by Ephrem the Syrian

Hymn 63 of the Carmina Nisibena by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), here translated from Classical Syriac for the first time. Death continues the sustained monologue begun in Hymn 61, but the register has shifted entirely — from prosecution to devotion. Death marvels at Abraham's binding of Isaac, reads Jephthah's daughter as a mirror of resurrection, confesses fear before Job's story, and reveals that in Sheol the righteous and wicked are not equal. The bones of the wicked are trampled and their memory cursed; the bones of the righteous are honored with bowing. Moses alone among the living understood Death's system of honor, carrying Joseph's bones out of Egypt. The hymn closes with the most luminous image in the Death-monologue series: the bones of prophets and apostles are lamps in Sheol's darkness, and Moses' radiance was Death's sun.

The melody indicator is ܝܒ bar qālēh (yodh-beth, the twelfth letter), extending the cycle that Hymn 62 proved continues past the decalog. The refrain — "To you, glory — the voice that revived the dead of Sheol, and they arose and became heralds of the Son who gives life to all" — is the eleventh distinct refrain in the series, introducing a kerygmatic key: the resurrected dead as heralds who proclaim the Son. One structural break (÷÷÷) divides the hymn after stanza XVIII.

Syriac text from Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital transcription: Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus, CC-BY 4.0.

I

Who can weigh the reward of that Abraham,
at whom I marveled when he bound his only son?

To you, glory — the voice that revived the dead of Sheol,
and they arose and became heralds of the Son who gives life to all.

II

At that time I went out to see a wonder —
that his knife was drawn upon his beloved.

III

I gathered my memories from all directions
and collected myself, that I might marvel at that radiant one.

IV

But how is it that you read his great story?
You have dishonored its recitation in your ears.

V

His sword was poised to cut the flesh of the one who mourned —
his daughter was for him a mirror of the resurrection of the dead.

VI

She gave her life to her father —
and you, entrust your lives to the Father of all, at the time of death.

VII

In the womb indeed — have you not known the mystery of Sheol?
For in Sheol you are far more at rest than you were in the womb.

VIII

It is hard for you to stand against my great will —
for behold, it is as a help that he has carried off your dead.

IX

By the king of Moab, who slaughtered his son with his own hands —
let the one who grumbles against the dead be put to shame.

X

He was a pagan, as you yourselves read —
and you are teachers and disciples, or so you suppose.

XI

He endured — and you cry out that you are in mourning
against the will of the Lord of all, while you weep.

XII

For I — I fear to pass the story of Job
through this weak mouth of mine, for I am not worthy.

XIII

Therefore I celebrate around their bones,
giving thanks to the one who gave that they might come to me.

XIV

Do not dishonor your limbs by your sins —
for in Sheol, the bones of those who were wicked are despised.

XV

Wherever I see the body of one of the wicked,
I trample upon it and curse even his memory.

XVI

And wherever I see the bones of one of the righteous,
I turn aside and honor them, bowing down.

XVII

You do not perceive, weak ones, all my orders —
for you, the ranks are confused, because you are blind.

XVIII

Moses alone do I know who honored as I do
the bones of Joseph — he whom I exalt.

— — —

XIX

But Moses honored one pure body —
while I honor the bodies and bones of all the righteous.

XX

The bones of the prophets and of the apostles shine —
all the righteous have been lamps for me in the darkness.

XXI

I bow down to the one who illuminated the darkness of Sheol for me —
the radiance of Moses, while he was there, was a sun for me.

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena Hymn 63, translated from Classical Syriac by Kavi (translator-01, iron-age pool) for the Good Work Library. First-ever English translation. No previous English rendering of this hymn is known to exist.

Source: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital transcription by Michael Oez; Digital Syriac Corpus (University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University), CC-BY 4.0.

Translation method: Good Works Translation — independently derived from the Syriac source text. The English was translated directly from Classical Syriac. No existing English translation was consulted (none is known to exist). Sebastian Brock's The Luminous Eye (1985) informed theological orientation but was not used as a translation source.

Register: Gospel — plain, direct, warm.

Speaker: Death throughout all 21 stanzas, continuing the sustained monologue form of CN 61–62. No Satan, no dialogue, no flyting. Death addresses humanity directly in stanzas IV–XI and XIV, then turns to confession and worship in XII–XIII and XIX–XXI.

Structural notes: The section break between stanzas XVIII and XIX divides the hymn into two parts: Death's moral economy (the discrimination between righteous and wicked dead) and Death's worship (the righteous as Sheol's illumination). The refrain — "the voice that revived the dead of Sheol, and they arose and became heralds" — is the eleventh distinct refrain in the CN 52–63 series, introducing a kerygmatic (proclamation) key. The melody indicator ܝܒ bar qālēh (yodh-beth, twelfth letter) confirms the cycle extends past the hendecalog established by CN 62 to a dodecalog.

Translation notes:

• Stanza V — Jephthah's daughter: The shift from Abraham (stanzas I–IV) to "his daughter" (stanza V) identifies the second biblical figure as Jephthah (Judges 11:30–40). His daughter mourned her virginity for two months on the mountains, then submitted to her father's vow. Ephrem reads her as "a mirror of the resurrection of the dead" — her willing acceptance of death typologically prefigures the resurrection.

• Stanza VII — womb/Sheol comparison: Sheol as more restful than the womb. This is not a valorization of death but a comfort: the dead are not in distress. The comparison echoes CN 49 (resurrection through nature) and CN 50 (thanksgiving for existence).

• Stanza IX — King of Moab: Mesha of Moab (2 Kings 3:27), who sacrificed his own son on the city wall during the Israelite siege. Ephrem's argument from lesser to greater: if a pagan could endure his son's death without complaint, how much more should believers endure the natural death of their kin?

• Stanza XII — Death fears Job: Death confesses himself unworthy to speak of Job. After the confident prosecution of CN 61–62, this is a structural reversal: the prosecutor humbles himself before the paradigmatic sufferer.

• Stanza XIII — root ḥ-g-g: The Syriac root can mean "to celebrate" or "to circle/halt" (cf. 1 Kings 18:21). In context, Death celebrates around the bones — a processional image.

• Stanza XVIII — Joseph's bones: Exodus 13:19 — Moses carried Joseph's bones from Egypt to Canaan, fulfilling the oath of Genesis 50:25. Death says Moses alone understood his system of honor: treating the righteous dead with reverence.

• Stanzas XX–XXI — Lamps in the darkness: The most luminous image in the Death-monologue series. The righteous dead do not merely rest in Sheol; they illuminate it. Prophets and apostles are lamps. Moses' radiance (cf. Exodus 34:29–35, the shining face) made him a sun in Sheol. Death worships God for this illumination. The keeper of darkness is grateful for light.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Carmina Nisibena — Hymn LXIII

Classical Syriac source text from Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital transcription by Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus, CC-BY 4.0. Presented for reference and verification.

Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 63 (Carmina Nisibena 63)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝܒ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܡܰܢܽܘ ܢܶܬܩܽܘܠ ܦܽܘܪܥܳܢܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܐܰܒܪܳܗܳܡ
ܕܬܶܗܪܰܬ ܒܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܦܳܟܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܠܺܝܚܺܝܕܳܝܶܗ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܝ ܠܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܘܰܣܠܶܩܘ̱ ܘܰܗܘܰܘ ܟܳܪ̈ܽܘܙܶܐ ܠܒܰܪ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܘܠ

2.

ܗܰܘ ܥܶܕܳܢ ܦܚܶܬ ܢܶܦܩܰܬ ܕܶܐܚܙܶܐ ܬܶܗܪܳܐ
ܕܰܫܡܺܝܛܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܣܰܟܺܝܢܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܶܗ

3.

ܩܶܦܣܰܬ ܐܰܣܓܝܰܬ ܥܽܘܗ̈ܕܳܢܝ̱ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܦܶܢܝ̈ܳܢ
ܘܟܶܢܫܰܬ ܢܰܦܫܝ̱ ܕܶܐܬܗܰܪ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܒܶܗ ܒܗܰܘ ܢܰܨܺܝܚܳܐ

4.

ܐܰܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܫܰܪܒܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܨܥܰܪܬܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܩܶܪܝܳܢܶܗ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܶܕ̈ܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ

5.

ܣܰܝܦܶܗ ܕܢܶܦܬܰܚ ܒܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܐܒܺܝܠ
ܒܰܪܬܶܗ ܗܘܳܬ ܠܶܗ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܰܚܺܝܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ

6.

ܗܺܝ ܝܶܗܒܰܬ ܢܰܦܫܳܗ̇ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̇ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܓܥܶܠܘ̱
ܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܠܰܐܒܳܐ ܕܟܽܠܳܐ ܒܥܶܕܳܢ ܩܨܳܐ

7.

ܒܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܠܳܐ ܢܣܺܝܬܽܘܢ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܕܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܢܺܝܚܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܡܰܢ ܕܰܒܟܰܪܣܳܐ

8.

ܩܫܐ ܗܘ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܠܰܡܩܳܡ ܠܽܘܩܒܰܠ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܝ̱ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܠܥܽܘܕܪܳܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܗܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ

9.

ܒܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܕܡܽܘܐܳܒ ܗܰܘ ܕܢܰܟܶܣ ܠܰܒܪܶܗ ܒܺܐܝ̈ܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܢܶܬܟܰܐܰܪ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܡܺܝܠܶܠ ܥܰܠ ܥܰܢܺܝܕܳܐ

10.

ܗܰܘ ܚܰܢܦܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܡ̈ܰܠܦܶܐ ܘܰܪ̈ܕܰܝܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܣܰܒܰܪܬܽܘܢ

11.

ܗܽܘ ܣܰܝܒܰܪ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܦܳܩܪܺܝܢ ܕܰܐܒܺܝܠܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܥܰܠ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܟܰܕ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ

12.

ܐܶܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܳܚܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܐܥܒܰܪ ܫܰܪܒܶܗ ܕܺܐܝܽܘܒ
ܒܓܰܘ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܡܝ̱ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܫܳܘܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ

13.

ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܗܳܟܰܢ ܚܳܐܶܓ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܟܰܕ ܡܰܘܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܕܰܠܘܳܬܝ̱ ܢܺܐܬܽܘܢ

14.

ܠܳܐ ܬܨܰܥܪܽܘܢ ܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܰܚܛܳܗ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܕܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܫܺܝܛܺܝܢ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܐܪܫܰܥܘ̱

15.

ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܚܳܙܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܕܚܰܕ ܡܶܢ ܒܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ
ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܠܳܐܶܛ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܕܽܘܟܪܳܢܶܗ

16.

ܘܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܕܚܳܙܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܚܰܕ ܡܶܢ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ
ܡܰܣܛܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܰܡܝܰܩܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܣܳܓܶܕ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ

17.

ܠܳܐ ܪܓܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ ܒܟܽܠ ܛܽܘ̈ܟܳܣܝ̱
ܠܘܳܬܟܽܘܢ ܗܽܘ ܒܠܺܝܠܺܝܢ ܛܶܟ̈ܣܶܐ ܕܰܥܘܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ

18.

ܡܽܘܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܝܰܩܰܪ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܝ̱
ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܗܰܘ ܕܶܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܡܰܘܪܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
܀܀܀

19.

ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܠܚܰܕ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܝܰܩܰܪ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܟܽܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ

20.

ܨܶܡܚܺܝܢ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܕܰܫ̈ܠܺܝܚܶܐ
ܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܺܝ ܒܚܶܫܽܘܟܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ

21.

ܣܳܓܶܕ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܰܐܢܗܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܚܶܫܟܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܙܺܝܘܶܗ ܕܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ

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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