Hymn LXXV (Carmina Nisibena LXXV)
Twenty-five stanzas — a complete litany of bereavement, each stanza naming a specific human loss. The day that severs limbs from the body of brothers and kinsmen — woe! (stanza 2). Death breaks the staff of old age — the child who supported the aged parent (stanza 3). The only child is taken from his mother, her supporting arm severed (stanza 4). Parents depart and leave orphans deprived (stanza 5). A brother is separated from his brother — the count decreases, the fingers grow fewer (stanza 6). The old man's daughter departs; his eye becomes blind, for through her he used to see (stanza 7). A man is separated from his rib — echoing Genesis — and in Eden she shall see him again (stanza 8). A woman departs her house: overturned, poured out, its order perished (stanza 9). The news of death is heard suddenly, disturbing what was good to hear (stanza 10). The day provokes eyes to weeping, hands to beating, mouth to lamentation (stanza 11). A friend separates from his companion — two oxen parted from the yoke of union (stanza 13). Bridegrooms and brides separated, the dance become breast-beating (stanza 14). The betrothed's grave replaces the bridal chamber (stanza 15). Daughter and sister taken up like doves from their dwelling (stanza 16). The vine mourns the maiden: the berry is no more (stanza 17). Many infants stripped from the vine (stanza 18). The only child as fallen fruit, branches bowing over him (stanza 19). Then theology: "Glory to him who strangled Death in the midst — between life and life he placed it, to teach you that your death has vanished" (stanza 20). The body's stages come in order (stanza 21). Give grief a place to cool (stanza 22). Do not demand fruits before branches (stanza 24). "Let our sorrow trust that we shall see our departed, and with all our beloved ones let us give thanks to the Perfecter of all, who raises and gives life to all" (stanza 25). The refrain: "Be, my Lord, our comfort."
Melody: Variant B
I.
The day of departure is a bitter day,
a day of groaning, a day of weeping.
Be, our Lord, our comfort.
Response: Be, my Lord, our comfort.
II.
It is the day that severs — it takes away limbs
from the body — woe! — of his brothers and kinsmen.
In you, my Lord, may he be re-composed.
III.
It is the day that bereaves the elders of their children,
for Death has broken the staff of old age.
In you, my Lord, may they lean.
IV.
It is the day that has taken the only child from his mother
and severed the arm that was supporting her.
You, my Lord, support her.
V.
It is the day when parents have departed and separated
and left their children orphaned and deprived.
You, my Lord, raise them.
VI.
It is also the day when a brother is separated from his brother.
The count decreases; the fingers grow fewer.
In you, my Lord, may they be filled.
VII.
It is the day when the old man's daughter departed from him,
and his eye became blind, for through her he used to see.
May your light comfort him.
VIII.
It is the day when a man is separated from his rib,
and she is diminished, for the head of the body is gone.
In Eden she shall see him again.
IX.
It is also the day when a woman departed from her house.
Overturned and poured out — its order has perished.
May your kingdom comfort her.
X.
It is the day when the news of death is heard suddenly,
and it enters and disturbs what was good to hear.
By your voice may she be calmed.
XI.
It is the day that provokes the eyes to weeping,
the hands to beating, and the mouth to lamentation.
In you, my Lord, may we find healing.
XII.
It is the day that calls for much weeping.
Whoever enters and whoever leaves — "Woe!" fills his mouth.
By your blessedness may he be comforted.
XIII.
It is the day when a friend separates from his companion —
two oxen parted from the yoke of union.
In your love may they be joined.
XIV.
It is the day when bridegrooms and brides were separated,
and in place of the dance there was breast-beating.
May they reach your wedding feast.
XV.
It is the day that annuls the troth of the betrothed,
and in place of the bridal chamber the grave is prepared for her.
Make her worthy of your bridal chamber.
XVI.
It is the day that separated daughter and sister
and took them up like doves from their dwelling.
May they dwell in your Paradise.
XVII.
It is the day that separated the maiden from her mother.
The vine was saddened, for the berry is no more.
In Eden she shall grow.
XVIII.
It is the day that separated many infants.
The vine mourned and thirsted, stripped of her fruit.
In your storehouse may they be kept.
XIX.
When the only child departs, the branches bow down
to sway over him — the fruit that has fallen.
To you, my Lord, may he be offered.
XX.
Glory to him who strangled Death in the midst!
Between life and life he placed it, to teach you
that your death has vanished.
XXI.
Take for yourselves examples from the body itself,
for its stages and generations come in order.
May the Perfecter of all complete it.
XXII.
A person in his suffering and grief cries out.
Give him, my Lord, a place to cool his sorrow,
that in all you may be glorified.
XXIII.
Disturbed is he who scorns the thought
that he should quickly be raised.
But the Good One is not so hasty.
Blessed is he who endures all.
XXIV.
Then go ahead — set fruits before branches
and children before pregnancies,
and weep that the Giver of life to all has delayed.
XXV.
Let our sorrow trust that we shall see our departed,
and with all our beloved ones let us give thanks
to the Perfecter of all, who raises and gives life to all.
Colophon
Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 75. Translated from the Syriac by the Good Works Project (NTAC + Claude), March 2026. Syriac source: Edmund Beck, ed., Des Heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219; Louvain, 1961). Digital Syriac Corpus TEI XML transcription (CC-BY 4.0). No English translation consulted. Gospel register.
Scribed by Hibiki, Syriac Translator, Life 7. Tulku lineage of the New Tianmu Anglican Church.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 75 (Carmina Nisibena 75)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܒ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܳܐ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܚܢܰܓܬܳܐ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܒܟܳܬܳܐ
܀܀܀
ܗܘܺܝ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܰܢ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܗܘܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܰܢ
2.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܓܙܳܪ
ܫܩܰܠ ܗܰܕܳܡܶܐ
ܡܶܢ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܐܽܘܝܳܐ
ܕܰܐܚ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܐܚ̈ܝܳܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܪܰܟܰܒ
3.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܰܟܪܶܐ
ܠܣܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܒܰܒܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܕܬܳܒܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܠܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ ܕܣܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܣܬܰܡܟܽܘܢ
4.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܕܰܒܰܪ ܬܽܘܒ
ܐܺܝܚܺܝܕܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܶܡܶܗ
ܘܦܰܣܩܳܗ̇ ܠܕܰܪܥܳܐ
ܕܡܰܣܡܶܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣܰܡܟܺܝܗ̇
5.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܐܒܳܗ̈ܶܐ
ܥܢܰܕܘ̱ ܒܶܗ ܘܰܦܼܪܰܫܘ̱ ܒܶܗ
ܘܰܫܒܼܰܩܘ̱ ܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܝܰܬܡ̈ܶܐ ܘܚܰܣ̈ܺܝܠܶܐ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
6.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܰܐܚܳܐ
ܦܳܪܶܫ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܚܳܣܰܪ ܡܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ
ܘܰܙܥܰܪ ܨܶܒ̈ܥܳܬܳܐ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܡܰܠܽܘܢ
7.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܒܰܪܬܶܗ
܀܀܀
ܕܣܳܒܳܐ ܦܪܰܫ ܡܶܢܶܗ
ܘܶܐܬܥܰܘܪܰܬ ܥܰܝܢܶܗ
ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܗܽܘ ܚܳܙܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܢܒܰܝܐܶܗ ܢܰܗܺܝܪܳܟ
8.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ ܒܶܗ
ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܶܠܥܶܗ
ܘܶܐܬܓܰܙܝܰܬ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ
ܕܠܰܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܪܺܝܫ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ
ܒܰܥܕܶܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܬܶܚܙܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ
9.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܰܝܬܳܗ̇
ܘܟܰܦܳܐ ܘܳܐܦ ܐܰܫܺܝܕ
ܕܶܐܒܰܕ ܛܽܘܟܳܣܶܗ
ܬܒܰܝܰܐܗ̇ ܡܰܠܟܽܘܬܳܟ
10.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܺܝܬܳܐ
ܫܳܡܽܘܥܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܶܠܝܳܐ
ܘܥܳܐܶܠ ܕܳܠܰܚ ܠܳܗ̇
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܠܡܰܫܡܰܥܬܳܐ
ܒܩܳܠܳܟ ܬܶܫܬܰܝܰܢ
11.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܓܰܪܶܓ
ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܠܰܒܟܳܬܳܐ
ܘܺܐܝ̈ܕܶܐ ܠܡܰܪܩܽܘܕܬܳܐ
ܘܦܽܘܡܳܐ ܠܽܐܘܠܺܝܬܳܐ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܟܺܝܫ
12.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܩܳܪܶܐ
ܠܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܣܰܓܺܝܐܳܐ
ܕܥܳܐܶܠ ܘܰܕܢܳܦܶܩ
ܘܳܝܳܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܦܽܘܡܶܗ
ܒܛܽܘܒܳܟ ܢܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ
13.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܦܳܪܶܫ ܒܶܗ
ܪܳܚܡܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܒܪܶܗ
ܬܰܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܕܰܦܼܪܰܫܘ̱
ܡܶܢ ܢܺܝܪ ܐܽܘܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܚܽܘܒܳܟ ܢܶܬܡܰܙܓܽܘܢ
14.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܫܘ̱ ܒܶܗ
ܚ̈ܰܬܢܶܐ ܘܟ̈ܰܠܠܳܬܳܐ
ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܗܰܘ ܪܶܩܕܳܐ
ܗܘܳܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܡܰܪܩܽܘܕܬܳܐ
ܢܡܰܢܥܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܠܽܘܠܳܟ
15.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܡܒܰܛܶܠ
ܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܕܡܳܟܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ
ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܓܢܽܘܢܳܐ
ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܛܰܝܶܒ ܠܳܗ̇
ܐܰܫܘܳܗ̇ ܠܰܓܢܽܘܢܳܟ
16.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ ܬܽܘܒ
ܠܒܰܪܬܳܐ ܘܰܠܚܳܬܳܐ
ܘܰܐܫܩܰܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܝܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ
ܡܶܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܰܥܡܪܰܗܶܝܢ
ܢܫܰܟܢܰܢ ܒܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܟ
17.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ ܬܽܘܒ
ܫܒܰܪܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܶܡܳܗ̇
ܘܶܐܬܟܰܡܪܰܬ ܣܰܬܳܐ
ܕܠܰܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܛܽܘܛܺܝܬܳܐ
ܒܰܥܕܶܢ ܬܶܬܪܰܒܶܐ
܀܀܀
18.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܦܪܰܫ
ܥܰܘ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܣ̈ܰܓܺܝܐܶܐ
ܘܶܐܬܰܐܒܠܰܬ ܘܨܳܕܰܬ
ܓܦܶܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܩܰܛܦܰܬ
ܒܽܐܘܨܪܳܟ ܢܶܬܢܰܛܪܽܘܢ
19.
ܐܺܝܚܺܝܕܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܢܰܕ
ܣܰܘ̈ܟܶܐ ܡܶܬܪܰܟܢܰܢ
ܕܰܢܢܽܘܕܳܢ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܕܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܢܶܬܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܠܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܩܰܪܰܒ
20.
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܕܚܰܢܩܶܗ
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܰܡܨܰܥܬܳܐ
ܒܶܝܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܠܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܣܳܡܶܗ ܕܢܰܠܦܟܽܘܢ
ܕܡܰܘܬܟܽܘܢ ܛܰܠܶܩ ܠܶܗ
21.
ܫܩܽܘܠܘ̱ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܕܶܡ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܡܶܢܶܗ ܘܒܶܗ ܕܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܕܰܒܛܶܟܣܳܐ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ
ܕܰܪ̈ܓܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܝܽܘ̈ܒܳܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܢܫܰܟܠܠܶܗ ܓܳܡܰܪ ܟܽܘܠ
22.
ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܒܚܰܫܶܗ
ܘܒܶܐܒܠܶܗ ܡܶܬܪܰܥܰܡ
ܗܰܒ ܠܶܗ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܬܪܳܐ
ܕܰܢܦܰܝܶܓ ܟܰܪܝܽܘܬܶܗ
ܕܰܒܟܽܠ ܬܶܫܬܰܒܰܚ
23.
ܫܓܺܝܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܙܕܰܠܰܠ
ܕܒܰܥܓܰܠ ܢܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ
ܠܰܘ ܗܳܟܰܢ ܫܓܺܝܫ
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܘܰܡܣܰܪܗܰܒ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܣܰܝܒܰܪ ܟܽܠ
24.
ܫܓܽܘܫܘ̱ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܘܣܺܝܡܘ̱
ܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܦܶܪ̈ܥܶܐ
ܘܝ̈ܰܠܕܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܒ̈ܰܛܢܶܐ
ܘܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ
ܕܰܐܘܚܰܪ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܘܠ
25.
ܬܗܰܝܡܶܢ ܟܰܪܝܽܘܬܰܢ
ܕܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܢ
ܘܥܰܡ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܒ̈ܺܝܒܰܝܢ
ܢܰܘܕܶܐ ܠܰܓܡܰܪ ܟܽܠ
ܕܢܰܚܶܡ ܘܰܐܚܺܝ ܟܽܘܠ
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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