Hymn LXXVII (Carmina Nisibena LXXVII)

The final hymn of the entire Carmina Nisibena — nineteen stanzas that close the great cycle. Death proceeds through every faculty of the body: the mouth is silenced, its spring of words dried (stanza 3); the ears that were open are sealed deaf (stanza 4); the beautiful eyes, lamps and lanterns of the temple of souls, are closed (stanza 5); the eyes like windows are shut and darkened, and the soul, a sojourner, departs her house (stanza 6); the hands are bound, the work unfinished, longings left behind (stanza 7); footsteps are dragged away, tracks effaced, paths cut off (stanza 8); the breath is pressed from within and pursued from without — but may she pursue Death at the resurrection (stanza 9); the thought, which was the wheel of all motions, is bound in wonder and stilled in silence (stanza 10); color is changed for color, the garment of the dead put on in place of life (stanza 11). Then the argument from nature: if God raises waves, how much more bodies (stanza 12); the hours are arranged, each in its time (stanza 13); the tenth hour does not precede the sixth (stanza 14); no month precedes another (stanza 15); it would be disordered for Nisan to come before Tishrin, and disordered to ask where the resurrection is (stanza 16); it would be disordered for harvest to precede seed, or resurrection to precede death (stanza 17). The seed of the departed is complete, and the Watchers draw near to the harvest (stanza 18). The closing: beautifully birth precedes death, and beautiful that the resurrection seals what death begins. "Glory to the Knower of all" (stanza 19). The refrain: "You, my Lord, console him."

Melody: Variant D

I.

In the departed let us see our dwelling — that it is like a dream.
For if the possessor has already vanished like a vision,
how much more his possessions.

Response: You, my Lord, console him.

II.

On this very day when our frame ceases,
come, let us cease and see
the world that has ceased for him.
Come, let us serve our Lord.

III.

It is the day that silences the mouth — it cries no more,
for the spring of his words has dried,
and the fountain of his utterances.
By your Word may he be comforted.

IV.

It is the day that shuts the ears that were open.
Death has sealed them, and they have become deaf.
By your voice may they be opened.

V.

It is the day that closes beautiful eyes —
lamps and lanterns of the temple of souls.
May they see your light.

VI.

The eyes, like windows — he has shut and darkened them.
The soul, a sojourner, has left her house.
May the resurrection receive her.

VII.

It is the day that binds the hands and stills them.
He began but did not finish,
and left behind longings.
By your power may he take heart.

VIII.

It drags away footsteps, it effaces tracks.
His traces are no more, for his paths have been cut off.
May they rejoice at your wedding feast.

IX.

It is the day that restrains the breath — she cannot enter.
From within he presses her; from without he pursues her.
May she pursue him at the resurrection.

X.

His thought, which was the wheel of all motions —
with wonder he has bound it, with silence he has stilled it.
May it be made worthy of your kingdom.

XI.

It is the day when color is changed for color.
In place of that of the living, the color of the dead is put on.
In your light may he shine.

XII.

Weigh waves against bodies, and see the Good One:
if he raises waves, how much more your bodies!
He gives life for his glory.

XIII.

The hours are arranged, each in its time.
So too are the seasons arranged for the Lord of all.
Glory to the Arranger of all.

XIV.

The tenth hour does not precede the sixth.
So do not seek times before their times.
Blessed is he who orders all things.

XV.

Beautifully also are the months set in order,
and no month precedes another in reckoning.
Blessed is he in his orderings.

XVI.

It would be disordered for Nisan to come before Tishrin.
And disordered is whoever says, "Where is the resurrection?"
Blessed is he who arranges all things.

XVII.

It would be disordered for the harvest to come before the seed.
And so for the resurrection to precede death.
Glory to our Farmer.

XVIII.

For the seed of the departed is complete and fulfilled,
and the time of the Watchers draws near to go out to the harvest.
Glory to our Sower.

XIX.

Beautifully birth precedes death,
and beautiful that the resurrection seals what death begins.
Glory to the Knower of all.

Colophon

Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 77 — the final hymn of the Carmina Nisibena. 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 77 (Carmina Nisibena 77)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܕ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܒܥܰܢܺܝܕܳܐ ܢܶܚܙܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܥܽܘܡܪܰܢ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܚܶܠܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܐܶܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܩܰܢܝܳܐ
ܗܳܐ ܛܠܶܩ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܶܙܘܳܐ
ܚܰܕ ܟܡܳܐ ܩܶܢܝܳܢܶܗ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܰܚܡܳܝܗ̱ܝ

2.

ܒܗܳܢܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ
ܕܒܰܛܶܠ ܪܽܘܟܳܒܰܢ
ܬܰܘ ܢܶܒܛܶܠ ܢܶܚܙܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ
ܠܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܒܛܶܠ ܠܶܗ
ܠܡܳܪܰܢ ܬܰܘ ܢܶܦܠܽܘܚ

3.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܡܫܰܬܶܩ
ܠܦܽܘܡܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܢܨܳܪ
ܕܓܳܙ ܡܰܒܽܘܥ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܰܡܥܶܝܢ ܦܶܬܓܳܡ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܒܡܶܠܬܳܟ ܢܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ
܀܀܀

4.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܣܳܟܰܪ
ܐܶܕ̈ܢܶܐ ܦܬܺܝܚ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܕܫܳܥ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܗ̈ܘܰܝ ܚܰܪ̈ܫܳܬܳܐ
ܒܩܳܠܳܟ ܢܶܬܦܰܬܚܳܢ

5.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܰܥܡܶܨ
ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܦܰܐܝ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܫܪ̈ܳܓܶܐ ܘܠܰܡܦܺܐܕ̈ܶܐ
ܕܗܰܝܟܰܠ ܢܰܦܫ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܢܶܚܙܶܝܢ ܢܰܗܺܝܪܳܟ

6.

ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܟܰܘ̈ܶܐ
ܣܟܰܪ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܚܫܳܟ
ܠܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܕܰܫܒܰܩܬܶܗ
ܬܰܘܬܳܒܬܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܢܩܰܒܠܳܗ̇ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ

7.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܠܺܐ̈ܝܕܶܐ
ܦܳܟܰܪ ܘܡܰܫܠܶܐ
ܫܰܪܺܝ ܘܠܳܐ ܫܰܠܶܡ
ܘܰܫܒܰܩ ܚ̈ܶܢܓܳܬܳܐ
ܒܚܰܝܠܳܟ ܢܶܬܠܰܒܰܒ

8.

ܡܓܰܪܶܣ ܗ̈ܰܠܟܳܬܳܐ
ܡܰܟܦܰܪ ܥܶܩܒ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܠܰܝܬ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܽܘܪ̈ܟܳܬܶܗ
ܕܰܦܣܰܩ ܐܽܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܶܗ
ܢܕܽܘܨܳܢ ܒܰܚܠܽܘܠܳܟ

9.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܬܰܟܶܣ
ܢܶܫܡܬܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܥܽܘܠ
ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܐܳܠܶܨ ܠܳܗ̇
ܕܬܶܦܽܘܩ ܪܳܕܶܦ ܠܳܗ̇
ܬܪܰܕܦܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ

10.

ܡܰܚܫܰܒܬܶܗ ܕܺܐܝܬܶܝܗ̇
ܓܺܝܓܰܠ ܟܽܠ ܙܰܘ̈ܥܺܝܢ
ܒܬܶܡܗܳܐ ܐܶܣܰܪ ܠܳܗ̇
ܒܫܶܬܩܳܐ ܡܰܫܠܶܐ ܠܳܗ̇
ܬܰܫܘܶܐ ܠܡܰܠܟܽܘܬܳܟ

11.

ܝܰܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܓܰܘܢܳܐ
ܒܓܰܘܢܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܠܰܦ
ܚܠܳܦ ܗܰܘ ܕܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܕܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܡܶܬܥܰܛܰܦ
ܒܢܽܘܗܪܳܟ ܢܶܙܕܰܗܶܐ

12.

ܬܩܽܘܠܘ̱ ܓ̈ܰܠܶܐ ܘܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ
ܘܰܚܙܰܘ ܠܛܳܒܳܐ
ܕܶܐܢ ܓ̈ܰܠܶܐ ܡܢܰܚܶܡ
ܟܡܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ
ܢܰܚܶܐ ܠܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܶܗ

13.

ܫ̈ܳܥܶܐ ܣܕܺܝܪ̈ܳܢ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ
ܚܕܳܐ ܚܕܳܐ ܒܥܶܕܳܢܳܗ̇
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܣܕܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ
ܙܰܒ̈ܢܶܐ ܠܡܳܪܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܡܰܬܩܶܢ ܟܽܠ

14.

ܫܳܥܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܥܣܰܪ
ܠܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܐ ܠܰܕܫܶܬ
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܒܥܽܘܢ
܀܀܀
ܙܰܒ̈ܢܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܙܰܒ̈ܢܶܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܛܰܟܶܣ ܟܽܠ

15.

ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܬܽܘܒ ܣܺܝܡܺܝܢ
ܝܰܪ̈ܚܶܐ ܠܛܽܘܟܳܣܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܝܰܪܚܳܐ
ܠܝܰܪ̈ܚܶܐ ܒܡܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܒܛܽܘܟ̈ܳܣܰܘܗ̱ܝ

16.

ܫܓܺܝܫܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܠܬܶܫܪܺܝܢ
ܢܺܝܣܳܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ
ܘܰܫܓܺܝܫ ܡܰܢ ܕܶܐܡܰܪ
ܕܰܐܝܟܰܘ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܣܳܕܰܪ ܟܽܘܠ

17.

ܫܓܺܝܫܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܠܙܰܪܥܳܐ
ܚܶܨܕܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ
ܘܗܳܟܰܢ ܕܰܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܢܶܩܕܽܘܡ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܐܟܪܰܢ

18.

ܫܳܠܶܡ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܡܰܘܦܶܐ
ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ
ܘܡܳܛܶܠ ܙܒܰܢ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
ܠܡܶܦܰܩ ܠܚܶܨܕܳܐ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܙܳܪܽܘܥܰܢ

19.

ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܟܺܝܬ ܪܳܕܶܐ
ܝܰܠܕܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܘܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܕܰܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ
ܡܚܰܬܶܡ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܝܳܕܰܥ 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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