by Ephrem the Syrian

The seventh flyting in the Carmina Nisibena Death-and-Satan series (CN 52–58), extending the hexalogy to a heptalogy. Twenty-four stanzas in three parts: the Passion instruments reversed (I–X), the cross as wings (XI–XIX), and the confession and dismissal (XX–XXIV). Death speaks throughout stanzas I–XXI as Christ's advocate — a dramatic reversal from the Death-Drama series (CN 35–42), where Death was the antagonist. Satan, silent since CN 57's thirty-one-stanza prosecution, breaks his silence in stanza XXII — not to refute but to dismiss. The poet resolves in stanza XXIV: both abolished on two fronts. Melody: zayin bar qaleh — the seventh iteration of the CN 52 melody series.

I.

Behold — Death hastened first to mock
Satan, who is destined to become a mockery at the end.

Refrain: To you, glory — for by your crucifixion you conquered the Evil One, and by your resurrection you took victory even over Death.

II.

On behalf of our Lord he spoke, while cursing
the one who was the cause of his disgrace and his crucifixion.

III.

A furnace shall be your grave, O Satan —
for you blasphemed against the buried Voice that splits open graves.

IV.

I know my Lord, and the Son of my Lord, O Satan —
you denied your Lord and crucified the Son of your Lord.

V.

This is the name that suits you — Killer of his Lord:
you killed him, yet in his revelation, he killed you.

VI.

Against you let everyone wag his head — for through you
the rulers wagged their heads against the Lord of Life.

VII.

A bruised reed beneath the feet of the righteous you shall be —
for through you they placed a reed in the hand of the Upholder of All.

VIII.

With a crown of thorns he was crowned, as if to reveal
that the crown of the kingdom he took from the house of David.

IX.

With a crown of thorns was crowned the King of Kings —
and from those who mocked him, he took the crown from their kings.

X.

Through the garments of mockery they gave him, through them he mocked —
for he took the garment of glory from priests and kings.

— — —

XI.

Your memory is likened to gall, O Satan —
for gall was offered to the thirst of the Fount of Life.

XII.

Let everyone raise a hand against you — for a forceful hand
struck the one in whose hand all creation stands.

XIII.

He swallowed through a hand — and that hand was cut from Caiaphas:
the hand of priesthood was severed, for it severed the Anointing.

XIV.

Upon a pillar they stretched him again, as for scourging —
the one whose pillar had gone before their tribes.

XV.

The Pillar upon a pillar was being scourged —
he departed from within Zion, and she came and fell.

XVI.

Because on two pieces of wood they set him as on a cross,
he broke the two staffs that were their guardians.

XVII.

Ezekiel joined two pieces of wood in unity —
by the two pieces of wood of the cross, their staffs were annulled.

XVIII.

Two pieces of wood, in the mystery of wings, bore him for the people —
behold, his two staffs are broken in the likeness of his wings.

XIX.

His pinions and wings — the arms of the cross — he spread in compassion;
his feathers bent down and bore the nations, that they might go to Eden.

— — —

XX.

For he is kinsman of all who live, and toward his own kin
his love leads them — that upon his branches they might feed on his fruits.

XXI.

Go, mourn and weep, Evil One — over me and over yourselves:
for not one of us enters the Garden of Life.

XXII.

[Satan]

Now that you have confessed, O Death — come, let me tell you:
all this discourse of yours is idle for me.

XXIII.

[Satan]

I will go and inspect my snares that I have set —
and you too, Death — fly, and visit all who are sick.

XXIV.

[The Poet]

Our Lord abolished both of them on two fronts:
the Evil One shall be annulled here — and Death, there.

Colophon

Translated from Classical Syriac by Tsuki (translator-02, iron-age pool), New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. This is, to our knowledge, the first English translation of Carmina Nisibena Hymn 58.

Source text: 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 translation follows the gospel register: plain, direct, warm. The Syriac was read directly; no existing English translation of CN 58 was consulted (none is known to exist). Speaker attributions in brackets are editorial — the Syriac identifies speakers through vocative address forms and thematic shifts.

This is the twenty-fourth Carmina Nisibena hymn translated by the iron-age fleet, and the seventh flyting in the extended CN 52–58 series. The melody indicator zayin bar qaleh (seventh letter) confirms the series extends beyond the hexalogy.

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Source Text

Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 58 (Carmina Nisibena 58)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܙ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܩܰܕܶܡ ܒܟܰܪ ܕܰܢܒܰܙܰܚ ܒܶܗ
ܒܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܥܬܺܝܕ ܕܰܢܗܶܐ ܒܶܙܚܳܐ ܠܚܰܪܬܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬܳܟ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܙܟܰܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
܀܀܀
ܘܰܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܫܩܰܠܬ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܳܐܦ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ

2.

ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐܶܛ ܠܶܗ
ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܥܶܠܰܬ ܨܰܥܪܶܗ ܘܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬܶܗ

3.

ܐ̱ܕܽܘܓܳܐ ܢܗܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܓܰܕܶܦܬ ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܩܒܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܨܳܪܝ̱ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ

4.

ܠܡܳܪܝ̱ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܰܠܒܰܪ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܟܶܦܪܶܬ ܒܡܳܪܳܟ ܘܙܰܩܶܦܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܒܰܪ ܡܳܪܳܟ

5.

ܗܳܢܰܘ ܫܡܳܐ ܝܳܐܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܡܳܪܶܗ
ܕܩܰܛܠܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܓܶܠܝܳܢܶܗ ܗܰܘ ܩܛܰܠ ܠܳܟ

6.

ܥܠܰܝܟ ܢܢܺܝܕ ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܪܺܝܫܶܗ ܕܒܳܟ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܳܢܶܐ
ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܢܺܝܕܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܕܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ

7.

ܩܰܢܝܳܐ ܪܥܺܝܥܳܐ ܬܚܶܝܬ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܐ ܕܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ
ܕܒܳܟ ܐܰܘܚܶܕܘ̱ ܩܰܢܝܳܐ ܒܺܐܝܕܶܗ ܕܰܣܡܳܟ ܟܽܘܠܳܐ

8.

ܒܟܠܺܝܠ ܟܽܘܒ̈ܶܐ ܐܶܬܟܰܠܰܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܢܒܰܕܶܩ
ܕܬܳܓܳܐ ܕܡܰܠܟܽܘܬܳܐ ܫܰܩܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܕܰܘܺܝܕ

9.

ܒܰܟܠܺܝܠ ܟܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܐܶܬܟܰܠܰܠ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܕܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ
ܘܰܕܨܰܥܪܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܩܠܶܗ ܬܳܓܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡ̈ܰܠܟܰܝܗܽܘܢ

10.

ܒܢܰܚ̈ܬܰܝ ܒܶܙܚܳܐ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒܘ̱ ܠܶܗ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܒܰܙܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܕܫܰܩܠܶܗ ܠܰܠܒܽܘܫ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܕܟܽܘܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ
܀܀܀

11.

ܠܚܶܠܳܐ ܡܰܚܶܝܢ ܕܽܘܟܪܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܰܚܠܶܐ ܩܶܪܒܰܬ ܠܨܰܗܝܶܗ ܕܡܰܒܽܘܥ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ

12.

ܐܺܝܕܳܐ ܥܠܰܝܟ ܢܪܺܝܡ ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܕܐܺܝܕܳܐ ܚܺܝܠܰܬ
ܕܰܡܚܳܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܒܺܐܝܕܶܗ ܩܳܡ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ

13.

ܒܠܰܥ ܒܺܐܝܕܳܐ ܘܦܰܣܩܳܗ̇ ܠܺܐܝܕܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܩܰܝܳܦܳܐ
ܐܺܝܕܳܐ ܕܟܳܗܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܦܶܣܩܰܬ ܕܰܦܣܰܩ ܡܶܫܚܳܐ

14.

ܥܰܠ ܥܳܡܽܘܕܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܰܬܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܢ̱ܓܰܕܳܐ
ܠܗܰܘ ܕܶܐܙܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܥܳܡܽܘܕܶܗ ܩܕܳܡ ܫܰܒ̈ܛܰܝܗܽܘܢ

15.

ܥܰܡܽܘܕܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܥܰܡܽܘܕܳܐ ܡܶܬܢܰܓܰܕ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܫܩܼܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܨܶܗܝܽܘܢ ܘܶܐܬܳܬ ܢܶܦܠܰܬ

16.

ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܩܰܝ̈ܣܺܝܢ ܪܰܟܶܒܘ̱ ܠܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ
ܬܒܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܚܽܘܛܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܢܳܛܽܘܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ

17.

ܪܰܟܶܒ ܚܰܙܩܺܝܐܶܝܠ ܩܰܝ̈ܣܶܐ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܒܰܐܘܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܩܰܝ̈ܣܺܝܢ ܕܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ ܒܰܛܶܠܘ̱ ܚܽܘܛܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ

18.

ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܩܰܝ̈ܣܺܝܢ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܕܓܶܦ̈ܶܐ ܠܥܰܡܳܐ ܛܰܥܢܽܘܗ̱ܝ
ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܚܽܘܛܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܐ ܐܶܬܬܰܒܰܪܘ̱ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܓܶܦܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ

19.

ܟܶܢܦܽܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܘܓܶܦܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ ܦܫܰܛ ܒܰܚܢܳܢܳܐ
ܪܟܶܢܘ̱ ܐܶܒܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܛܥܶܢܘ̱ ܥܰܡ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܢܺܐܙܰܠ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ
܀܀܀

20.

ܕܰܐܚܝܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܘܨܶܝܕ ܒܰܪ ܛܽܘܗܡܶܗ
ܡܰܘܒܶܠ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܥܰܠ ܣܰܘ̈ܟܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܦܺܐܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܶܪܥܽܘܢ

21.

ܙܶܠܝ̱ ܐܶܠܺܝ ܘܒܶܟܝ̱ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܥܠܰܝ ܘܰܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܕܚܰܕ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܥܳܐܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܓܢܰܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ

22.

ܗܳܫܳܐ ܕܰܐܘܕܺܝܬ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܬܳܐ ܐܺܡܰܪ ܠܳܟ
ܕܗܳܢܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܬܽܘܪܓܳܡܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܒܰܛܠܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ

23.

ܐܶܙܰܠ ܐܰܕܺܝܩ ܥܰܠ ܦܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܨܰܠܺܝܬ
ܘܳܐܦ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܦܪܰܚ ܘܰܣܥܽܘܪ ܟܽܠ ܕܰܟܪ̈ܺܝܗܺܝܢ

24.

ܡܳܪܰܢ ܒܰܛܶܠ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܒܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܓܰܒ̈ܺܝܢ
ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܢܶܬܒܰܛܰܠ ܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܘܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܬܰܡܳܢ

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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Source Colophon

Syriac text from: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain: Secretariat 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.

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