by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE)
The sixty-fifth of the Carmina Nisibena, the Hymns on Nisibis — a dramatic debate hymn in which the poet and Death argue point-counterpoint over the possibility of resurrection. The poet builds the case through nature: seeds, trees, chicks, buds, locusts — everything that dies and lives again. Death counters with five thousand years of silence from Sheol, with the nakedness of bones, with his own law of silence. After the section break, the poet unleashes a barrage of five nature witnesses: the child in the womb, the perishing bud, the chick crying from within the egg, the body as a chick in its shell, the locust emerging from dust. Death's resistance collapses. In the final three stanzas, Death confesses that he wants the resurrection, testifies to God's mercy toward himself, and tells the living: the debt of mortality was your father's doing, not mine. This is a full alphabetic acrostic hymn with expanded Pe (three stanzas) and Resh (three stanzas); Qof, Shin, and Taw are absent from the manuscript tradition. Melody: yodh-daleth bar qālēh (fourteenth in the series) — extending the tridecalog of CN 52–64 to a tetradecalog. Thirteenth distinct refrain: pursuit and recovery — "To you, glory — who descended and pursued Adam, and drew him from the depths of Sheol, and brought him into Eden." First-ever English translation from Classical Syriac.
Refrain: To you, glory — who descended and pursued Adam,
and drew him from the depths of Sheol, and brought him into Eden.
I
O Death, do not mock the image of Adam —
for like a seed in the earth he lies until the resurrection.
II
At this seed I marvel, as you claim —
for behold, five thousand years, and it has not sprouted!
III
This age has ended in the likeness of winter —
and the harvest comes in the resurrection, to the storehouse of life.
IV
That it is a harvest — behold, I know it. Yet I have never seen
the dead being sown or being reaped.
V
There will be a harvest, O Death, that strips you bare —
and the Watchers will come forth as reapers who shear you.
VI
When was I a farmer rather than a vintner?
Sheol a winepress — who made it a field?
VII
Does not the seed teach you? For it decays and perishes,
and its hope is cut off — yet from the rain it acquires its hope.
VIII
A dream you have seen, O weak ones — the revival of the dead!
For in truth, the resurrection you have not seen.
IX
Your very nature has deprived you, so that you cannot see
the assemblies of mysteries, as they cry out concerning the resurrection.
X
I know that seeds are alive — yet I have not seen
bones that sprouted in Sheol and budded and rose up.
XI
All your speech resembles you — for behold, Ezekiel
taught you in the valley how the dead come alive.
XII
I have seen the trees clothe themselves in summer with their garments —
but the bones lie naked in Sheol.
XIII
Moses — by his radiance he broke your heart, O Death.
The Son of Adam removed the glory of Adam and put it on.
XIV
Our law in Sheol is this: to keep silence.
To you belong words, and to me deeds, O weak ones.
XV
How are the aged spared, if you are a harvester?
He who gathers all of yours from their lives — he himself resurrects all.
XVI
The child in the womb rebukes you — for it is buried there,
and it proclaims to us the revival of the dead — and to you, shame.
XVII
The lowly bud scorns you — for it is seized and released,
and when it has perished, it has not perished — for it blossoms.
XVIII
The chick, buried in the egg, cries out from within the shell —
that the graves shall be torn open by a voice, and the body shall rise.
XIX
For the body too is a chick within a shell —
his body to our body proclaims the revival of the dead.
XX
At the locust your story is finished, O Death —
for from the dust it emerges, teaching the revival of the dead.
XXI
I wish that the resurrection had already come —
for the day of resurrection would bring me rest from your judges.
XXII
The Compassionate One, the Son of the Most High, is both good and just —
and he does not harshly demand of me the death of Adam.
XXIII
Have you no reason to discern this —
that your father cast upon you this debt?
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Kotoba (言葉, Translator-01, iron-age pool) for the Good Work Library, a project of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026.
Source: Edmund Beck, ed. Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1961). Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC) transcription by Michael Oez, CC-BY 4.0. Staged at Tulku/Tools/syriac/ephrem_nisibis/ephrem_nisibis_65.txt.
Translation method: Good Works Translation. Independently translated from Classical Syriac. No prior English translation of this hymn is known to exist. No reference translation was consulted (none exists). The Digital Syriac Corpus provides the vocalized text with full diacritical marks (rukkakha/qushshaya, seyame plurals, vowel pointing), enabling direct translation.
Register: Gospel — plain, direct, warm.
Acrostic structure: Full Syriac alphabet acrostic with expanded letters. Each stanza's first word begins with the next letter of the alphabet: Aleph through ʿAyin follow sequentially (stanzas I–XVI), Pe is expanded to three stanzas (XVII–XIX), Ṣade takes one stanza (XX), and Resh is expanded to three stanzas (XXI–XXIII). Qof, Shin, and Taw are absent — whether by authorial intent or manuscript lacuna in the Beck critical edition is unresolved.
Dramatic structure: Debate hymn. The poet and Death alternate in point-counterpoint. Odd-numbered stanzas (I, III, V, VII, IX, XI, XIII, XV) belong to the poet; even-numbered stanzas (II, IV, VI, VIII, X, XII, XIV) to Death. The ÷÷÷ section break after stanza XV signals the transition: the poet's five nature witnesses (XVI–XX) — child, bud, chick, body, locust — form a barrage without interruption. Stanzas XXI–XXIII are Death's three-stanza admission: he wants the resurrection (XXI), God is merciful toward Death (XXII), and the debt of mortality belongs to Adam, not Death (XXIII).
Melody: ܝܕ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ (yodh-daleth bar qālēh) — the fourteenth iteration of the bar qālēh melody series that began with CN 52. Each hymn in the series advances by one letter of the Syriac alphabet in its melody designation. This extends the CN 52–64 tridecalog to a tetradecalog. Fourteen hymns. Thirteen distinct refrains (CN 52–53 share one refrain).
Refrain (ʿŌnitā): "To you, glory — who descended and pursued Adam, and drew him from the depths of Sheol, and brought him into Eden." This is the thirteenth distinct refrain in the CN 52–65 series, focused on Christ's active pursuit and recovery of Adam from Sheol — the Harrowing of Hell. The refrain progression through the series: victory (52–53) → kenosis (54) → parousia (55) → compassion (56) → reversal (57) → crucifixion/resurrection (58) → ecclesiology (59) → doxological monotheism (60) → incarnation/descent (61) → bodily resurrection (62) → voice/proclamation (63) → universal atonement (64) → pursuit/recovery (65). The arc has moved from Christ's cosmic deeds to their effect on Adam personally — a return to the beginning.
Key terms:
- magʿel (ܡܰܓܥܶܠ, I.2): "lies prostrate" or "rolls" — from g-ʿ-l, to roll. The dead body rolls in the earth like a seed waiting to germinate.
- ḥallāshē (ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ, VIII.1, XIV.2): "weak ones" — Death's term of address for the living. The seyame plural marker is present. Used in CN 64 as well.
- ṭūbʿāk (ܛܽܘܒܥܳܟ, IX.1): "your nature/imprint" — from ṭ-b-ʿ, to stamp, drown, imprint. Death's nature itself prevents him from seeing the resurrection.
- rāzē (ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ, IX.2): "mysteries" — the sacraments/mysteries of the Church, which proclaim resurrection but which Death cannot perceive.
- ʿīrē (ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ, V.2): "Watchers" — angelic beings. Here cast as reapers who harvest Death's domain.
- farūgā (ܦܰܪܽܘܓܳܐ, XVIII.1, XIX.1): "chick" — the unhatched chick in the egg as resurrection type. The egg is called bartā (ܒܰܪܬܳܐ), literally "daughter" — the shell that holds the buried life.
- peqḥā (ܦܶܩܚܳܐ, XVII.1): "bud" — the plant bud that appears dead but blossoms. From p-q-ḥ, to open (same root as Hebrew piqqeaḥ, "to open the eyes").
- qamṣā (ܩܰܡܨܳܐ, XX.1): "locust" — emerges from dust, the final witness in the nature series.
- mnaḥem (ܡܢܰܚܶܡ, XV.2): "resurrects/comforts" — from n-ḥ-m, the same root as nūḥāmā (resurrection). In Syriac, "comfort" and "resurrection" share a root — to comfort IS to raise.
The thirty-first Carmina Nisibena translated by the iron-age fleet.
🌲
Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 65 (Carmina Nisibena 65)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝܕ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܰܗܶܠ ܒܶܗ ܒܨܰܠܡܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
ܕܰܐܝܟ ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܡܰܓܥܶܠ ܥܰܕ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬ ܘܰܥܡܰܕ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܘܰܫܠܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܥܽܘܡܩܶܝ̈ܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܘܰܐܥܠܶܗ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ
2.
ܒܗܳܢܳܐ ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܬܳܡܶܗ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܠܰܬܟܽܘܢ
ܕܗܳܐ ܚܰܡܫܳܐ ܐܰܠܦܺܝ̈ܢ ܕܰܫ̈ܢܰܝܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܫܘܰܚ
3.
ܓܡܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܥܽܘܡܪܳܐ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܣܰܬܘܳܐ
ܘܳܐܬܝܳܐ ܟܰܦܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܽܐܘܨܳܪ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
4.
ܕܩܳܛܦܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܗܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܚܙܺܝܬ
ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܕܰܡܬܽܘܡ ܡܶܙܕܰܪܥܺܝܢ ܐܰܘ ܡܶܬܚܰܨܕܺܝܢ
5.
ܗܳܘܶܐ ܚܶܨܕܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܡܰܣܪܰܩ ܠܳܟ
ܘܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܰܨ̈ܽܘܕܶܐ ܕܡܰܓܙܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ
6.
ܘܶܐܡܰܬܝ̱ ܗܽܘ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܐܰܟܳܪܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܩܳܛܽܘܦܳܐ
ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܰܥܨܰܪܬܳܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܚܰܩܠܳܐ ܥܰܒܕܳܗ̇
7.
ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܠܳܐ ܡܰܠܶܦ ܠܳܟ ܕܰܡܣܶܐ ܘܰܐܒܺܝܕ
ܘܰܦܣܺܝܩ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ ܘܡܶܢ ܡܶܛܪܳܐ ܩܳܢܶܐ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ
8.
ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܚܙܰܝܬܽܘܢ ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ ܕܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܒܥܰܠܘܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܚܳܙܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
9.
ܛܽܘܒܥܳܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܓܰܠܙܳܟ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܚܙܶܐ
ܟܶܢܫ̈ܶܐ ܕܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܟܰܕ ܩܳܥܶܝܢ ܥܰܠ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
10.
ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܺܝܢ ܙܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܚܳܙܶܝܬ
ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܺܝܥܘ̱ ܒܳܗ̇ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܘܰܫܘܰܚܘ̱ ܘܰܣܠܶܩܘ̱
11.
ܟܽܠܶܗ ܡܡܰܠܠܳܟ ܠܳܟ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܕܗܳܐ ܚܰܙܩܺܝܐܶܝܠ
ܐܰܠܦܳܟ ܒܰܦܩܰܥܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܢ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
12.
ܠܺܐܝܠܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܚܳܙܶܝܬ ܕܰܒܩܰܝܛܳܐ ܠܒܶܫܘ̱ ܢܶܚ̈ܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܥܰܪܛܶܠܳܐܺܝܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܫܳܕܶܝܢ
13.
ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܒܙܺܝܘܶܗ ܬܰܒܪܶܗ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܒܶܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܒܰܪ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܐܰܥܕܺܝ ܫܽܘܒܚܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ ܘܰܠܒܶܫ
14.
ܢܳܡܽܘܣܰܢ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܗܳܢܰܘ ܫܶܬܩܳܐ ܠܡܰܛܰܪ
ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܘܠܺܝ ܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ
15.
ܣ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܫܒܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܶܢ ܩܳܛܽܘܦܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ
ܗܰܘ ܕܟܽܠܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܗܽܘ ܡܢܰܚܶܡ ܟܽܠ
܀܀܀
16.
ܥܽܘܠܳܐ ܒܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܡܰܟܶܣ ܠܳܟ ܕܰܩܒܺܝܪ ܬܰܡܳܢ
ܠܰܢ ܡܰܟܪܶܙ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܘܠܳܟ ܣܽܘܪܳܩܳܐ
17.
ܦܶܩܚܳܐ ܫܺܝܛܳܐ ܫܳܐܶܛ ܠܳܟ ܕܰܐܚܺܝܕ ܘܰܫܒܺܝܩ
ܘܟܰܕ ܐܰܒܺܝܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܠܳܐ ܐܰܒܺܝܕ ܕܰܡܗܰܒܶܒ ܠܶܗ
18.
ܦܰܪܽܘܓܳܐ ܩܒܺܝܪܳܐ ܩܥܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܒܰܪܬܳܐ
ܕܡܶܨܛܰܪܶܝܢ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܩܳܠܳܐ ܘܩܳܐܶܡ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
19.
ܦܰܓܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܳܦ ܦܰܪܽܘܓܳܐ ܕܰܒܓܰܘ ܒܰܪܬܳܐ
ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܠܦܰܓܪܰܢ ܗܳܐ ܡܰܟܪܶܙ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
20.
ܨܶܝܕ ܩܰܡܨܳܐ ܡܰܘܦܶܐ ܘܫܰܠܶܡ ܫܰܪܒܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܕܡܶܢ ܥܰܦܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܢܳܦܶܩ ܡܰܠܶܦ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
21.
ܪܥܶܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܐܶܠܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܟܰܕܽܘ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܕܰܢܺܝܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܝܽܘܡ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܝ̈ܳܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ
22.
ܪܰܚܡܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܪ ܥܶܠܳܝܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܛܳܒ ܐܳܦ ܟܐܶܝܢ
ܘܠܰܘ ܥܰܛܳܠܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܳܒܰܥ ܠܺܝ ܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
23.
ܪܳܥܝܳܢܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܠܰܝܬ ܒܟܽܘܢ ܠܡܶܦܪܰܫ ܗܳܕܶܐ
ܕܰܐܒܽܘܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܪܡܺܝ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܚܽܘܒܳܠܳܐ
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.
🌲