by Ephrem the Syrian

The sixty-second 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. Thirty-two stanzas in three parts, with two structural markers (after stanza V and before stanza XV) and one internal marker (within stanza XXIV). The melody marker yodh-aleph bar qaleh — eleventh in the CN 52 series — extends the cycle past ten. Tenth distinct refrain: Descent, Passion, and Bodily Resurrection. Death, the king of silence, files a formal complaint: humanity's wailing fills his realm with despair, yet their mourning is hollow — one hour weeping, the next hour laughing, "like grasshoppers." Death turns on the literate class: scribes labored over the scriptures, readers cry out, translators cry out, but "you are apes" — the voice bounces off closed ears and returns to the sender. Then Death boasts of his own efficiency: no shouting, no weariness, faster than an arrow, obedient to God's command in the same instant it is given. If permitted, he would come out and slap the mourners across their faces. The accidental revelation follows: Death discloses the resurrection order — children first as firstfruits, then the righteous as the acquitted, then sinners last as the ashamed; then prophets, apostles, and fathers rank upon rank. Sown in confusion, gathered in order. Stanza XXX is the pivot: "Behold, I have spoken against myself — hidden things you had not grasped, you have learned from me." The closing turn is pastoral counsel from Death himself: instead of profitless tears at the grave, pour them in prayers inside the churches, for prayers profit both the dead and the living.

Refrain: To you, great glory — who descended to the ones below, and suffered, and was raised, and in his body raised our bodies.

I.

[Narrator]

Behold, Death — the king of silence — complained, my brothers,
that they fill his realm with wailing of despair.

II.

[Narrator]

Because we weep like fools at the gates of Sheol,
hear what Death said when he rebuked us.

III.

[Death]

"I am ashamed," said Death, "that you accuse me —
half of Sheol cannot hold your slain."

IV.

For foreign corpses are heaped in Sheol —
two portions are there: the dead and the slain.

V.

I should complain that you overwhelm me — yet behold, you weep!
You have battered Sheol's gate and pressed me hard.

— — —

VI.

For you are like an infant who, while still weeping,
laughs again — just as you do over your dead.

VII.

There is no discernment in your mourning and no understanding
in your laughter — for you are like grasshoppers to me.

VIII.

One hour weeping and mourning — and after a little,
sport and frivolity, like children.

IX.

For you cannot be whole people —
without weeping, without laughter — like those with discernment.

X.

Concerning your scribes, I grieve — for they labored
over the scriptures of the Godhead, that they might read them to you.

XI.

The readers cry aloud — but you are mimics!
That very cry testifies against you: you are apes.

XII.

The reader and the translator — they cry aloud!
Are your ears heavy, or is it your hearts?

XIII.

For if there were an ear that listens,
a little hearing would suffice — and much doing.

XIV.

But the hearing is shut — and when the voice knocks upon it,
it turns back to the one who sent it.

— — —

XV.

There is no shouting at my place — I am no mimic.
Neither reader nor translator — I am not idle.

XVI.

The very moment the God of Truth commanded me,
with the command went also the deed.

XVII.

There is no weariness in me, and no delay.
I think not even an arrow can outpace me.

XVIII.

Your voices are contemptible to me when you weep
over the graves of your dead in despair of hope.

XIX.

If it were permitted — if it were allowed — while you weep,
I would come out and strike you across your faces.

XX.

For I labor to give an accounting of the dead,
and your voices confuse me, that I might lose my reckoning.

XXI.

O you peoples — let not your understanding be childish,
like that people whose comprehension was never great —

XXII.

in whom discernment never dawned, as in a fool —
for dark is its thought, devoid of distinction.

XXIII.

Your infants and your children — in the resurrection,
they come out first, as firstfruits.

XXIV.

After them, the righteous — like the acquitted.

— — —

Last come out the sinners — like the ashamed.

XXV.

For although in the twinkling of an eye they live,
in order their ranks come out from Sheol.

XXVI.

Prophets come out, and apostles, and fathers —
after them, rank upon rank, according to the command.

XXVII.

Those who now are sown in confusion —
in great order they are gathered back, like seeds.

XXVIII.

For when someone mixes and sows all seeds together,
whichever ripens before its fellow comes up ahead of its fellow.

XXIX.

Not as their descent was mingled, so is their rising disordered —
from the earth, for it has been set in order.

XXX.

Behold, I have spoken against myself by what I said —
for hidden things you had not grasped, you have learned from me.

XXXI.

Instead of tears without profit at the grave,
pour them out in prayers inside the churches.

XXXII.

For in them there is profit for the dead, and also for the living.
Do not weep a weeping that distresses both the dead and the living.

Carmina Nisibena, Hymn LXII. Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE). Translated from Classical Syriac by NTAC + Claude (Good Works Translation), 2026. Syriac text: Beck, CSCO 218/219 (1961), via Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). Melody: yodh-aleph bar qaleh (eleventh). Refrain: Descent, Passion, and Bodily Resurrection. Gospel register. This is the first English translation of this hymn.

🌲

Source Text: ܡ͏ܰܕݢܫ͏ܶܐ ܕܢܨܝݢܒܝݢ — Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 62

Classical Syriac source text from Beck CSCO 218/219 via the Digital Syriac Corpus. Presented for reference and verification.

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝܐ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܕܫܶܬܩܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ
ܕܡܰܠܺܝܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܬܪܶܗ ܐܺܝܠܳܠܬܳܐ ܕܰܦܣܰܩ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬ ܨܶܝܕ ܬܰܚ̈ܬܳܝܶܐ
ܘܚܰܫ ܘܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܘܰܒܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܢܰܚܶܡ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܢ

2.

ܕܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܚܢܰܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܫ̈ܢܰܝܳܐ ܒܬܰܪ̈ܥܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܫܡܰܥ ܐܰܝܠܶܝܢ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܟܐܳܐ ܒܰܢ

3.

ܢܶܟܦܰܬ ܠܺܝ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܟܺܝܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱
ܦܰܠܓܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܠܳܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܠܰܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ

4.

ܫ̈ܠܰܕܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܢܽܘܟܪ̈ܳܝܳܬܳܐ ܟܫܶܝܢ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܬܰܪ̈ܬܶܝܢ ܡ̈ܢܰܘܳܢ ܐܺܝܬ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܶܐ

5.

ܚܠܳܦ ܕܶܐܩܒܽܘܠ ܕܥܶܠܒܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܗܳܐ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܫܚܰܩܬܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܬܰܪܥܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܘܰܐܠܙܳܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱
܀܀܀

6.

ܠܝܰܠܽܘܕܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܥܰܕ ܒܳܟܶܐ
ܓܚܶܟ ܠܶܗ ܬܽܘܒ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܳܐܦ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܰܝܟܽܘܢ

7.

ܠܳܐ ܛܰܥܡܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܰܐܒ̈ܺܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܠܳܐ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ
ܠܓܽܘܚ̈ܟܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܠܚܰܣܺܝܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ

8.

ܚܕܳܐ ܫܥܳܐ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܘܶܐܠܺܝܳܐ ܘܒܳܬܰܪ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ
ܐܳܦ ܫܳܥܝܳܐ ܘܙܰܠܺܝܠܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܛ̈ܠܳܝܶܐ

9.

ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܡܶܗܘܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܫܰܠܡ̈ܶܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܒܳܟܝܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܓܽܘܚܟܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܛܥܡ̈ܢܐ

10.

ܥܰܠ ܣܳܦܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܟܰܪܝܳܐ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܫܚܶܩܘ̱ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܠܟܰܬܳܒ̈ܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܘܢ ܢܶܩܪܽܘܢ

11.

ܩܳܪ̈ܽܘܝܶܐ ܡܰܩܥܳܐ ܩܳܥܶܝܢ ܕܽܘ̈ܓܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ
ܗܺܝ ܩܥܳܬܳܐ ܡܦܺܝܣܳܐ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܥܶܪ̈ܕܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ

12.

ܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܳܦ ܕܡܶܬܰܪܓܶܡ ܡܩܳܥܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܩܳܥܶܝܢ
ܐܶܕ̈ܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܟܰܝ ܝܰܩܺܝܪ̈ܳܢ ܐܰܘ ܠܶܒ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ

13.

ܐܶܠܽܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܺܝܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐܶܕܢܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܦܺܝܣܳܐ
ܠܡܶܫܡܰܥ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܣܰܓܺܝ ܠܡܶܥܒܰܕ

14.

ܕܰܣܟܺܝܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܶܫܡܰܥܬܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܢܳܩܶܫ ܒܳܗ̇
ܗܰܘ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܥܛܰܦ ܠܶܗ ܨܶܝܕ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܡܫܰܕܰܪ ܠܶܗ

15.

܀܀܀
ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܩܥܳܬܳܐ ܨܶܐܕܰܝ ܕܺܝܠܝ̱ ܠܰܘ ܕܽܘܓܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܕܡܶܬܰܪܓܶܡ ܠܰܘ ܥܳܛܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ

16.

ܗܰܘܦܳܐ ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܦܩܰܕ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܐܳܠܗ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ
ܘܥܰܡ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܗܰܠܶܟ ܠܶܗ ܘܳܐܦ ܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܳܐ

17.

ܠܰܝܬ ܠܘܳܬܝ̱ ܡܰܐܝܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܟܽܘܪ̈ܟܶܐ
ܣܳܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܐܪܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܩܳܕܶܡ ܠܺܝ

18.

ܒܣܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܝܢ ܩ̈ܳܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܡܳܐ ܕܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܥܰܠ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܰܦܣܳܩ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ

19.

ܐܶܠܽܘ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܐܰܘ ܡܰܦܰܣ ܟܰܕ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܢܳܦܶܩ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܕܰܠܟܽܘܢ ܐܶܬܶܠ ܥܰܠ ܐܰܦܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ

20.

ܕܶܐܢܳܐ ܥܳܡܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܶܠ ܚܽܘܫܒܳܢ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܘܰܡܕܰܘܕܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ ܩ̈ܳܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܰܐܛܥܶܐ ܚܽܘܫܒܳܢܝ̱

21.

ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܥܰܡ̈ܡܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܛܰܠܳܐ ܡܰܕܥܟܽܘܢ
ܐܰܝܟ ܗܰܘ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܬܽܘܡ ܣܽܘܟܳܠܶܗ

22.

ܕܠܳܐ ܢܰܒܶܗ ܒܶܗ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܣܰܟܠܳܐ
ܚܶܫܽܘܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܰܚܫܰܒܬܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܦܽܘܪܫܳܢܳܐ

23.

ܥܰܘ̈ܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܰܒ̈ܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܰܬ ܐܰܝܟ ܪܺܝܫܺܝܬܳܐ

24.

ܒܳܬܪܗܽܘܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܙܰܟ̈ܳܝܶܐ
܀܀܀
ܐ̱ܚܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܚܰܛ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܒܶܗܝ̈ܳܬܳܐ

25.

ܐܳܦܶܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܪܦܳܦ ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܚܰܝܶܝܢ ܐܶܠܳܐ
ܒܛܶܟܣܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܣܶܕܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ

26.

ܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫ̈ܠܺܝܚܶܐ ܘܰܐܒܳܗ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܒܳܬܪܗܽܘܢ ܒܶܐܣܟܺܝܡ ܐܶܣܟܺܝܡ ܐܰܝܟ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ

27.

ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܗܳܫܳܐ ܒܠܺܝܠܳܐܺܝܬ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܙܕܰܪܥܶܝܢ
ܒܛܶܟܣܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܡܶܬܦܢܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܙܳܪ̈ܥܽܘܢܶܐ

28.

ܟܰܕ ܓܶܝܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܶܚܠܽܘܛ ܢܶܙܪܽܘܥ ܟܽܠ ܙܳܪ̈ܥܽܘܢܺܝܢ
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܒܳܟܰܪ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܠܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܩܕܳܡ

29.

ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܠܺܝܠ ܡܚܰܬܗܽܘܢ ܗܳܟܰܢ ܫܓܺܝܫ
ܡܰܣܩܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܕܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܰܛܟܰܣ ܠܶܗ

30.

ܗܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܽܘܩܒܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܝ̱ ܒܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܶܐܡܪܰܬ
ܕܟܰܣ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܰܕܪܶܟܬܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܝ̱ ܐܺܝܠܶܦܬܽܘܢ

31.

ܚܠܳܦ ܕܶܡ̈ܥܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܝܽܘܬܪܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܠܘܳܬ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ
ܐܰܫܦܰܥܘ̱ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ ܒܰܨ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܺܕ̈ܳܬܳܐ

32.

ܕܰܠܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܒܗܶܝܢ ܝܽܘܬܪܳܢܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܠܳܐ ܬܶܒܟܽܘܢ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܕܰܡܥܺܝܩ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܘܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ

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.

🌲