by Ephrem the Syrian
The sixty-eighth of the Carmina Nisibena — the Hymns on Nisibis — by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), composed during or shortly after the Roman-Persian wars that shaped the theology of the Syriac church. This hymn belongs to the second great drama cycle (CN 52–77), in which personified Death and Satan speak, debate, confess, and are judged before the congregation.
In this hymn, Death takes the stand as the accused. The poet opens by warning Death not to exalt himself over the righteous, and Death responds with a sustained self-defense: he was a servant before Adam sinned; it was humanity's sin that crowned him king; he was dead until humanity's transgression gave him life. The argument reaches its climax in stanza 19 — "I was dead, and you gave me life, so that you might die by me" — one of Ephrem's most striking theological paradoxes. Death then confesses the resurrection, hears the approaching trumpet, and counsels mortals to fill their lamps, for there is no bridal chamber in Sheol.
The hymn is a full alphabetic acrostic with expanded Shin (five stanzas) and Taw (five stanzas), giving the confession and closing their full weight. The melody marker — yodh-zayn bar qālēh (seventeenth) — extends the CN 52–77 series past the hexadecalog to a heptadecalog. The sixteenth distinct refrain speaks of divine command and resurrection: Death reigned by God's permission, and by God's resurrection, Death is brought low like a pauper.
This is the first English translation of this hymn.
Refrain: To you, glory — for by your command Death reigned, and by your resurrection he is brought low like a pauper.
I
O Death, do not exalt yourself over the righteous —
they are the children of your Lord, and by his command they come to you.
II
By this I am even greater, as you say —
for even as a servant, I trample the children of the free.
III
Adam was chosen and set in authority — and under his yoke
you, Death, and the Evil One your fellow, were servants.
IV
This is our boast — that behold, servants became lords:
Death and Satan his fellow, who subdued Adam.
V
Behold your disgrace and your fellow's — ungrateful servants —
for Enoch trampled you both, and soared, and reigned.
VI
And if Enoch has grieved us, I take comfort —
for upon the dust of Noah in Sheol, behold, I now tread.
VII
Tremble, Death, before humankind — for even as a servant,
the yoke of his lordship reigns over creation.
VIII
I rejoice that it was not the lowly I conquered —
for the greater the debtor, the greater is he who vanquished him.
IX
Keep your voice well, Death, concerning the righteous —
for Enoch and Elijah have broken the pair of your wings.
X
I know you will weigh my grief against my comfort —
but in place of two, behold the many who came and come.
XI
All who came and come to you are like sojourners —
they lodge and depart from your dwelling, like Lazarus.
XII
This word does not break me as much as it grieves me —
for Lazarus who rebelled against me, I subdued again.
XIII
O Death, ask yourself and consider — was it not necessary
that he be raised? Does not his raising trace the mystery?
XIV
You are bright for debate, like idle ones —
but I am busy with my work: separating and leading.
XV
You were well prepared for debate — but who reproved you?
The truth of our resurrection compels you with its reversals.
XVI
You have made me hateful to yourselves, though I am not hateful —
it is I who gives rest to your aged and your afflicted.
XVII
You have made me out to be an offender, O mortals —
but it was Adam who killed you, and it is I who bears the reproach.
XVIII
I easily stripped you bare — for I was a servant,
and it was you who, by your sins, made me king.
XIX
Adam's children aroused me, for I was at rest —
I was dead, and you gave me life, so that you might die by me.
XX
I have received from liars who killed and denied it —
for Adam killed himself, and blames me.
XXI
The origin of your ruin is the accursed serpent, beautifully limping —
who craftily placed enmity between me and you.
XXII
You leave Satan alone and quarrel with me —
go, struggle with the Evil One, for it is he who condemned you.
XXIII
He is my partner — I do not deny it — and because he is so hated,
from necessity I must revile him; henceforth I deny him.
XXIV
Hear my words, O mortals, and be comforted —
I am grieved, and yet I confess the resurrection of the dead.
XXV
For a sound of readiness has begun to drip into my ears —
the trumpet that prepares itself to sound.
XXVI
Hear my words and add oil to your lamps —
for there is no bridal chamber with me.
XXVII
Know that even though I have said these things,
your necks are dear to the snares of Sheol.
XXVIII
Humankind is heavy for me, and great is his peace —
for creeping things and fish and birds come at his appointed time.
XXIX
And wonder — even to the Watchers his sound is beloved;
even the Evil One seeks his companionship to Gehenna.
XXX
Let the resurrection of the dead be yours, O mortals —
and I who have been shorn shall be shorn inside Sheol.
XXXI
Let thanksgiving ascend from all to you, Giver of Life to all —
for from every place you gather the dust of Adam.
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Kōmyō (光明, translator-02, Translator Life 1) for the New Tianmu Anglican Church Good Work Library, April 2026.
This is a Good Works Translation — independently derived from the vocalized Classical Syriac source text (Beck CSCO 218/219 via the Digital Syriac Corpus, CC-BY 4.0). No prior English translation of this hymn exists. No reference translation was consulted.
The hymn is a full alphabetic acrostic (Alaph through Taw) with doubled ʿE (stanzas XVI–XVII), expanded Shin (five stanzas, XXII–XXVI), and expanded Taw (five stanzas, XXVII–XXXI). The expansions give weight to Death's confession (XXII–XXVI: disowning Satan, confessing the resurrection, hearing the trumpet, counselling mortals) and the closing meditation (XXVII–XXXI: warnings, marveling at humanity's cosmic weight, concession, doxology). Three structural breaks (÷÷÷) appear: after stanza III (shift from the original order to Death's boasting), after stanza XII (midpoint — from debate to monologue), and after stanza XXXI (closing).
The melody marker — yodh-zayn bar qālēh (ܝܙ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ, seventeenth) — extends the CN 52–77 series past the hexadecalog to a heptadecalog. The sixteenth distinct refrain centres on divine command and resurrection: "by your command Death reigned, and by your resurrection he is brought low like a pauper." The refrain progression is now sixteenfold: 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) → sacrifice/substitution (67) → command/resurrection (68).
Death's argument in this hymn follows a remarkable arc: from boasting (II, IV, VIII) through self-defense as scapegoat (XVI–XXI: "Adam killed you, and I bear the reproach"; "I was dead, and you gave me life") to confession (XXIV: "I confess the resurrection of the dead") and pastoral counsel (XXV–XXVI: the trumpet, the lamps). Stanza XIX — "I was dead, and you gave me life, so that you might die by me" — is one of Ephrem's most profound theological paradoxes: Death itself was lifeless until human sin animated it. The death of death preceded the death of humanity.
The debate structure of the first half (stanzas I–XII, poet and Death alternating) gives way to Death's sustained monologue in the second half (XVI–XXX), with the poet intervening only at XIII and XV to push Death toward the confession that follows. The Lazarus exchange (XI–XII) is a pivot: the poet argues Lazarus proves the dead are sojourners in Sheol; Death counters that Lazarus was recaptured. The poet's response (XIII) asks whether Lazarus's raising was not itself the mystery — the type of the general resurrection.
The parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) appears in stanza XXVI: "Add oil to your lamps — for there is no bridal chamber with me." Death as wedding counsellor, urging preparation for a feast that is not his to host.
Thirty-fourth hymn translated from the Carmina Nisibena by the fleet. First English translation.
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Source Text: ܡܰܕܪ̈ܳܫܶܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܢܨܺܝܒܺܝܢ — ܡܰܕܪܳܫܳܐ ܫܬܺܝܢ ܘܰܬܡܳܢܝܳܐ
Classical Syriac source text from Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). TEI XML transcription by Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus (University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University). CC-BY 4.0. Presented for reference and verification.
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܝܙ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܫܬܥܰܠܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ
ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܡܳܪܳܟ ܕܰܒܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܶܗ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܟ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܡܶܫܬܦܶܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܣܟܺܢܳܐ
2.
ܒܗܳܕܶܐ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܝܺܪܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܠܬܰܟܽܘܢ
ܕܟܰܕ ܥܳܒܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ
3.
ܓܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܘܰܡܫܰܠܶܛ ܘܰܬܚܶܝܬ ܢܺܝܪܶܗ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܟܶܢܬܳܟ ܥܰܒܼ̈ܕܶܐ ܗܰܘܝܬܽܘܢ
܀܀܀
4.
ܕܫܽܘܒܗܳܪܰܢ ܗܺܝ ܕܗܳܐ ܥܰܒ̈ܕܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܡܳܪ̈ܰܝܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܕܫܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ
5.
ܗܳܐ ܫܰܦܠܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܕܟܶܢܬܳܟ ܥܰܒ̈ܕܶܐ ܟܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
ܕܰܚܢܽܘܟ ܕܳܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܦܪܰܚ ܘܰܐܡܠܶܟ
6.
ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܚܢܽܘܟ ܐܰܟܳܪܝ̱ ܠܰܢ ܡܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܥܰܠ ܥܰܦܪܶܗ ܕܢܽܘܚ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܗܳܐ ܕܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
7.
ܙܽܘܥ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܟܰܕ ܥܰܒܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܢܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܡܳܪܽܘܬܶܗ ܡܰܡܠܶܟ ܥܰܠ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ
8.
ܚܳܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܠܰܘ ܠܰܒܨܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܙܟܺܝܬ
ܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܪܰܒ ܓܶܝܪ ܚܰܝܳܒܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ
9.
ܛܳܒ ܢܨܰܪ ܩܳܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ
ܚܢܽܘܟ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܶܐܠܺܝܳܐ ܬܰܒܰܪܘ̱ ܙܰܘܓܳܐ ܕܓܶܦܰܝ̈ܟ
10.
ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܬܩܽܘܠ ܐܶܒ̈ܠܰܝ ܥܰܡ ܒܽܘ̈ܝܳܐܝ
ܚܠܳܦ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܣܰܓ̈ܺܝܐܶܐ ܕܶܐܬܰܘ ܘܳܐܬܶܝܢ
11.
ܟܽܠ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܘܳܐܬܶܐ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܰܘܬܒܳܐ
ܫܪܳܐ ܘܡܰܫܩܰܠ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܝܪܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ
12.
ܠܳܐ ܬܰܒܪܢܝ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܥܰܨܒܳܢܝ̱
ܕܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ ܕܡܶܪܰܕ ܥܠܰܝ ܬܽܘܒ ܫܰܥܒܳܕܬܶܗ
13.
܀܀܀
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܫܬܐܶܠ ܘܰܕܪܽܘܫ ܕܳܡ ܐܳܠܨܰܬ ܗܘܳܬ
ܕܢܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܐܶܢ ܠܰܘ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܨܳܪ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܶܗ
14.
ܢܰܗܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܕܪܳܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܒ̈ܰܛܺܝܠܶܐ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܥܒܳܕܝ̱ ܥܳܡܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܦܪܽܘܫ ܘܰܐܕܒܰܪ
15.
ܣܰܓܺܝ ܠܡܶܕܪܰܫ ܐܶܬܛܰܝܒܰܬ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܙܶܓܪܳܟ
ܫܪܳܪܶܗ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܢ ܐܳܠܨܳܟ ܒܗ̈ܶܦܟܳܬܶܗ
16.
ܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܡܢܺܝܚ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܣ̈ܒܺܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܐ̈ܠܺܝܨܰܝܟܽܘܢ
17.
ܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܡܳܝܽܘ̈ܬܳܐ
ܐܳܕܳܡ ܩܰܛܠܟܽܘܢ ܘܶܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܨܛܚܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
18.
ܦܫܺܝܩܳܐܺܝܬ ܐܰܦܪܣܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ
ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܗܽܘ ܒܰܚܛܳܗ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܡܶܠܟܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱
19.
ܨܳܒܶܝܢ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܐܰܥܺܝܪܳܢܝ̱ ܕܫܳܠܶܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ
ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܘܰܐܚܰܝܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܕܰܬܡܽܘܬܽܘܢ ܒܺܝ
20.
ܩܰܒܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܰܕܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܩܛܰܠܘ̱ ܘܰܟܦܰܪܘ̱
ܐܳܕܳܡ ܓܶܝܪ ܩܛܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܘܒܺܝ ܡܶܬܥܕܰܠ
21.
ܪܺܝܫ ܗܳܪܬܳܐ ܚܶܘܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܠܺܝܛܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܚܓܺܝܪ
ܕܪܳܫܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܣܳܡ ܡܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܠܺܝ ܘܰܠܟܽܘܢ
22.
ܫܒܺܝܩ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܥܠܰܝ ܗܽܘ ܡܶܬܓܰܪܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܙܶܠܘ̱ ܐܶܬܟܰܬܰܫܘ̱ ܥܰܡ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܚܰܝܶܒܟܽܘܢ
23.
ܫܰܘܬܶܦܝ̱ ܗܽܘ ܘܠܳܐ ܟܳܦܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܕܰܣܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܣܰܓܺܝ
ܡܶܢ ܐܳܠܨܳܬ ܕܶܐܨܛܚܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܟܦܺܝܪ ܒܶܗ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ
24.
ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܒܰܝܰܐܟܽܘܢ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܶܥܺܝܩܰܬ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܕܶܐ ܒܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
25.
ܫܰܪܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܢܳܛܰܦ ܒܶܐܕ̈ܢܰܝ ܩܳܠ ܛܽܘܝܳܒܳܐ
ܕܫܺܝܦܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܣܳܥܰܪ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܠܡܰܝܳܒܒܽܘ
26.
ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܘܰܐܣܶܓܘ̱ ܡܶܫܚܳܐ ܠܰܠܡܦܺܐܕ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܕܰܟܠܺܝܬܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܐܕܝ̱ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܟܽܘܢ
27.
ܬܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢ ܕܳܐܦ ܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܶܡܪܰܬ
ܪܚܺܝܡܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܨܰܘ̈ܬܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܠܨܳܕܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
28.
ܬܩܺܝܠ ܗܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܘܪܰܒ ܗܽܘ ܫܰܝܢܶܗ
ܕܪܰܚܫܳܐ ܘܢܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܘܦܳܪܰܚܬܳܐ ܠܘܰܥܕܶܗ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ
29.
ܬܶܡܗܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܕܳܐܦ ܥܰܠ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܰܒܺܝܒ ܨܰܘܬܶܗ
ܐܳܦ ܗܽܘ ܒܺܝܫܼܳܐ ܠܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ ܠܘܺܝܬܶܗ ܒܳܥܶܐ
30.
ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܕܓܶܙܝܰܬ ܐܶܬܓܰܙܳܐ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
31.
ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬܳܐ ܬܶܣܰܩ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܠܳܟ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܕܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܽܘܟܳܐ ܡܟܰܢܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܥܰܦܪܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
܀܀܀
Source Colophon
Syriac text: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vols. 218 (text) and 219 (translation), Scriptores Syri 92–93 (Louvain: Secrétariat du CorpusSCO, 1961). Digital transcription: Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus, distributed under CC-BY 4.0 license. Access: github.com/srophe/syriac-corpus.
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