Hymn LXXVI (Carmina Nisibena LXXVI)
Twenty-five stanzas on the body's beauty, worldly vanity, and resurrection hope. The hymn addresses the dead person directly — the beauty that captivated the living now causes trembling when seen among the dead (stanza 2). The wise man who polished his speech to win mortal praise is a fool (stanza 3). Godless is whoever serves the body as god; at the funeral he is ashamed — for whom was he beautifying himself? (stanza 4). Death breaks the swift wing that wearied and never rested except beside gold (stanza 5). Eagles go to flesh and men to silver — blessed is God, for no one can eat gold, but his body is life (stanza 6). Though gold is not food, everyone hungers for it; may we long for God's bread instead (stanza 7). The world calls: "Come, go out to labor!" The grave calls: "Come, rest, weary one." May we find rest in God's harbor (stanza 8). Garlands adorn the grave; death darkens the house with weeping (stanzas 9–10). Rebuke Death the glutton who swallows us alive and buries us in his belly — may the trumpet defeat him (stanza 11). Fine coverings are stripped and replaced with sackcloth (stanza 12). The body decays because the soul — its salt and vitality — has departed (stanza 15). The rich man gazes at his treasures and sees that they do not escort their master (stanza 16). The skin is stripped and the countenance becomes naked and ugly (stanza 18). The ears become caverns for the creeping things of Sheol, the eyes nests for the worms of the graves (stanza 19). Kings depart in sorrow, their crowns loosed — but our King is in heaven (stanza 21). The fourfold anaphora: Death humbles all, impoverishes all, destroys all, devours all — may resurrection pursue him (stanza 22). The day of departure is bitter (stanza 23); the day of resurrection mingles, comforts, gladdens all (stanza 24). Fathers see children, brothers see brothers. "Glory to the Giver of life to all" (stanza 25). The refrain: "In you, my Lord, may we be freed."
Melody: Variant G
I.
Who is it that for your adornment the body should long?
Who is it that for your beauty should serve in servitude?
In you, my Lord, may we be freed.
Response: In you, my Lord, may we be freed.
II.
He who among the living — your beauty captivated him.
Seeing you among the dead, in Sheol it shakes him.
For you, my Lord, may we long.
III.
Foolish is the wise man who labors to please you.
He has polished even his speech to win your praise.
See, my Lord, our subjection.
IV.
Godless is he — whoever serves you.
At your funeral he is ashamed: for whom was he beautifying himself?
Through you may he be pleasing to your Father.
V.
Death has broken your swift wing —
that wearied and never rested except beside gold.
To you, my Lord, may we fly.
VI.
Eagles go to flesh, and men to silver.
Blessed is he! For no one can eat gold.
Your body, my Lord — it is life.
VII.
Though no one has eaten it, no one is satisfied by it.
Though it is not food, everyone hungers for it.
For your bread, my Lord, may we long.
VIII.
The world calls you: "Come, go out to labor!"
The grave calls you: "Come, rest, weary one."
May we find rest in your harbor.
IX.
It is the day when garlands adorn the grave,
when virgins crown him and send him to Sheol.
May they rejoice with your eternal ones.
X.
It is the day that darkens the house with weeping
and spreads over its walls darkness and grief.
May your comfort chase it away.
XI.
Rebuke, my Lord, Death — the glutton who devours us.
He swallows us alive; in his belly he buries us.
May your trumpet defeat him.
XII.
It is the day that strips the fine coverings of beds.
In place of their splendor, sackcloth shrouds them.
May your day gladden us.
XIII.
The woman — from the glory of her dwelling he leads her out.
Overturned, poured out, confused — its order has perished.
May he order our souls.
XIV.
It is the day that bends and bows the upright.
Mysteries bend over fallen mysteries.
In you, my Lord, may we rise.
XV.
The body decays, for the soul has departed —
the salt and the vitality of senses and limbs.
By her may it again be adorned.
XVI.
It is the day when the rich man gazes at his treasures
and sees that his possessions do not escort their master.
May we grow rich in your treasury.
XVII.
It is the day when the righteous alone rejoice in it —
they who acquire and send ahead provisions of almsgiving.
May your zeal provision us.
XVIII.
The skin that was stretched over the face is stripped,
and the countenance becomes naked and ugly.
May your resurrection adorn it.
XIX.
The ears have become caverns for the creeping things of Sheol,
and the eyes have become nests for the worms of the graves.
See, my Lord, our humiliation.
XX.
Creatures formed from clay sink into Sheol —
a lump of mud, the lowly remains of the beautiful.
See, my Lord, our corruption.
XXI.
It is the day when kings depart in sorrow,
when their crowns are loosed and they descend to Sheol.
Our King is in heaven.
XXII.
Death humbles all. Death impoverishes all.
Death destroys all. Death devours all.
May your resurrection pursue him.
XXIII.
The day of departure is a bitter day,
a day that makes all weep, a day that saddens all.
May your day, my Lord, conquer it.
XXIV.
The day of resurrection mingles all together,
comforts all, gladdens all.
May your day, my Lord, reach us.
XXV.
It is the day when fathers see their children.
It is the day when brothers see their brothers.
Glory to the Giver of life to all.
Colophon
Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 76. 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 76 (Carmina Nisibena 76)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܰܠܨܶܒܬܳܟ
ܢܶܬܝܰܐܰܒ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܰܠܫܽܘܦܪܳܟ
ܢܶܦܠܽܘܚ ܥܰܒܕܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܚܰܪܰܪ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܚܰܪܰܪ
2.
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܫܽܘܦܪܳܟ ܫܒܳܐ ܠܶܗ
ܚܙܺܝܟ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܢܳܕ ܠܶܗ
ܠܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܬܝܰܐܰܒ
3.
ܣܟܰܠ ܗܽܘ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐܶܐ ܕܠܳܟ ܢܶܫܦܰܪ
ܣܩܰܠ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܡܠܳܠܶܗ
ܕܡܶܢܳܟ ܢܶܬܩܰܠܰܣ
ܚܙܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܫܽܘܥܒܳܕܰܢ
4.
ܕܠܳܐ ܐܰܠܳܗ ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܟ ܦܳܠܰܚ
ܒܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܳܟ ܢܶܒܗܰܬ
ܕܰܠܡܰܢ ܫܳܦܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܠܰܐܒܽܘܟ ܒܳܟ ܢܶܫܦܰܪ
5.
ܡܰܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܬܰܒܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܠܓܶܦܳܟ ܩܰܠܺܝܠܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܫܰܟܶܢ
ܐܶܠܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܕܰܗܒܳܐ
ܠܘܳܬܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܦܪܰܚ
6.
ܢܶܫܪ̈ܶܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܒܶܣܪܳܐ
ܘܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܟܶܣܦܳܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܠܰܝܬ ܕܰܡܨܶܐ
ܠܡܶܐܟܰܠ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܗܒܳܐ
ܦܰܓܪܳܟ ܣܳܡ ܚ̈ܰܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
7.
ܟܰܕ ܠܰܝܬ ܕܶܐܟܰܠ ܠܶܗ
ܠܰܝܬ ܕܣܰܒܰܥ ܡܶܢܶܗ
ܟܰܕ ܠܰܘ ܡܶܐܟܽܘܠܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܠܶܗ ܗܽܘ ܟܦܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ
ܠܰܠܚܡܳܟ ܢܶܬܝܰܐܰܒ
܀܀܀
8.
ܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܬܳܐ ܦܽܘܩ ܠܰܬܥܳܫܳܐ
ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܬܳܐ ܢܽܘܚ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ
ܢܶܬܢܺܝܚ ܒܰܠܡܺܐܢܳܟ
9.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܠܩܰܒܪܳܐ
ܡܨܰܒܰܬ ܓܰܕܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ
ܒܬܽܘ̈ܠܳܬܳܐ ܡܟܰܠܶܠ
ܡܫܰܕܰܪ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܢܶܚܕܽܘܢ ܥܰܡ ܥܰܠܡ̈ܰܝܟ
10.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܰܥܡܶܛ
ܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܒܰܒܟܳܬܳܐ
ܘܦܳܪܶܣ ܥܰܠ ܐܶܣ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܚܶܫܟܳܐ ܘܕܰܐܘܢܳܐ
ܢܪܰܕܦܶܗ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܳܟ
11.
ܟܐܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܕܪܳܥܶܐ ܠܰܢ
ܚܰܝܰܬ ܒܳܠܰܥ ܠܰܢ
ܒܟܰܪܣܶܗ ܩܒܰܪ ܠܰܢ
ܢܰܨܪܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܺܝܦܽܘܪܳܟ
12.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܰܫܠܰܚ
ܣܰܩܠܳܐ ܕܥܰܪ̈ܣܳܬܳܐ
ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܣܩ̈ܳܠܰܝܗܶܝܢ
ܒܣܰܩ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܬܟܰܡܪ̈ܳܢ
ܝܰܘܡܳܟ ܢܰܦܨܰܚ ܠܰܢ
13.
ܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܗܶܕܪܶܗ
ܕܥܽܘܡܪܳܗ̇ ܡܰܦܶܩ ܠܳܗ̇
ܟܰܦܳܐ ܘܰܐܫܺܝܕ ܘܒܰܠܺܝܠ
ܕܶܐܒܰܕܘ̱ ܛܽܘ̈ܟܣܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܢܛܰܟܶܣ ܢܰܦܫ̈ܳܬܰܢ
14.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܰܪܟܶܢ
ܘܟܳܐܶܦ ܩܰܘܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܘܡܶܬܪܰܟܢܺܝܢ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ
ܥܰܠ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܕܰܢܦܼܰܠܘ̱
ܒܳܟ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܫܼܘܰܚ
15.
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܒܰܠ
ܕܢܶܦܩܰܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܡܰܠܳܚܳܐ ܘܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܪ̈ܶܓܫܶܐ ܘܗ̈ܶܕܳܡܶܐ
ܒܳܗ̇ ܬܽܘܒ ܢܶܨܛܰܒܰܬ
16.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܒ̈ܓܙܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܚܳܐܰܪ ܥܰܬܺܝܪܳܐ
ܘܚܳܙܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܠܳܘܶܝܢ
ܠܡܳܪܗܽܘܢ ܩ̈ܶܢܝܳܢܶܐ
ܢܶܥܬܪܳܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܙܳܟ
17.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ
ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܚܳܕܶܝܢ ܒܶܗ
ܕܩܳܢܶܝܢ ܘܡܰܩܕܶܝܢ
ܙܘ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܕܙܶܕܩ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܢܙܽܘܕܳܢ ܚܽܘܦܛܳܟ
18.
ܡܶܫܬܰܠܰܚ ܡܶܫܟܳܐ
ܕܰܩܪܺܝܡ ܥܰܠ ܐܰܦ̈ܶܐ
ܘܗܳܘܶܐ ܥܰܪܛܶܠܝ̱
ܘܰܫܟܺܝܪ ܦܰܪܨܽܘܦܳܐ
ܢܨܰܒܬܶܗ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ
܀܀܀
19.
ܐܶܕ̈ܢܶܐ ܗܘܺܝ ܢܶܩ̈ܥܶܐ
ܠܗܰܘ ܪܰܚܫܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܘܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܗ̈ܘܰܝ ܩ̈ܢܶܐ
ܠܪܳܡܬܳܐ ܕܰܒܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ
ܚܙܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܡܽܘܟܳܟܰܢ
20.
ܓܒ̈ܺܝܠܶܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܛܺܝܢܳܐ
ܬܳܚܘ̱ ܘܰܗܘܰܘ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܟܬܳܐ ܕܣܰܝܢܳܐ
ܫ̈ܰܦܠܶܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
ܚܙܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܚܽܘܒܠܰܢ
21.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܥܢܰܕܘ̱ ܒܶܗ
ܡܰܠܟ̈ܶܐ ܒܟܰܪܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܫܪܰܘ ܬܳܓܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܘܰܢܚܶܬܘ̱ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܡܰܠܟܰܢ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
22.
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܦܶܠ ܟܽܠ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܡܰܣܟܶܢ ܟܽܠ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܚܪܶܒ ܟܽܠ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܪܳܥܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܢܶܪܕܦܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ
23.
ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܥܽܘܢܕܳܢܳܐ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܒܰܟܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܟܡܰܪ ܟܽܠ
ܢܶܙܟܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܝܰܘܡܳܟ
24.
ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܚܰܠܶܛ ܟܽܠ
ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܒܰܝܰܐ ܟܽܠ
ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܰܦܨܰܚ ܟܽܠ
ܢܶܕܪܟܰܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܝܰܘܡܳܟ
25.
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܐܒܳܗ̈ܶܐ
ܚܳܙܶܝܢ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܶܐ
ܚܳܙܶܝܢ ܠܰܐܚ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
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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