by Ephrem the Syrian

Carmina Nisibena Hymn 73 is the twenty-sixth hymn in the resurrection sequence (CN 48–77) of Ephrem's Hymns on Nisibis, composed in the mid-fourth century CE. This short homiletic hymn of eleven stanzas develops the ṭlm (to defraud) argument introduced in Hymn 72 through three new registers: economic theology (prayers and alms as investments earning interest in God's treasury beyond death), Exodus typology (Pharaoh's drowning of infants as a type of the resurrection), and the craftsman argument (even a mortal artisan preserves his work — how much more the divine Maker?).

The melody is ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ (Gamal bar qālēh) — the third drawing from the bar qālēh hymnal repertoire in the post-catalogue section (after Beth in CN 70 and 72), confirming that the post-catalogue hymns select freely from the shared songbook rather than following a linear sequence. The refrain — "Glory to the Son who by the sound of his trumpet bursts open the graves and raises the dead" — carries the trumpet motif from CN 72 into a more physical register: not awakening sleepers but splitting tombs.

This is the first English translation. Translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

Refrain: Glory to the Son who by the sound of his trumpet bursts open the graves and raises the dead.

I

Behold, beneath the earth, my beloved ones —
corpses and bodies of the buried,
and behold, in heaven, the righteous.
Behold, they carry both:
the deeds of the children of humanity —
earth and heaven cry out
if the righteous are defrauded.

II

And if a just merchant
through a bond lends money,
quietly his interest grows,
and if the holder of the bond dies,
the interest survives after him.
Who then shall settle the account
of the offering that Abel offered?

III

Who would not lend to God?
For the interest lives on after his departure.
The interest of his prayers —
the bond begets interest,
and the earth writes and records,
and God's treasury magnifies
our alms and our prayers.

IV

One is the road for all of us, my brothers:
from birth unto death,
and from death to the resurrection,
and from there, two roads —
one to fire and one to Eden.
Let everyone pray for his dead,
that they may be worthy of the road to Eden.

V

To the Indians and the Assyrians
he cast their corpses in the wilderness,
and he brought bones to life in the valley.
Not by another power, my brothers,
are we governed by compulsion —
it is a will that rules over all:
gives birth, and gives death, and raises up.

VI

Good news for the infants
that Pharaoh strangled the newborns:
their strangling was the people's salvation.
Thus Death dies
by the resurrection that gladdens all,
and Death is abolished from the infants
as Pharaoh from the newborns.

VII

How can he defraud the newborns
who died like the swarming of locusts?
The infants were floating in the river,
and their parents, watching,
wept and cried out to heaven.
Blessed is he who showed them in likeness
the resurrection of their newborns.

VIII

One of the Watchers was commanded
and inscribed the sign of salvation
upon the foreheads of the righteous.
Circumcision was ashamed when it saw
the hidden seal that triumphed.
Mark your dead with the cross,
that they may conquer the second death.

IX

Not in evil did he act,
that Wise Maker,
nor in vain did he fashion even corruption.
If a mortal craftsman
does nothing without understanding,
far be it that we should say God
composed and dissolved without distinction.

X

And if a speaking human
values mute gold
and guards it lest it perish,
and a painter who paints an image
preserves it from corruption —
how much more then does the Good One preserve
the image he raised for his glory!

XI

If the resurrection does not come to pass,
a beast has bested the righteous one.
He passed through it and became an offence.
He fell in his land and seized his end.
His story was completed and all was finished.
Far be it from the Just Recompenser —
for he does not defraud his righteous ones.

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena Hymn 73 by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), translated from Classical Syriac to English by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. This is the first English translation. The Syriac text is from Beck's critical edition (CSCO 218/219, Louvain, 1961), as transcribed in the Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). No existing English translation was consulted — none exists.

This is the twenty-sixth hymn of the CN 48–77 resurrection sequence to be translated, and the thirty-ninth Carmina Nisibena hymn in the archive. Eleven stanzas of homiletic preaching: economic theology (Abel's offering as an eternal investment, prayers as bonds earning interest in God's treasury), Exodus typology (Pharaoh's infanticide as a type of the resurrection), the taw-mark of Ezekiel 9 as a type of baptismal chrismation, and the craftsman-painter argument (the divine Maker preserves his image more than any artisan). The key verb ṭlm (to defraud) continues from Hymn 72, binding the two hymns as a diptych on the theme of divine justice.

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

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Source Text: ܡ̈ܰܕܪ̈ܳܫܶܐ ܕܢܨܺܝܒܺܝܢ — Carmina Nisibena 73

Classical Syriac text from Beck CSCO 218/219 via the Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). Presented for reference and verification.

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܓ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܗܳܐ ܬܚܶܝܬ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܚܰܒ̈ܺܝܒܰܝ
ܫ̈ܠܰܕܶܐ ܘܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܩܒܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
ܘܗܳܐ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܙܰܕܺܝܩ̈ܶܐ
ܗܳܐ ܛܥܺܝܢܳܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܬܰܪ̈ܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ
ܓܽܘ̈ܥܠܳܢܶܐ ܕܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܘܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܓܳܥܶܝܢ
ܐܶܢ ܡܶܬܛܰܠܡܺܝܢ ܙܰܕܺܝܩ̈ܶܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܒܩܳܠ ܩܰܪܢܶܗ
ܡܰܨܪܳܐ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܡܩܺܝܡ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ

2.

ܘܶܐܢܗܽܘ ܕܬܰܓܳܪܳܐ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ
ܒܶܫܛܳܪܳܐ ܝܺܙܶܦ ܟܶܣܦܳܐ
ܒܫܶܠܝܳܐ ܪܰܚܫܳܐ ܪܰܒܰܝܬܶܗ
ܘܶܐܢ ܡܺܝܬ ܡܳܪܶܗ ܕܰܫܛܳܪܳܐ
ܚܰܝܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܒܳܬܪܶܗ ܪܰܒܰܝܬܳܐ
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܢܣܰܝܶܟ ܪܰܒܰܝܬܶܗ
ܕܩܽܘܪܒܳܢܳܐ ܕܩܰܪܶܒ ܗܳܒܶܝܠ

3.

ܡܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܢܰܘܙܶܦ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ
ܕܚܰܝܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܶܗ
ܪܰܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܕܰܨ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܶܗ
ܫܛܳܪܳܐ ܡܰܘܠܶܕ ܪܰܒܰܝܬܳܐ
ܘܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܟܬܳܐ ܘܰܟܬܟܬܐ
ܘܓܰܙܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܪܶܒ
ܙܶܕܩ̈ܳܬܰܢ ܘܰܨ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܰܢ

4.

ܚܕܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܰܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ
ܡܶܢ ܝܰܠܕܳܐ ܘܰܠܘܳܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܘܡܶܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܘܡܶܢ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܬܰܪ̈ܬܶܝܢ ܐܽܘܪ̈ܚܳܢ
ܚܕܳܐ ܠܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܘܰܚܕܳܐ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ
ܢܨܰܠܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܥܰܠ ܡܺܝܬܶܗ
ܕܠܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܕܰܥܕܶܢ ܢܰܫܘܶܐ

5.

ܠܗܶܢܕ̈ܘܳܝܶܐ ܘܠܰܐܬܽܘܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ
ܫ̈ܠܰܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܒܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܰܪܡܺܝ
ܘܰܐܚܺܝ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܒܰܦܩܰܥܬܳܐ
ܠܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܝܶܠ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ
ܒܰܩܛܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܶܬܕܰܒܪܺܝܢ ܚܢܰܢ
ܨܶܒܝܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܥܰܠ ܟܽܠ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ
ܡܰܘܠܶܕ ܘܰܡܡܺܝܬ ܘܰܡܢܰܚܶܡ

6.

ܣܒܰܪܬܳܐ ܛܳܒܬܳܐ ܠܰܛ̈ܠܳܝܶܐ
ܕܦܶܪܥܽܘܢ ܚܰܢܶܩ ܝ̈ܰܠܽܘܕܶܐ
ܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܶܗ ܕܥܰܡܳܐ ܚܰܢܩܶܗ
ܗܳܟܰܢܳܐ ܡܳܐܶܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܡܚܰܕܶܐ
ܘܰܒܛܶܠ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ
ܐܰܝܟ ܦܶܪܥܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܝ̈ܰܠܽܘܕܶܐ

7.

ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܛܳܠܶܡ ܝܰܠܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ
ܕܰܐܝܟ ܩܽܘܦܳܝܳܐ ܕܩܰܡܨܳܐ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܥ̈ܰܘܳܠܶܐ ܒܢܰܗܪܳܐ ܩܳܦܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ
ܘܰܐܒ̈ܳܗܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܟܰܕ ܚܳܙܶܝܢ
ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܘܓܳܥܶܝܢ ܠܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܚܰܘܺܝ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ
ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܕܝܰܠܽܘ̈ܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ

8.

ܚܰܕ ܡܶܢ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܐܶܬܦܰܩܰܕ
ܘܰܪܫܶܡ ܪܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܕܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܳܐ
ܥܰܠ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ
ܓܙܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܒܶܗܬܰܬ ܕܰܚܙܳܬܶܗ
ܠܰܚܬܳܡܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܕܢܰܨܰܚ
ܪܫܽܘܡܘ̱ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ
ܕܢܶܙܟܽܘܢ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܬܰܢܺܝܢܳܐ

9.

ܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܒܺܝܫܘ̱ ܐܶܬܚܰܫܰܚ
ܗܰܘ ܥܳܒܽܘܕܳܐ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐ
ܘܺܐܝܩܺܐ ܬܩܶܢ ܐܳܦ ܚܒܳܠ
ܐܶܢ ܐܽܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܡܳܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܥܒܰܕ
ܚܳܣ ܕܢܺܐܡܰܪ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ
ܪܰܟܶܒ ܘܰܫܪܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܦܽܘܪܫܳܢ

10.

ܘܶܐܢ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܡܰܠܳܠܳܐ
ܪܰܒ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܗܒܳܐ ܫܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ
ܘܰܙܗܺܝܪ ܒܶܗ ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܢܺܐܒܰܕ
ܘܰܨܝܳܪܳܐ ܕܨܺܝܪ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ
ܢܛܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܚܰܒܰܠ
ܟܡܳܐ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܳܛܰܪ ܛܳܒܳܐ
ܠܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܩܺܝܡ ܠܺܐܝܩܳܪܶܗ

11.

ܐܶܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ
ܐܰܟܶܬ ܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܙܰܕܺܝܩܳܐ
ܥܒܰܪ ܒܳܗ̇ ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܣܽܘܠܳܐܢܳܐ
ܢܦܰܠ ܒܰܐܪܥܶܗ ܘܶܐܚܰܕ ܣܳܟܶܗ
ܫܠܶܡ ܫܰܪܒܶܗ ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܟܽܠܶܗ
ܚܳܣ ܠܶܗ ܠܦܳܪܽܘܥܳܐ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܛܳܠܶܡ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܰܘܗ̱ܝ
[ܫܠܶܡ]

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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