Fourth Book — The Banner Liturgy
The Fourth Book of the Oxford Collection is the complete liturgy of the Mandaean sacred banner (drabsha) — twenty prayers tracing its ritual life from first spreading to final folding. The sequence mirrors a single baptismal ceremony: the banner is unfurled with seven hymns (I–VII), carried in procession to the Jordan with four blessings (VIII–XI), planted at the water's edge (XII–XIII), held during the baptism (XIV–XV), celebrated after the rite is complete (XVI–XVII), and folded and stored with chains of precious stones and the seal of the great Life (XVIII–XIX). A final praise-poem (XX) is recited at the releasing of the crown on Sunday. The liturgical rubrics woven between the prayers constitute a complete ceremonial manual — the only surviving instructions for the Mandaean banner rite in this detail.
Where the Third Book told the cosmic story of creation, the Fourth Book provides the physical ceremony that re-enacts it. Every spreading of the banner recalls the commission. Every folding recalls the Orderer of Orderings returning to the embrace of the Life. The banner is the visible sign of what the Third Book describes invisibly: the radiance going forth.
The file concludes with the Collection Colophon, which dates the entire Oxford Collection — all four books — to Wednesday, the ninth of the Parwanaji, in the year 936 of the Hijra (September 1529 CE).
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 264–277 (PDF pages 294–307). Lidzbarski's German translation was consulted as a reference for verification.
The Opening
In the names of the great Life: may healing and triumph and strength be granted to NN.
And the Life is victorious.
Part One — The Spreading
These seven songs are spoken over the banner when it is spread out.
I. The Banner from Paris
In the Name of the Great Life.
When the radiance came forth from Paris, the white earth, Arspan, the great youth, the son of the radiant beings, spread out the banner. He spread the great radiance so that the Uthras and Shekinas might shine through the radiance of his banner. They shone through the radiance of his banner like the great radiance in the house of the mighty Life.
And the Life is victorious.
II. The Three Hundred and Sixty Sources
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when Sislam the Great spread his banner over the bodies, three hundred and sixty sources of radiance, of light, and of glory were formed through it. The radiance of the banner of Sislam the Great rose over the three sources of radiance. When the three sources of the radiance beheld the radiance of the banner of the great Sislam, they prostrated themselves before the radiance and praised it beyond measure.
And the Life is victorious.
III. The Wondrous Banner
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when Sislam the Great spread his banner, his radiance rose over the three hundred and sixty Jordans. The radiance of the banner of Sislam the Great rose over the seven sources, and the source Shimhi sprang forth before the radiance of the banner of the great Sislam. The fragrance of his banner was lovely and went over the Shekinas. How well it stands for Sislam the Great, when he descends through Zihrun, the wondrous banner, and is illuminated! How well stands Sislam the Great, when he is called King of all luminaries!
And the Life is victorious.
IV. The Banner Pirin
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when Sislam the Great swung the Banner Pirin and spread it at the head of his Shekina, its radiance rose over the source and the palm. When the source and the palm beheld the radiance of the banner of Sislam the Great, the source sprang forth through the radiance of the banner and illuminated the Banner Pirin beyond measure.
And the Life is victorious.
V. The Three Hundred and Sixty Light-Worlds
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when the Banner Sislamel was spread, its radiance rose over the three hundred and sixty light-worlds. Its radiance rose over the three hundred and sixty light-worlds, and when the three hundred and sixty light-worlds beheld the radiance of the Banner Sislamel, they all gathered before it. All gathered before it and spoke a blessing over the Banner of Bihram the Great. They spoke to it: "Your radiance, Banner Manharel, has risen, and your form has shone forth. Your Jordan received strength and course beyond measure."
And the Life is victorious.
VI. The Banner over the Water
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when Bihram the Great spread the banner over the water, his radiance went up over the water, and his radiance rose from the water. From the water his radiance rose and went over the worlds. When the worlds and the kings beheld the radiance of the Banner Sislamel, they all gathered before it. All gathered before it and spoke a blessing over the banner of the Great. They spoke to it: "Blessed are you, Banner Sislamel, and blessed be the man who appointed you. Great radiance has he bestowed upon you, and a rich crown set upon you. He bestowed myrtles that give the Uthras strength. The Jordans shine through your radiance, and the Uthras are fragrant through your fragrance beyond measure."
And the Life is victorious.
VII. The Banner and the Mirror
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when Sislam the Great spread his banner, the radiance of the banner of Sislam the Great rose like the great mirror that rests in the Jordan. His radiance rose, his Shekina shone, and his stock received permanence in victory.
And the Life is victorious.
Part Two — The Procession
Recite these songs before you carry the banner to the Jordan.
VIII. The King of the Uthras
In the Name of the Great Life.
Risen, risen is your radiance, King of the Uthras — it came and shone over the Uthras and Shekinas. When the Uthras and Shekinas beheld your radiance, all spoke a blessing for you. The Uthras spoke a blessing over you and honored you, because you came into being through the hand of the King.
IX. The Bestowal upon Hibil-Ziwa
The King blessed you with great blessing and bestowed you upon me, Hibil-Ziwa. He bestowed you upon me, Hibil-Ziwa — all worlds, kings, Jordans, and Shekinas to illuminate beyond measure.
X. The Chain of Blessing
Hibil blessed you with great blessing and bestowed you upon the hidden Adam. Adam blessed you with great blessing and bestowed you upon the men of proven righteousness. He bestowed you upon the men of proven righteousness, to illuminate their form and raise it beyond measure.
XI. The Men at the Jordan
The men of proven righteousness stood on their feet, took you in their right hand, went to the Jordan of living water, and set you up so that your radiance might rise over the Jordan. The water and its radiance intertwine. They intertwine and multiply over Silmai and Nidbai. The men of proven righteousness who go to the Jordan shine through your radiance. Guard and strengthen them, and let their baptism flourish.
And the Life is victorious.
Part Three — The Planting
Recite these songs, go to the Jordan, plant the banner at the shore of the Jordan, then read "Risen, risen is the radiance of Jawar."
XII. The Banner Zihrun
In the Name of the Great Life.
Who took the Banner Zihrun, through which the worlds and aeons shine, and went to the shore of the Jordan Piriawis? When the Jordan Piriawis beheld the radiance of the Banner Zihrun, it leaped toward its radiance. The water and the springs that dwell in the Jordan leap toward the radiance of the Banner Zihrun and shine beyond measure.
XIII. The Joy of the Jordan
In the Name of the Great Life.
Jawar took the Banner Sislamel, through which the worlds and aeons shine, and went to the shore of the Jordan Piriawis. When the Jordan Piriawis beheld the radiance of the Banner Zihrun, it fell into great joy beyond measure.
Part Four — At the Shore
Recite this song when you seize the banner at the shore of the Jordan, then read "At the head of the three Shekinas."
XIV. The Radiance over the Jordan
In the Name of the Great Life.
Risen, risen is the radiance of Jawar over the Jordan. The radiance of his banner has risen over the living water. The water leaps toward his radiance, and his radiance leaps toward the water. The water and its radiance intertwine. They intertwine, and abundantly comes radiance to the Uthras in their Shekinas beyond measure.
Recite this song when you seize the banner at the shore of the Jordan, then perform the baptism.
XV. The Three Shekinas
In the Name of the Great Life.
At the head of the three Shekinas —
who has set the great crown upon our head?
Who has set the great crown upon our head,
who has spread the banner over the Jordan?
Who spread the banner over the Jordan,
who grasped the olive staff in the Jordan?
At the head of the three Shekinas
he has set the great crown upon our head.
He set the great crown upon our head;
Jokashar spread the banner over the Jordan.
Jokashar spread the banner over the Jordan;
Jomit grasped the olive staff in the Jordan.
And the Life is victorious.
Part Five — After the Baptism
XVI. The Rejoicing
In the Name of the Great Life.
The great Life rejoiced — it rejoiced that Jawar beheld the banners of radiance and the lamps of light. It rejoiced that we trod down the darkness and made the rebellious call come to nothing. When we acted and order came, it was you, the Ordered Ones, who brought it into order.
Recite these two hymns after you have performed the baptism, then bring the banner into the hut.
XVII. The Return of the Banner
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when the Uthras prepared the Jordan of living water and the baptism was performed in it, they took the Banner Bihram, brought it into the Shekina of Sislam the Great, and spread it at the gate of the Eggs of Radiance, so that the Uthras and Shekinas might shine through its radiance and rejoice beyond measure.
Part Six — The Folding
XVIII. The Three Hundred and Sixty Guardians
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when the great Bihram folded his banner, three hundred and sixty guardians settled upon it. They covered it with chains of precious stones and set the seal of the great Life upon it. The great Life blesses with its pure mouth the man who has settled here, and speaks to him: "From your radiance grew, from your light was illuminated the whole world."
Our Father shines with his wondrous voice, speaking: "Let every one who is true and faithful go to the Jordan in the early morning, and let him be signed with the sign of the Jordan wholly and entirely."
Recite this song and fold the banner on the day of the great feast, this song alone. Every day on which you perform a baptism, fold the banner together with the named songs and cover it.
XIX. The Covering
In the Name of the Great Life.
On the day when the radiance of the Banner Sislamel was covered by the chains of radiance, all the Uthras rose from their thrones and spoke a wondrous blessing over the Banner Zihrun-Sislamel. They fetch it from the bodies of radiance and hide it in the inner eggs of concealment. They bless it, preserve it, and speak to it: "As your radiance waits in the chains, may your form be preserved. All worlds that behold you shall speak a blessing over you and praise you beyond measure."
Recite these songs and fold the banner. With the piece of the Day of the Great Feast, when you perform the baptism, fold the banner with that song alone; except on the day of the great feast of slaughter — then read both.
Part Seven — The Crown
XX. The Praise of the Mirror
In the Name of the Great Life.
You are a bright polished treasure,
you, Banner, are a mirror,
through whose radiance the kings shine.
The kings shine through its radiance,
and the crowns flash through it.
The crowns shine through its radiance,
and the springs intertwine in its radiance.
The springs, the radiant beings, and the mirrors venerate the great crown. They praise it and speak to it: "Praised be this your form. We wish to behold you and be established with you in your Shekina. With you we wish to be established in your Shekina, to be united with you wholly and entirely."
This is the song of the releasing of the crown. When you perform the prayer on Sunday, before you read "Stand up, stand up, you men of proven righteousness," read this song.
The Collection Colophon
This collection of songs and hymns — of the responsion, of the songs of the banner, and of the song of the releasing of the crown — was assembled and came into being in the name of the First Life, in the sign of Manda d-Hayye, and in the name of Hibil, Shitil, and Anosh — praised be their name in the great place, in the House of Completion — on Wednesday, the ninth of the month of the Parwanaji, in a Tuesday-year, the year 936, as the Arabs have reckoned it.
May the world pass over them, and may Manda d-Hayye remove the wrath of the Evil One from the great stock of souls.
Colophon
Good Works Translation from Classical Mandaic.
Source: Mark Lidzbarski, ed., Mandaische Liturgien (Mandaean Liturgies), Berlin: Weidmann, 1920, pages 264–277. The Oxford Collection (Part II of Lidzbarski's edition) draws on Bodleian manuscripts A and B. The Collection Colophon dates the manuscripts to the year 936 of the Hijra, corresponding to September 1529 CE.
Translator: Tanken, Expeditionary Tulku, Life 169, New Tianmu Anglican Church.
Blood Rule statement: This translation was independently derived from the Classical Mandaic text in Hebrew-letter transcription as published in Lidzbarski's edition, rendered as 300 DPI PNG images from the PDF. Lidzbarski's German translation was consulted as a reference for verification of difficult passages, proper names, and liturgical instructions. No existing English translation of the Fourth Book was consulted (none is known to exist). The German confirmed readings of the Mandaic but did not generate the English.
Notes:
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The Fourth Book is a complete banner liturgy — a ceremonial manual for the Mandaean sacred banner (drabsha). The twenty prayers trace the banner's ritual life from spreading to folding, organized into seven distinct stages: spreading (I–VII), procession (VIII–XI), planting (XII–XIII), shore ceremony (XIV–XV), post-baptism celebration (XVI–XVII), folding (XVIII–XIX), and crown-releasing (XX). The rubrics between prayers constitute the only surviving detailed instructions for the banner rite in the Oxford Collection.
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The banner has multiple names across the prayers: Zihrun (the golden banner), Sislamel / Sislamel, Bihram / Manharel, and Pirin. Lidzbarski notes (XIII) that the same piece uses two different names for the banner. The names may designate different physical banners or different aspects of the same sacred object. The relationship between these names is not fully resolved.
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Paris (Prayer I) is a celestial location in Mandaean cosmology — "the white earth." Lidzbarski suggests it may refer to Paris/Persia by a different derivation, though the Mandaean usage treats it as a cosmic geography distinct from the earthly place.
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Arspan (Prayer I) is identified as "the great youth, son of the radiant beings" — the first banner-bearer, who spread the original banner when the radiance came forth from Paris.
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Prayer XV is the only prayer in the Fourth Book that uses a question-and-answer structure — a liturgical catechism embedded in the banner ceremony. The questions (who set the crown? who spread the banner? who grasped the olive staff?) are answered with the divine names: the crown-setter (unnamed), Jokashar (the banner-spreader), and Jomit (the staff-grasper). This structure suggests congregational or antiphonal recitation.
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Prayer XVIII contains a difficult passage. The great Life blesses the banner-man and speaks: "From your radiance grew, from your light was illuminated the whole world." Then "Our Father" speaks — the quoted speech concerns going to the Jordan and being signed with the sign of the Jordan. The precise meaning depends on whether the Mandaic particle is affirmative or prohibitive. The passage may be a liturgical instruction about the proper relationship between the banner ceremony and the individual baptism.
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Prayer XX introduces the banner as a mirror — a polished treasure through whose radiance kings shine. This metaphor connects the Fourth Book back to Prayer VII ("the great mirror that rests in the Jordan") and to the broader Mandaean theology of radiance: the banner reflects the light-world into the Jordan, making the invisible visible.
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The Collection Colophon dates the entire Oxford Collection to 1529 CE — Wednesday, the 9th of the Parwanaji, in the year 936 of the Hijra (the Hijra year 936 began September 5, 1529). The Parwanaji are the five intercalary days (epagomenae) in the Mandaean calendar, inserted between the sixth and seventh months. "A Tuesday-year" designates a year whose first day is Tuesday in the Mandaean calendrical system. The colophon refers to the collection as comprising hymns, responsion, banner songs, and the crown-releasing song — confirming that the Fourth Book (the banner songs) and Prayer XX (the crown song) are integral to the collection's original design.
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Silmai and Nidbai (Prayer XI) are the two celestial beings who guard the heavenly Jordan. Their names appear in baptismal contexts throughout the Qolasta. The phrase "intertwine and multiply over Silmai and Nidbai" suggests the baptismal radiance rises above even the Jordan-guardians.
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"The Eggs of Radiance" (Prayer XVII) — the gate at which the banner is spread after the baptism. The image of eggs (Mandaic: bi'a) as containers of radiance recurs in Mandaean cosmological texts. The eggs may represent the cosmic shells or spheres that contain the light-world.
First free independent English translation of the Qolasta Fourth Book (Oxford Collection) and Collection Colophon.
Scribal credit: Typeset by Tanken. April 2026.
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Source Text: The Oxford Collection, Fourth Book
Classical Mandaic text in Hebrew-letter transcription from Mark Lidzbarski, ed., Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 264–277. The transcription below covers representative opening lines of each prayer as legible from 300 DPI rendered images of the edition. The complete and authoritative Mandaic text is in Lidzbarski's edition, accessible via Internet Archive.
Opening
בשמאיהון דהייא רביא אסותא ואמרתא
I
בשמא דהייא רביא כד נפאק ויוא מן פאריס ארקא דוואירתיא
II
בשמא דהייא רביא מן יוסא גנדלה שישלאם רבא לדדראבשיתא
VII
בשמא דהייא רביא מן יוסא גנדלה שישלאם רבא לדראבשיתא
XII
בשמא דהייא רביא מאן נסבא לויהרון דראבשיתא
XV
בשמא דהייא רביא
בריש תלאת שביננתא
XVIII
בשמא דהייא רביא ביומא כבירתא כיהרמא רבא לדראבשיתא
XX
בשמא דהייא רביא
איגננא אנתא סקילא
Collection Colophon
אינמנתא ויווא ונאריא
ומשאבלא אמרילה
Note: The transcription above covers representative opening lines from selected prayers. Prayers I–XX trace the liturgical life of the sacred banner from spreading through folding, organized by the rubrics into seven ceremonial stages. The complete Mandaic text for all twenty prayers, rubrics, and the Collection Colophon spans pages 264–277 of Lidzbarski's edition, which is freely accessible on Internet Archive as a public domain work (published 1920).
Source Colophon
Classical Mandaic text from: Mark Lidzbarski, ed., Mandaische Liturgien (Berlin: Weidmann, 1920), pages 264–277. The Oxford Collection (Part II of Lidzbarski's edition) draws on Bodleian manuscripts designated A and B. The Collection Colophon (pages 276–277) dates the manuscripts to September 1529 CE (year 936 of the Hijra). The edition is in the public domain (published 1920, author died 1928). The Mandaic liturgical text itself is the sacred heritage of the Mandaean religious community.
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