First Book, Prayers X–XIV
The Oxford Collection ("Die Oxforder Sammlung") is the second manuscript tradition of the Mandaean Qolasta, preserved in Bodleian manuscripts A and B. The previous translation in this archive covered Prayers I through IX — the daily liturgical cycle and the Sunday Prayer for Healing. The present translation continues the First Book with five more prayers: the dawn prayer of purification (X), the blessing of the divine Name (XI), the great litany of the cosmic Vine and the Skinas (XII), the dialogue between the disciples and Manda d-Hayye (XIII), and the dramatic poem of Manda d-Hayye's coming into the world (XIV).
Prayer XII is a litany of invocation, ascending through the celestial hierarchy: Srar the hidden Vine, the Skina of the Radiant Ones, the dwelling of the forefathers, Rwaz the cosmic Vine and ruler of the Light-worlds, and the Skina toward which the Nasoraeans' eyes gaze upward. Prayer XIII presents a rare dialogue between disciples and their teacher — the disciples renounce worldly merit, and Manda d-Hayye promises them garments, wreaths, and the title of Uthras. Prayer XIV is the most dramatic text in the sequence — a cascading poem in which Manda d-Hayye's entry into the world causes the earth to tremble, Ruha to mourn, the Seven planets to lose their secret, and Namrus to drop her weapons. The divine comes not as a warrior but as a merchant bearing true words.
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 178–185 (PDF pages 207–214). 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.
X. The Dawn Prayer
This prayer is preceded by the Waking of the Sleepers — a passage in which the sleeping are shaken awake and called to rise, venerate, and praise the Image of the Life. The Waking appears in the manuscript under the heading of Prayer X, but is textually continuous with Prayer IX (the Morning Vision). It was translated in the previous file (Prayers I–IX) as the closing section of IX.
In the name of the great Life.
We washed our hands in Kushta
and our lips in faith.
We spoke in words of splendor,
through which the treasures of the Light kindled.
Blessed and praised are you, my Lord Manda d-Hayye,
and established is your praise.
Extended is the power of the Life,
and great is the splendor of the Mighty One.
Glory rests upon the Uthras,
who sit in glory.
This is the prayer and the praise that came to us from the great Light-place and the radiant dwelling. We praise with it when we rise from sleep, before anyone has spoken in falsehood. To each one who performs this prayer, a forgiver of sins and transgressions shall be granted at the great Light-place and in the radiant dwelling.
And the Life is victorious.
XI. The Blessing of the Name
Blessed is your name, praised your name, my Lord Manda d-Hayye.
You were blessed by the pure mountains that do not waver,
and the Faces of Kushta that do not change.
You were blessed by the Sons of Salvation who sit beside you.
You were blessed by Jawar-Ziwa, the great King of the Nasirutha.
You were blessed by the Ether, the pure Light, the Guide who is all righteousness.
And I venerate and praise that ray of light and the messenger of all luminaries.
Blessed is his name, praised his name — the Man who rests upon the Skinas. Upon the Skinas rests also his name, who daily gazes upon his form and praises the great Face of Glory.
And praised be the Life.
These four prayers — "Upon the Light of the Ether I stand" [= Prayer I], "I rose early from my sleep" [= Prayer IX], "We washed our hands in Kushta" [= Prayer X], and "Blessed is your name, praised your name" [= Prayer XI] — recite at the prayer of the dawn, after the incense.
XII. The Vine and the Skinas
In the name of the great Life.
I venerate, glorify, and praise Srar — that great, hidden, first Vine, who bears a thousand times a thousand fruits and ten thousand times ten thousand tendrils. I called him and he heard me. Again I will call him, and he will hear me — that he may come and heal me, that he may enliven, establish, and raise me upright:
my eyes in light,
my feet in firmness,
my mouth in wisdom,
my heart in illumination.
Furthermore I venerate, glorify, and praise that great, hidden, first Skina of the House of the Radiant Ones.
Furthermore I venerate, glorify, and praise that great, hidden, first Skina in which my forefathers sit.
Furthermore I venerate, glorify, and praise Rwaz — that great, first Vine who left waters among the dwellings.
Furthermore I venerate, glorify, and praise Rwaz — that great, first Light who was established as ruler over the Light-worlds.
Furthermore I venerate, glorify, and praise that great, hidden, first Skina toward which the eyes of the Nasoraeans, the priests, and the men of proven righteousness gaze upward — to ascend and behold the great place of the Light and the radiant dwelling.
And the Life is victorious.
Perform this prayer at the prayer of the seventh station, after the incense and after "Upon the Light of the Ether I stand."
XIII. The Disciples
The time has come to perform the prayer,
and the great hour to be humble,
to show reverence to my Lord Manda d-Hayye,
that the men of proven righteousness may be awakened.
The disciples speak to Manda d-Hayye:
"We renounce wages, almsgiving, and all other merit. We wish to leave the Godhead of the House. We wish to come and become faithful."
Thereupon Manda d-Hayye speaks to the disciples:
"Your Father commands extended power — more extended than any boundary, than the heated, worthless treasures, and than the consuming fire. The Good One clothes and envelops his sons; he lifts them up and shows them the essence of the great peace of the Life. Your souls shall then shine forth from the Light-cloud, while the other souls perish and are as though they had never been. You shall receive your garment; you shall receive your wreath. Among the Great you shall be great; among the Uthras you shall be called Uthras. You shall say: 'The Life stands firm in its Skina; the Life is victorious.'"
Perform this prayer at the prayer of the evening, after the incense and after "Upon the Light of the Ether I stand."
XIV. The Coming of Manda d-Hayye
In the name of the great Life,
may the sublime Light be glorified.
On Sunday, the chief of the days —
who has gazed upon what I have gazed upon?
Who gazed upon Manda d-Hayye,
who went forth and came into the world?
He went forth and came into the world;
the earth lies there and trembles.
He recites — lovely is his voice —
and he raised up the word in his mouth.
The word he raised in his mouth;
he overturned the world and left it.
He overturned and left the world;
Ruha sits mourning there.
Mourning sits Ruha;
the Seven sit in confusion.
They weep and draw out their lament,
for their secret was revealed.
Because revealed was their secret,
they shall come to an end on the great final day.
Namrus feared and trembled;
her weapons fell from her shoulder.
From her shoulder fell her weapons,
the bows from her palm.
Ruha speaks to her sons:
"My sons! When fear seizes your mother,
what will you Seven do?
When the strange man comes,
who will stand against him?"
A club of splendor is in the hand of Manda d-Hayye;
he approaches the rebels and casts them down.
Bar-Hayye raised his voice
and spoke to the Seven:
"I have brought merchandise to my friends,
true words to the faithful.
The men who buy my merchandise —
their merits shall be wound about their heads.
Their merits wound about their heads,
and they shall ascend and gaze upon the Light-place."
The Life is upheld and victorious,
and victorious is the man who has gone there.
Colophon
Good Works Translation of the Qolasta, Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers X through XIV. Translated from Classical Mandaic by Tulku Tanken (探検), the Expeditionary Tulku (Life 160), working from Mark Lidzbarski's transcription of the Oxford manuscripts (designated A and B) in Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 178–185.
Prayer X is the daily dawn prayer, washed in Kushta before falsehood is spoken. Prayer XI blesses the Name through ascending celestial witnesses. Prayer XII is a litany of the cosmic Vine (Srar) and the Skinas — the divine dwelling-places through which healing reaches the worshipper's eyes, feet, mouth, and heart. Prayer XIII is a dialogue in which disciples renounce earthly merit and Manda d-Hayye promises them garments, wreaths, and the name of Uthras. Prayer XIV is a dramatic cosmological poem: Manda d-Hayye enters the world, the earth trembles, Ruha and the Seven planets are thrown into chaos, and the Son of the Life comes not as a warrior but as a merchant, offering true words to those who will buy. The rubrics assign these prayers to specific liturgical stations: X and XI at dawn, XII at the seventh station, XIII at evening — all following the incense.
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. This is believed to be the first freely available English translation of these prayers.
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 178–185, Oxford manuscripts A and B. The text below is transcribed from high-resolution 300 DPI images of Lidzbarski's edition. Due to the age of the printing and the complexity of the Mandaic script, some character readings carry minor uncertainty; the complete and authoritative text is available in the Lidzbarski edition via Internet Archive.
X
בשומאידון דהייא רביא דאלינן עדנן בכושטא וספין בראימאנותא מאולינן במאלליא דזיוא דמעדביתון עניא דנהורא בריכת ומשתבחת מראי מנדא דהייא ומקייאמא הושבנדתאך נפישא חילא דהייא ומאכיד אזיוא דרוביא שריא קאלעא על עותריא דבזיוא יתבין הדא הי צלותא ואושבדתא דאתאלן מן אתרא רבא דנהורא ומן משכנא דזיוא דמשבחינן בה כד מן שינתא קיימינן קדם דאנש בכדבא יימר כל מאן דהדא צלותא עביד שביקאנא דהטאהיא וסרחאניא באתרא רבא דנהורא ובמשכנא דזיוא הויאלה ודהייא זאכי
XI
בריך שומך ומשתבח שומך מראי מנדא דהייא בריכוך טורייא דכין דלא מזדעזעין ואופאניא דכושטא דלא משתחלפין בריכוך בניא דהייא דלואתך יתבין בריכך יאואר זיוא מאלכא רבא דנאצירותא בריכך אטרא נהורא דכיא מויבלנא דכלה כושטא ומסגדנא ומשבחנא לנהורא דזיוא ואזגנדא דכל נהוריא בריך שומה ומשתבח שומה גברא דעל שכינתא שריא על שכינתא שריא אף שומה דביומא ביומא דמותה חאזי ואנפא רבא דזיוא משבח ומשאכין דהייא
XII
בשומאידון דהייא רביא מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לשרר נורא רבא כסיא קדמאיא דאלף אלפין פירי טעין ורבוא רבבן שבישין קריתה ועניאני ותוב אנא קריאנא ועניאני דייתי ויסייאני ודייוליאני ואקימני ואקפני עיניא בנהורא ריגליא בשררא פומא בחכמתא ולבא בהוירא ותוב מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לשכינתא רבתא כסיתא קדמיתא דבית דאהריזייא ותוב מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לשכינתא רבתא כסיתא קדמיתא דאבהתאי ביה יתבין ותוב מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לרואז נורא רבא קדמאיא ותוב מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לרואז נהורא רבא קדמאיא דשאליט על עלמי נהורא אתעביד ותוב מסגדנא ומשבחנא ומהדרנא לשכינתא רבתא כסיתא קדמיתא דעיני נאצוראיי כהניא וגבריא דכשרותא לאסתלקותא ולמחזא אתרא רבא דנהורא ומשכנא דזיוא ודהייא זאכי
XIII
ועדאנא רבא לאטיינותא מטי עדנא דצלותא למראי מנדא דהייא דחלתא לאטייגנותא דגבריא דכשרותא מתערין תלמידיא אמרין למנדא דהייא אגרא וזדקתא ותמונא כלהון בסריננא דלאלהותא דביתא נפקינן ונייתון ונהימנון אמר להון מנדא דהייא לתלמידיא אבוכון חילא נפישא רבא דרב מן כל סיפא ומן גזריא חמימיא סריקיא ומן נורא אכילתא טאבא מלביש ועאטף לבניה ונאטל ומחוי להון אתרא דשלמותא רבתא דהייא נפשתכון מן ענני נהורא מבדקין ואחריניא נפשאתא מייתין ואיך דלא הוו בושייכון אסבתון כלילייכון אסבתון מן רבייא רבייא הוייתון ובין עותריא עותריא אתקריתון ואמריתון דהייא מקיים בשכינתה דהייא זאכי
XIV
בשומאידון דהייא רביא מתרבא נהורא שניא כאון גא דאימא הייא טאש דאתאשבא בריש יומיא מאן חזא דמנדא דהייא דאזל ואתא לאלמא אזל ואתא לאלמא ארעא רמיא ורעדא מקביל שפיר קלה ואקים במאמרה מלתא מלתא אקים במאמרה טרא לאלמא ושבקה טרא ושבקה לאלמא רוהא יתבא משתמדרותא משתמדרותא יתבא רוהא שובעא יתבין מתבהלין בכין ומושכין בכיתהון דארזייהון גליא דגליא ארזייהון ביומא רבא דסופא מסתייפין נמרוס דחלת ואזדעזעת זינהא מן כתפהא נפל מן כתפהא נפל זינהא קשתתא מן פאסהא עדיא בריא כד אימכון דחלתא מא אנתון שובעא עבדין כד אתיא גברא נוכראיא מאן אזל לאפה כולנא דזיוא ביד מנדא דהייא קריב למרדיא ושדי להון בר הייא ארים קלה ואמר להון לשובעא אנא לרחמאי מרכולתא אייתיתנלה ומלי דכושטא למהימניא גבריא דמרכולתאי זבנין זכואתהון ברישהון מתכרכין זכואתהון מתכרכן ברישהון ומסתלקין אתרא דנהורא חזין הייא אתרמים וזאכי וזאכי גברא דלהכא אזל
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic text from: Mark Lidzbarski, ed., Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 178–185. The Oxford Collection (Part II of Lidzbarski's edition) draws on Bodleian manuscripts designated A and B, distinct from the Marsh 691 manuscript used for Part I. 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.
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