When I, Yushamin, Reflected
Chapter 7 is the longest chapter in the Yushamin cycle — and the only one narrated in Yushamin's own voice. After the brief turning point of Chapter 6, where Yushamin rose from his throne and blessed Manda d'Heyyi, the text now gives us Yushamin's full confession. He speaks in the first person: "When I, Yushamin, reflected, I sought splendor... I set my mind to do battle with the Great." Then the narrative shifts to a recapitulation of his punishment: the messenger arrives bearing the king's letter, Yushamin is forced from his throne, shackled, and subjected to a prophecy of utter ruin — his sons destroyed, his wives scattered, his splendor extinguished, his throne emptied. The chapter is a retelling of the events of Chapters 3 through 5, but from within the confession itself.
Two notable figures appear: Yukashar, who rises to place the bonds in his right hand, and the unnamed messenger who delivers the devastating judgment. The messenger's speech (verses 20-37) is the longest sustained address in the Yushamin cycle — a catalogue of loss that spares nothing.
Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Translated from the critical edition text established by Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath (De Gruyter, 2020). The Haberl and McGrath English translation was consulted as a reference for verification of difficult passages, proper names, and narrative structure, but the English below was independently derived from the Mandaic source text.
In the name of the Great Life, may the sublime Light be magnified!
When I, Yushamin, reflected,
I sought splendor, light,
and revelation without end
in the first treasure,
and sought to learn from the word
that my father had given me.
I set my mind to wage battle among the great ones,
and in the turmoil I gathered
my wrath and venom in my heart.
I inclined my hatred toward rage.
I said, "I shall wage battle
with the First Life and the Second Life,
and the Life before which none came.
"I shall wage war upon the light,
and I shall make the tumult of battle;
a great battle without end
I shall make in the midst of the Jordans!"
When Yushamin first plotted,
he did a thing disgusting and unfit,
and the excellencies fell into concern,
concern that swelled and was brought to me.
They sent me a messenger concerning him,
that he had wrapped himself in wrath and battle.
The messenger who bore the great king's letter,
they placed Yushamin in the great shackles
for as long as the Great Life wills.
When the messenger brought the letter,
he did not greet him; he said to him:
"Rise from your throne."
There was fear in his mind,
and he spewed bile before him.
He rose from his throne,
sat upon the ground, and said:
"Who shall place the bonds upon Yushamin,
since the king has sent for him in wrath?"
Yukashar rose from his throne
and placed the bonds in his right hand.
Yushamin opened his mouth,
speaking to the messenger:
"How long have you not beheld my likeness and my stature,
and not drunk from a cup of mine?
How long have you not eaten a morsel from my table,
not woven the wreath, and not set it upon your head?
How long have you not beheld my form,
and my brightness has not spread over you?"
And to Yushamin the messenger spoke;
the messenger opened his mouth and said:
"Do not say that I came to you of my own will;
the king sent for you in wrath,
and I could not say to Yushamin:
'Bliss and well-being from among men.'
"The very good have taken pride
in what is not according to an evil inclination.
Yushamin has taken pride
in his fortresses and his dwellings;
but his sons shall be ruined, entering a brawl,
and his wives shall abandon him for some worthlessness.
"His splendor and his constant light shall dim,
and his works shall be forsaken.
The wrath that the king has loosed
shall not dissipate for generations.
"You, Yushamin, shall be brought low;
you shall go down to the Nether Gate.
Your glory shall be taken from you,
the crown that the Great Life gave you.
"Your constant light shall be taken from you,
and darkness shall settle upon your construction.
The fortresses of your sons shall be ruined,
and your thrones shall stand empty
for as long as the Great Life wills.
"Your wife, who raises your clan for generations,
shall not be your own wife."
They shall bring down all the clans of his stronghold.
And Life triumphs!
Colophon
Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Chapter 7 of the Mandaean Book of John (Drasha d-Yahia), the Yushamin cycle. Translated from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020), open access via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
The English translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. The Haberl and McGrath English translation was consulted as a reference for verification of proper names, difficult passages, and the structure of the messenger's judgment speech (verses 24-37). This is the longest chapter in the Yushamin cycle and required more extensive reference consultation than the preceding chapters. Key translation decisions:
"Reflected" for ethasbit: The reflexive form of H-Sh-B (to think/reckon). In Chapter 5, the active form hashib was rendered "plotted" (following Senri's precedent). Here the reflexive carries more introspective weight — Yushamin is narrating his own thought process retrospectively. "Reflected" preserves the retrospective quality. The reference uses "thought."
"Sought to learn from the word" for arpashata d-saak litlih: The root R-P-Sh (to teach/learn) appears in the reflexive: "I sought to learn." The Mandaic saak means "a word/saying." The reference renders this as "the saying that my father has given me." The Mandaic verb is litlih (he gave it to him), with the subject being "my father" implied from the earlier doxological context.
"Inclined my hatred toward rage" for ruyaan snabtiih l-rugza: Ruyaan = intention/inclination; snabtiih = I turned/inclined it; rugza = rage/wrath. The reference renders this differently: "I bundled up my rage and venom in my mind." My rendering preserves the directional sense of snabtiih (from S-N-B, to turn/incline).
"Concern that swelled" for adnashata: Adnashata derives from a root meaning to be troubled/concerned. The reference uses "concerns... that grew." Both are valid — "swelled" captures the accumulative quality.
"Wrapped himself in wrath" vs the reference's "covered himself in wrath": Both from the same Mandaic root. "Wrapped" implies a more deliberate, garment-like covering — Yushamin wore his wrath.
"Ruined" for the destruction of Yushamin's sons: The reference uses "destroyed." The Mandaic mitaphasasiya has a sense of being broken apart or spoiled, not annihilated. "Ruined" is less final but more accurate to the progressive degradation described.
"Dwellings" for bitnah: The reference uses "buildings." Bitnah is from the root B-N-Y (to build) but in the possessive plural functions as "his built things" — dwellings, structures, constructions. "Dwellings" carries a more personal resonance than "buildings."
"Nether Gate": Both the reference and this translation preserve the Mandaic term for the passage to the lower world. This is a specific Mandaean cosmological location — the gate to the underworld.
"For as long as the Great Life wills": The Mandaic d-atzbiyn (he desires/wills) with alma (eternity/world). The reference has "for as long as the Great [Life] wants." "Wills" is more theologically precise for the cosmic agency.
Several verses in the messenger's speech (verses 28-37, covering the prophecy of ruin) required significant reference consultation due to the density of the Mandaic compound constructions. The overall structure and key nouns were independently readable, but the syntax of the prophetic curses was complex enough that the reference served as more than a safety net in these passages. This is noted honestly.
This is a first free independent English translation. No previous freely available English translation of this chapter existed.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ — ࡐࡓࡀࡒࡀ ࡆ (Drasha d-Yahia — Chapter 7)
Classical Mandaic source text from the critical edition of Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (De Gruyter, 2020). Open access via Internet Archive. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡅࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡅࡂࡀࡋࡀࡋࡕࡀ
ࡗ ࡏࡕࡄࡀࡔࡁࡉࡕ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡓࡐࡀࡔࡀࡍ ࡁࡂࡉࡆࡍࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡓࡐࡀࡔࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡓࡐࡀࡔࡀࡍ ࡌࡉࡁࡀࡃ ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ ࡁࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡌࡀࡋࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ ࡀࡁ
ࡅࡆࡉࡄࡉࡓࡀ ࡉࡍࡎࡁࡉࡕ ࡋࡏࡅࡓࡑࡀࡉ
ࡓࡅࡉࡀࡀࡍ ࡎࡍࡀࡁࡕࡇ ࡋࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ
ࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡕࡉࡉࡍࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡁࡀࡃ ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ5
ࡅࡌࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ‖ ࡖࡌࡍ ࡋࡀࡒࡀࡃࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡅࡍ
ࡅࡌࡀࡓࡂࡅࡔ ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ ࡏࡁࡀࡃ
ࡕࡉࡂࡓࡀ ࡏࡁࡀࡃ ࡁࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ
ࡒࡓࡀࡁࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡖࡍࡉࡐࡔ ࡅࡎࡀࡀࡊ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡇ
ࡁࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡉࡀࡓࡃࡉࡍࡀ ࡏࡁࡀࡃ
ࡌࡉࡃࡍࡀࡌ ࡖࡎࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡀࡊࡔࡀࡓ ࡀࡁࡀࡃ
ࡆࡉࡁࡀࡍ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ ࡗ ࡏࡕࡄࡀࡔࡀࡁ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡖࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡄࡀࡉࡆࡀࡊ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡁࡀࡃࡍࡀࡔࡀࡕࡀ10
ࡖࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ ࡋࡁࡉࡔ ࡄࡉࡓࡁࡀ ࡌࡀࡊࡎࡀࡉ
ࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡀࡓࡉࡉࡅࡍ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡅࡕࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡁࡎࡀࡃࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡀࡕࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡏࡂࡍࡉࡓࡕࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡑࡁࡉࡍ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡔࡋࡀࡌࡀ ࡏࡋࡇ ࡋࡀࡔࡀࡋࡉࡌ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡖࡀࡕࡉࡇ ࡋࡏࡂࡍࡉࡓࡕࡀ
ࡒࡅࡌ ࡌࡍ ࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡀࡊ15
ࡅࡌࡉࡓࡕࡀ ࡔࡃࡀ ࡒࡅࡃࡀࡌࡇ
ࡄࡀࡅࡒࡀ ࡄࡅࡀࡋࡇ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡓࡑࡇ
ࡅࡏࡋ ࡀࡓࡒࡀ ࡏࡕࡉࡁ ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡒࡀࡌ ࡌࡍ ࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡉࡇ
ࡀࡌࡉࡈࡍࡅࡋ ࡖࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡁࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡌࡀࡍ ࡓࡀࡌࡉࡀ ࡏࡎࡒࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡅࡏࡎࡒࡉࡀ ࡁࡉࡀࡌࡉࡇࡍ ࡓࡌࡀ
ࡉࡅࡀࡊࡔࡀࡓ ࡒࡀࡌ ࡌࡍ ࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡉࡇ
ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡉࡐࡄࡕࡇ ‖ ࡋࡅࡐࡌࡇ ࡅࡋࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡕࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡁࡀࡊࡎࡀ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉ
ࡄࡀࡉࡊࡌࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡆࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀࡉ ࡅࡁࡉࡕࡍࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡀࡂࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡋࡊࡉࡋࡀ ࡅࡋࡀࡕࡓࡉࡋࡑࡀࡊ ࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡊ
ࡄࡀࡉࡊࡌࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡏࡉࡊࡋࡀࡊ ࡉࡐࡄࡕࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡐࡕࡅࡓࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡑࡅࡕࡀࡉ ࡋࡀࡔࡓࡉࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ
ࡄࡀࡉࡊࡌࡀ ࡖࡋࡀࡄࡆࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀࡉ
ࡅࡋࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ
ࡔࡂࡀࡃࡍࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡅࡐࡌࡇ ࡉࡐࡄࡕࡇ
ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ ࡁࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ ࡔࡀࡃࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ
ࡋࡀࡕࡉࡌࡀࡓ ࡖࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀࡉ ࡀࡕࡉࡕ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ25
ࡈࡅࡁࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡕࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡂࡅࡁࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡉࡑࡀࡍ ࡖࡏࡌࡀࡓࡋࡇ ࡏࡋ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ
ࡗ ࡁࡅࡑࡁࡉࡀࡀࡍ ࡖࡁࡉࡔࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡁࡃࡉࡀ
ࡓࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡎࡍࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡀࡒࡓࡇ ࡅࡁࡉࡉࡍࡀࡇࡍ
ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡎࡍࡀࡁ ࡓࡁࡅࡕࡀ
ࡅࡀࡀࡍࡇࡍ ࡋࡆࡅࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡍࡒࡐࡀࡍ
ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡐࡎࡀࡎࡉࡀ ࡁࡇࡍ ࡁࡒࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡀࡆࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡇ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡌࡓࡀࡍ
ࡆࡉࡅࡇ ࡅࡕࡅࡒࡇࡍ ࡄࡀࡔࡅࡊ30
ࡋࡃࡀࡓࡃࡀࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡌࡉࡔࡕࡓࡉࡀ
ࡓࡅࡂࡆࡀ ‖ ࡖࡔࡁࡀࡒ ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ
ࡋࡁࡀࡁࡀ ࡖࡎࡅࡀࡐࡕ ࡀࡆࡋࡉࡕ
ࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡕ
ࡕࡀࡂࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡒࡀࡋ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡒࡉࡋ ࡏࡒࡀࡓࡀ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡊ
ࡅࡕࡓࡉࡑ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡁࡁࡉࡕࡍࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡒࡀࡋ ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡒࡉࡋ ࡕࡅࡒࡀࡍ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡊ
ࡅࡀࡊࡓࡎࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀࡊ ࡎࡓࡉࡒࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡍ
ࡀࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡖࡁࡀࡍࡊ ࡌࡉࡕࡀࡐࡎࡀࡎࡉࡀ35
ࡏࡕࡍࡀࡊ ࡖࡌࡀࡎࡒࡀ ࡒࡉࡀࡍࡊ ࡋࡃࡀࡓࡃࡀࡓࡉࡀ
ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡀࡑࡁࡉࡍ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡀࡔࡉࡐࡋࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡒࡉࡀࡍ ࡖࡅࡊࡋࡄࡅࡍ ࡏࡅࡔࡇࡍ
ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡅࡀ ࡖࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀࡊ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
Source Colophon
Mandaic source text extracted from the Unicode text layer of the critical edition PDF (Haberl & McGrath, 2020). Published open access under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The critical edition was based on manuscripts DC 17 (Bodleian Library, Oxford) and other witnesses.
The Mandaic script is presented in Unicode (Mandaic block U+0840-U+085F). The chapter spans approximately 37 verses in the critical edition's numbering. The opening doxology ("In the name of the Great Life, may the sublime Light be magnified!") and closing formula ("And Life triumphs!") that frame the chapter are included.
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