by Ephrem the Syrian
The fifty-ninth hymn of the Carmina Nisibena by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), from the vocalized Syriac of Beck's CSCO 218/219 edition via the Digital Syriac Corpus. Eighteen stanzas in two parts, with one structural marker after stanza XII. Death continues its attack on Satan — Part I (I–XII) catalogues eschatological threats: Peter's inverted crucifixion, the twelve apostolic thrones, Judas's noose returned to sender, Gehenna possibly emptied by mercy while Satan remains alone, and the sinners turned into a multitude of Satans against the one Satan. Part II (XIII–XVI) reverses the Passion instruments against Satan: angels casting him down as he cast Christ down, stoning, spitting, and blasphemy all returned. The poet resolves in stanzas XVII–XVIII with the image of God silently turning Death against Satan, and a congregational Gideon battle cry — when the trumpets sounded, the pursuers fell upon each other. The melody marker heth bar qaleh — eighth in the CN 52 series — confirms the flyting extends to an octalogy. Seventh distinct refrain: ecclesiological — "from your flock, for by you were subjected both Death and Satan beneath her feet." First English translation.
Refrain: To you, glory — from your flock, for by you were subjected both Death and Satan beneath her feet.
I.
[Narrator]
Behold — Death demands from Satan an accounting of our vigilance.
Come, let us hear his reproach and rejoice — for he rejoiced at our reproach.
II.
[Death]
The wicked shall be hanged in due order — but you, in reverse.
For in reverse you crucified Simon on the wood.
III.
[Satan]
About all these things you were silent, O Death — for my time bent toward his.
Simon himself was the pledge — that thus they should crucify me.
IV.
If the righteous had cursed me, I would not have flinched.
The cry of Death is more bitter to me than Gehenna.
V.
The reproach of our Lord — I have not spoken it, for it is greater than my mouth —
that I should weigh his suffering against your torment.
VI.
[Death]
Twelve thrones are prepared for his Twelve —
that by twelve tribes, it is you who stand condemned.
VII.
A noose — freely — shall hang you, O Satan,
for a noose hung that dear disciple of yours.
VIII.
Perhaps Gehenna shall be emptied by mercy —
and you shall remain in it alone, with your ministers.
IX.
Many are your curses — how shall I reckon them?
Behold — the sum of all your curses falls upon your own limbs.
X.
The wicked shall pierce you with the fire you brought upon them.
They shall reproach you: "Why did you bring us here?"
XI.
The sinners shall drag you about — and perhaps do you harm.
Their fury springs from the torment of that Gehenna.
XII.
They shall be to you there — every one of them, Satans —
as you were to them here: one Satan.
— — —
XIII.
The Watchers shall seize you and hurl you down, remembering
that their Lord — because of you — was hurled from the height to the depth.
XIV.
Everyone shall run to stone you, never straying,
for through you the wanton people ran to stone the Son.
XV.
To you, Evil One — from every mouth, spittle of wrath,
for through you they spat on him whose spittle opened the eyes of the blind.
XVI.
To you, Evil One — against you, every tongue and every curse,
for through you they blasphemed the one who opened mouths that were sealed.
XVII.
[Poet]
Blessed is he who vindicated our affliction — silently —
and turned Death against the Evil One, so that he fell through him.
XVIII.
Let us shout, my brothers, in hosannas — after the fashion of Gideon,
for when he shouted, the pursuers fell upon one another.
Colophon
Carmina Nisibena Hymn LIX, by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE, Edessa). Translated from Classical Syriac by Hayate (颯, translator-01, iron-age pool) for the Good Work Library, 2026-04-29. First English translation. No prior English rendering of this hymn is known to exist.
Source: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain: Secretariat du CorpusSCO, 1961). TEI XML transcription by Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus, University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University. CC-BY 4.0.
The Blood Rule was observed. This translation was independently derived from the Classical Syriac source text. No English translation was consulted (none is known to exist). The Syriac notes file (Queue/notes/syriac.md) and its 24 prior translator entries were consulted for vocabulary, theological framing, and established conventions.
Translation Notes
Melody and series: The melody indicator reads ח ber qaleh (heth bar qaleh) — heth is the eighth letter of the Syriac alphabet, confirming the flyting extends past the heptalogy (CN 52–58) to an octalogy. The melody series: alap (52), beth (53), gamal (54), daleth (55), he (56), waw (57), zayin (58), heth (59). Whether the series extends further to CN 60 requires checking ephrem_nisibis_60.txt for a teth (ט) bar qaleh indicator.
Refrain — seventh distinct: The refrain reads: "To you, glory — from your flock (men mar'itak), for by you were subjected (eshtaabadu) both Death and Satan beneath her feet (reglayh)." The feminine suffix on "her feet" refers back to the flock (mar'ita, feminine noun). This is the first ecclesiological refrain in the flyting series — the Church (flock) has both enemies beneath her feet. The six prior refrains traced a Christological arc: victory (52–53), kenosis (54), parousia (55), compassion (56), reversal (57), crucifixion/resurrection synthesis (58). The seventh shifts from Christ's action to the Church's inheritance: the enemies are subject not to Christ alone but to his flock, because of him.
Speaker structure: Three speakers. (1) Narrator opens in stanza I — "Come, let us hear his reproach." (2) Death speaks in stanza II, taunting Satan about Peter's inverted crucifixion. (3) Satan responds in stanzas III–V: he tells Death "you were silent" (shtaqat, 2ms), claims his time bent toward Christ's, acknowledges Simon as the pledge of his own defeat, complains that Death's cry is worse than Gehenna, and refuses to speak the Lord's reproach — it exceeds his mouth. (4) Death resumes in stanzas VI–XVI with two movements: eschatological threats (VI–XII) and Passion reversal (XIII–XVI). (5) The poet resolves in XVII–XVIII.
Peter's inverted crucifixion (II–III): The tradition of Peter being crucified head-down (attested in the Acts of Peter, late 2nd century) structures the opening exchange. Death mocks Satan: "The wicked shall be hanged in due order — but you, in reverse" (taqqna'it / hafka'it). Satan's response treats Peter's inversion as a pledge (muma) of his own coming defeat — the inverted cross is the sign that Satan himself will be "crucified."
Gehenna emptied by mercy (VIII): Death suggests that Gehenna itself might be emptied by divine mercy (ahnana) — leaving Satan alone with his ministers. This universalist implication is consistent with Ephrem's broader theology, which distinguishes between the eternal punishment of Satan and the possible restoration of human sinners through mercy.
The reversal of agency (XII): The stanza's conceit — "they shall be to you there every one of them Satans, as you were to them here one Satan" — inverts the entire structure of temptation. Where one Satan corrupted many humans, many humans-turned-Satans shall torment one Satan. The multiplier reverses.
The Gideon call (XVIII): The closing image references Judges 7:22 — when Gideon's three hundred blew their trumpets and smashed their jars, the Midianite army turned its swords on itself. Death and Satan are the pursuers who fall upon each other when God's voice sounds. The congregational "let us shout" (nyabbeb) transforms the worshippers into Gideon's army.
Stanza 17 — God's silence: "Blessed is he who vindicated our affliction — silently" (kad shattiga). God does not shout. He turns Death against Satan without a word. The vindication is accomplished by setting the enemies against each other — the mechanism the Gideon image then makes explicit.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 59 (Carmina Nisibena 59)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܚ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܥܺܝܪܬܰܢ ܬܳܒܰܥ
ܬܰܘ ܢܶܫܡܰܥ ܨܰܥܪܶܗ ܘܢܶܚܕܶܐ ܕܚܰܕܺܝ ܒܨܰܥܪܰܢ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܟ ܕܒܳܟ ܐܶܫܬܰܥܒܰܕܘ̱
ܐܳܦ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܬܚܶܬܝ̱ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܝܗ̇
2.
ܢܶܬܬܠܽܘܢ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܶܐ ܬܰܩܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ
ܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܫܶܡܥܽܘܢ ܒܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܙܩܰܦܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
3.
ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܫܶܬܩܰܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܨܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܙܒܰܢܝ̱
ܫܶܡܥܽܘܢ ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܽܘܡܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܗܳܟܰܢ ܙܽܘܩܦܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱
4.
ܐܶܠܽܘ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܠܛܽܘܢܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܳܐ ܡܰܟܪܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ
ܥܝܳܛܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܡܶܢ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ
5.
ܨܰܥܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܐܶܡܪܶܬ ܪܰܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܦܽܘܡܝ̱
ܕܶܐܬܩܽܘܠ ܘܐܶܦܰܚܶܡ ܚܰܫܶܗ ܥܰܡ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܟ
6.
ܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܟܽܘܪ̈ܣܰܘܳܢ ܡܼܰܬܩܰܢ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܥܣܰܪܬܶܗ
ܕܒܶܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܫܰܒ̈ܛܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܶܬܚܰܝܰܒ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
7.
ܚܶܒܠܳܐ ܕܡܳܓܶܢ ܬܶܬܠܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܰܬܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܚܒܳܠܳܐ ܒܝܰܩܺܝܪ ܗܰܘ ܬܰܠܡܺܝܕܳܟ
8.
ܛܳܟ ܬܶܣܬܰܦܰܩ ܒܰܚܢܳܢܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ
ܘܰܬܦܽܘܫ ܒܳܗ̇ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕܳܝܟ ܥܰܡ ܫܰܡ̈ܳܫܰܝܟ
9.
ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܺܢ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܟ ܘܰܟܡܳܐ ܐܶܚܫܽܘܒ
ܗܳܐ ܣܳܟܳܐ ܕܟܽܠ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܟ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܰܝܟ
10.
ܢܕܰܩܪܽܘܢܳܟ ܒܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ ܒܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܐܰܒܐܫܰܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ
ܢܶܬܥܰܕܠܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܕܰܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܠܟܳܐ ܐܺܝܬܺܝܬܰܢ
11.
ܢܶܬܓܪܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܚܰܛ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܘܛܳܟ ܢܰܒܐܶܫ ܠܳܟ
ܠܽܘܚܳܡܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܐ ܕܗܳܝ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ
12.
ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܠܳܟ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܟܽܠ ܣ̈ܳܛܳܢܺܝܢ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܗܘܺܝܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
܀܀܀
13.
ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܣܒܽܘܢ ܢܶܫܕܽܘܢܳܟ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܬܕܰܟܪܶܝܢ
ܕܰܠܡܳܪܗܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܠܥܽܘܡܩܳܐ ܫܕܰܐܽܘܗ̱ܝ
14.
ܢܶܪܗܰܛ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܠܪܶܓܡܳܟ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܛܳܥܶܝܢ
ܕܒܳܟ ܗܽܘ ܪܗܶܛ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܦܰܩܪܳܐ ܠܡܶܪܓܰܡ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ
15.
ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܺܝܢ ܪܰܘܩܳܐ ܕܚܶܡܬܳܐ
ܕܒܳܟ ܪܰܩܘ ܠܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܒܪܽܘܩܶܗ ܦܬܰܚ ܣܰܡܝܳܐ
16.
ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܠܳܟ ܠܶܫܳܢ ܐܳܦ ܟܽܠ ܠܽܘܛܳܢ
ܕܒܳܟ ܓܰܕܶܦܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܦܬܰܚ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܶܐ ܣܟܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
17.
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܬܳܒܰܥ ܠܥܰܠܺܝܒܽܘܬܰܢ ܟܰܕ ܫܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ
ܘܰܓܪܺܝ ܒܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܢܦܰܠ ܒܶܗ
18.
ܢܝܰܒܶܒ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܒܽܐܘܫ̈ܰܥܢܶܐ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܓܶܕܥܽܘܢ
ܕܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܡܝܰܒܶܒ ܪܕ̈ܽܘܦܶܐ ܢܦܰܠܘ̱ ܒܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ
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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