Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

The Book of John — Chapter 73

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The White Eagle

Chapter 73 of the Mandaean Book of John — Splendid Hibel’s lament from within the darkness. After Chapter 72, where Abator overreached by claiming the kingship and was cast down to the Nether Gate, the narrative shifts to Hibel himself. He speaks in the first person for the first time — not as the cosmic functionary who clenched his fists and took the scales, but as a white eagle whose ancestors have forgotten him. He sits in darkness, by the sides of the walls, and raises his sublime voice in five declarations: I said I would be great, I said I would be gentle, I said I would be meek, I said I would be king. Each declaration meets its reversal. The chapter ends with the cruelest judgment the Mandaean cosmos can deliver: to the excellency called gentle, they shall give neither wife nor shell, nor children to beget. The Mandaean cosmos punishes gentleness not by denying its virtue but by isolating its practitioner. Approximately thirty 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.

A white eagle am I,
whose ancestors have forgotten him.
My ancestors have forgotten me!
Woe, woe to the excellency
whose ancestors hate him!
Such is the fate of each excellency
who heeds his ancestors’ chatter —
they bring him low
and set him at the gates of darkness.

I am Splendid Hibel.
I heeded my ancestors’ chatter.
I have fallen, and there is no rising for me.
I sought, and I did not find.
I ran, and I did not pass.
I bore the blame upon myself,
so great is my splendor.
I set it within the darkness.

I have drawn the contempt of the excellencies,
and the excellencies will not come near me.
I am laid upon the bed of darkness,
and in the garments of darkness I have reclined.
Such is the fate of every man —
the excellency who sinks into darkness!

This crown of mine upon my brow —
Zahriel has set it upon my head.
Gone are the speech and the hearing
that my ancestors gave me.

I, Splendid Hibel, am within the darkness.
I sit by the sides of the walls,
and I raised my sublime voice.

I said I would be great —
who has made me small upon the earth?
I said I would be gentle,
and support the lowly and the poor.
I said, “Hear the speech of the Great!
How sublime is the chinstrap he has given me!”

I said I would be meek and submissive —
the path upon which the righteous,
great and small, pass.
I said I would be king —
who has made me for the place of darkness?

I am troubled for my ancestors,
and for unleashing Ur upon them.
I am troubled for my brothers and my sisters,
and for unleashing darkness upon them.
I am troubled for what I have planted,
only to abandon it at the gates of darkness.

Such is the fate of every man
who would be gentle!
To the excellency called gentle,
they shall give neither wife nor shell.
Neither wife nor shell shall they give him,
nor children to beget.
They shall not settle an excellency called gentle.
Sublime is the chinstrap they have given him!

The triumphant Life speaks,
and the man who went here triumphs!
In the name of the Great Life,
may the sublime light be magnified!

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 208–211 (text and translation).

Translation: New Tianmu Anglican Church (Tulku Tanken, Expeditionary Tulku Life 136), 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 White Eagle” — from Hibel’s opening self-identification. The white eagle (nišra hivara) is Hibel’s own metaphor for himself: a creature of radiance trapped in a dark place, whose own kind have abandoned him. The eagle image is unique in the Book of John — Hibel does not call himself an excellency or a king but a bird, emphasizing his isolation rather than his rank.

Note on the structure: The chapter has five movements: (1) The eagle’s cry (vv 1–4): the white eagle metaphor, the chatter warning, the fate formula. (2) The confession (vv 5–13): “I am Splendid Hibel,” the fall, the darkness, the contempt of the excellencies. (3) The crown (v 14): Zahriel’s crown upon his head, speech and hearing gone. (4) The five declarations (vv 15–24): I said I would be great, gentle, meek, king — each met with its reversal; three “I am troubled” statements. (5) The judgment (vv 25–30): neither wife nor shell for the gentle, the chinstrap, doxology.

Note on the “I said” sequence: Hibel’s five declarations form a descending arc. “I said I would be great” — who made me small? “I said I would be gentle” — no reward. “Hear the speech of the Great!” — ironic self-praise. “I said I would be meek” — the path everyone walks on. “I said I would be king” — who made me for darkness? Each aspiration is answered by its inversion. The sequence moves from cosmic ambition to cosmic irrelevance.

Note on “chinstrap” (akznala): The Mandaic akznala appears twice — once in v18 where Hibel boasts of the sublime headgear the Great gave him, and once in v28 where the same gift becomes the only thing the gentle excellency receives (no wife, no shell, no children — just the chinstrap). The reference translates akznala as “turban” in v18 and “chinstrap” in v28; this translation uses “chinstrap” consistently, preserving the Mandaic echo. The irony is deliberate: the same word that sounds like honor in Hibel’s mouth sounds like mockery in the fate formula.

Note on Hibel’s “troubled” (akrialia): Three parallel “I am troubled for” statements widen the circle of concern: first his ancestors, then his brothers and sisters, then what he has planted. Each is paired with unleashing either Ur or darkness upon them. Hibel’s distress is not self-pity — it is cosmic responsibility. He fears that his fall has consequences for everyone connected to him. The Mandaic akr- carries the weight of genuine distress, not mere concern.

Translation Departures from Reference:

  • “They bring him low” for ref’s “they cast him down” — mašipil from root š-p-l “to lower, make low”; “bring low” preserves the root sense more precisely.
  • “at the gates of darkness” for ref’s “at darkness’ gates” — construct state (tiria ḥšuka) rendered with “of” rather than possessive, consistent with established departures.
  • “there is no rising for me” for ref’s “there is no way up for me” — (miqma) = rising, standing up; “rising” is more literal than “way up.”
  • “I bore the blame” for ref’s “I took the blame” — (snabteh) from root s-n-b “to carry, bear”; “bore” is more literary and preserves the sense of endurance.
  • “will not come near me” for ref’s “will not approach me” — (la-qarbia) from root q-r-b “to come near”; closer to the root.
  • “in the garments of darkness” for ref’s “in the trappings of darkness” — (mayna) = garments, vestments; “garments” is more literal.
  • “I have drawn the contempt of the excellencies” for ref’s “I have drawn the excellencies’ contempt” — (eštaṭit min uthria) rendered with “of” following the Mandaic preposition min.
  • “chinstrap” for ref’s “turban” in v18 — (akznala) translated consistently throughout; see note above.
  • “I am troubled for” for ref’s “I am concerned about” — (akrialia) carries the weight of trouble and distress, not mere concern.
  • “children to beget” for ref’s “children to sire” — (minaṣab) from root n-ṣ-b “to plant, beget.”
  • Dropped “so” in “who has made me small upon the earth” — not present in the Mandaic (zuṭa b-tibil man šawyan).
  • “I said I would be” throughout for ref’s “I said that I would be” — dropped subordinator “that” for directness in English while following the Mandaic (amrit d-ehwya) where d- is subordinating.
  • All cumulative departures from Chapters 66–72 remain in force where the same Mandaic terms recur.

Scribal credit: Formatted and archived by Tulku Tanken (探検), Expeditionary Tulku Life 136. First English translation independently derived from the Mandaic source text.

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Source Text: Ḍībāt Yahīā — Chapter 73

Classical Mandaic source text from Häberl and McGrath’s critical edition (De Gruyter, 2020), pages 208–211. Presented in manuscript extraction order; couplet reversal applies for reading order (see Chapters 66–72 colophons for the full pattern).

ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ ࡏࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡍ
ࡉࡍࡔࡓࡀ ࡀࡀࡍ ࡄࡉࡅࡀࡓࡀ
ࡏࡉࡍࡔࡉࡅࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ ࡎࡉࡉࡍࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡉ ࡅࡀࡉ ࡏࡋ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ
ࡖࡓࡉࡈࡀࡍ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ ࡔࡀࡌࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡀࡊ ࡕࡉࡃࡉࡓࡇ ࡋࡅࡊࡋ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ
ࡌࡀࡔࡉࡐࡋࡉࡋࡇ ࡅࡔࡀࡃࡉࡋࡇ ࡋࡕࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡄࡔࡅࡊ
ࡖࡔࡀࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡈࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡇ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ
ࡉࡍࡋࡐࡉࡕ ࡅࡌࡉࡒࡌࡀ ࡋࡉࡕࡋࡉࡀ
ࡔࡉࡌࡉࡕ ࡓࡉࡈࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡀࡍ ࡓࡉࡄࡈࡉࡕ ࡅࡋࡀࡂࡀࡉࡃࡉࡕ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡉࡊࡕ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡆࡉࡅࡀࡉ ࡎࡀࡂࡉࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡎࡍࡀࡁࡕࡇ ࡌࡅࡌࡀ ࡋࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀࡉ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡉࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡀࡅࡕࡉࡁࡕࡇ
ࡅࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉ ࡋࡀࡒࡀࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡏࡔࡕࡀࡈࡉࡕ ࡌࡍ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡔࡉࡁࡊࡉࡕ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡂࡉࡍࡀࡍ ࡋࡀࡓࡎࡀ ࡖࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡋࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡔࡀࡉࡐࡋ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡕࡉࡃࡉࡓࡇ ࡋࡅࡊࡋ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ
ࡆࡀࡄࡓࡏࡉࡋ ࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉ ࡀࡕࡀࡍࡋࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡕࡀࡂࡀࡉ ࡖࡁࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉ
ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ
ࡀࡆࡀࡋ ࡏࡌࡓࡀ ࡅࡔࡉࡌࡀ
ࡂࡀࡁࡍࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡔࡅࡓࡉࡀ ࡉࡀࡕࡁࡉࡕ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡌࡍ ࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ
ࡅࡃࡀࡋࡉࡕ ࡁࡒࡀࡋࡀࡉ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡆࡅࡈࡀ ࡁࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀࡍ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ
ࡅࡏࡎࡉࡌࡇࡊ ࡋࡔࡀࡀࡐࡋࡀ ࡅࡃࡀࡀࡍ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡀ
ࡌࡊࡀ ࡔࡀࡀࡍࡉ ࡀࡊࡆࡍࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡉࡀ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡈࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡅࡃࡉࡓࡀࡊ ࡖࡔࡀࡋࡌࡀࡉࡍࡀ ࡖࡓࡁࡀ ࡅࡆࡅࡈࡀ ࡀࡁࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡇ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡀࡀࡊ ࡅࡌࡉࡊࡀࡊ
ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡔࡅࡊ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡀࡍ
ࡏࡌࡓࡉࡕ ࡖࡏࡄࡅࡉࡀ ࡌࡀࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡏࡋ ࡌࡉࡔࡉࡁࡒࡇ ࡋࡏࡅࡓ ࡏࡋࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡀࡊࡓࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡏࡋ ࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡏࡋ ࡌࡉࡔࡉࡁࡒࡇ ࡋࡄࡔࡅࡀࡊ ࡏࡋࡀࡅࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ
ࡀࡊࡓࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡀࡉ ࡅࡋࡀࡄࡅࡀࡕࡀࡉ
ࡋࡌࡉࡔࡉࡁࡒࡇ ࡁࡕࡉࡓࡉࡀ ࡄࡔࡅࡊ
ࡀࡊࡓࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ࡋࡍࡅࡑࡁࡕࡀ ࡖࡉࡍࡁࡑࡉࡕ
ࡖࡉࡍࡄࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡅࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡄࡀࡉࡆࡉࡍ ࡕࡉࡃࡉࡓࡇ ࡋࡅࡊࡋ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ
ࡆࡀࡅࡀ ࡅࡄࡉࡋࡁࡅࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ ࡉࡍࡅࡑࡁࡕࡀ ࡋࡌࡉࡍࡀࡑࡁ
ࡋࡀࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ ࡆࡀࡅࡀ ࡅࡄࡉࡋࡁࡅࡇࡍ
ࡔࡀࡀࡍࡉ ࡀࡊࡆࡍࡀࡋࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡋࡀࡅࡕࡁࡅࡉࡀ ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡕࡉࡒࡓࡉࡀ ࡉࡍࡄࡀ
ࡅࡆࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡖࡀࡎࡂࡉࡀ ࡀࡋࡀࡊ
ࡌࡉࡔࡕࡀࡉࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ
ࡌࡓࡀࡅࡓࡀࡁ ࡄࡍࡅࡓࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡍࡀ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ

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 208–211 (Mandaic text, 0-indexed pages: 217, 219).

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