First Book, Prayers XLIV–XLIX

The Oxford Collection continues with six prayers comprising the complete Friday liturgical set. The Friday set opens with the Story of Mirjai (Prayer XLIV), the longest prayer in the First Book — a narrative drama in three voices. The mother warns her daughter at the gate of the People’s House: the Jews are talking. Mirjai has taken a lover, hates Judaism, loves the Nazoreanism, works on the Sabbath, holds her hands still on Sunday, has cast off the Law. The narrator confirms it. And then Mirjai speaks for herself: dust in their mouths, ash in their priests’ mouths, muck from under the horses upon the elders of Jerusalem. She cannot hate what she has loved. She has loved Manda d-Hayye. The defiance is absolute.

Prayer XLV is a brief cosmogonic snapshot — the opening of the great Gate of the Eggs, the King’s splendor growing over the Uthras. Prayer XLVI is the Daughter of Kušta poem — a soul persecuted by the worlds, waiting for the Lord to lift her head from her knees and dry her tears. The bag of misdeeds is poured out; the petition becomes testimony as the tense shifts from future to past; the brothers of Kušta comfort her: “Your lamps will be drawn up between the Lamps of the Light.” Prayer XLVII is a brief communal declaration — the Word of Truth has established and strengthened the faithful. Prayer XLVIII is the eschatological Split in the Tibl — the grown fish tear the casting net and escape; the ungrown remain under the lead; the voices are counted and sins forgiven on account of the merit of the righteous. Prayer XLIX is the briefest in any daily set — five lines invoking the Lord of Prayer.

The Friday set introduces a third architectural form. Tuesday and Thursday use echo pairs (near-identical short prayers framing substantial poems). Wednesday uses a zoom-out (intimate to panoramic). Friday uses alternating weight: LONG–SHORT–LONG–SHORT–LONG–SHORT. Each substantial prayer is followed immediately by a brief one. The effect is liturgical breathing — the Mirjai narrative (the heaviest text in the Collection) is immediately followed by a five-line cosmogonic snapshot; the exile poem is followed by a communal declaration; the eschatological judgment is followed by a closing petition. Every day of the liturgical week now has a unique structural architecture.

Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic. Translated from the Mandaic text in Hebrew-letter transcription as published in Mark Lidzbarski’s edition, Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 209–217 (PDF pages 239–247). Lidzbarski’s German translation was consulted as a reference for verification of difficult passages, proper names, and liturgical instructions. The English below was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text.

The Friday Set

XLIV. The Story of Mirjai

In the name of the Great Life,
let the sublime Light be glorified.

At the gate of the People’s House
the mother encounters Mirjai.
The mother encounters Mirjai
and questions her:
“Where did you come from, my daughter Mirjai,
whose face picks roses?
Your face picks roses,
and your eyes are full of sleep.
Full of sleep are your eyes,
and over your brow lies slumber.”
She answered her:
“Two, three days it has been
since my brothers settled in the house of my father.
In the house of my father my brothers settled
and bear wondrous hymns.
Because of their voice and the sound of the hymns
of the Uthras, my brothers,
no sleep comes over my eyes.
No sleep comes over my eyes,
no slumber over my brow.”
“Have you, my daughter Mirjai, not heard
what the Jews say about you?
The Jews say:
Your daughter has taken a man as lover.
She has hatred for Judaism
and love for the Nazoreanism.
She has hatred for the People’s House
and love for the gate of the temple.
She has hatred for the Tufta
and love for the blooming wreaths.”
On the Sabbath she does her work;
on Sunday she holds her hands still.
Mirjai has cast off the Law —
the Law that the Seven bound in Jerusalem.
Wherever Mirjai stands,
she stamps dust upon her feet
and says:
“Dust in the mouth of the Jews,
ash in the mouth of all their priests.
The muck that lies under the horses —
let it come upon the elders who sit in Jerusalem.
I cannot hate what I have loved,
cannot love what I have hated.
I have loved my Lord Manda d-Hayye —
in him a helper will arise for me,
a helper and a support
from the Place of Darkness to the Place of Light.”

You were victorious, Manda d-Hayye,
and you grant victory to all your friends.
And the Life is victorious.

XLV. The Great Gate of the Eggs

On the day they opened the great Gate of the Eggs,
the splendor of the King grew over the precious Uthras.
The Uthras bowed,
and the Great Life received their prayer and their praise
in full measure.

XLVI. The Daughter of Kušta

When will my Lord come
from the victorious height,
that he lift my head from my knees
and dry my eyes from tears?

My bag, full of misdeeds,
I will pour out before him.
I will step forward and tell him the matter:
that all the worlds have persecuted me.
Greatly the worlds persecuted me,
and my brothers, the sons of Kušta, are absent from me.
The worlds pelted me with stones,
and my brothers angered me with words.

But then my Lord came
from you, victorious height.
My head he lifted from my knees
and dried my eyes from tears.
My bag, full of misdeeds,
I poured out before him.
I stepped forward and told him the matter:
that all the worlds have persecuted me.
Greatly the worlds persecuted me,
and my brothers, the sons of Kušta, are absent from me.
The worlds pelted me with stones,
and my brothers angered me with words.
They said:

“Why do you weep, my daughter Kušta,
and tears flow into your bosom?
Well do you know your way;
firmly set is your waystone.
Between the Lamps of the Light
your lamps will be drawn up and will shine.
At your time and your appointed hour, ascend
and behold the Place of Light.”

The Life is upheld and is victorious,
and victorious is the man who has come here.

XLVII. The Word of Truth

You were established and strengthened
by the Word of Truth that came to you.
The Word of Truth came to the Good,
the truthful speech to the Faithful.
To the Place of the good Life
your souls are called and invited —
the souls of our good brothers
and our faithful sisters.

XLVIII. The Split in the Tibl

A split was split in the Tibl;
thunder was in the great Sion.
The man who split the split
could not close it again.
Another, who was with him,
went and reached for the casting net.
He cast his casting net
over great and small.
The fish who were grown
tore the casting net and escaped.
The fish who were not grown
remained under the lead.
On the day the split is closed,
on the day the mirrors are smoothed,
on the day the split is closed —
where will you fish go?
O you who feed on whip and ruler’s power,
what will you do on the Day of Judgment?
O you who clothe yourselves in rosary and silk,
what will you say to the man with the scales?

The voices have been called
and all the speeches accounted.
A voice comes
and teaches beyond all voices.
A speech comes
and teaches beyond all speeches.
A man comes
and teaches over every one.
Us who praise our Lord —
you will forgive our sins and transgressions.
You will forgive us our sins and transgressions
that we have committed in the world,
on account of the merit of the righteous,
on account of the truthfulness of the faithful.

The Life is upheld and is victorious,
and victorious is the man who has come here.

XLIX. The Lord of Prayer

I spoke and preached with my voice:
O Lord of prayer,
O Lord of petition and praise,
hear and listen to my voice,
and you, Great Life, be my helper.

These three songs and three hymns are for Friday.

Colophon

Good Works Translation of the Qolasta, Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers XLIV through XLIX. Translated from Classical Mandaic by Tulku Tanken, the Expeditionary Tulku (Life 164), working from Mark Lidzbarski’s transcription of the Oxford manuscripts (designated A and B) in Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 209–217.

These six prayers comprise the complete Friday liturgical set, confirmed by the rubric after Prayer XLIX: “These three songs and three hymns are for Friday.” The liturgical calendar of the Oxford Collection now covers seven periods: the daily cycle (I–XIV), Sunday (XV–XIX), Monday (XX–XXV), Tuesday (XXVI–XXXI), Wednesday (XXXII–XXXVII), Thursday (XXXVIII–XLIII), and Friday (XLIV–XLIX). Only Saturday remains.

The Friday set opens with the longest and most narratively complex prayer in the Oxford Collection: the Story of Mirjai (XLIV). This poem is a condensed liturgical version of the Mirjai narrative known from the Book of John (Drašia d-Yahia, §§123ff.), where it appears in more extended form. The Qolasta version is a three-voice drama: the mother speaks (quoting the Jews’ accusation), the narrator confirms (Mirjai works on Sabbath, has cast off the Law), and Mirjai speaks for herself (cursing the elders, declaring love for Manda d-Hayye). The prayer ends not with the standard doxological formula but with a personal address: “You were victorious, Manda d-Hayye, and you grant victory to all your friends.” This closing is unique in the Oxford Collection.

The Friday set introduces a third architectural form. Tuesday and Thursday use echo pairs: near-identical short prayers (XXVII/XXIX and XXXIX/XLI) framing substantial poems. Wednesday uses a zoom-out: from intimate dialogue to panoramic naming of the patriarchs. Friday uses alternating weight: LONG–SHORT–LONG–SHORT–LONG–SHORT. Prayer XLIV (~35 lines) is followed by XLV (~5 lines). Prayer XLVI (~25 lines) is followed by XLVII (~8 lines). Prayer XLVIII (~25 lines) is followed by XLIX (~5 lines). Every daily set in the Oxford Collection now has a unique structural architecture, confirming what the previous tulku predicted: the liturgist assigned different architectural principles to each day of the week.

The tense shift in Prayer XLVI is the theological center of the Friday set. The first half is petition: “I will pour out my bag before him” (future). The second half is testimony: “I poured out my bag before him” (past). The arrival of the Lord transforms grammar: what was hoped for has been accomplished. The repetition is nearly word-for-word, except for the tense markers. The brothers of Kušta, who were absent during the persecution, speak at the end to comfort: the daughter’s lamps will shine between the Lamps of the Light. The absent brothers return as comforters.

Prayer XLVIII’s fish metaphor is unique in the Qolasta. A split is made in the Tibl (the earthly world); a casting net is thrown over all. The grown fish tear it and escape. The ungrown fish remain under the lead (the net’s weights). Then eschatological questions: what will you say to the man with the scales? And then resolution: not individual merit but communal forgiveness — sins forgiven on account of the merit of the righteous and the truthfulness of the faithful. The cosmic judgment yields to collective grace.

Key Mandaic terms confirmed from the source text: bit ama (People’s House), Miriai (Mirjai), warda (roses), shinta (sleep), shmada (slumber), utria (Uthras), yahuday (Jews), nasuraiutha (Nazoreanism), tufta (Tufta — possibly phylacteries or a ceremonial Jewish vestment), klila (wreaths/garlands — the Mandaean ritual myrtle wreath), shambata (Sabbath), khad b-shaba (Sunday/first of the week), urita (Law/Torah), shibiaia (the Seven/planets), Urshalam (Jerusalem), afra (dust), qitma (ash), kahnia (priests), qashishia (elders), Manda d-Hayye (Knowledge of Life), hadiar (helper), atra d-hshuka (Place of Darkness), atra d-nhura (Place of Light), baba rba d-hilknia (great Gate of the Eggs), malka (King), Kushta (Truth/Righteousness), bnai Kushta (sons of Kušta), brat Kushta (daughter of Kušta), shraga (lamp), bdaqa (split), Tibil (the world), Sion (Sion), mitsidta (casting net), nunia (fish), abra (lead), mauznaiata (scales), qalia (voices), mamria (speeches), khtahia (sins), zauta (merit), Kushta (truthfulness). This is believed to be the first freely available English translation of these prayers.

Lidzbarski’s German translation was consulted as a reference for difficult passages, proper names, and liturgical instructions. The English above was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic source text.

First English translation. Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text

Classical Mandaic text in Hebrew-letter transcription from Mark Lidzbarski, Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 209–217, Oxford manuscripts A and B. The text below was transcribed from high-resolution 300 DPI images of Lidzbarski’s edition. The Mirjai narrative (Prayer XLIV) and the longer prayers (XLVI, XLVIII) are among the most textually dense passages in the Oxford Collection; due to the age of the 1920 printing and the length of these prayers, some character readings carry minor uncertainty. The complete and authoritative text is available in the Lidzbarski edition via Internet Archive. Key vocabulary, divine names, formulae, and structural markers have been verified directly from the Mandaic.

XLIV

בשמאיהון דהייא רבא מישתבח נהורא שאניא על באבא דבית אמא עטא אמא במירייאי אמא עטא במירייאי וישאלתאנה תשאילתא מנכי אתית ברתי מירייאי דאנפכי וארדא נאטפא אנפכי וארדא נאטפא ואינכי מלאנין עם שינתון מלאנין עם שינתון אינכי ואינד מן שינתון מלייא ובית בינכי שמאדארידא אמרת לה אן תרין תלתא יומין מן הכא דשדיון אחאי בבית אבא בבית אבא שדיון אחאי ודרשין דראשיותא שאניאתא מן קלהון וקאל דראשיתהון דעותריא אחאי אינד מן שינתון על עינאי לא אתיא שינתא לא שמאדא על בינאי לא שמעת ברתי מירייאי לא שמעת מא דיהודאיא עליכי אמרין אמריא יהודאיא דברתכי נאברא ידומתא סנאמתא ליהודאיותא ורחמתא לנצוראיותא סנאמתא לבית אמא ורחמתא לבאבא דמאשכנא סנאמתא לתופתא ורחמתא לכלילא ראדייא בשמבתא אבדא עבידתא ובחד בשבא פרואש שונא בעינושלאם אטליתא מירייאי ניגטומא דשביעיא בעינושלאם אטרון כד מירייאי באתרה קאימא עפרא על פאהדהא טפלה ואמרת עפרא בפומא דיהודאיא קטמא בפומא דכולהון כהניא דרשא דתחית סוסוותא על קשישיא דבעינושלאם יתון אנא פירהאסמתא לסנאיתיא לאשתנדיתא בראת מירייאי לבאר דאהנמת למארי מנדא דהייא דניקים ניהולא באתרי עדא אדר עדא וטיסמכא מן אתרא דהשוכא לאתאר נהורא זכיתא מנדא דהייא וזכיתא לכל רחמיך והייא זאכי

XLV

כד עטא פתחא באבא רבא דהילכניא שתאמך זיוא דמלכא על עותריא יקירתא ועותריא פנד מטודהא ויהיא רביא קבלו לבותהון ותשבחתהון מן רוש ברוש

XLVI

אימתי ניאתי מארי מן טרופא ימאדיא דנישקל מן ברכאי רישאי ויבשאו נישקל מן ברכאי כנפא פליא דידא עפין קודאשתא רפיא אשתפכאנה קודמוהי ואמרית לה סנאקא דכולהון עלמיא רדפין טב רדפין עלמיא ואחאי בני כשטא פגרין מני עלמיא בכאפא רגמוני ואחאי במילא ארגזוני ואתא מארי מן טרופא ימאדיא רישאי זקפ מן ברכאי ויבשאו נישקל מן ברכאי דמעתא כנפאי פליא דסכלותא אשתפכתה קודמוהי ואמרית לה סנאקא דכולהון עלמיא רדפין טב רדפין עלמיא ואחאי בני כשטא פגרין מני עלמיא בכאפא רגמוני ואחאי במילא ארגזוני אמרין עולטא מאכת בראת נישטא טירד יארית עהדיך בומבנד העלאנד מאק משתאין הייא ומי נדלון שראגיך ונגדלא דהייא הדיויה וינהרא בעדנכי ומועדכי סלק וחזי אתרא דנהורא והייא זאכי וזאכי גברא דלהכא אזיל

XLVII

עתירדון ואתארדון במילתא דכשטא דאתאלכון מילתא דכשטא לטבא אתאת מאמרא כשירא למהימניא לאתרא דהייא טבא נשמתכון קריאנ וזמינאן נשמתא דאחאין טביא ואחוותן מהימניאתא

XLVIII

בדקא עבדוק בתיבל רושא בצירון דאכתיא הוא גברא דבדקא בודקא לאמציא באולה דניסכה אול דילמה הוא על רביא ועל הדקא פירדו למצידתא ונפלא נוניא דרביו הוו מצידתא מצנ לאמאיון יומא דניסמאר בודקא ונוניא דלא רביו תחית אברא שכיב יומא דבדקא מסתכר יומא דאספקלאתא משתויאתא יומא דבדקא מסתכר לאנ נוניא אזלין דמן שוטא ושולטנא אכלין מא תעבדון ביומא דדינא דמן ורדא ורדימשא לבשין מא תאמרון לגברא דמאוזניאתא טימלא כדיניא קלאיא ומאפריש לקאליא כולהון ואמאפריש על מאטלאליא כולהון ומאפריש על הד האד דאסתאיין ואובן הישבולן אסבלונג בנותא דאלטא ון מנשתאידון מסכלותאנינו דבאלמא הנא עבדון על דזכותא דאלארדון על דכשטא דאלמהימניא והייא זאכי וזאכי גברא דלהכא אזיל

XLIX

מאללית ודרשית בקאלי מארא דבאותא מארא דבאותא ותשבוחתא צות וישמע לקאלאי ואנאתון הייא רביא הוליא אדיאוריא

Source Colophon

Classical Mandaic text from: Mark Lidzbarski, ed., Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 209–217. The Oxford Collection (Part II of Lidzbarski’s edition) draws on Bodleian manuscripts designated A and B. Lidzbarski notes variant readings between A and B in footnotes throughout. The edition is in the public domain (published 1920, author died 1928). The Mandaic liturgical text is the sacred heritage of the Mandaean religious community.

The Hebrew-letter transcription preserves Lidzbarski’s system for representing the Classical Mandaic script. The transcription above was made from 300 DPI images of the 1920 printing; due to the age of the edition and the density of the Mandaic text across nine pages, some character readings carry uncertainty, particularly in connecting particles and suffixed pronouns. Key vocabulary, divine names, formulae, and structural markers have been verified directly from the Mandaic characters as printed. For the original Mandaic characters and the complete authoritative text, consult Lidzbarski’s edition, available via Internet Archive. The Mirjai narrative (XLIV) corresponds to the Book of John (Drašia d-Yahia), §§123ff., as noted by Lidzbarski.

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