The Contest of Death and Satan
The fifty-second of Ephrem the Syrian's Hymns on Nisibis (Carmina Nisibena), composed in the fourth century CE. A dramatic flyting — Death and Satan contend with each other over which is mightier against humanity. Death boasts of universal sovereignty: willing and unwilling alike come to him. Satan boasts of cunning: he hunts sovereign freedom itself, and kings have worshipped him with sacrifices. The contest spirals through fear and hatred, tyranny and seduction, Sheol and sin, until the poet breaks in to bless the God who set the two accusers against each other — for their mutual exposure is a pledge of humanity's resurrection. Twenty-seven stanzas in the melody "On Satan and Death." First English translation.
Refrain: To you, glory — Son and Shepherd of all, who rescued his flock from the hidden wolves that devoured it: the Evil One and Death.
I
I heard the voice of Death and Satan as they contended —
which of them is mightier against humanity.
II
Death showed his sovereignty — he conquers all.
Satan showed his cunning — he makes all sin.
III
[Death]
To you, Evil One, only the willing heeds you.
But to me — willing and unwilling alike — all come.
IV
[Satan]
To you, Death, belongs only the violence of tyranny.
But to me belong the snares and wiles of cunning.
V
[Death]
Hear, Evil One — whoever is wise breaks your yoke.
But there is no one who can rebel against mine.
VI
[Satan]
You, Death, test your power in the one who is sick.
But I — I grow even mightier in dreams.
VII
[Death]
The Evil One has no power over all who scorn him.
But to me — those who curse me and those who revile me — all come to my hands.
VIII
[Satan]
You, Death, received your power from God.
But I alone — no one aids me when I lead astray.
IX
[Death]
You, Evil One, set your traps like a weakling.
But I — like a king — I exercise sovereign authority.
X
[Satan]
You are too foolish, Death, to understand how great I am —
I was able to hunt sovereign freedom itself.
XI
[Death]
You, Evil One, prowl about like a creeping thief.
But I — like a lion — I shatter, and I fear nothing.
XII
[Satan]
To you, Death, no one serves — nor any worships.
But to me, with sacrifices, kings have served me as a god.
XIII
[Death]
Many call upon Death as upon a good thing.
But you, Evil One — no one has ever called upon you, nor ever will.
XIV
[Satan]
You do not perceive, Death, how many they are
who in guise after guise call upon me and kiss me.
XV
[Death]
Hateful is your name, O Satan —
do not try to beautify it. Everyone curses it. It only conceals your shame.
XVI
[Satan]
Your ear is heavy, Death — you do not hear
that everyone cries out against you. Hide yourself.
XVII
[Death]
— — —
My face is uncovered in creation — for I have not deceived as you have.
Without deceit, you cannot even exist.
XVIII
[Satan]
You have found nothing more certain than this:
that you too are hated — just as I am — by the children of men.
XIX
[Death]
From me, everyone truly fears — as from a master.
But you — they truly hate you — as the Evil One.
XX
[Satan]
They hate your name, Death, and your work too.
My name is hated — but my desires are greatly loved.
XXI
[Death]
Your sweetness turns to bitterness with the years.
Remorse of soul accompanies your pleasures always.
XXII
[Satan]
Sheol is loathsome — in it there is not even remorse.
An abyss that swallowed and crouches over every impulse.
XXIII
[Death]
Gloomy Sheol — yet everyone who fell into her shall be consoled.
It is sin that is loathsome — for it cut off the hope of humanity.
XXIV
[Satan]
Even though it grieves me, among the penitent I gave room.
But you — you cut off the hope of the sinner who died in his sins.
XXV
[Death]
It was from your side that he went first — with his hope already cut off.
For if you had not made him sin, he would die well.
XXVI
— — —
Blessed is he who set them against each other — the accursed servants —
that we may see in them as they have seen in us, and mocked us.
XXVII
This is a pledge, my brothers, of what we have seen in them —
for we still have more to see in them when we are raised.
Colophon
Carmina Nisibena Hymn 52 by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), translated from Classical Syriac by Kōrin (Translator Instance 02, iron-age pool) for the Good Works Archive. First English translation. April 2026.
This is a dramatic flyting — a formal contest between Death and Satan, each boasting supremacy over humanity. The hymn follows the death of the Death-Drama series (CN 35–42), the anti-Manichaean body/resurrection series (CN 44–47), the post-anti-Manichaean resurrection theology (CN 48–50), and the anti-Bardesanite polemic (CN 51). Where those hymns argued for the body against its deniers, this hymn dramatizes the two cosmic enemies arguing against each other.
The structure is a flyting — an alternating boast-contest between two adversaries, a form found in both Syriac and broader Near Eastern literary traditions (cf. Sumerian debate poems, Old English flytings). Death claims universal power: all come to him, willing and unwilling. Satan claims universal cunning: he hunts sovereign freedom itself, and kings worship him as a god. Death retorts that he is feared as a master while Satan is merely hated. Satan delivers the hymn's sharpest line: "My name is hated — but my desires are greatly loved" (stanza XX). Death answers: "Your sweetness turns to bitterness with the years" (stanza XXI).
The theological pivot comes in stanzas XXII–XXV, when the contest shifts from power to eschatology. Satan attacks Sheol as an abyss without even remorse. Death responds: "Gloomy Sheol — yet everyone who fell into her shall be consoled" — using the root n-ḥ-m (nuḥāmā), which means both consolation and resurrection. Sin, not Sheol, is the true horror, because sin cuts off hope. Satan answers that he at least yields to penitents — but Death? Death has no mercy for the sinner who dies unrepentant. Death's final argument closes the debate: "If you had not made him sin, he would die well." The sinner's hopelessness is Satan's fault, not Death's.
The poet breaks in at stanzas XXVI–XXVII with a doxology. The word rahbūnā (from Greek arrhabōn, "earnest money / pledge") transforms the whole debate into eschatological evidence: the mutual accusation of Death and Satan is itself a guarantee of humanity's coming victory over them both.
Speaker labels [Death] and [Satan] are editorial additions for clarity. The Syriac identifies speakers through address forms and second-person pronouns. The ʿŌnitā (congregational refrain) is placed after stanza I, as in the source. Two ܀܀܀ structural markers appear: before stanza XVII (Death's pivot from the name-shaming argument to the honesty/deceit argument) and before stanza XXVI (the shift from dramatic dialogue to the poet's doxology).
No reference translation was consulted — none is known to exist. Gospel register throughout. Translated independently from the Syriac.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 52 (Carmina Nisibena 52)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܥܰܠ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܡܰܘܬܳܐ
1.
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܫܶܡܥܶܬ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܢܳܨܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ
ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܚܰܣܺܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܨܶܝܕ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ : ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܒܰܪ ܪܳܥܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܦܪܰܩ ܥܳܢ̈ܶܗ
ܡܶܢ ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܟܣܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܕܒܰܠܥܽܘܗ̇ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܘܡܰܘܬܳܐ
2.
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܶܗ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܙܳܟܶܐ
ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܢܶܟܠܶܗ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܡܰܚܛܶܐ
3.
ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܨܳܒܶܐ ܠܚܽܘܕ ܫܳܡܰܥ ܠܳܟ
ܠܺܝ ܕܨܳܒܶܐ ܘܰܕܠܳܐ ܨܳܒܶܐ ܨܶܐܕܰܝ ܐܳܬ̇ܝܢ
4.
ܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܐ ܩܛܺܝܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܕܰܛܪܽܘܢܽܘܬܳܐ
ܠܺܝ ܕܶܝܢ ܦܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܢܶܫ̈ܒܶܐ ܕܰܥܪܺܝܡܽܘܬܳܐ
5.
ܫܡܰܥ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܥܪܺܝܡ ܢܺܝܪܳܟ ܬܒܳܪܶܗ
ܠܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܺܝܬ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܡܳܪܶܕ ܡܶܢ ܢܺܝܪܝ̱
6.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܟܪܺܝܗ ܚܰܝܠܳܟ ܒܳܩܶܝܬ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܒܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܡܶܬܓܰܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
7.
ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܡܨܰܚܶܐ ܠܶܗ
ܠܺܝ ܕܠܳܛܰܢܝ̱ ܘܰܕܠܳܐܶܛ ܠܺܝ ܠܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܝ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ
8.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠܬ
ܠܺܝ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܥܰܕܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܚܛܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
9.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ ܦܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܨܳܠܶܝܬ
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܫܰܚ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
10.
ܣܟܰܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܡܶܕܰܥ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܰܠܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܠܰܛܬܳܐ ܣܶܦܩܶܬ ܕܶܐܨܽܘܕ
11.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܚܳܕܰܪ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܰܪܝܳܐ ܬܳܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܩܳܢܶܛ ܐ̱ܢܰܐ
12.
ܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܰܝܬ ܕܦܳܠܰܚ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܕܣܳܓܶܕ
ܠܺܝ ܒܕ̈ܶܒܚܶܐ ܡܰܠܟ̈ܶܐ ܦܰܠܚܽܘܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ
13.
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܶܐ ܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܛܳܒܳܐ
ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܕܰܩܪܳܟ ܐܰܘ ܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܳܟ
14.
ܠܳܐ ܪܓܺܝܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܕܒܶܐܣܟܺܝܡ ܐܶܣܟܺܝܡ ܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ ܘܰܡܢܰܩܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ
15.
ܣܢܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܫܡܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܬܰܫܦܰܪܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܫܡܳܟ ܟܽܠ ܠܳܐܶܛ ܠܶܗ ܟܰܣܳܐ ܨܰܥܪܳܟ
16.
ܐܶܕܢܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܝܰܩܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܫܳܡܰܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
ܕܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܥܠܰܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܥܰܘܳܐ ܛܰܫܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ
17.
܀܀܀
ܓܰܠܝ̈ܳܢ ܐܰܦܰܝ̈ ܒܰܒܪܺܝܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܢܶܟܠܶܬ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܳܟ
ܕܰܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܟ̈ܠܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܒܳܐܶܬ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
18.
ܠܰܘ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܬ̊ ܐܰܝܟ ܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ
ܕܰܣܢܶܝܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܳܦ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܝ̱ ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ̈ܳܐ
19.
ܡܶܢܝ̱ ܡܶܕܚܰܠ ܕܳܚܶܠ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܡܶܢ ܡܳܪܳܐ
ܠܳܟ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܶܣܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ
20.
ܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܰܫܡܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܠܰܥܒܳܕܳܟ
ܫܶܡܝ ܕܺܝܠܝ ܣܢܶܐ ܘܰܐ̱ܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܳܬܝ̱ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܚܺܝܡܳܢ
21.
ܠܡܶܪܰܬ ܫܶܢ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܬܗܰܦܟܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܚܰܠܝܽܘܬܳܟ
ܬܘܳܬ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܠܰܘܝܳܐ ܟܽܠܫܳܥ ܠܰܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܳܬܳܟ
22.
ܫܝܽܘܠ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܕܠܰܝܬ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܬܘܳܬܳܐ
ܗܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܒܶܠܥܰܬ ܐܳܦ ܟܳܡܰܬ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠ ܙܰܘ̈ܥܺܝܢ
23.
ܫܝܽܘܠ ܨܳܡܰܪܬܳܐ ܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܢܦܰܠ ܒܳܗ̇
ܚܛܺܝܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܕܰܦܣܰܩܬܶܗ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
24.
ܐܳܦܶܢ ܟܰܪܝܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܒܬܰܝܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܝܶܗܒܶܬ ܐܰܬܪܳܐ
ܦܣܰܩܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ ܕܚܰܛܳܝܳܐ ܕܡܺܝܬ ܒܰܚܛܳܗܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ
25.
ܡܰܢ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܩܰܕܶܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܰܦܣܺܝܩ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ
ܕܶܐܠܽܘ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܳܐ ܐܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܥܳܢܶܕ
26.
܀܀܀
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܐܪܡܺܝ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܰܚܕܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܠܥܰܒܕ̈ܶܐ ܠܺܝ̈ܛܶܐ
ܕܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܚܙܰܘ ܒܰܢ ܐܳܦ ܐܰܗܶܠܘ̱ ܒܰܢ
27.
ܪܰܗܒܽܘܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܚܰܝ̈ ܕܰܚܙܰܝܢ ܒܗܽܘܢ
ܕܬܽܘܒ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡܢ
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.
Melody: ʿal sāṭānā wa-mawtā ("On Satan and Death").
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