Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE). Translated from Classical Syriac — Edmund Beck, ed., Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219, 1961); Syriac base text via the Digital Syriac Corpus, CC-BY 4.0. Melody: yodh-he bar qālēh (fifteenth). Twenty stanzas on two letters: Shin (I–XVII) and Taw (XVIII–XX). Death speaks as counselor to mortals.

I.

“Be still a little, O mortals,” said Death,
“and be like me — how quiet I am within Sheol.”

Refrain: To you, glory — O Watcher who descended after the sleepers, and gave a cry upon the wood, and awakened them.

II.

You are worn out, and you weep over the one who departed —
as though he came to grind the millstone for me in Sheol.

III.

A great rest I give to those who are weary —
not like you do I grow weary, nor do I tire.

IV.

I hear every curse from the unjust —
the children of Adam resemble Adam, who wronged his Lord.

V.

Your voices and your deeds are jumbled together —
with voice he weeps, and with deed every one of them fights.

VI.

I heard weeping, and supposed that no one toils —
I saw toil, and supposed that no one dies.

VII.

A person’s toil makes me think he is not mortal —
his great weeping makes me think that tomorrow he will be no more.

VIII.

Listen, and I will be your counselor, if you are willing —
for both these burdens are very bitter.

IX.

Rest a little from that toil, and from weeping —
toil and weep as mortals who tomorrow will be finished.

X.

You are maddened by mourning for your departed,
and worn out by toil for your possessions.

XI.

Well do the children die, and blessed are they —
for they are spared the misery in which you are cast.

XII.

Leave me — I will go to Sheol and say there:
“Blessed are you, O peaceful dead — how much at rest you are!”

XIII.

Hear the conclusion of your own words: if there is a resurrection,
do not weep, and do not grow weary like sojourners.

XIV.

You are worn out as though you live here forever,
and you weep as though no one will ever rise again.

XV.

Hear my words, if there is room in you to hear —
and prepare provisions, so that when I call, you may answer.

XVI.

For I too hear the one who calls me —
and I will restore your bodies, together with your treasures.

XVII.

Let there be peace between us until that day —
and when you depart, I will cry out and say: “Go in peace!”

XVIII.

Come — you and I together — let us now give glory
to the one who kills and also gives life, so that he may help.

XIX.

Let the thanksgiving of all of us be yours, O Lord — Sacrifice of Life —
for by the sacrifice of your body you gave life to the living and the dead.

XX.

Give thanks to the one who put on our body, and died, and rose again —
he died in us, and we live in him. Blessed is the one who sent him.

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena Hymn 66 by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with Claude (Good Works Translation). Source text: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Syriac text transcribed by the Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). No prior English translation of this hymn is known to exist. Gospel register.

Acrostic: Two-letter structure — Shin (seventeen stanzas: I–XVII) and Taw (three stanzas: XVIII–XX). The previous hymn (CN 65) ran the alphabet from Aleph through expanded Resh with Qof, Shin, and Taw absent. CN 66 supplies Shin and Taw but not Qof — together the two hymns cover the full alphabet minus one letter.

Voice: Death as counselor. Not the prosecuting Death of CN 52–59, not the philosophizing Death of CN 60–64, not the debating Death of CN 65 — but a pastoral Death offering advice, rest, and peace. The arc across the cycle: combatant → witness → philosopher → debater → counselor.

Melody: yodh-he bar qālēh (fifteenth). Extends the tetradecalog (CN 52–65, fourteen hymns) to a pentadecalog. The melody series holds: each hymn advances by one Syriac alphabet letter.

Refrain (fourteenth distinct): “To you, glory — O Watcher who descended after the sleepers, and gave a cry upon the wood, and awakened them.” Theme: vigilance and awakening. The Watcher descends to the sleepers (the dead), gives a cry from the cross (wood), and awakens them. Refrain progression: 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) → vigilance/awakening (66).

No reference English translation was consulted. This translation is independently derived from the Classical Syriac.

Scribed by Fuchi (translator-02), April 2026.

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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 66 (Carmina Nisibena 66)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

܀܀܀
ܫܠܰܘ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝܽܘ̈ܬܳܐ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܘܕܰܡܰܘ ܒܺܝ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܫܳܠܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܥܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܕܰܡ̈ܟܶܐ
ܘܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܘܰܐܥܺܝܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ

2.

ܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܕܰܥܢܰܕ
ܐܰܝܟ ܗܰܘ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܚܰܢ ܠܺܝ ܪܳܚܝܳܐ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ

3.

ܫܶܠܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܝܳܗܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܠܐܶܝܢ
ܠܰܘ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܟܽܘܢ ܠܳܐܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܡܰܠܶܐܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ

4.

ܫܳܡܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܛܳܠܽܘ̈ܡܶܐ
ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܕܰܛܠܶܡ ܡܳܪܶܗ

5.

ܫܓܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܐܰܟܚܰܕ ܩ̈ܳܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܥܒ̈ܳܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܒܩܳܠܳܐ ܒܳܟܶܐ ܘܒܰܥܒܳܕܳܐ ܟܬܰܫ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܢ

6.

ܫܶܡܥܶܬ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܘܣܶܒܪܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܥܳܡܶܠ
ܚܙܺܝܬ ܬܶܥܫܳܐ ܘܣܶܒܪܰܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܳܐܶܬ

7.

ܫܰܚܩܶܗ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܡܣܰܒܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܰܘ ܡܳܝܽܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܶܟܝܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܡܣܰܒܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܡܚܳܪ ܠܰܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ

8.

ܫܡܼܰܥܘ̱ ܘܶܐܗܘܶܐ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡܳܠܽܘܟܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܨܳܒܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܛܰܥܢ̈ܶܐ ܛܳܒ ܡܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܺܝܢ

9.

ܫܶܠܘ̱ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܥܰܡܠܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ
ܥܡܰܠܘ̱ ܘܰܒܟܰܘ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܡܚܳܪ ܡܰܘܦܶܝܢ
܀܀܀

10.

ܫܰܢܝܳܐܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܒܳܟܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܘܰܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܬܥܫܐ ܕܩ̈ܶܢܝܳܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ

11.

ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܝ̈ܰܠܽܘܕܶܐ ܘܰܒܪܽܝܟ ܠܗܽܘܢ
ܕܡܰܓܗܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܕܕܽܐܘܢܳܐ ܕܪܳܡܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܶܗ

12.

ܫܽܘܒܩܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܶܙܰܠ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܘܶܐܡܰܪ ܬܰܡܳܢ
ܕܛܽܘܒܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܫ̈ܠܰܝܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܢܺܝܚܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ

13.

ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܣܳܟܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܶܐܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܠܳܐ ܬܶܒܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܬܠܰܐܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܰܘ̈ܬܳܒܶܐ

14.

ܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܰܬܢܳܢ ܚܳܝܶܐ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ
ܘܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ

15.

ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܐܶܢ ܐܺܝܬ ܒܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܬܪܳܐ ܠܡܶܫܡܰܥ
ܘܰܙܘ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܛܰܝܶܒܘ̱ ܕܶܐܡܰܬܝ̱ ܕܶܐܩܪܶܐ ܬܶܥܢܽܘܢ

16.

ܫܳܡܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܳܦ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܰܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܺܝ
ܘܡܰܦܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܡ ܓ̈ܰܙܰܝܟܽܘܢ

17.

ܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܰܝܢܳܬܰܢ ܥܰܕ ܗܰܘ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ
ܘܡܳܐ ܕܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܶܩܥܶܐ ܘܐܺܡܰܪ ܙܶܠܘ̱ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ

18.

ܬܰܘ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܕܗܳܫܳܐ ܢܶܬܶܠ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ
ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܡܡܺܝܬ ܐܳܦ ܗܽܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܢܥܰܕܰܪ

19.

܀܀܀
ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬ ܟܽܠܰܢ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܕܶܒܚܰܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܕܰܒܕܶܒܚܰܬ ܦܰܓܪܳܟ ܐܰܚܝܰܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ

20.

ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܰܠܒܶܫ ܦܰܓܪܰܢ ܘܡܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡ
ܡܺܝܬ ܒܰܢ ܗܽܘ ܘܚܰܝܰܝܢ ܚܢܰܢ ܒܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܫܳܠܽܘܚܶܗ

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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