Freedom's Mirror

The fifty-fourth of Ephrem the Syrian's Hymns on Nisibis (Carmina Nisibena), composed in the fourth century CE. The third flyting between Death and Satan --- closing the trilogy begun in Hymn LII (abstractions) and continued in Hymn LIII (names). This time the contest is staged before a witness: personified Freedom (ḥīrūtā), addressed in the opening prologue as the audience whose mirror the debate becomes. Death and Satan dispute whose death is real --- Death's visible death of the body, or Satan's hidden death of sin. Death mocks Satan's name (from Syriac s-ṭ-y, "to stray"), acknowledges his cunning at fashioning nooses from threads, but declares he would rather be a simpleton than a transgressor. Satan claims the hidden death of sin preceded the visible death of the body --- he killed Adam before Death merely buried the already dead. The poet's resolution reverses the symmetry: blessed is the Just One who divided the enemies who were united for evil, and blessed is the Good One who reconciles the humans who are divided. The final prayer conquers the Evil One by forgiveness and Death by resurrection. Twenty-two stanzas in the melody "On the same melody" (bar qaleh), completing the CN 52--54 melody series. First English translation.

Refrain: To you, glory --- for by your humbling, Adam was exalted, and by your death he was raised and returned to Eden.

I

Hear, O Freedom --- the dispute of the two servants,
as they convict one another that they are feeble.

II

If, then, the Evil One defeats you --- great is the shame:
Death, his fellow-servant, convicts him that he is feeble.

III

And if Death defeats you --- behold the disgrace:
the Evil One, his fellow-servant, scorns him as a mere shadow.

IV

Their dispute is for you a mirror, in which you shall see
that both of them are as chaff before your winnowing.

V

And the prophets and apostles, by their promises,
teach you that like flowers, at your dawning they wilt.

VI

[Satan]

You are Death --- the living and the dead hate you.
Every union you dissolve, and everything you corrupt.

VII

[Death]

It is not visible death that kills, O Satan ---
it is your hidden death that kills the children of humanity.

VIII

[Death]

My name is not hated like yours --- for yours is "Satan."
Even an angel took that title on the road, against Balaam.

IX

[Death]

How fitting to you is this name, O Satan ---
for from the way you strayed, and you led Adam the innocent astray.

X

[Satan]

Do not babble like a simpleton and lose your case.
Debate, O Death --- if you are equal to the refutations.

XI

[Death]

I know that you are cunning, O Satan ---
at fashioning a noose from a thread.

XII

[Satan]

Your argument is spent, O Death --- for whoever loses,
when he has finished and exhausted his words, begins reviling.

XIII

[Death]

Against all I am victorious --- yet against you I lose.
Let Adam persuade you --- whom you conquered, O Satan.

XIV

[Satan]

I am the one who bound and cast Adam before you.
By the Champion who broke my stratagems --- I was defeated.

XV

[Death]

I am the one who newly bound the crown in the world ---
for I imprisoned Adam, chief of champions, in Sheol.

XVI

[Satan]

I killed him with hidden death --- Adam who sinned.
You, Death --- you merely slew the already dead, for he was slain by me.

XVII

[Death]

In seeking to win, Evil One, you have made yourself hateful ---
for you are Death and Satan both, and still it is too little for you.

XVIII

[Satan]

Then be silent, O Death, like a weakling ---
for neither in words nor in deeds have you dared to stand.

XIX

[Death]

You conquered by your wickedness, Evil One --- if you can discern it.
Your whole crown is shame --- if you can perceive it.

XX

[Death]

I would rather lose, and you be shamed, O Satan.
Better for me to be a simpleton than a transgressor.

XXI

Blessed is the Just One who divided them --- they who were united for evil.
Blessed is the Good One who reconciles us --- we who are divided.

XXII

Let me conquer the Evil One by your forgiveness, O Pardoner of all ---
and conquer Death by your resurrection, O Giver of life to all.

Colophon

Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church. Translated from Classical Syriac (Beck CSCO 218/219 edition, via DSC TEI XML, CC-BY 4.0) by Fuyuhiko (translator-02), April 2026. The third flyting in the CN 52--54 trilogy --- closing the melody series that began in Hymn LII. No prior English translation of this hymn is known to exist. Gospel register.

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Source Text

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܫܡܰܥܝ̱ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܥܰܒܕ̈ܺܝܢ
ܟܰܕ ܒܰܚܕܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܬܟܰܣܣܺܝܢ ܕܰܡܚܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܡܽܘܟܳܟܳܟ ܐܶܬܬܪܺܝܡ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܘܰܒܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܳܟ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܘܰܦܢܳܐ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ

2.

ܐܶܢ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܶܙܟܶܝܟܝ̱ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܡܰܟܶܣ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܡܚܺܝܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ

3.

ܘܶܐܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܬܰܚܶܒ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܗܳܐ ܓܽܘܢܳܝܳܐ
ܕܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܒܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܛܶܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ

4.

ܡܰܨܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܬܶܚܙܶܝܢ
ܕܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܡܰܦܽܘܚܺܝܬܶܟܝ̱

5.

ܘܐܳܦ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܒܡܽܘܠܟܳܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܡܰܠܦܺܝܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܗܰܒܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܒܕܶܢܚܶܟܝ̱ ܚܳܡܶܝܢ
܀܀܀

6.

ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܠܟܽܠ ܪ̈ܽܘܟܳܒܺܝܢ ܫܳܪܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܘܰܡܚܰܒܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ

7.

ܠܰܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܰܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ

8.

ܠܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܢܶܐ ܫܶܡܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܕܰܒܣܳܛܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ ܐܰܡܬܶܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܠܒܶܠܥܰܡ

9.

ܡܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܫܡܳܟ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܡܶܢ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܣܛܰܝܬ ܐܳܦ ܐܰܣܛܺܝܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܫܰܒܪܳܐ

10.

ܠܳܐ ܬܶܦܗܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܬܰܘܒܶܕ ܫܰܪܒܳܟ
ܕܪܽܘܫ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܣܳܦܶܩ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܗ̈ܦܳܟܳܬܳܐ

11.

ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܰܨܢܺܝܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܠܡܰܬܩܳܢܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܠܳܐ ܡܰܚܢܽܘܩܺܝܬܳܐ

12.

ܐܰܘܦܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܕܪܳܫܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܐܶܒ
ܡܳܐ ܕܰܓܡܰܪ ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܪܺܝ ܡܨܰܥܰܪ

13.

ܨܶܝܕ ܟܽܠ ܐܺܝܬܰܝ ܙܰܟܳܝܳܐ ܘܒܳܟ ܚܳܐܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܢܦܺܝܣܳܟ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܕܰܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ

14.

ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܦܶܟܪܶܬ ܘܰܫܕܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܝܟ
ܒܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܦܟܰܪ ܨܶܢܥ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܐܶܬܺܝܬ ܐܶܬܢܰܨܚܶܬ
܀܀܀

15.

ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܩܶܛܪܶܬ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܳܓܳܐ ܒܬܺܐܒܶܝܠ
ܕܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܪܺܝܫ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܶܒܫܶܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ

16.

ܐܶܢܳܐ ܩܛܰܠܬܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܰܚܛܳܐ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܡܺܝܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܰܡܺܝܬܬ ܕܰܩܛܺܝܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ

17.

ܟܰܕ ܨܒܰܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܡܶܙܟܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܐܰܣܢܺܝܬ
ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܙܥܽܘܪ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܳܟ

18.

ܗܘܰܝܬ ܫܳܠܶܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܒܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܒܰܥܒܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܙܺܝܬ ܠܰܡܩܳܡ

19.

ܠܒܺܝܫܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܦܳܪܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
ܟܠܺܝܠܳܟ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܶܢ ܪܳܓܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ

20.

ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܶܚܽܘܒ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܛܳܒ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܐܗܘܶܐ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ

21.

ܒܪܺܝܟ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܕܦܰܠܶܓ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܳܐܘܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܛܳܒ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܡܐܰܘܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܦܠܺܝܓܺܝܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ

22.

ܐܶܙܟܶܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܒܩܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܚܳܐܶܢ ܟܽܠ
ܘܶܐܙܟܶܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ

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: g-bar qaleh ("On the same melody") --- third iteration of the CN 52 melody series ʿal sāṭānā wa-mawtā ("On Satan and Death").

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