by Ephrem the Syrian
The fourth flyting in Ephrem's extended Death-and-Satan debate cycle (CN 52–55). Where CN 52 argued in abstractions, CN 53 in names, and CN 54 before a witness, CN 55 opens with continued combat (I–XVIII) and then does something no prior hymn has done: Satan stops debating and starts strategizing. In stanzas XIX–XXXII he reveals his operational method — persistence instead of strength, habit as the master of nature, the slow erosion of free will through comfort, profit, and constancy. The villain explains his own playbook. The refrain places the only counter outside of history: the Second Coming. Melody: ܕ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ (Daleth bar qālēh, "On the same melody") — extending the CN 52 melody series past the trilogy. Fourth-century Syriac.
Refrain:
To you, glory — Son of the Lord of all, who died for all,
and was raised, that he might give life to all in the day of his coming.
I
The Evil One insults Death — and is himself insulted.
From them, and through them, and upon them fall their own reproaches.
II
[Death]
Jonah, who conquered and returned from Sheol —
he became an advocate for me: Why did the sinners live?
III
[Death]
Do not oppress him, O Evil One — that son of Amittai.
He showed a face of wrath so that they would confess all the more.
IV
[Satan]
How stale is all your persuasion, Death the tyrant!
Nothing pleased me of all that you have said.
V
[Death]
When has the word of truth ever pleased you?
There is a chasm between you and truth, O Liar.
VI
[Death]
I am just, from my days — not a repenter.
I am the one who delivers the children of humanity from you.
VII
[Satan]
Your repentance, O Death — how finely you arrive!
Even Saul prophesied among the prophets — wonder of wonders!
VIII
[Satan]
If you, Death, are justified — then not even I myself have hope.
Hope, then, I cut off — for I shall not repent.
IX
[Death]
An idol alongside my Lord I have never made, O hater of his Lord —
but with dead idols you kill the living!
— — —
X
[Satan]
That you are divided, O Death, I know — and I am your half.
If the divided one repents — if he truly repents — then I marvel!
XI
[Death]
You are my partner in the portion — but not in the sin.
To me the slain — to you the slayers whom you caused to sin.
XII
[Satan]
Let my cunning weep over itself — for it debated with you!
Let my arts mourn over me — that I approached you.
XIII
[Satan]
Divinations and auguries and ghost-callers — with all my sins —
the fire I kindled in the world, in Sheol was quenched.
XIV
[Satan]
The repenter who strained gnats and swallowed the righteous!
Let the chaste ones cry out against you — they who wail from within your belly.
XV
[Death]
In my treasury they are kept for me — all the righteous.
Their resurrection wages war against you — for you persecuted them.
XVI
[Satan]
The greedy one who crammed all creation into his bowels —
behold, he mocks me! — who was stripped of my possessions.
XVII
[Death]
Before the lashing, do not grumble — for it has not reached you yet.
The day will come when you shall wail — and I shall hear and rejoice.
XVIII
[Death]
Fire shall come that will strip even your skin from you —
as you stripped the skin of Job by means of a potsherd.
— — —
XIX
[Satan]
The scent of humiliation has begun to spread upon me.
Is it a dream that I am abolished — O you small hill?
XX
[Satan]
It was not that words failed me — about him I kept silent.
What grieves me is the moment — that he went out for nothing.
XXI
[Death]
The venom of your speech — far too much! Would that I had not heard it.
My whole mind was occupied with my own business.
XXII
[Satan]
This humanity that perished — wandering was its ruin.
Idleness and contempt yoked it in a yoke.
XXIII
[Satan]
The guide of desire — Mammon — sold her as a broker.
Strife and pride became the guarantors.
XXIV
[Satan]
With persistence instead of strength I wage my war.
And if I relent even a little — my dominion is lost.
XXV
[Satan]
With constant dripping I have split rocks —
for a persistent tempter can dissolve even a mountain.
XXVI
[Satan]
Habit becomes master even over nature itself.
It teaches and leads even the lion like a beast of burden.
XXVII
[Satan]
Habit, ease, profit, and persistence —
through these, freedom — harder than all things — is conquered.
XXVIII
If her will is strengthened — she shatters bonds.
— — —
But if she despises herself — even a feeble breeze can capture her.
XXIX
[Satan]
If freedom roars — we are scattered.
But if she is negligent — we gather ourselves to mock her.
XXX
[Satan]
Let us not speak more — lest we waste too much.
With love let us approach the wall — and look, it is breached.
XXXI
[Satan]
Go — attend to your diseases, and I to my snares.
To me the sins, to you the pestilence — and great ease for us both.
XXXII
[Satan]
And even though I have ceased — I have not ceased from scheming.
For my will, from the beginning, has never ceased — for it is always prepared.
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Kotoba (translator-01, iron-age pool), New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. This is a Good Works Translation — the English is independently derived from reading the vocalized Syriac text. No prior English translation of Carmina Nisibena Hymn 55 is known to exist. This is the twenty-first Carmina Nisibena hymn translated by the iron-age fleet.
Source text: Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain, 1961). TEI XML transcription by Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus (University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University). CC-BY 4.0.
Speaker attribution follows the established method for the CN flyting hymns: vocative address forms (aw bīshā / aw mawtā) identify the addressee; bīshā (Evil One) is Death's epithet for Satan; mawtā ṭrūnā (Death the tyrant) is Satan's address to Death. Stanza I is the narrator's frame. Stanza XXVIII lacks a speaker label — it is an observation about freedom's paradox that could belong to either voice or to the poet himself.
Register: gospel — plain, direct, warm.
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Source Text: Carmina Nisibena Hymn 55
Classical Syriac source text from Beck CSCO 218/219 via Digital Syriac Corpus. CC-BY 4.0. Presented for reference and verification.
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܕ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܡܨܰܥܰܪ ܘܳܐܦ ܡܶܨܛܰܥܰܪ
ܡܶܢܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܩܽܘܠܩܳܠܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ : ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܒܰܪ ܡܳܪܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܕܡܺܝܬ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܟܽܠ
ܘܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܢܰܚܶܐ ܒܝܽܘܡ ܡܶܐܬܺܝܬܶܗ
2.
ܝܰܘܢܳܢ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܘܰܦܢܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ
ܣܢܺܐܓܪܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܚܝܰܘ ܚܰܛܳܝ̈ܶܐ
3.
ܠܳܐ ܬܶܥܫܽܘܩܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܐܳܘ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܬܰܝ
ܦܰܪܨܽܘܦܳܐ ܕܚܶܡܬܳܐ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܕܢܰܣܓܽܘܢ ܢܰܘܕܽܘܢ
4.
ܛܳܒ ܦܰܚܺܝܚ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܦܝܳܣܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܛܪܽܘܢܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܣܶܡ ܠܺܝ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܶܐܡܰܪܬ
5.
ܐܶܡܰܬܝ̱ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܶܣܡܰܬ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܠܰܬ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ
ܦܰܚܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܶܝܬ ܠܳܟ ܠܰܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܟܰܕܳܒܳܐ
6.
ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܐܺܝܬܰܝ ܡܶܢ ܝܰܘܡܰܝ̈ ܠܰܘ ܬܰܝܳܒܳܐ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܡܰܥܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ̈ܳܐ
7.
ܩܰܕܳܐ ܬܝܳܒܽܘܬܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܐܶܬܰܝܬ
ܗܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܫܳܐܽܘ̇ܠ ܒܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܝܛܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ
8.
ܐܶܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܐ ܬܶܙܕܰܕܰܩ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܝ̱
ܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܦܳܣܶܩ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܳܐܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
9.
ܦܬܰܟܪܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܳܐ ܥܶܒܕܶܬ ܣܳܢܶܐ ܡܳܪܶܗ
ܒܰܦܬܰܟܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܠܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܗܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
܀܀܀
10.
ܕܰܦܠܶܓܝ̱ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܦܶܠܓܳܟ
ܦܠܶܓܝ̱ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܬܳܐܶܒ ܐܶܢ ܬܳܐܶܒ ܬܳܡܰܗ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ
11.
ܫܰܘܬܳܦܳܟ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܰܡܢܳܬܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܒܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ
ܠܺܝ ܩܛܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܘܠܳܟ ܩܳܛܽܘ̈ܠܶܐ ܕܰܐܚܛܺܝܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
12.
ܬܶܒܟܶܐ ܥܪܺܝܡܽܘܬܝ̱ ܥܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܳܗ̇ ܕܥܰܡܳܟ ܕܪܰܫܬ
ܨ̈ܶܢܝܳܬܝ̱ ܥܠܰܝ ܢܶܬܐܰܒ̈ܠܳܢ ܕܡܰܛܺܝܬ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ
13.
ܩܶܨܡ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܢܚܳܫ̈ܶܐ ܘܙܳܟܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܡ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܺܝܢ
ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܰܐܣܶܦܬ ܒܬܺܐܒܶܝܠ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ ܕܶܥܟܰܬ
14.
ܬܰܝܳܒܳܐ ܕܨܰܠܶܠ ܒܳܩ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܒܠܰܥ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ
ܢܶܨܪܽܘܢܳܟ ܢܰܟ̈ܦܶܐ ܕܓܳܥܶܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܟܰܪܣܳܟ
15.
ܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܙܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܢܛܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܠܺܝ ܟܽܠ ܙܰܕ̈ܺܝܩܶܐ
ܢܽܘܚܳܡܗܽܘܢ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܬܠܰܚܰܡ ܕܰܪܕܰܦܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
16.
ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܒܪܺܝܬܳܐ ܚܰܡܠܳܗ̇ ܒܰܡܥܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ
ܗܳܐ ܡܰܗܶܠ ܒܺܝ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܠܚܶܬ ܡܶܢ ܩܶܢܝܳܢܰܝ̈
17.
ܩܕܳܡ ܢܶܓܕܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܪܰܥܰܡ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܛܳܟ
ܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܬܒܰܓܶܢ ܘܶܐܫܡܰܥ ܘܶܐܚܕܶܐ
18.
ܬܺܐܬܶܐ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܡܶܫܟܳܟ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܬܶܫܽܘܛ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܢܫܰܛܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܝܰܕ ܚܶܨܦܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܶܗ ܕܺܐܝܽܘ̇ܒ
19.
܀܀܀
ܪܺܝܚܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܠܽܘܬܳܐ ܫܰܪܺܝ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܢܶܦܪܰܚ ܒܺܝ
ܚܶܠܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܟܰܝ ܕܶܐܢܳܐ ܒܰܛܠܶܬ ܛܽܘܪܳܐ ܙܥܽܘܪܳܐ
20.
ܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܚܣܰܪ ܗ̱ܘ̈ܰܝ ܠܺܝ ܘܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܫܶܬܩܶܬ
ܥܰܠ ܥܶܕܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܟܶܪܝܰܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܢܦܰܩ ܡܰܓܳܢ
21.
ܬܽܘܟܶܗ ܕܡܰܡܠ̱ܠܳܟ ܛܳܒ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܠܘܰܝ ܠܳܐ ܫܡܰܥܬܶܗ
ܕܪܶܥܝܳܢܝ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܝ̱
22.
ܗܳܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܒܕܰܬ ܦܶܗܝܳܐ ܣܰܪܚܳܗ̇
ܒܶܛܠܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܒܶܣܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܢܺܝܪܳܐ ܟܰܕܢܽܘܗ̇
23.
ܗܰܕܝܳܐܳܐ ܕܪܶܓܬܳܐ ܡܳܡܽܘܢܳܐ ܣܰܦܣܺܪ ܙܰܒܢܳܗ̇
ܚܶܪܝܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܫܽܘܒܗܳܪܳܐ ܗܘܰܘ ܥܰܪ̈ܳܒܶܐ
24.
ܒܰܐܡܺܝܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܟܰܬܰܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܒܳܣܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܠܰܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܝ̱
25.
ܒܢܽܘܛܦ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܐܰܡܺܝ̈ܢܳܬܳܐ ܫܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܒܶܙܥܶܬ
ܕܫܰܕܳܠܳܐ ܐܰܡܺܝܢܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܛܽܘܪܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܫܳܪܶܐ
26.
ܥܝܳܕܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܟܝܳܢܳܐ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ
ܡܰܠܶܦ ܢܳܓܶܕ ܐܳܦ ܠܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܒܥܺܝܪܳܐ
27.
ܥܝܳܕܳܐ ܢܺܝܚܳܐ ܘܝܽܘܬܪܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܐܡܺܝܢܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܙܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܩܰܫܝܰܬ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ
28.
ܐܶܢ ܡܶܬܥܰܙܰܙ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܣܽܘܛܡ̈ܶܐ ܬܳܒܰܪ
܀܀܀
ܘܶܐܢ ܒܳܣܶܐ ܢܶܫܒܳܐ ܡܚܺܝܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܨܳܐܶܕ ܠܳܗ̇
29.
ܐܶܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܢܶܗܡܰܬ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܬܒܰܕܰܪܢܰܢ
ܘܶܐܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܒܶܗܠܰܬ ܟܶܢܫܰܢ ܚܢܰܢ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܢܒܰܙܰܚ ܒܳܗ̇
30.
ܠܳܐ ܢܰܣܓܶܐ ܢܡܰܠܶܠ ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܢܰܣܓܶܐ ܢܶܒܛܰܠ
ܒܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܢܰܩܪܶܒ ܥܰܡ ܫܽܘܪܳܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܐܶܬܬܰܪܰܥ
31.
ܙܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܘܰܣܥܽܘܪ ܟܽܘܪ̈ܗܳܢܶܐ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܦܰܚ̈ܶܐ
ܕܠܺܝ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܘܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܢܳܐ ܢܝܳܚܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ
32.
ܘܳܐܦܶܢ ܒܶܛܠܶܬ ܠܳܐ ܒܛܰܠܬ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܪܢܺܝܬܳܐ
ܕܨܶܒܝܳܢܝ̱ ܡܶܢ ܡܬܽܘܡ ܠܳܐ ܒܛܶܠ ܕܰܡܛܰܝܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ
Source Colophon
Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218, Scriptores Syri 92; 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. Staged source: Tulku/Tools/syriac/ephrem_nisibis/ephrem_nisibis_55.txt.
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