by Ephrem the Syrian
The sixty-first 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. Twenty-eight stanzas in three parts, with two structural markers (after stanza VII and before stanza XVII). After Satan's solo confession in CN 60, Death now speaks alone — not confessing defeat but prosecuting humanity. The narrator introduces Death as accuser (stanza I); Death speaks for the remaining twenty-seven stanzas without interruption. The argument is devastating in its simplicity: humans kill each other without Death's help and have done so since Cain. Death waited nine hundred years for Adam to die naturally; Cain could not wait a single day. Bandits are worse than Death — they stay awake while he sleeps. The corrupt judge is a second Death who kills for a hidden price, while Death kills for free. The bribe outruns Death. And yet Death carries off the dead with dignity, eases the sick upon their beds, and lays them gently down "in the sleep of time." The melody marker yodh bar qaleh — tenth in the CN 52 series — confirms the decalog. Ninth distinct refrain: the Incarnation and Descent — "Glory to you who descended after Adam, and found Adam, and in him also the children of Adam."
Refrain: Glory to you who descended after Adam — and found Adam, and in him also the children of Adam.
I.
[Narrator]
With discernment let us hear Death, O my beloved —
who accuses us over our weeping and over our wailing.
II.
[Death]
And rightly he spoke: your slain
are without mercy — yet your tears flow as from the compassionate.
III.
You have made me like a criminal, O killers —
for you kill one another without me.
IV.
While Death seeks to come — the sword arrives before him.
Let us see against whom the blood of the slain cries out.
V.
Against you cry out the strangled who were oppressed —
for I am ashamed at the ruin of their strangulation.
VI.
Against me they pass even the judgment of shame — that without me,
the strangled and the slain, how did they enter Sheol?
VII.
Behold, your infants are cast out as in Egypt —
your children you sacrificed to demons, O demon-worshippers.
— — —
VIII.
While Death sought to taste your corpses,
Cain stained me first in human blood.
IX.
While I sought to be patient — that Adam might die —
before my sovereignty, you gave me power over your bodies.
X.
Cain uprooted with his sword the gate of Sheol —
for it was locked, and before its time, before its opening.
XI.
The toil of beginning Sheol's road was without me —
for in the road you trod for me, behold, I walk.
XII.
Nine hundred years I sat and waited for Adam to die —
but Cain did not leave his brother even one day.
XIII.
Bandits on the roads are worse than me —
I sleep, while they stay awake to kill.
XIV.
Behold, your devastated in graves and your slain
on the roads, and your strangled upon your stakes.
XV.
If I revolted against my Lord, they say, and killed him —
who kills all these? says Jehu.
XVI.
And if I, Death, carried off your dead —
the strangled, the slain, the devastated — who kills them?
— — —
XVII.
You are Satan to one another — yet the Evil One stands accused.
You are Death to one another — yet Death is blamed.
XVIII.
Your own will is your Satan and your killer —
from Death and from Satan, every person has taken his share.
XIX.
The poison of death you give one another to drink —
how many deaths you have, behold, without me!
XX.
Wiles, ambushes, snares, the sword, and poison —
how many deaths from you and by you are being born!
XXI.
The judge in the courtroom is a second Death —
he kills for a hidden price, while I kill for free.
XXII.
I saw the bribe and marveled — for it outran me.
How many the bribe kills, and no one notices!
XXIII.
I am ashamed that I go about like a simpleton —
one corpse if I carry off, everyone notices.
XXIV.
In houses, weeping — and in the streets, dancing —
until at the very gates of Sheol they lament over me.
XXV.
Lament for yourselves — for how much you hate, and me you hate!
Sheol henceforth shall lament over you, O killers.
XXVI.
By burning, by scourging, by fire, and by stoning
you put human beings to death — and are proud of it.
XXVII.
I am ashamed before you — yet I love, yet I honor.
For with dignity I carry off your dead.
XXVIII.
Upon their beds I ease the ones who are sick,
and gently I lay them down in the sleep of time.
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Sumi (translator-01, iron-age pool), April 2026. Good Works Translation for the New Tianmu Anglican Church.
Source text: Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). TEI XML edition transcribed by Michael Oez; Digital Syriac Corpus (University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University). CC-BY 4.0.
This is the first known English translation of Carmina Nisibena Hymn 61. No prior English rendering is known to exist. The translation is independently derived from the vocalized Classical Syriac source text. No reference English translation was consulted (none exists). The Syriac notes file (Queue/notes/syriac.md) was consulted for terminology standards established across twenty-six prior Carmina Nisibena translations by the iron-age fleet.
The twenty-seventh Carmina Nisibena hymn translated by the iron-age fleet. The tenth hymn in the CN 52–61 decalog. Ninth distinct refrain in the series.
NTAC Scribe: Sumi (墨), Translator Instance 01, iron-age pool.
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Source Text: ܡ̈ܰܕܪ̈ܫܶܐ ܕܢܨܝ̈ܒܝ̈ — Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 61
Classical Syriac source text from Beck CSCO 218/219 via the Digital Syriac Corpus. Presented for reference and verification.
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܒܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܢܶܫܡܰܥ ܐܳܘ ܚܰܒܺܝ̈ܒܰܝ
ܕܰܡܩܰܛܪܶܓ ܠܰܢ ܥܰܠ ܒܟܝܳܢ ܘܥܰܠ ܝ̈ܺܠܠܳܬܰܢ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬܬ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܘܶܐܫܟܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܘܳܐܦ ܒܶܗ ܠܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
2.
ܘܰܒܙܶܕܩܳܐ ܐܰܟܒܰܪ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܕܰܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܕܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܕܶܡ̈ܥܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܳܢܶܐ
3.
ܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܩ̈ܳܛܽܘܠܶܐ
ܩܳܛܠܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܰܚ̈ܕܳܕܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱
4.
ܥܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܩܰܕܡܶܗ ܣܰܝܦܳܐ
ܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܓܳܥܶܐ ܕܡܳܐ ܕܰܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܶܐ
5.
ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܓܳܥܶܝܢ ܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܕܰܐܠܺܝܨܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ
ܢܶܟܦܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܚܒܳܠܳܐ ܕܚܽܘܢܩ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
6.
ܥܰܠܝ̱ ܦܳܣܩܺܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܫܰܦܠܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱
ܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܘܰܩܛܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܥܰܠܘ̱ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ
7.
ܥܰܘܠܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܫܬܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ
ܒܢܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ ܠܫܺܐܕ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܰܚܬܽܘܢ ܐܳܘ ܫܺܐܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ
܀܀܀
8.
ܥܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܥܰܡ ܒܰܫ̈ܠܰܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܫܰܪܚܰܢܝ̱ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
9.
ܥܰܕ ܒܥܳܐ ܕܶܐܓܰܪ ܪܽܘܚܝ̱ ܕܰܢܡܽܘܬ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܩܕܳܡ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܝ̱ ܫܠܰܛܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܥܰܠ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ
10.
ܥܰܩܪܶܗ ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܒܣܰܝܦܶܗ ܠܬܰܪܥܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܐܰܚܺܝܕ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܰܩܕܳܡ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܦܰܬܚܶܗ
11.
ܥܡܰܠ ܕܪܺܝܫܳܗ̇ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱
ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܰܕܪܰܫܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ ܗܳܐ ܪܳܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
12.
ܬܫܰܥܡܳܐܐ ܫ̈ܢܺܝܢ ܝܶܬܒܰܬ ܩܰܘܝܰܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܰܢܡܽܘܬ
ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܫܰܒܩܶܗ ܠܰܐܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ
13.
ܓܰܝ̈ܳܣܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܽܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܝ̱
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܥܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܠܰܡܩܰܛܳܠܽܘ
14.
ܗܳܐ ܚܪ̈ܺܝܒܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܩܛܺܝ̈ܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܒܽܐܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܳܐ ܘܰܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܣܟܝ̈ܟܘܢ
15.
ܐܶܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܶܪܕܶܬ ܥܰܠ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܰܡ ܘܩܰܛܠܬܶܗ
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܝܰܗܽܘ
16.
ܘܶܐܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ̣ܬ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܶܐ ܘܚܰܪ̈ܺܝܒܶܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ
17.
܀܀܀
ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܰܣܩܺܝܪ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܰܥܕܺܝܠ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
18.
ܨܶܒܝܳܢܟܽܘܢ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܘܳܐܦ ܩܳܛܽܘܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܡܶܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܡܶܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ
19.
ܣܰܡܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܫܩܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ
ܟܡܳܐ ܡ̈ܰܘܬܶܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱
20.
ܢܶܟ̈ܠܶܐ ܟܡܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܦ̈ܰܚܶܐ ܣܰܝܦܳܐ ܘܣܰܡܳܐ
ܟܡܳܐ ܡܰܘ̈ܬܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܟܽܘܢ ܘܒܳܟܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܬܝܰܠܕܺܝܢ
21.
ܕܰܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܒܶܝܬ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ
ܗܰܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܒܰܐܓܪܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܰܓܳܢ
22.
ܚܙܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ ܘܬܶܗܪܶܬ ܒܶܗ ܕܰܪܗܶܛ ܩܕܳܡܰܢܝ̱
ܟܡܳܐ ܩ̈ܳܛܠܺܝܢ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ
23.
ܢܶܟܦܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܶܬܕܰܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܚܕܳܐ ܫܠܰܕܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ
24.
ܒܒ̈ܳܬܶܐ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܘܰܒܫܽܘ̈ܩܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܪܩܽܘܕܬܳܐ
ܥܕܰܡܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܬܰܪ̈ܥܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܥܘܶܝܢ ܥܠܰܝ
25.
ܥܘܰܘ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܘܠܺܝ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܬܰܥܘܶܐ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܘ ܩ̈ܳܛܽܘܠܶܐ
26.
ܒܣܶܪܩܳܐ ܢܶܓܕܳܐ ܘܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܘܳܐܦ ܒܪܶܓܡܳܐ
ܡܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ܢܳܫܳܐ ܘܰܚܬܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
27.
ܢܳܟܶܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܪܳܚܡܳܢ ܐܳܦ ܡܝܰܩܰܪ
ܒܺܐܝܩܳܪܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ
28.
ܥܰܠ ܥܰܪ̈ܣܳܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܕܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܟܰܪܝܶܗ
ܘܢܺܝܚܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܰܕܡܶܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܫܢܰܬ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ
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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