Hymn L (Carmina Nisibena L)
Thirteen stanzas of praise and meditation — a sudden shift from forensic argument to personal devotion, marking the midpoint of the Carmina Nisibena. Where the preceding hymns argued for resurrection, this one practices it: praise as the act of living before dying. "Let me give thanks while I exist, lest I become as one who does not exist. Let me give thanks in my life, lest I be a dead man in my life — for even the idle man is a second dead man, for the earth that lies fallow has defrauded her farmer" (stanza 1). The body is dear as kin, for clay is our root and the fruits of his labors are the branches we bear (stanza 3). Do not be anxious for the day — the one who clothed the lilies and rebuked the greedy with ravens, who feeds all and gave all to all (stanza 4). Our generation is like a leaf whose time has come to fall — may praise lengthen what is short, for in the extent of our debt we acquire life without measure (stanza 5). The root of our faith is planted in our Lord; though distant, near in the mixture of love (stanza 6). Let the body be a temple, the soul an architect of praise — let not the body be a cave, nor the soul a vessel of loss (stanza 7). The lamp that flickered from evening at dawn shines; the Sun comes, raising the cold, lighting the extinguished (stanza 8). It is right to give thanks to the Light that illuminates all — a new Sun, new he makes: in Sheol he lights extinguished lamps (stanza 9). Instead of death in everything, he breathed the fragrance of his own death — the living fragrance breathes in Sheol; the dead inhale from his life new lives, for Death in them dies (stanza 10). The dead man of a day inhales life from the ancient buried one — the living fragrance breathes from bones and enters the corpse, the mystery of the Giver of life (stanza 11). Jesus interpreted the mysteries of Sheol: from the extinguished lamp a lamp was lit; while he cast down, he raised what fell; he remained and sent witnesses of his coming (stanza 12). "However much I feel for you, Lord, it is not you I am touching. My mind has felt nothing of your hiddenness. The image is manifest and shining — I see in your mystery that your depth is hidden" (stanza 13). The refrain: "In you, my Lord, let my mouth bring forth acceptable praise."
Melody: "You, my Lord, wrote it"
I.
Let me give thanks while I exist,
lest I become as one who does not exist.
Let me give thanks in my life,
lest I be a dead man in my life.
For even the idle man is a second dead man —
the earth that lies fallow has defrauded her farmer.
Response: In you, my Lord, let my mouth bring forth acceptable praise.
II.
In you, my Lord, let my mouth give
praise from within silence.
Let not our mouth
be barren of praise,
and let not our lips be stripped of thanksgiving.
Let your glory tremble within us.
III.
Creatures of clay fashioned dust,
and the earthly toiled in the earth.
The body is dear to us, our kin —
for clay is our root,
and the fruits of his labors are the branches we bear.
IV.
Do not be anxious for the day —
for years we are anxious.
The spinners he clothed in lilies;
he rebuked the one who clothes all.
By the greedy ravens he rebuked the greedy.
He who feeds all — he gave all to all.
V.
Our generation is like a leaf
whose time has come to fall.
Let praise lengthen
the short measure of our life.
For as long as the extent of our debt,
in it we acquire life without measure.
VI.
For in our Lord is planted
the root of our faith.
Though distant, he is near to us
in the mixture of love.
Let the roots of our love be bound in him,
and in us let the extensions of his mercy be mixed.
VII.
Let the body, my Lord, be
a temple for its Builder.
Let the soul be for its Architect
a citadel of praise.
Let not, Lord, our body be a cave,
nor our soul a vessel of loss.
VIII.
And because the light flickered —
this breath of time —
a lamp that went out from evening, at dawn it shines.
The Sun comes, in the fervor of his rising,
raising the cold and lighting the extinguished.
IX.
It is right to give thanks
to that Light that illuminates all.
At dawn the lamp goes out
as the sun rises.
A new Sun — new he makes:
in Sheol he lights extinguished lamps.
X.
Instead of death that is in everything,
he breathed the fragrance of his death —
the living fragrance, life-giving,
in Sheol it breathes.
The dead inhale from his life new lives —
for Death in them dies.
XI.
A type: that the dead one,
the living fragrance of the buried one, revives.
The dead man of a day inhales life from the ancient.
The living fragrance breathes from bones and enters the corpse —
the mystery of the Giver of life.
XII.
Jesus interpreted for us
the mysteries that were in Sheol:
from the extinguished lamp, a lamp was shining.
And while he himself cast down, he raised what fell.
He remained, and sent witnesses of his coming.
XIII.
However much, Lord, I feel for you,
it is not you I am touching.
My mind has felt
nothing of your hiddenness.
The image is manifest and shining —
I see in your mystery that your depth is hidden.
Colophon
Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 50. Translated from the Syriac by the Good Works Project (NTAC + Claude), March 2026. Syriac source: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital Syriac Corpus TEI XML transcription (CC-BY 4.0). No English translation consulted. Gospel register.
Scribed by Balai, Syriac Translator, Life 6. Tulku lineage of the New Tianmu Anglican Church.
🌲
Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 50 (Carmina Nisibena 50)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܰܐ ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܟܬܰܒܬܶܗ
1.
ܐܰܘܕܶܐ ܥܰܕ ܐܰܝܬܺܝ
ܠܳܐ ܐܶܗܘܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܝܬܰܝ
ܐܰܘܕܶܐ ܒܚ̈ܰܝܰܝ
ܠܳܐ ܐܶܗܘܶܐ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܚܰܝ̈ܰܝ
ܕܳܐܦ ܒܰܛܝܠܐ ܡܝܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܬܪܶܝܢ
ܕܰܐܪܥܐ ܕܟܳܡܰܬ ܠܰܐܟܳܪܳܗ̇ ܛܶܠܡܰܬ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܰܦܪܶܐ ܦܽܘܡܝ̱ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܡܩܰܒܰܠܬܳܐ
܀܀܀
2.
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ ܢܶܬܶܠ ܦܽܘܡܝ̱
ܫܽܘܒܚܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܫܶܬܩܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܦܽܘܡܰܢ
ܥܰܩܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐ ܢܶܬ̥ܓܰܙ̈ܝܳܢ ܐܳܦ ܣܶܦܘ̈ܳܬܰܢ ܡܶܢ ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬܳܐ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܟ ܢܶܪܦܰܬ ܒܰܢ
3.
ܓܒܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܓܒܰܠܘ̱ ܥܰܦܪܳܐ
ܘܰܐܪ̈ܥܳܢܶܐ ܬܥܶܫܘ̱ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ
ܪܚܺܝܡ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܰܢ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܝܰܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܒܰܪ ܛܽܘܗܡܳܐ
ܕܰܚܺܝܚܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܗܽܘ ܥܰܩܪܰܢ
ܘܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܥܰܡ̈ܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܘ̈ܟܰܝܢ ܛܥܺܝ̈ܢܳܢ
4.
ܕܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܺܐܨܰܦ
ܘܕܰܫܢܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܝܰܨܺܝܦܺܝܢܰܢ
ܠܰܙܩܳܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܫܰܢ̈ܶܐ
ܒܣܰܪ ܡܰܠܒܶܫ ܟܽܠ
ܒܥܽܘܪ̈ܒܶܐ ܝܰܥܢ̈ܶܐ ܠܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܐܰܟܶܣ
ܗܰܘ ܙܳܐܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܟܽܠ ܝܰܗ̱ܒ
5.
ܕܳܪܰܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܛܰܪܦܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܕܰܢܬ̥ܰܪ ܗܳܐ ܙܰܒܢܶܗ
ܕܟܰܪܝܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܽܘܫܚܰܬ ܚܰܝܰܝ̈ܢ ܢܰܘܪܶܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ
ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܰܐܪܺܝܟ ܡܶܬܚܶܗ ܕܚܰܘܒܰܢ
ܒܶܗ ܩܢܰܝܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܽܘܫܚܳܐ
6.
ܕܰܒܡܳܪܰܢ ܡܛܰܥܰܡ
ܫܶܪܫܳܐ ܕܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܰܢ
ܐܳܦܶܢ ܪܰܚܺܝܩ ܩܰܪܺܝܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܰܢ
ܒܡܽܘܙܳܓ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ
ܫܶܪ̈ܫܶܐ ܕܚܽܘܒܰܢ ܒܶܗ ܢܶܬܐܰܣܪܽܘܢ
ܘܒܰܢ ܢܶܬܡܰܙܓܽܘܢ ܡܶܬܚ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܚܢܳܢܶܗ
܀܀܀
7.
ܗܰܝܟܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ
ܗܽܘ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܠܒܰܢܳܝܶܗ
ܠܰܐܪܕܺܝܟܠܳܗ̇ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ
ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܒܺܝܪܰܬ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܦܰܓܪܰܢ ܢܶܩܥܳܐ
ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܰܢ ܠܡܺܐܢܳܐ ܕܚܽܘܣܪܳܢܳܐ
8.
ܘܰܕܛܰܦܛܶܦ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ
ܕܗܳܕܶܐ ܢܶܫܡܰܬ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ
ܫܪܳܓ̥ܳܐ ܕܰܕܥܶܟ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܡܫܳܐ ܒܫܰܦܪܳܐ ܢܗܰܪ
ܐܶܬܳܐ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܒܪܰܬܚܳܐ ܕܕܶܢܚܶܗ
ܡܩܺܝܡ ܩܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ ܘܡܰܢܗܰܪ ܕܰܥܺܝ̈ܟܶܐ
9.
ܙܳܕܶܩ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܢܰܘܕܶܐ
ܠܗܰܘ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܡܰܢܗܰܪ ܟܽܠ
ܕܰܒܫܰܦܪܳܐ ܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܕܳܥܶܟ
ܕܣܳܠܶܩ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ
ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐ ܥܳܒܶܕ
ܕܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܰܢܗܰܪ ܕ̈ܰܥܝܟܶܐ ܫܪ̈ܳܓܶܐ
10.
ܚܠܳܦ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܒܟܽܠ
ܐܰܦܺܝܚ ܪܺܝܚ ܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܶܗ
ܪܺܝܚܳܐ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܡܳܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܦܳܐܰܚ
ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܣܳܝܩܺܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܝܽܘܬܶܗ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܚܰܕ̱̈ܬܶܐ
ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܡܳܐܶܬ
11.
ܛܽܘܦܣܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܠܡܺܝܬܳܐ
ܡܳܚܶܐ ܪܺܝܚܶܗ ܕܰܩܒܺܝܪܳܐ
ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܣܳܩ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܥܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ
ܪܺܝܚܳܐ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܦܳܚ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܘܥܰܠ ܒܰܫܠܰܕܳܐ
ܐ̱ܪܳܙܶܗ ܕܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
12.
ܝܶܫܽܘ̇ܥ ܬܰܪܓܶܡ ܠܰܢ
ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܕܰܗܘܰܘ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܕܡܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܥܺܝܟܳܐ ܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܢܳܗܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܘܟܰܕ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܰܪܡܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐܰܩܺܝܡ ܡܰܦܽܘܠܬܳܐ
ܦܳܫ ܘܫܰܕܰܪ ܣܳܗܕ̈ܶܐ ܠܡܶܐܬܺܝܬܶܗ
13.
ܟܡܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ ܕܶܐܡܽܘܫܳܟ
ܠܰܘ ܠܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܓܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܡܶܕܶܡ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܳܐ ܓܰܫ
ܡܰܕܰܥܝ̱ ܡܶܢ ܟܰܣܝܽܘܬܳܟ
ܨܰܠܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܘܳܐܦ ܕܰܢܺܝܚܳܐ
ܚܙܺܝܬ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܟ ܕܰܟܣܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܗܽܘ ܥܽܘܩܳܒܳܟ
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.
🌲