࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡖࡅࡊࡔࡈࡀ ࡉࡀࡒࡓࡀ ‖
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡌࡍ ࡃࡅࡕࡊࡇ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ
}ࡗ ࡋࡀࡁࡑࡀ ࡌࡅࡆࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡌࡉࡕࡒࡀࡋ
ࡄࡀࡀࡍࡇࡍ ࡅࡔࡀࡁࡔࡇ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡌࡍ ࡃࡅࡕࡊࡇ ࡒࡀࡌ ࡏࡋ ࡌࡅࡆࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡒࡓࡀࡋࡇ
ࡌࡅࡆࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡑࡅࡍ
ࡏࡆࡉࡋ ࡔࡀࡓࡄࡀࡁࡏࡉࡋ ࡅࡁࡉࡄࡓࡀࡌ
ࡅࡁࡀࡄࡀࡓ ࡄࡀࡃ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡀࡐ ࡅࡀࡎࡉࡒ{
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic text from The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary, edited by Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath (De Gruyter, 2020). Published under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Accessed via Internet Archive: archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn. Pages 198–200 (Mandaic text, 0-indexed pages: 207, 209).
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