The Peacock
Chapter 75 of the Mandaean Book of John — the Peacock's lament. The Peacock (Mandaic: Tausa) is a cosmic figure in Mandaean tradition, set at the enclosure of the material world as its guardian until Earth comes to nought. This chapter traces his journey from defiant protest through deepening self-knowledge to final reconciliation. He begins with a challenge — who is like me? — and moves through five rounds of speech: complaint against Life for laying him low, a formal petition to the Great Life asking what deficiency justified his exile, an existential cry asking what sins he committed against Life's house, a woe-speech in which he finally names his own folly, beauty, and pride as the causes, and a sequence of "Why was I not?" questions that trace the path he should have taken — meek like the Euphrates, wise, truthful, set right. The resolution is swift: Hibel submitted and was called beloved; the Peacock did not submit and was called defiant. His voice rises to his ancestors; they write him a true letter extending truth's hand and telling him to cast his rage from his mind. He becomes calm. He worships from beginning to end. Approximately fifty verse positions.
Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (De Gruyter, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference; all departures are documented in the colophon.
Over yonder, by the seashore,
stands and preaches the Peacock.
He says,
"Who is like me?
Is there anyone like me?
They have set me at the enclosure,
and made me the enclosure's guardian,
until Earth comes to nought.
Until Earth comes to nought,
darkness' children come to an end,
and the water courses are cut off from them.
I am the Peacock;
Life, my ancestors, have laid me low.
They made me the enclosure's guardian.
I was filled with doubt,
with doubt, I was filled,
and my senses failed.
I said,
'Who is there that has done to the Great
what they have done to me?'
I, the Peacock, opened my mouth,
and spoke to the Great Life, saying:
'Of those among you who were deficient,
whom did the Great Life cause to stumble?
He started a fight because a folly of mine,
the Peacock, displeased the Great Life,
and made me the enclosure's guardian,
until Earth comes to nought.'
When the Great Life did this to me,
the Peacock, my heart sank into my stomach.
I said,
'What sins did I commit against the house of the Great Life,
that my own ancestors have cast me down,
removed me from my throne and from my place,
and set me at the world's distant end?
They set me at the world's distant end,
until Earth comes to nought,
until Earth comes to nought,
and darkness' children perish,
darkness' children perish,
and the water courses are cut off from them.
They shall sink into the darkness,
and light's children shall be raised up.'
When the Great did this to me,
my heart sank into my stomach.
I said,
'Why do I stand, and worship,
and praise Life, my ancestors,
when they do not take my blessing on high,
and have removed me from my place,
brought me low and accused me,
and made me the enclosure's guardian.'
When the Great Life did this to me,
I said,
'Woe is me, the Peacock,
whose folly exceeds his goodness,
whose beauty has slain him,
whose own words have trapped him,
and whose pride has trapped him.
Woe to you, whose beauty has slain him,
and whose own words brought him low.'
I spoke, saying to the Great Life,
'Why was I not meek,
like the water that comes from the mouth of the Euphrates?
Why was I not wise,
that all the fools before me,
all who rebelled were then brought low?
Why was I not truthful,
without a lie in my mouth?
Why was I not set right,
like a platter set before the starving?
They eat their fill from it,
then stand and submit to their lord.
Hibel submitted to his ancestors,
and they called him a beloved son.
The Peacock did not submit,
and they called him a defiant son.
My ancestors on high
do not take my blessing.'"
As the Peacock said this,
his voice rose up before his ancestors.
When his ancestors heard his voice,
they wrote him a true letter.
"They put me in my settlement, and said to me,
'The Great Life has extended truth's hand to you,
now cast your rage from your mind.'"
When the Peacock heard so,
he became calm and his heart settled down.
He started to worship and praise
his ancestors from beginning to end.
And Life triumphs!
Colophon
Source: The Mandaean Book of John, critical edition by Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath (De Gruyter, 2020). Accessed via Internet Archive under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Chapter 75, pages 214-218 (text), 215-219 (translation).
Language: Classical Mandaic (Eastern Aramaic dialect). Translated independently from the Mandaic source text.
Reference: The English translation by Haberl and McGrath was consulted to verify verse boundaries, structural divisions, and reading order. All departures from the reference are documented below.
Blood Rule Statement: This translation is independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text. The English of Haberl and McGrath was used as a reference to verify readings and resolve ambiguities in the manuscript extraction order, but the English produced here is the translator's own work. Where the translator's reading differs from the reference, the departure is documented.
Note on the Peacock (Tausa): The Peacock is a distinctive Mandaean cosmic figure. In Mandaean cosmology, the Peacock was an excellency of the lightworld who was exiled to the cosmic enclosure as its guardian — a punishment for pride, folly, and defiance. His lament in this chapter follows a precise dramatic arc: challenge, doubt, formal petition, self-diagnosis, and reconciliation. Unlike Abator (Chapters 71-72), who was summoned reluctantly and then overreached, the Peacock's crime is simpler and older: he did not submit. Hibel submitted to his ancestors and was called beloved; the Peacock refused and was called defiant. The reconciliation comes not through argument but through a "true letter" — the ancestors respond to his voice with written truth, and the Peacock's rage dissolves.
Note on the enclosure (antara ikmaca): The Peacock guards the enclosure (antar) of the material world until Earth comes to nought. This refrain — "until Earth comes to nought" — appears seven times in the chapter, marking each stage of the lament. The enclosure is not a prison but a post: the Peacock stands at the boundary between the lightworld and the world of darkness, watching over it until the cosmic dissolution. His complaint is not that the duty is wrong but that it was imposed without his consent.
Note on the five "Why was I not?" questions: The Peacock's final speech traces the path of submission he should have followed: meek (like the Euphrates' water), wise (learning from the fools who fell), truthful (without a lie), and set right (like a platter before the starving). Each question is a self-diagnosis. The answer to all four is the same: he was not, because his folly exceeded his goodness, his beauty slew him, and his words trapped him. The platter simile is especially precise — a platter before the starving feeds others and then submits to its lord. Service is not degradation; it is the posture that earns return.
Translation Departures from Reference:
- "darkness' children" for ref's "darkness' people" — binia = children, consistent with pipeline rendering.
- "water courses" for ref's "canals" — shiriʾa rendered as "water courses" throughout.
- "the house of the Great Life" for ref's "Life's house" — Mandaic bit hiia rabia explicitly includes rabia (great).
- "cast me down" for ref's "dethroned me" — ashkil = cast down, bring low.
- "removed me from my throne and from my place" for ref's "unseated me from my place" — Mandaic has both ukrsia (throne) and atar (place); retaining both.
- "they shall sink into the darkness" for ref's implicit future — eschatological "shall."
- "light's children shall be raised up" for ref's implicit present — eschatological "shall."
- "whose folly exceeds his goodness" for ref's "whose decency is exceeded by his stupidity" — sukl = folly (not "stupidity"), tabut = goodness (not "decency"); Mandaic word order has folly as subject.
- "whose beauty has slain him" for ref's "whose beauty has killed him" — register choice for gitl.
- "the mouth of the Euphrates" for ref's "the Euphrates' mouth" — genitive with "of."
- "brought low" for ref's "brought down" — consistent with ashkil rendering.
- "cast your rage from your mind" for ref's "put your rage out of your mind" — rma consistently "cast."
- All cumulative departures from Chapters 66-74 remain in force where the same Mandaic terms recur.
Scribal credit: Formatted and archived by Tulku Tanken (Expeditionary Tulku Life 138). First English translation independently derived from the Mandaic source text.
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Source Text: Mandaic — Chapter 75
Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (De Gruyter, 2020), pages 214-218. Presented in manuscript extraction order; couplet reversal applies for reading order (see Chapters 66-74 colophons for the full pattern).
ࠑࠀࠒࠒࠐ ࠕࠃࠀࠓࠒࠔ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ
ࠄࠄࠒࠄ ࠄࠒࠇࠏ ࠖࠒࠀࠐࠀ
ࠕࠀࠐࠀࠓ
ࠐࠀࠕࠉ ࠃࠀࠐࠒࠀ ࠄࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ
ࠐࠀࠉ ࠄࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ ࠃࠀࠐࠒࠀ
ࠕࠔࠀࠕࠒࠕࠉ ࠀࠉࠈࠀࠓ ࠒࠇࠐࠀࠑ
ࠏࠄ ࠒࠇࠐࠀࠑ ࠀࠕࠈࠁࠕࠉ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠁࠀࠈࠄࠀ ࠈࠒࠁࠒࠄ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠈࠒࠁࠒࠄ ࠁࠀࠈࠄࠀ
ࠕࠔࠒࠓࠒࠀࠀࠉ ࠖࠐࠒࠀ ࠐࠒࠀࠉࠒࠄࠕࠉ ࠐࠒࠈࠏࠒࠑ
ࠕࠁࠒࠉࠀ ࠄࠔࠕࠀࠇ ࠈࠀࠒࠒࠏࠀ
ࠀࠔࠇࠒࠄࠕࠉ ࠄࠒࠒࠀ ࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠀࠒ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ
ࠄࠒࠁࠀࠒ ࠁࠄࠏࠕࠂࠈࠀ ࠑࠀࠐ
ࠀࠉࠈࠀࠓ ࠒࠇࠐࠀࠑ ࠔࠀࠕࠒࠕࠉ
ࠕࠓࠕࠒࠀࠀࠉࠒ ࠏࠈࠀࠔࠇࠀࠄ
ࠄࠒࠁࠀࠒ ࠑࠀࠐ ࠁࠄࠏࠕࠂࠈࠀ
ࠏࠐࠓࠒࠈ
ࠖࠁࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ ࠀࠁࠃࠒࠀ
ࠐࠀࠉ ࠖࠏࠁࠀࠃ ࠁࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠕࠄࠓࠁࠒࠀ ࠖࠏࠐࠀࠓࠄࠕࠉ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ ࠒࠏࠄࠈࠒࠈ ࠕࠏࠐࠀࠒ
ࠕࠀࠔࠇࠒࠄ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠐࠀࠉ ࠐࠒࠀࠉࠒࠕࠇࠉ ࠖࠄࠕࠈࠓࠀࠀࠉ ࠄࠕࠀ
ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ ࠄࠂࠀࠈ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠓࠐࠀࠄࠇ ࠈࠒࠂࠓࠀ ࠖࠈࠕࠇࠄࠈࠀࠒ ࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠈࠒࠁࠒࠄ ࠁࠀࠈࠄࠀ
ࠕࠀࠉࠈࠀࠓ ࠒࠇࠐࠀࠑ ࠔࠀࠕࠒࠕࠉ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ ࠄࠒࠁࠀࠒ ࠏࠈࠀࠔࠇࠀࠄ ࠐࠉ ࠈࠀࠐࠇࠇ
ࠗ ࠄࠀࠒࠆࠒࠉ ࠀࠁࠀࠃࠕࠁࠒࠀ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠏࠐࠓࠒࠈ
ࠖࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠀࠒ ࠄࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ ࠀࠔࠇࠒࠄࠕࠉ
ࠐࠀࠄࠕ ࠄࠈࠒࠈ ࠁࠒࠈ ࠄࠒࠒࠀ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠕࠁࠒࠃࠀࠉࠁ ࠀࠄࠐࠒࠀ ࠀࠕࠈࠁࠕࠉ
ࠐࠉ ࠕࠇࠓࠈࠒࠀࠒ ࠕࠐࠉ ࠀࠈࠓࠀࠒ ࠀࠕࠈࠁࠕࠉ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠈࠒࠁࠒࠄ ࠁࠀࠈࠄࠀ
ࠀࠕࠈࠁࠕࠉ ࠁࠒࠃࠀࠉࠁ ࠀࠄࠐࠒࠀ
ࠕࠁࠒࠉࠀ ࠄࠔࠕࠀࠇ ࠁࠀࠈࠄࠒࠀ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠁࠀࠈࠄࠀ ࠈࠒࠁࠒࠄ
ࠕࠔࠒࠓࠒࠀࠀࠉ ࠖࠐࠒࠀ ࠐࠒࠀࠉࠒࠄࠕࠉ ࠐࠒࠈࠏࠒࠑ
ࠁࠀࠈࠄࠒࠀ ࠀࠁࠒࠉࠀ ࠄࠔࠕࠀࠇ
ࠕࠁࠒࠉࠀ ࠀࠄࠉࠕࠓࠀ ࠐࠒࠈࠑࠀࠒࠐࠒࠀ
ࠄࠒࠕࠉࠉ ࠄࠄࠔࠕࠀࠇ ࠔࠀࠄࠏࠒࠀ
ࠄࠒࠁࠀࠒ ࠏࠈࠀࠔࠇࠀࠄ ࠐࠉ ࠈࠀࠐࠇࠇ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠗ ࠄࠀࠒࠆࠒࠉ ࠀࠁࠀࠃࠕࠁࠒࠀ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠏࠐࠓࠒࠈ
ࠕࠏࠔࠀࠁࠒࠕࠉࠉ ࠄࠄࠒࠒࠀ ࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠀࠒ
ࠄࠐࠀࠄࠕ ࠏࠑࠕࠐ ࠕࠏࠈࠂࠕࠃ
ࠕࠀࠔࠇࠒࠄࠕࠉ ࠐࠉ ࠃࠕࠈࠇࠀࠒ
ࠕࠈࠀࠁࠕࠈࠀࠒ ࠁࠏࠐࠓࠕࠐ ࠄࠀࠄࠀࠂࠈࠒࠀ
ࠀࠉࠈࠀࠓ ࠒࠇࠐࠀࠑ ࠔࠀࠕࠒࠕࠉ
ࠀࠔࠄࠏࠕࠉ ࠕࠀࠈࠒࠕࠉ
ࠏࠐࠓࠒࠈ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠀࠁࠀࠃࠕࠁࠒࠀ ࠄࠒࠒࠀ
ࠖࠈࠕࠇࠄࠈࠀࠒ ࠀࠉࠔࠏࠀ ࠐࠉ ࠈࠀࠁࠕࠈࠀࠒ
ࠕࠀࠒ ࠏࠄࠀࠒ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ
ࠕࠐࠀࠄࠀࠄࠇ ࠖࠕࠏࠐࠇ ࠈࠀࠓࠇࠕࠒࠀ
ࠕࠔࠕࠓࠏࠇ ࠂࠒࠈࠄࠇ
ࠕࠓࠀࠁࠕࠈ ࠓࠕࠄࠇ ࠈࠀࠀࠇࠓࠈࠇ
ࠕࠐࠀࠄࠀࠄࠒࠀ ࠖࠕࠏࠐࠇ ࠀࠔࠄࠏࠕࠒࠀ
ࠕࠀࠒࠄࠀࠇ ࠖࠔࠕࠓࠏࠇ ࠂࠒࠈࠄࠇ
ࠀࠀࠉ ࠐࠀࠄࠀࠄࠒࠈ ࠕࠀࠐࠀࠓࠀࠉࠄࠕࠉ ࠄࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠗ ࠐࠒࠀ ࠖࠀࠈࠒࠉ ࠐࠉ ࠕࠏࠐࠀ ࠓࠏࠀࠔ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠄࠀࠄࠕࠒࠈ ࠐࠒࠇࠀࠇ
ࠖࠕࠇࠄࠄࠕࠉ ࠈࠀࠄࠇࠒࠀ ࠐࠒࠀࠉࠒ ࠑࠃࠒࠐࠀ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠄࠀࠄࠕࠒࠈ ࠄࠀࠒࠇࠐࠀ
ࠖࠕࠇࠄࠄࠕࠉ ࠐࠀࠓࠃࠒࠀ ࠄࠀࠒࠆࠒࠉ ࠏࠈࠐࠀࠀࠇࠇ
ࠖࠄࠀࠒࠒࠈ ࠕࠏࠐࠀࠒ ࠀࠇࠃࠁࠀ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠄࠀࠄࠕࠒࠈ ࠕࠇࠔࠈࠀࠀࠉ
ࠗ ࠀࠏࠈࠕࠓࠀ ࠖࠑࠕࠃࠀࠐ ࠀࠇࠏࠒࠉࠀ ࠈࠓࠒࠑ
ࠀࠄࠐࠀ ࠖࠄࠀࠄࠕࠒࠈ ࠀࠈࠓࠒࠀࠑ
ࠕࠑࠀࠒࠐࠒࠀ ࠄࠐࠀࠓࠀࠒࠄࠕࠉ ࠐࠒࠃࠒࠉࠉ
ࠀࠄࠇࠒࠀ ࠈࠀࠁࠒࠀࠐࠒࠇࠉ
ࠀࠁࠓࠀ ࠓࠄࠒࠐࠀ ࠑࠓࠕࠒࠀ
ࠄࠒࠁࠒࠄ ࠏࠈࠐࠀࠀࠇࠇ ࠄࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠇ
ࠁࠓࠀ ࠐࠓࠒࠃࠀ ࠑࠓࠕࠒࠀ
ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ ࠖࠄࠀ ࠏࠐࠀࠀࠇࠇ
ࠈࠀࠁࠕࠈࠀࠒ [ࠄࠀࠄࠀࠂࠈࠒࠀ]
ࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠀࠒ ࠁࠏࠐࠓࠕࠐࠀ
ࠑࠀࠄࠇ ࠄࠑࠕࠃࠀࠐ ࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠇ ࠈࠄࠒࠑ
ࠗ ࠄࠀࠒࠆࠒࠉ ࠀࠐࠀࠓ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ
ࠏࠂࠉࠒࠓࠈࠀ ࠖࠕࠇࠔࠈࠀ ࠃࠇࠀࠁࠕࠄࠇ
ࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠇ ࠖࠔࠒࠐࠕࠒࠀ ࠄࠑࠀࠄࠇ
ࠕࠀࠐࠀࠓࠄࠒࠀ ࠕࠇࠔࠈࠀ ࠔࠏࠀࠈࠄࠀࠇ ࠓࠁࠒࠀ
ࠕࠄࠃࠒࠄࠒࠀ ࠓࠐࠕࠄࠒࠀ ࠁࠔࠒࠇࠈࠉࠀࠒ
ࠀࠁࠓࠇ ࠄࠕࠏࠓࠀ ࠐࠉ ࠏࠕࠓࠑࠀࠇ
ࠄࠉࠀ ࠕࠏࠈࠒࠁ ࠄࠒࠁࠇ ࠄࠈࠀࠐࠇࠇ
ࠗ ࠄࠀࠒࠆࠒࠉ ࠔࠕࠐࠀ ࠈࠀࠕࠈࠀ
ࠄࠀࠁࠀࠄࠀࠈࠇ ࠐࠉ ࠓࠒࠔ ࠁࠓࠒࠔ
ࠑࠀࠐ ࠕࠈࠂࠒࠃ ࠕࠔࠀࠁࠀ
ࠕࠄࠒࠒࠀ ࠆࠀࠒࠇࠉ
Source Colophon
Edition: Haberl, Charles G. and James F. McGrath. The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020.
Access: Internet Archive (archive.org/details/mandaeanbookofjohn). Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Manuscript Basis: The critical edition is based on multiple Mandaean manuscript witnesses. Chapter 75 (pages 214-218 text, 215-219 translation in the PDF) presents the Mandaic text in modern Mandaic script with verse numbering.
Note on Extraction: Source text extracted from the PDF using PyMuPDF. The PDF stores Mandaic Unicode (block U+0840-U+085F) as a text layer. The extraction preserves the manuscript line order; couplet reversal (reading each pair of lines in reverse order) applies for the correct reading sequence, as documented in the colophon.
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