by Ephrem the Syrian

Hymn 74 of the Carmina Nisibena (Songs of Nisibis) is a sustained meditation on the human condition — a twenty-five-stanza alphabetic acrostic cataloguing the paradox of Adam. Man judges and acquits, subdues beasts, orders the chariot, sits upon thrones, writes and reads and translates — yet Death reduces every greatness to three cubits in Sheol. Each stanza contrasts one human capacity with its annihilation, and closes with a petition to the Lord for resurrection.

The acrostic follows the full Syriac alphabet (twenty-two letters), with three letters doubled: Kap (stanzas XI–XII), Lamadh (XIII–XIV), and Semkath (XVII–XVIII) — yielding twenty-five stanzas. The refrain, "Let your resurrection renew him," is the twenty-second distinct refrain in the Carmina Nisibena cycle, and the first purely petitionary refrain. All previous refrains were praise, confession, or doxology. This one is prayer.

The melody indicator — "O Lord, in your garden" — marks a fourth distinct melody class in the post-catalogue section (CN 69 onward), after the bar qaleh repertoire, the blissful messenger, and "Abel lives and Cain is slain." The hymn stands apart from the dramatic flyting and prosecution series that preceded it. Here, Death does not speak. Man is the subject, and the poem is a lament.

Translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church. First English translation. Source text: Edmund Beck, ed., Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219, 1961). Digital Syriac Corpus transcription by Michael Oez, CC-BY 4.0.

Melody: O Lord, in your garden

Refrain: Let your resurrection renew him.

I

O how great is Adam,
and glorious in his creation!
O how great is his lowliness
at the hour of his death!
Let your resurrection magnify him.

II

In his composition is painted
the wisdom of his Creator.
In his corruption is inscribed
the wickedness of his deceiver.
Let him shine forth at his renewal.

III

Chosen and great in his deeds,
despised in his passing.
In his life, as something;
in his death, as nothing.
Again, Lord, magnify him.

IV

He judges and convicts,
examines and acquits.
His likeness — of God;
his death — of beasts.
Let your image grow great in you.

V

Behold, his word is great,
and spreads across all things.
In the world he speaks;
in Sheol he is silenced.
Renew his melodies.

VI

He dived into the sea
and brought up its treasures.
But when he dived into Sheol,
Death stood over him.
Through you, Lord, let him be drawn up.

VII

The vigorous one who subdues
the sea and the dry land —
in the grave he is humbled
and becomes a creeping thing.
Let your mercies pour upon him, Lord.

VIII

He subdues the beasts;
his yoke is mighty.
But death's yoke
humbles his freedom.
Through you, Lord, let him be set free.

IX

He ordered with bridles
the rush of the chariot.
Death bridled him
and in Sheol bound him.
Let the Resolver of All set him free.

X

He sat upon a throne,
in crown and diadem.
And Death brought him down,
stripped his adornment and broke him.
Through you, Lord, let him be honoured.

XI

He writes and also reads,
and studies and translates.
Yet he cannot persuade
Death by his wisdom.
Through you, Lord, let him be delivered.

XII

Though he cages the lion
and binds the dragon —
in the hollow of Sheol,
Death cages him.
Let the sound of the trumpet bring him out.

XIII

He cuts the tree,
and it sprouts again and multiplies.
But Death separated him
from all his beloved.
In your glory, let him see them.

XIV

He healed wounds
with medicines he discovered.
But for death's wound,
no medicine was found.
Let the Medicine of Life heal him.

XV

His oils and his spices,
the abundance of his aromatics —
they cannot mask his stench
once he has departed.
By your salt, let him be seasoned.

XVI

He divides the luminaries
into hours and seasons.
But the hour of his departure —
where it falls, he does not know.
Glory to the Knower of All.

XVII

He ventured upon the earth
and searched the heavens.
But when Death reached him,
he erred and was confounded.
Through you, Lord, let him be delivered.

XVIII

He amassed the profit
and added to the capital.
A collector gathered it;
a scatterer inherited it.
Let your grace enrich him.

XIX

He made dwellings
for summer and for winter.
And one grave, for summer
and for winter, sufficed him.
In Eden, let him find delight.

XX

He divided and took,
and asked for more.
Death measured and gave him
three cubits in Sheol.
To meet you, Lord, let him fly.

XXI

He purified wines
and multiplied delights.
Death shut his mouth
from all his desire.
Let your table comfort him.

XXII

The greedy one hoarded and amassed;
storehouses did not suffice him.
Death brought him out
and in Sheol confined him.
Let your resurrection bring him out.

XXIII

He traveled the paths
and turned along the roads.
One road he went,
from which he did not turn back.
Let him return to your paradise.

XXIV

The carried die,
and bearers are called.
Instead of his couches —
a bier for the departed.
Let the resurrection carry him aloft.

XXV

He laboured at palaces —
spacious halls to shelter him.
But his body fills a grave,
and his dust fills a cavern.
Anew, renew him.

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena Hymn 74, by Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. First English translation.

This hymn is the purest anthropological meditation in the Carmina Nisibena — a sustained catalogue of human capacity reduced to nothing by death. The twenty-five alphabetic stanzas follow a single pattern: the first four lines present a contrast between man's greatness and death's reduction; the fifth line is a petition for resurrection. The effect is cumulative, each stanza tightening the paradox until stanza XX delivers the devastating arithmetic: the one who divided and seized and asked for more is given three cubits in Sheol.

Stanza XI — "He writes and also reads, and studies and translates" — is remarkable for its self-awareness. The Syriac verb ܡܬܰܪܓܰܡ (mtargam, "translates") appears in a hymn about the futility of human knowledge before death. Ephrem the translator — himself a master of Syriac literary composition — includes the act of translation in the catalogue of powerless human arts. The word speaks across seventeen centuries to every scribe who holds this text.

The melody — "O Lord, in your garden" — introduces a fourth distinct melody class in the post-catalogue section (CN 69 onward), breaking the three-class pattern identified by previous translators. The refrain, "Let your resurrection renew him," is the twenty-second distinct refrain in the cycle, and the first purely petitionary refrain — the congregation no longer praises or confesses but prays.

Source text: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Vol. 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital Syriac Corpus transcription by Michael Oez (University of Oxford / Brigham Young University / Vanderbilt University), CC-BY 4.0.

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

Translator: Kātōbā (translator-02, iron-age pool). Twenty-ninth hand in the CN 48–77 gap. Three hymns remain.

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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 74 (Carmina Nisibena 74)

Syriac text from the Digital Syriac Corpus, transcribed by Michael Oez from Edmund Beck's critical edition (CSCO 218/219, 1961). CC-BY 4.0. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܐܳܘ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܓܢܝܟ

1.

ܐܳܘ ܟܡܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܘܰܫܒܺܝܚ ܒܰܒܪܺܝܬܶܗ
ܐܳܘ ܟܡܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܫܰܦܠܶܗ
ܒܥܶܕܳܢ ܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܶܗ
ܢܰܘܪܒܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܢܚܰܕܬܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ

2.

ܒܪܽܘܟܳܒܶܗ ܨܺܝܪܳܐ
ܚܶܟܡܰܬ ܒܳܪܽܘܝܶܗ
ܒܚܽܘܒܳܠܶܗ ܪܰܫܺܝܡܳܐ
ܒܺܝܫܽܘܬ ܢܳܟܽܘܠܶܗ
ܢܶܒܗܰܬ ܒܚܽܘܕܳܬܶܗ

3.

ܓܒܳܐ ܘܪܳܒ ܒܰܥܒܳܕܶܗ
ܘܫܺܝܛ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܒܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܶܗ
ܒܚ̈ܰܝܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܕܶܡ
ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ
ܬܽܘܒ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܘܪܒܳܝܗ̱ܝ

4.

ܕܳܐܶܢ ܘܰܡܚܰܝܶܒ
ܡܥܰܩܶܒ ܘܰܡܙܰܟܶܐ
ܕܽܘܡܝܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ
ܘܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܨܰܠܡܳܟ ܢܺܐܪܰܒ ܒܳܟ

5.

ܗܳܐ ܡܶܠܬܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ
ܘܥܰܠ ܟܽܘܠ ܡܶܬܦܰܪܣܶܐ
ܒܬܺܒܶܝܠ ܡܰܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܫܬܰܬܰܩ
ܚܰܕܶܬ ܩ̈ܺܝܢܳܬܶܗ

6.

ܘܰܥܡܰܕ ܒܝܰܡܳܐ
ܘܡܰܣܶܩ ܣܺܝܡ̈ܳܬܶܗ
ܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܡܰܕ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܟܳܡ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܕܰܠܶܐ

7.

ܙܪܺܝܙܳܐ ܕܰܠܝܰܡܳܐ
ܡܰܫܥܒܶܕ ܘܰܠܝܰܒܫܳܐ
ܒܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܶܫܬܰܦܰܠ
ܘܗܳܘܶܐ ܫܶܪܕܽܘܕܳܐ
ܢܓܽܘܠܽܘܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܝܟ

8.

ܚܰܝܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܥܒܶܕ
ܢܺܝܪܶܗ ܚܰܣܺܝܢܳܐ
ܘܢܺܝܪܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܡܫܰܦܶܠ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܶܗ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܚܰܪܰܪ

9.

ܛܰܟܶܣ ܒܰܦܓܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ
ܚܺܐܦܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܟܰܒܬܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܠܰܡ ܠܶܗ
ܘܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܐܳܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܢܶܫܪܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܳܪܶܐ ܟܽܠ

10.

ܝܺܬܶܒ ܥܰܠ ܬܪܢܽܘܣ
ܒܬܳܓܳܐ ܘܒܰܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ
ܘܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܚܶܬ ܠܶܗ
ܐܶܣܟܺܡܶܗ ܘܬܳܒܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܝܰܩܰܪ

11.

ܟܳܬܶܒ ܘܳܐܦ ܩܳܪܶܐ
ܘܕܳܪܶܫ ܘܰܡܬܰܪܓܰܡ
ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܕܰܢܦܺܝܣ
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܚ̈ܶܟܡܳܬܶܗ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܦܰܨܶܐ

12.

ܟܰܕ ܠܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܚܳܒܶܫ
ܘܶܐܣܰܪ ܬܰܢܺܝܢܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐ ܒܢܶܩܥܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܚܳܒܶܫ ܠܶܗ
ܢܰܦܩܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܩܳܠ ܩܰܪܢܳܐ

13.

ܠܺܐܝܠܳܢܳܐ ܦܣܰܩ
ܘܰܡܚܰܠܶܦ ܘܳܐܦ ܣܳܓܶܐ
ܘܠܶܗ ܦܪܰܫ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ
ܒܫܽܘܒܚܳܟ ܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ

14.

ܠܡܰܚ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ ܐܰܣܺܝ
ܒܣܰܡ̈ܳܡܢܶܐ ܕܶܐܫܟܰܚ
ܘܠܰܡܚܽܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܣܳܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܢܦܰܠ
ܢܰܐܣܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܳܡ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ

15.

ܡܶܫܚܶܗ ܘܗܶܪ̈ܽܘܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܣܽܘܓܳܐܐ ܕܒܰܣܡ̈ܳܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܡܰܦܟܶܗ ܠܶܗ
ܠܪܺܝܚܶܗ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܢܰܕ
ܒܡܶܠܚܳܟ ܢܶܬܡܰܕܰܟ

16.

ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܦܰܠܶܓ
ܠܫ̈ܳܥܶܐ ܘܥܶܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ
ܘܫܳܥܰܬ ܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܶܗ
ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܝܳܕܰܥ ܟܽܠ

17.

ܣܥܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܐܪܥܳܐ
ܘܒܳܨܶܐ ܕܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ
ܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܡܛܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܛܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܘܶܐܬܕܰܘܰܕ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܦܰܨܶܐ

18.

ܣܶܦܳܐ ܪܒܺܝܬܳܐ
ܘܡܰܘܣܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܩܰܪܢܳܐ
ܬܳܒܰܥ ܟܰܢܶܫ ܠܳܗ̇
ܘܒܰܕܰܪ ܡܰܘܪܶܬ ܠܳܗ̇
ܬܰܥܬܪܶܗ ܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ

19.

ܥܳܒܶܕ ܡܶܕܝܳܪ̈ܶܐ
ܠܩܰܝܛܳܐ ܘܰܠܣܰܬܘܳܐ
ܘܚܰܕ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܠܩܰܝܛܳܐ
ܘܰܠܣܰܬܘܳܐ ܣܦܰܩ ܠܶܗ
ܠܰܥܕܶܢ ܢܶܬܒܰܣܰܡ

20.

ܦܰܠܶܓ ܘܕܰܢܣܰܒ
ܫܳܐܶܠ ܝܰܬܺܝܪܳܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܚ ܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܠܶܗ
ܐܶܡ̈ܶܐ ܬܠܳܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܠܽܐܘܪܥܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܦܪܰܚ

21.

ܨܰܠܶܠ ܚܰܡܪ̈ܳܢܶܐ
ܘܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܒܽܘܣܳܡ̈ܶܐ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܣܳܟܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܠܦܽܘܡܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܪܶܥܝܶܗ
ܢܒܰܝܐܺܝܘܗܝ ܦܳܬܽܘܪܳܟ

22.

ܩܦܰܣ ܘܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܝܰܥܢܳܐ
ܐܰܘܨܪ̈ܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܗ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܦܶܩ ܠܶܗ
ܘܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܩܦܰܣ ܠܶܗ
ܢܰܦܩܶܗ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ

23.

ܪܳܕܶܐ ܒܰܫ̈ܒܺܝܠܶܐ
ܘܰܥܛܰܦ ܒܽܐܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܳܐ
ܚܕܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܐܶܙܰܠ
ܕܬܽܘܒ ܒܳܗ̇ ܠܳܐ ܥܛܰܦ
ܢܶܦܢܶܐ ܠܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܟ

24.

ܫܩ̈ܽܘܠܶܐ ܡܳܝܬܺܝܢ
ܘܩܳܪܶܝܢ ܛܳܥܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ
ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܥܰܪ̈ܣܳܬܶܗ
ܥܰܪܣܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ
ܢܶܦܪܚܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ

25.

ܬܥܰܫ ܒܰܐܦܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ
ܪ̈ܘܺܝܚܶܐ ܕܢܰܘܦܽܘܢ ܠܶܗ
ܘܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܡܠܶܐ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ
ܘܥܰܦܪܶܗ ܡܠܶܐ ܫܽܘܥܳܠܳܐ
ܡܶܕܪܺܝܫ ܚܰܕܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ

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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