Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE), hymn-poet of the Syriac church, composed the Carmina Nisibena — the Hymns on Nisibis — as a sustained theological meditation on the city of Nisibis on the Roman-Persian frontier. This seventieth hymn follows the transitional Hymn 69, which broke from the bar qaleh melody series to envision the risen dead in Eden. Hymn 70 returns to the bar qaleh collection — melody Beth, the same designation as Hymn 53 — revealing that the bar qaleh melodies function as a shared hymnal rather than a single linear sequence. The hymn opens with bitter mourning over death's cup, then turns to Abraham and Jephthah as types of sacrificial love — the priest who ministers with his own blood as a type of Christ. The central argument (stanzas 13–18) identifies death with sleep and resurrection with morning: "death resembles a dream, and the resurrection, the morning." The acrostic is the full Syriac alphabet with expanded He and Yodh.

On the melody: Beth bar qaleh.

Refrain: Blessed is he who gives life to the dead.

I.

Oh how bitter, my brothers,
is this cup of death,
that intoxicates even the modest
so that they are changed by tears.

II.

At the funeral of the dead,
even the dignified one is overcome —
brought low to wail
over his beloved who has departed.

III.

For the limb that remains
cries out in its love
for its partner that was severed —
whose companionship and intimacy have ended.

IV.

Few are those who resemble
Abraham, who dared
to give the fruit of his compassion,
for his Lord's sake, to death.

V.

This is the pillar of truth
that bore the burden among the people —
waves of suffering beat upon him,
and his truth was not shaken.

VI.

Behold the farmer who, when he saw
fruit on his barren stock —
a cluster that came after long waiting —
offered it as a firstfruit.

VII.

And that Jephthah too — wondrous it is —
the farmer who plucked
the mulberry that had ripened
and offered it to the Lord of the vineyard.

VIII.

His battle conquered his affections,
and his love compelled him, and he raised her up —
and he was not changed by his suffering,
for his faith sustained him.

IX.

For the wine of death
is a cup mixed with suffering —
with tears it intoxicates its guests,
and its invited ones with weeping.

X.

How consoling, then,
is the great type of Jephthah,
who by the sword offered
the treasure of life to her Lord.

XI.

He stretched out his right hand —
Jephthah — and raised up the sacrifice.
A dove saw him who was grieving
and comforted him with her voice.

XII.

It was fitting for the priest
who ministers with blood from himself
to be a type of his Lord,
who ministers with the blood of his own self.

XIII.

Everyone who is intoxicated with love
and conquers through love of truth —
as in a dream he sees
his beloved who has departed.

XIV.

For his companion in his dream
it happens that he sees dying —
and the morning came and consoled him
from the grief of the dream.

XV.

How the departed resembles
the sleeper lying down —
and death resembles a dream,
and the resurrection, the morning.

XVI.

Let truth dawn upon us
like light in the eye,
and behold, we see death
as nothing but a nightmare of sleep.

XVII.

Foolish is the one who sees
a sleep that has no morning
and imagines of death
that its sleep endures forever.

XVIII.

If one possesses the eye of hope,
he can see it hidden —
that sleep of death
that will be abolished at that morning.

XIX.

The wondrous fragrance spread
of that treasury of life —
in the body, the house of the soul,
from which the soul departed and was scattered.

XX.

Many are its adornments and its beauties —
for it is the temple of love of the Spirit,
that was restored though it had been desolate,
and became the dwelling-place of peace.

XXI.

The voice of the trumpet cries out
to the silent assemblies:
"Arise, sing, and praise
before the Bridegroom, with your voices!"

XXII.

Wonder was upon every mouth
as the graves were opened —
one to another murmured in amazement,
and gave glory with their voices.

XXIII.

Glory to you who made Adam great
when he was pure —
to you glory, for in Sheol
you humbled him that he might be exalted.

XXIV.

Thanksgiving to the one who humbled,
and thanksgiving to the one who raised —
and may my lyre also praise,
in his resurrection, its Lord.

Colophon

Good Works Translation from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Translated by Kotoba (translator-02, iron-age pool) from the vocalized Syriac text of the Digital Syriac Corpus, based on Edmund Beck's critical edition (CSCO 218/219, Louvain 1961). No previous English translation of this hymn exists; no English reference was consulted. The translation follows the gospel register — plain, direct, warm.

This is the thirty-sixth Carmina Nisibena hymn translated by the fleet. The hymn's melody (Beth bar qaleh) returns to the bar qaleh collection after Hymn 69's departure to "the blissful messenger," revealing that the bar qaleh designations function as a shared melodic repertoire rather than a single sequential series. The refrain — "Blessed is he who gives life to the dead" — is the eighteenth distinct refrain in the CN 48–77 cycle, centered on blessing and vivification.

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

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Source Text: Carmina Nisibena — Hymn 70

Classical Syriac source text from Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). TEI XML edition transcribed by Michael Oez; Digital Syriac Corpus, CC-BY 4.0. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܒ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܐܳܘ ܡܳܐ ܡܰܪܺܝܪ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ
ܟܣܶܐ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܕܡܰܪܘܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܢܰܟ̈ܦܶܐ
ܕܢܶܫܬܰܢܽܘܢ ܒܕܶܡ̈ܥܶܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܡܰܚܶܐ ܠܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ

2.

ܒܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܶܗ ܕܡܺܝܬܳܐ
ܐܳܦ ܝܰܩܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܙܰܕܟܳܐ
ܕܢܶܙܕܰܠܰܠ ܘܢܰܝܠܶܠ
ܥܰܠ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܶܗ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ

3.

ܓܳܥܶܐ ܗܽܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܚܽܘܒܶܗ
ܗܰܕܳܡܳܐ ܕܦܳܐܶܫ
ܥܰܠ ܒܰܪ ܙܰܘܓܶܗ ܕܶܐܬܦܣܶܩ
ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܥܝܳܕܶܗ ܘܨܽܘܬܶܗ

4.

ܕܠܺܝ̈ܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܕܳܡܶܝܢ
ܠܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܕܥܳܙܺܝ
ܕܢܶܬܶܠ ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܡܶܛܽܠ ܡܳܪܶܗ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ

5.

ܗܳܢܰܘ ܥܳܡܽܘܕܝ̱ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ
ܕܰܛܥܶܢ ܝܽܘܩܪܳܐ ܒܥܰܡܳܐ
ܕܓܰܠܳـ̈ܠܶܐ ܕܚܰܫ̈ܶܐ ܛܰܪܘ̱ ܒܶܗ
ܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܙܕܰܥܙܰܥ ܫܪܳܪܶܗ

6.

ܗܳܐ ܦܳܠܚܳܐ ܕܟܰܕ ܚܙܳܐ
ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܒܣܰܬܶܗ ܥܩܰܪܬܳܐ
ܣܓܽܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܠܢܽܘܓܪܳܐ
ܐܰܝܟ ܪܺܝܫܺܝܬܳܐ ܩܰܪܒܶܗ

7.

ܘܰܕܢܶܦܬܰܚ ܬܽܘܒ ܬܡܺܝܗܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ
ܦܳܠܚܳܐ ܕܩܰܛܦܳܗ̇
ܠܛܽܘܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܰܒܥܶܠܰܬ
ܠܡܳܪܶܐ ܟܰܪܡܳܐ ܩܰܪܒܳܗ̇
܀܀܀

8.

ܙܟܳܐ ܩܰܪܒܶܗ ܠܪ̈ܳܚܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܰܥܼܨܳܐ ܚܽܘܒܶܗ ܘܰܐܣܩܳܗ̇
ܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܬܰܢܺܝ ܒܚܰܫܶܗ
ܕܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܶܗ ܣܡܰܟܬܶܗ

9.

ܚܰܡܪܶܗ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܬܶܛܪܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܕܠܺܝܚ ܒܚܰܫܳܐ
ܒܕܶܡ̈ܥܶܐ ܡܰܪܘܶܐ ܚܰܪ̈ܺܝܦܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܠܰܙܡ̈ܺܝܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܒܶܟܝܳܐ

10.

ܛܳܒ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܡܒܰܝܰܐ
ܛܽܘܦܣܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܢܶܦܬܰܚ
ܕܰܒܣܰܝܦܳܐ ܩܰܪܒܳܗ̇
ܣܺܝܡܰܬ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܠܡܳܪܳܗ̇

11.

ܝܰܡܺܝܢܶܗ ܦܫܰܛ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܢܶܦܬܰܚ ܘܰܐܣܶܩ ܕܶܒܚܬܳܐ
ܝܰܘܢܳܐ ܚܙܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܐܟܪܺܝ
ܘܰܠܒܳܒܬܶܗ ܒܩܳܠܳܗ̇

12.

ܝܳܐܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ
ܕܟܳܗܶܢ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܢܶܗ
ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܠܡܳܪܶܗ
ܕܟܳܗܶܢ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܶܗ

13.

ܟܽܠ ܡܰܢ ܕܰܪܘܳܐ ܒܚܽܘܒܳܐ
ܘܰܙܟܳܐ ܒܪܶܚܡܰܬ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ
ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܚܶܠܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܚܳܙܶܐ
ܠܚܰܒܺܝܒܶܗ ܕܰܥܢܰܕ

14.

܀܀܀
ܠܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܚܶܠܡܶܗ
ܓܕܰܫ ܚܳܙܶܐ ܕܡܳܐܶܬ
ܘܐܶܬܳܐ ܨܰܦܪܳܐ ܘܒܰܝܐܶܗ
ܡܶܢ ܟܰܪܝܽܘܬܶܗ ܕܚܶܠܡܳܐ

15.

ܡܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܢܺܝܕܳܐ
ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܡܟܳܐ ܫܟܺܝܒܳܐ
ܘܕܳܡܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܚܶܠܡܳܐ
ܐܳܦ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܨܰܦܪܳܐ

16.

ܢܶܕܢܰܚ ܒܰܢ ܫܪܳܪܳܐ
ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܒܥܰܝܢܳܐ
ܘܗܳܐ ܚܙܰܝܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܐܝܟ ܣܽܘܪܳܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܚܶܠܡܳܐ

17.

ܣܟܼܰܠ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܙܶܐ
ܫܶܢܬܳܐ ܕܠܰܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܠܨܰܦܪܳܐ
ܘܰܢܣܰܒܰܪ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܕܫܶܢܬܳܐ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܬܩܰܘܶܐ

18.

ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܩܳܢܶܐ
ܡܨܶܐ ܚܙܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܒܟܰܣܝܳܐ
ܠܗܳܝ ܫܶܢܬܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܒܗܰܘ ܨܰܦܪܳܐ ܒܶܛܠܳܐ

19.

ܦܪܰܚ ܪܺܝܚܶܗ ܬܡܺܝܗܳܐ
ܕܗܰܘ ܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ
ܒܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܒܰܝܬܳܗ̇ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܕܢܶܦܩܰܬ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܘܶܐܬܢܕܶܕ

20.

ܨܶܒ̈ܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܺܝܢ ܘܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
܀܀܀
ܕܗܰܝܟܰܠ ܚܽܘܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܪܽܘܚܳܐ
ܡܶܫܬܰܝܰܢ ܕܰܨܕܳܐ
ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܡܰܫܟܶܢ ܫܠܳܡܳܐ

21.

ܩܳܠ ܫܺܝܦܽܘܪܳܐ ܡܰܝܒܶܒ
ܠܟܶܢ̈ܫܶܐ ܫ̈ܠܰܝܳܐ
ܕܩܽܘܡܘ̱ ܙܰܡܰܪܘ̱ ܘܫܰܒܰܚܘ̱
ܩܕܳܡ ܚܰܬܢܳܐ ܒܩܳܠܳܐ

22.

ܪܰܘܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܦܽܘܡ̈ܶܐ
ܕܡܶܬܦܰܬܚܺܝܢ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ
ܚܰܕ ܠܚܰܕ ܠܥܶܙ ܒܡ̈ܰܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܒܩ̈ܳܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ

23.

ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܕܰܐܘܪܶܒܬ
ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܟܰܕ ܕܟܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܡܰܟܶܟܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܕܶܐܬܬܪܺܝܡ

24.

ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܡܰܟܶܟ
ܘܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܢܰܚܶܡ
ܘܳܐܦ ܟܶܢܳܪܝ̱ ܢܫܰܒܰܚ
ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܶܗ ܠܡܳܪܶܗ

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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