The sixth hymn in the extended flyting between Death and Satan (CN 52–57). Death conducts a grand prosecution of Satan through the entire biblical record — from Adam's fall to the beheading of John the Baptist. Each crime is paired with its eschatological reversal: the fire that freed the righteous will bind Satan; the pit that trapped Jeremiah will be Satan's eternal prison; the platter that held John's head will become the platform of Satan's shame. The refrain proclaims the paradox of the cross: Christ's humbling defeated Satan and exalted the humbled Adam. The prosecution rests without summation — because the congregation has been singing the verdict between every stanza.
Melody: ו bar qālēh (waw — sixth iteration)
Refrain
To you, glory — for by your humbling, Satan was defeated,
and Adam, who had been humbled — your humbling exalted him.
I
Listen, my brothers, while Death mocks the Evil One —
for he made the head of our race to sin, and his mother too.
II
Let the children of Adam see your great shame —
just as you mocked his nakedness when you made him sin.
III
Eve shall leave that serpent and come against you —
for it was you who deceived her innocence, O dragon.
IV
Let Abel see Cain, who acted on your behalf —
the great blasphemer undone, that disciple of wrath.
V
Noah, who conquered the flood as though it were death itself —
through the mouth of Ham you laughed at him, for wine had conquered him.
VI
It was not Noah who was harmed — but your own vessel.
He wore the curses you clothed him with, and became a slave.
VII
Lot, who conquered wrath — your foreshadowing of death —
you counseled his daughters with counsels that pleased me.
VIII
And Lot's wife heard your counsel, for she was your vessel.
Let half of you wither — for your whole vessel was withered.
IX
Gehenna shall be overturned upon your head —
for it was your wickedness that overturned Sodom upon its inhabitants.
X
Waves of fire at the resurrection shall provoke you —
as you provoked the people through Moses and through Elijah.
XI
The righteous shall mock you at the end, and Joseph shall rejoice —
he whose brothers mocked him, for you had stirred them up.
XII
The stench of smoke shall enter and choke your senses —
as the waters of the sea choked the senses of the wicked.
XIII
The modest women too shall mock you — for by your counsel
the daughters of Midian mocked the foolish people.
XIV
A burning coal upon your head shall be heaped, on account of Samson —
for through a woman you shaved the mane of the fearsome lion.
XV
Saul, whom you conquered through envy — through sorcery he overpowered you,
for he summoned and brought up Samuel from within his grave.
XVI
Do not dishonour the dead — the living one did not truly rise.
It was you who rose up through the medium — you yourself contrived it.
XVII
Upon a burning coal the command shall hang you, Evil One —
for through you they hanged Absalom upon the tree.
XVIII
In fire you shall see your humbling among the unclean —
for through you Solomon was humbled among pagan women.
XIX
Justice shall wage war against you, as you incited
Jezebel who devoured the prophets — it was you who fed her.
XX
In fire you shall burn justly, for you intoxicated them —
the two companies whom Elijah burned, who came up threatening.
XXI
Upon you too coals shall be heaped — and he shall see and rejoice:
Naboth, upon whom you heaped a cairn of stones.
XXII
You shall be clothed in shame on the day of judgment, before the onlookers —
for you clothed Gehazi in leprosy through your thievery.
XXIII
By lightning in place of an arrow you shall be swallowed, O Satan —
for in the heart of Josiah you planted arrows.
XXIV
In the mire of Gehenna you shall sink, O Satan —
for in the mud of the pit you sank Jeremiah.
XXV
Daniel came up from the pit into which you had cast him.
Let him be comforted — that in the pit, forever, he shall see you.
— — —
XXVI
Let your wickedness return upon your head, O hater of humanity —
as the wickedness of Haman, your companion, returned upon his own head.
XXVII
The king's bride shall mock you, in the likeness of Esther.
She shall petition him on the day of judgment — that he condemn you.
XXVIII
Fire loosed the righteous whom you had bound.
A great fetter shall become for you — the kindling of fire.
XXIX
You shall be trampled, and the seven brothers shall see your humbling —
the sons of Shimoni, who were trampled by your wolves.
XXX
Fire shall mock your skull, as you told your tale
about the two heads of the Nazirites — the sons of barren women.
XXXI
Fire shall tell its tale upon your head — of the mother and her daughter
who mocked the head of John, for you had changed them.
XXXII
The flame shall mock your head, O Evil One —
for upon a platter you mocked the head of John.
Carmina Nisibena — Hymn LVII. Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE). Translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church. Source text: Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1961). TEI XML edition: Michael Oez; Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). Sixth hymn in the Death–Satan flyting series (CN 52–57). No prior English translation is known to exist.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 57 (Carmina Nisibena 57)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܘܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܨܽܘܬܘ̱ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܗܠ ܒܶܗ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܒܺܝܫܳܐ
ܥܰܠ ܕܰܐܚܛܺܝ ܠܗܰܘ ܪܺܝܫ ܛܽܘܗܡܰܢ ܘܰܠܝܳܠܶܕܬܶܗ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܡܽܘܟܳܟܳܟ ܚܳܒ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܦܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܪܰܡܪܶܡ ܫܰܦܠܳܟ
2.
ܢܶܚܙܽܘܢ ܦܽܘܪܣܝܳܟ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܝܰܠܕ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܐܗܠܶܬ ܒܦܽܘܪܣܳܝܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܐܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
3.
ܬܶܫܒܽܘܩ ܚܰܘܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܘܒܳܟ ܬܶܬܓܪܶܐ
ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܢܟܰܠܬܳܗ̇ ܠܫܰܒܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܬܰܢܺܝܢܳܐ
4.
ܢܶܚܙܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܒܶܝܠ ܠܩܰܐܺܝܢ ܕܰܥܠܰܝܟ ܐܶܬܳܐ
ܒܪܰܒܳܐ ܟܦܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܶܬܥܰܕܰܠ ܬܰܠܡܺܝܕ ܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ
5.
ܢܽܘܚ ܕܰܙܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܡܳܡܽܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܒܦܽܘܡܶܗ ܕܚܳܡ ܓܶܚܟܰܬ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܚܰܡܪܳܐ
6.
ܠܰܘ ܢܽܘܚ ܐܶܣܬܓܶܦ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܡܳܐܢܳܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ
ܠܒܶܫ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܠܒܶܫܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ
7.
ܠܽܘܛ ܕܰܙܟܳܐ ܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܛܽܘܦܣܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܠܰܒܢ̈ܳܬܶܗ ܡܶܠܟܰܬ ܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ ܕܰܫܦܰܪܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܺܝ
8.
ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܰܬ ܠܽܘܛ ܫܶܡܥܰܬ ܡܶܠܟܳܟ ܕܡܳܐܢܳܟ ܗܘܳܬ
ܦܶܠܓܳܟ ܢܺܐܒܰܫ ܕܺܝܒܶܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܡܳܐܢܳܟ
9.
ܗܘܳܬ ܡܶܬܗܰܦܟܳܐ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ ܠܥܶܠ ܡܶܢ ܪܺܝܫܳܟ
ܕܪܽܘܫܥܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܗܰܦܟܳܗ̇ ܠܣܳܕܽܘܡ ܥܰܠ ܝܰܬܒܶܝ̈ܗ̇
10.
ܓܰܠܠܰܝ̈ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܢܶܬܰܓܪܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ
ܕܰܒܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܘܒܶܐܠܺܝܳܐ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܓܶܪܝܰܬ
11.
ܢܰܗܠܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܒܚܰܪܬܳܐ ܘܢܶܚܕܶܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ
ܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܗܶܠܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܶܗ ܕܫܶܓܫܰܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
12.
ܥܶܛܪܳܐ ܕܬܶܢܳܢܳܐ ܢܶܥܽܘܠ ܢܶܚܢܽܘܩ ܪ̈ܶܓܫܰܝܟ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܚܰܢܶܩܘ̱ ܡܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܕܝܰܡܳܐ ܪ̈ܶܓܫܰܝ ܥܰܘ̈ܳܠܶܐ
13.
ܢܰܗܠܰܢ ܒܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܢܰܟ̈ܦܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܒܝܰܕ ܡܶܠܟܳܟ
ܒ̈ܢܳܬ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܗܶܠ ܗܘܰܝ ܒܶܗ ܒܥܰܡܳܐ ܣܰܟܠܳܐ
14.
ܓܰܘܙܰܠܬܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܫܳܟ ܬܶܣܰܦ ܡܶܛܽܘܠ ܫܶܡܫܽܘܢ
ܕܰܒܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܓܪܰܥܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܥܪܶܗ ܕܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܕܚܺܝܠܳܐ
15.
ܫܳܐܽܘܠ ܕܰܙܟܺܝܬ ܒܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܩܰܨܡܳܐ ܚܰܣܢܳܟ
ܕܫܰܐܶܠ ܘܰܐܣܶܩ ܠܰܫܡܽܘܐܶܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܩܰܒܪܶܗ
16.
ܠܳܐ ܬܨܰܥܰܪ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܣܠܶܩ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܣܠܶܩܬ ܒܙܳܟܽܘܪܳܐ ܫܰܘܺܝܬ ܗܽܘ ܓܶܝܪ
17.
ܥܰܠ ܓܰܘܙܰܠܬܳܐ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܢܶܬܠܝܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ
ܕܒܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܬܰܠܐܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܠ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܫܽܘܠܳܡ
18.
ܒܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܬܶܚܙܶܐ ܡܽܘܟܳܟܳܟ ܒܶܝܬ ܛܰܡ̈ܐܳܬܳܐ
ܕܰܫܠܶܝܡܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܐܶܫܬܰܦܰܠ ܒܶܝܬ ܚ̈ܰܢܦܳܬܳܐ
19.
ܬܶܬܠܰܚܰܡ ܠܳܟ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܫܓܰܪܬܳܗ̇
ܠܺܐܝܙܒܶܠ ܕܶܐܟܠܰܬ ܠܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܐܰܣܶܦܬܳܗ̇
20.
ܒܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܬܺܐܩܰܕ ܟܺܐܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܕܰܐܪܘܝܰܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܠܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܕܰܐܘܩܶܕ ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ ܕܓܰܙܶܡܘ̱ ܘܰܣܠܶܩܘ̱
21.
ܥܠܰܝܟ ܐܳܦ ܓܽܘܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܬܟܰܫܺܝܢ ܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܘܢܶܚܕܶܐ
ܗܰܘ ܢܒܽܘܬ ܕܰܟܫܺܝܬ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܝܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܟܺܐܦ̈ܶܐ
22.
ܬܰܠܒܶܫ ܒܶܙܚܳܐ ܒܝܽܘܡ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܚ̈ܰܙܳܝܶܐ
ܕܰܐܠܒܶܫܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܓܰܪܒܳܐ ܠܶܓܚܙܺܝ ܒܓܰܢܳܒܽܘܬܳܟ
23.
ܒܒܰܪܩܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܓܶܐܪܳܐ ܬܶܒܠܰܥ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܒܰܠܒܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܝܽܘܫܳܝܳܐ ܓܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܩܰܒܥܰܬ
24.
ܒܬܰܛܪܳܗ̇ ܕܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ ܬܶܛܒܰܥ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܒܰܣܝܳܢܶܗ ܕܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܛܰܒܰܥܬ ܠܗܰܘ ܐܶܪܰܡܝܳܐ
25.
ܣܠܶܩ ܕܳܢܺܝܐܶܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܰܪܡܺܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
ܢܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ ܕܒܐܕܽܘܓܳܐ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܢܶܚܙܶܝܟ
܀܀܀
26.
ܢܶܗܦܽܘܟ ܥܰܘܠܳܟ ܥܰܠ ܪܺܝܫܳܟ ܣܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܗܦܰܟ ܥܰܘܠܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܫܶܗ ܕܗܳܡܳܢ ܚܰܒܪܳܟ
27.
ܟܰܠܰܬ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܬܒܰܙܰܚ ܒܳܟ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܐܶܣܬܺܝܪ
ܬܶܒܥܶܐ ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܒܝܽܘܡ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܬܦܺܝܣ ܥܠܰܝܟ
28.
ܫܪܳܬ ܗܘܳܬ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܠܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܗܳܢܽܘܢ ܕܦܶܟܪܰܬ
ܦܟܳܪܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܕܶܠܩܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܪܳܐ
29.
ܬܶܬܒܰܣܒܰܣ ܘܰܐܚ̈ܶܐ ܫܰܒܥܳܐ ܢܶܚܙܽܘܢ ܫܶܦܠܳܟ
ܒܶܢܝ̈ܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܡܽܘܢܺܝ ܡܶܢ ܕܺܐܒܰܝ̈ܟ ܐܶܬܒܰܣܒܰܣܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ
30.
ܬܒܰܙܰܚ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܒܩܰܪܩܰܦܬܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܥܺܝܬ
ܒܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܢ ܕܰܢܙܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܥܰܩܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ
31.
ܬܶܫܬܥܶܐ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܫܳܟ ܕܶܐܡܳܐ ܘܒܰܪܬܳܗ̇
ܒܪܺܝܫܶܗ ܕܝܽܘܚܰܢܳܢ ܒܰܙܰܚ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܢܝܰܬ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ
32.
ܫܰܠܗܶܒܺܝܬܳܐ ܬܒܰܙܰܚ ܒܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܫܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ
ܕܥܰܠ ܦܺܝܢܟܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܫܶܗ ܒܰܙܚܰܬ ܕܝܽܘܚܰܢܳܢ
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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