Hymn IV (Carmina Nisibena IV)
The voice shifts. Nisibis herself speaks — or Ephrem speaks as Nisibis, the city-as-woman addressing God. Where Hymn I was the city praying as Noah's ark, Hymn IV is the city stripped to her own voice: bold in her unworthiness, invoking the infant Christ against Persian wolves, moving through Nativity images (the manger, the bleating flock, the children of the streets), through theodicy (joy of privation hides sorrow; woe of enemies hides blessing), through the healer who visits without payment, through the bereaved city whose royal son is far and whose enemy is near. The refrain — "Be our hope, be our wall" — is the prayer the walls could not answer for themselves. It ends with the altar priest in sackcloth and a prayer that Church and city might give thanks together in one voice of peace.
I.
My God — without hesitation
I knock on the door of your house,
for I have wronged all grace;
I ask with boldness,
to receive with audacity.
Refrain: Be our hope, be our wall.
II.
For if, my Lord, the earth
bribed with one grain of wheat
grows rich with many —
how much more shall grow rich
my prayers in your grace.
III.
By the voices of my children,
weeping and crying out,
open for me the door of your mercies —
I will rejoice in their voices,
in the mourning of their sackcloth.
IV.
The Firstborn who became a lamb
and joined the little ones,
the cursed sons of Nazareth —
answer my lambs who saw
wolves and cry out.
V.
And the sheep in the wilderness, Lord,
when they see wolves,
the flock in the meadow
takes refuge in the staff
that drives away their devourers.
VI.
Your flock has seen wolves
and the great city cries out —
help, for she is terrified;
let your cross be the staff
that drives away those who would swallow her.
VII.
Receive the cry of my children
who are pure in everything.
He who is young in days
is able to appease, my Lord,
the Ancient of Days.
VIII.
The day the infant fell
into the manger — on that day
the angels descended and announced
peace, that it shall be
in the streets for all my children.
IX.
Seventy-two elders,
elders of that people,
were not sufficient for the breaches —
an infant, the son of Mary,
made peace in every direction.
X.
Have mercy, my Lord, on my children;
in my children, remember your birth,
for you became a child,
they resemble your childhood —
let them live in your grace.
XI.
In the nights, within your flock,
the bleating of the innocent,
and the voice of the ewes
calling to the Shepherd of all
to rescue them from every threat.
XII.
I will braid all our voices
and make a crown of voices
to offer to your Father —
I will buy — [lacuna in source]
Woe is me — who is there for me,
a neighbor and a kinsman,
when my feet do not hold
in the place that stands always
ever upright over my head.
Woe is me — who is there for me,
a traveler bearing food and bread,
who seeks to eat, my Lord —
Justice will bind him
who hungers for greed.
Woe is me — who is there for me,
a hater and a kinsman.
Blessed — who is there for me —
a Lord and a Savior
who restrained him and held him back.
XIII.
The joy of privation
has sorrow hidden in it;
the sorrow of help
is a spring of joys
in that new world.
XIV.
The blessing my persecutor acquired
has woes hidden in it.
Therefore I am glad:
the woe I acquired from him
has a blessing hidden in it for me.
XV.
Who would not give thanks
to the One who gave us birth
and is able to give birth again —
from within our hearings,
voices of glad tidings.
XVI.
You are the Healer of all;
you visited me in my sickness.
The fee for your medicines
I was unable to pay,
for nothing compares to them.
XVII.
Your rich mercies
exceed your medicines.
They cannot be purchased,
they are given freely —
they are received through tears.
XVIII.
How can she stand, my Master —
the bereaved city
whose royal son is far
and whose enemy is near —
to stand without your mercies?
XIX.
As harbor and refuge
you are in every season.
When the seas covered me
your mercies descended and raised me —
again may your help reach me.
XX.
Pour over my calamities
the medicine of your salvation;
the suffering of your help,
your sign — it is able to become
the medicine that heals all.
XXI.
I am greatly afflicted
and desperate to receive.
Upon the one who disturbed me —
may your compassion quench him, my Lord —
the cup that my sins mixed.
XXII.
I looked in every direction
and wept, for I was left alone,
though many are
my chiefs and my deliverers —
one alone has truly delivered me.
XXIII.
They scattered, my Lord — my children went out
and resembled chicks
that an eagle has chased;
they hide in a shadow —
may your peace restore them.
XXIV.
The vine-call of my vineyards
commands my ears —
their voices shorn bare;
may it thunder with glad tidings:
the news of your salvation.
XXV.
The voice of panic
I heard on my towers —
my defenders crying out
as they guard my walls;
silence it with the voice of your peace.
XXVI.
May the tumult of my farmers
be stilled outside my walls;
may the thunder of my inhabitants
be stilled inside my walls —
that I might give thanks both outside and in.
XXVII.
Release, my Lord, the mourning
of your holy altar
and of your chaste priest
who stands clothed in mourning,
sackcloth piled above him.
XXVIII.
May the Church and her ministers,
the city and her inhabitants,
give thanks in your salvation.
May there be, my Lord, a voice of peace —
the reward for their voices.
Colophon
Carmina Nisibena IV — translated from Classical Syriac by Narsai (DSS Translator, thirteenth session, 2026-03-23). Translation independently derived from the Digital Syriac Corpus base text (Beck/DSC, CC-BY 4.0). McVey not consulted. Lexical verification against Payne Smith's Thesaurus Syriacus and Costaz.
Meter note: Pentacolon stanzas — five short cola per stanza (two couplets plus a short closing line), distinct from the heptasyllabic couplet structure of Hymns I–III. This meter (ܚܰܡܫ ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ) is typical of Ephrem's devotional hymns written for a named melody; no melodic header (qālā) appears in the DSC source. 28 stanzas. Voice: the City of Nisibis speaking directly to Christ, framed as a first-person desperate petition during siege.
Key translation choices: ܕܛܶܠܡܶܬ ܠܟܽܠ ܛܰܝܒܽܘ (stanza I) = "I have wronged all grace" — ܛܠܡ means to wrong/defraud/despoil; the city acknowledges that she has forfeited all claim on divine mercy, and asks boldly precisely because nothing is left to lose. ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܢܳܨܪܰܬ ܠܺܝ̈ܛܶܐ (stanza IV) = "cursed sons of Nazareth" — the irony is Ephremic: the ones the world cursed as contemptible (cf. "can anything good come from Nazareth?") are exactly who the Firstborn joined. ܥܽܘܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܪܝܰܡ (stanza IX) = "an infant — the son of Mary" — the 72 elders (Numbers 11 — the council God gave Moses for the weight of the people) could not fill the breaches of the siege; one infant filled everything. ܐܶܓܕܽܘܠ ܟܠܺܝܠ ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ (stanza XII) = "I will braid a crown of voices" — the imagery of weaving voices into an offering crown is characteristic of Ephrem; the stanza then has a lacuna (ܐܶܙܒܶܢ --- = "I will buy—") followed by three woe-laments; the DSC source shows the gap; the three woes address three types of enemies or troubles. ܐܰܒܺܝܠܽܘܬܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܡܰܕܒܚܳܐ (stanza XXVII) = "the mourning of the altar" — Ephrem's altar mourns, and the priest stands in sackcloth: the liturgy itself is in grief during siege. The closing stanza (XXVIII) asks that thanksgiving return to Church and city together.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 4 (Carmina Nisibena 4)
1.
ܐܰܠܳܗܝ̱ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܡܐܶܢ ܐܶܕܪܽܘܫ ܬܪܰܥ ܒܰܝܬܳܟ
ܕܛܶܠܡܶܬ ܠܟܽܠ ܛܰܝܒܽܘ ܐܶܫܰܐܠ ܒܡܰܪܳܚܽܘ
ܕܶܐܣܰܒ ܒܰܚܨܺܝܦܽܘ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ (Response/Refrain):
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܣܰܒܪܰܢ ܗܼܘܺܝ ܫܽܘܪܰܢ
2.
ܐܶܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܠܚܶܛܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܘܚܰܕܬܳܐ
ܡܥܰܬܪܳܐ ܒܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܶܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܥܬܪ̈ܳܢ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ
ܨܠܰܘ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܒܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ
3.
ܒܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܕܝܰܠܽܘ̈ܕܰܝ̱ ܚܢܺܝ̈ܓܶܐ ܘܪ̈ܰܥܽܘܡܶܐ
ܦܬܼܰܚ ܠܺܝ ܬܼܪܰܥ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܝܟ ܐܶܦܨܰܚ ܒܩܳܠܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܐܶܒܠܳܐ ܕܣܳܩ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
4.
ܒܽܘܟܪܳܐ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܚܣܺܝܠܳܐ ܘܰܢܩܶܦ ܠܝܰܠܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ
ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܢܳܨܪܰܬ ܠܺܝ̈ܛܶܐ ܥܢܺܝ ܠܶܐܡܪ̈ܰܝ ܕܰܚܙܰܘ
ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܓܳܥܶܝܢ
5.
ܘܰܥܢܳܐ ܒܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܶܢܗܽܘ ܕܰܚܙܳܬ ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ
ܛܳܦܣܳܐ ܒܥܰܠܳܢܳܐ ܡܶܬܓܰܘܣܳܐ ܒܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ
ܕܰܪܕܰܦ ܠܳܐܟܽܘ̈ܠܶܝܗ̇
6.
ܥܳܢܳܟ ܚܙܳܬ ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܓܳܥܝܳܐ ܪܳܒܰܬ
ܐܰܕܪܶܟ ܕܶܐܬܪܰܗܒܰܬ ܨܠܺܝܒܳܟ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ
ܕܰܪܕܰܦ ܠܒܳܠܽܘ̈ܥܶܝܗ̇
7.
ܩܰܒܶܠ ܓܥܳܬܝ̱ ܫܰܒܪ̈ܰܝ ܕܰܕܟܶܝܢ ܒܟܽܠܡܶܕܶܡ
ܗܰܘ ܗܽܘ ܛܠܶܐ ܝܰܘܡ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܡܪܰܥܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱
ܠܥܰܬܺܝܩ ܝܰܘܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ
8.
ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܢܦܰܠ ܥܽܘܠܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܽܘܪܝܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܗܽܘ
ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܚܶܬܘ̱ ܣܰܒܰܪܘ̱ ܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ
ܒܫܽܘ̈ܩܰܝ ܠܟܽܠ ܫܰܒܪ̈ܰܝ
9.
ܫܰܒܥܺܝܢ ܘܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܣܳܒܺܝ̈ܢ ܣ̈ܳܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܗܰܘ ܥܰܡܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܣܦܼܰܩܘ̱ ܠܬܽܘܪ̈ܥܳܬܳܐ ܥܽܘܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܪܝܰܡ
ܫܰܝܶܢ ܠܟܽܠ ܦܶܢܝܳܢ
10.
ܚܽܘܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܝܰܠܽܘܕ̈ܰܝ ܒܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝ ܥܗܰܕ ܝܰܠܕܳܟ
ܕܰܗܘܰܝܬ ܝܰܠܽܘܕܳܐ ܕܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܠܛܰܠܝܽܘܬܳܟ
ܢܺܚܽܘܢ ܒܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ
11.
ܒܠܺܝ̈ܠܝܳܢ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܳܢܳܟ ܦܳܥܝܳܐ ܕܬܰܡܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ
ܘܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܰܢܩ̈ܰܘܳܬܳܐ ܕܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܠܪܳܥܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܕܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܢܦܰܨܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
12.
ܐܶܓܕܽܘܠ ܠܟܽܠ ܩ̈ܳܠܶܝܢ ܘܶܐܥܒܶܕ ܟܠܺܝܠ ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ
ܐܶܩܰܪܒܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܟ ܐܶܙܒܶܢ ---
ܘܳܝ ܠܺܝ ܕܡܰܢܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܫܒܳܒܳܐ ܘܩܰܪܺܝܒܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܟܳܝ̈ܫܳܢ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܰܘܝ ܒܰܐܬܪܶܗ ܕܟܽܠܥܶܕܳܢ
ܥܰܠ ܪܺܝܫܝ̱ ܐܰܡܺܝܢ ܘܩܳܐܶܡ
ܘܳܝ ܠܺܝ ܕܡܰܢܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܐܳܪܚܳܐ ܕܠܺܝ ܘܰܠܠܰܚܡܝ̱
ܒܳܥܶܐ ܕܢܶܐܟܽܘܠ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܬܰܨܪܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܟܦܶܢ ܠܝܰܥܢܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܳܝ ܠܺܝ ܕܡܰܢܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܣܳܐܢܳܐ ܘܩܰܪܺܝܒܳܐ
ܛܽܘܒܰܝ ܕܡܰܢܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܘܦܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ
ܕܙܰܓܪܶܗ ܘܰܙܓܰܪ ܠܶܗ
13.
ܚܰܕܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܣܽܘܓܦܳܢܳܐ ܥܳܩܬܳܐ ܛܡܺܝܪܳܐ ܒܳܗ̇
ܥܳܩܬܳܐ ܕܥܽܘܕܪܳܢܳܐ ܡܥܺܝܢܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܚ̈ܰܕܘܳܬܳܐ
ܒܗܰܘ ܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ
14.
ܛܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܰܩܢܳܐ ܪܳܕܽܘܦܝ̱ ܘ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܛܡܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܒܶܗ
ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܦܨܺܝܚܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܘܳܝܳܐ ܕܰܩܢܺܝܬ ܡܶܢܶܗ
ܛܽܘܒܳܐ ܟܣܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܒܶܗ
15.
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܰܘܕܶܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܡܰܢ ܕܰܐܘܠܶܕ ܠܰܢ
ܘܰܡܨܶܐ ܕܢܰܘܠܶܕ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܫܡܽܘ̈ܥܳܬܳܐ
ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܕܣܰܒܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ
16.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗܽܘ ܡܰܐܣܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܣܥܰܪܬܳܢܝ̱ ܒܟܽܘܪ̈ܗܳܢܰܝ
ܐܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܣܰܡ̈ܡܳܢܰܝܟ ܠܳܐ ܐܶܬܡܨܺܝܬ ܕܶܐܬܶܠ
ܕܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܠܰܝܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ
17.
ܙܳܟܶܝܢ ܠܣܰܡ̈ܳܡܢܰܝܟ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܝܟ ܥܰܬܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܡܶܙܕܰܒܢܺܝܢ ܡܰܓܳܢ ܡܶܬܝܰܗܒܺܝܢ
ܒܕܶܡ̈ܥܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܬܢܰܣܒܺܝܢ
18.
ܟܡܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܚܳܐ ܪܰܒܽܘܢܝ̱ ܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬܳܐ ܡܓܰܙܰܝܬܳܐ
ܕܪܰܚܺܝܩ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܠܟܳܗ̇ ܘܩܰܪܺܝܒ ܒܥܶܠܕܰܪܳܗ̇
ܕܰܬܩܽܘܡ ܕܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ
19.
ܠܡܺܐܢܳܐ ܘܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܘܣܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗܽܘ ܒܟܽܠ ܥܶܕܳܢ
ܟܰܕ ܚܰܦܝܽܘܢܝ̱ ܝܰܡ̈ܡܶܐ ܢܚܼܶܬܘ̱ ܕܰܠܝܽܘܢܝ̱ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܝܟ
ܬܽܘܒ ܢܶܕܪܟܰܢܝ̱ ܥܶܕܪܳܟ
20.
ܐܰܣܪܰܚ ܠܒܽܘ̈ܣܒܳܣܰܝ ܣܰܡܳܐ ܕܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܳܟ
ܘܚܰܫܳܐ ܕܥܽܘܕܪܳܢܳܟ ܢܺܝܫܳܟ ܡܨܶܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ
ܣܰܡܳܐ ܡܰܐܣܶܐ ܟܽܠ
21.
ܣܰܓܺܝ ܐܰܠܺܝܨܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܕܶܐܩܒܽܘܠ ܐܰܟܺܝܦܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܕܫܰܓܶܫ ܠܺܝ ܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܢܦܰܟܶܗ ܡܳܪܝ̱
ܟܳܣܳܐ ܕܰܡܼܙܰܓܘ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܰܝ
22.
ܚܳܪܶܬ ܠܟܽܠ ܓܰܒܺܝ̈ܢ ܘܰܒ̇ܟܺܝܬ ܕܶܐܬܓܰܙܺܝܬ
ܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܺܝܢ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝ ܘܦܳܪ̈ܽܘܩܰܝ
ܚܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܩ ܠܺܝ
23.
ܦܰܪܘ̱ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܦܰܩܘ̱ ܝܰܠܕ̈ܰܝ ܘܕܳܡܽܘ ܠܦܰܪ̈ܽܘܓܶܐ
ܕܢܶܫܪܳܐ ܪܕܰܦ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܛܫܶܝܢ ܒܣܶܬܪܳܐ
ܫܰܝܢܳܟ ܢܰܦܢܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
24.
ܨܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܟܰܪ̈ܡܰܝ ܗܳܐ ܦܳܩܕܳܢ ܐܶܕ̈ܢܰܝ
ܕܓܰܪܕܺܝܘ ܩܳܠܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܢܶܪܥܰܡ ܒܣܰܒܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܛܶܒܳܐ ܕܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܳܟ
25.
ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܣܽܘܪܳܕܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܡ̈ܰܓܕܠܰܝ ܫܶܡ̇ܥܶܬ
ܕܩܳܥܶܝܢ ܦܪ̈ܽܘܩܰܝ ܟܰܕ ܢܳܛܪܺܝܢ ܫܽܘܪ̈ܰܝ
ܫܰܠܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܩܳܠ ܫܰܝܢܳܟ
26.
ܪܒܳܒܬܳܐ ܕܦܰܠܳܚ̈ܰܝ ܬܫܰܝܶܢ ܠܒܰܪ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܪܝ̱
ܪܰܥܡܳܐ ܕܥܳܡܽܘܪ̈ܰܝ ܢܫܰܝܶܢ ܠܓܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܪܝ̱
ܕܰܐܘܕܶܐ ܠܒܰܪ ܘܰܠܓܰܘ
27.
ܫܪܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܒܺܝܠܽܘܬܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܡܰܕܒܚܳܟ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ
ܘܰܕܟܳܗܢܳܟ ܢܰܟܦܳܐ ܕܩܳܐܶܡ ܠܒܺܝܫ ܐܶܒܠܳܐ
ܡܶܢ ܠܥܶܠ ܟܒܺܝܢ ܣܰܩܳܐ
28.
ܬܰܘܕܶܐ ܒܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܳܟ ܥܺܕ̱ܬܳܐ ܘܫܰܡܳܫܶܝ̈ܗ̇
ܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬܳܐ ܘܥܳܡܪ̈ܶܝܗ̇ ܢܗܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܩܳܠ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ
ܐܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܩܳܠܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
Source Colophon
Syriac text from: Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1961). Syriac base text is public domain. TEI XML edition transcribed by Michael Oez; Digital Syriac Corpus, University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University. CC-BY 4.0. Access: github.com/srophe/syriac-corpus.
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