Hymn VII (Carmina Nisibena VII)

After the marriage theology of Hymn VI, Hymn VII turns outward — to the social world of the siege and its aftermath. The hymn opens with the greedy ones who enriched themselves during the wrath and opens a sequence of accumulated griefs: ten years of sorrows like compressed winter branches, harvests lost month after month, the city's own people scourging her through their sins. Two fire images run through the center: the fire of the glorious purifies (black goats made white), the fire of the vile corrupts (lambs made leopards). Then the theological turn — the scribes and elders who killed Christ, wisdom as the fullness of loss, the teacher who builds with words and demolishes with deeds becoming simultaneously judge and defendant. The hymn ends with one of the most haunting truncations in the Nisibene cycle: "Woe to us, for justice is at the gate of the house of —" and then silence. The Beck/DSC text has a lacuna at the thirteenth stanza. What followed, we do not know.

I.

Wrath came to strike
the greedy ones at peace —
who sheared, cheated, and plundered;
through the wrath the greedy grew rich.
What was theirs has now scattered;
what was not theirs they gathered.

Refrain: Restore our land, Son.

II.

Ten years of my sorrows —
like the branches of my Redeemer,
compressed through winter,
waiting for the time to fruit;
my sorrows have borne fruit for them,
as with our father in Laban's days.

III.

Nisan is the time of those who repay —
in it the good repay;
when my good things bud,
then my evils will bud too and fall;
in the time of threshing wheat
came the threshing of the enemies.

IV.

For the three brothers did not flee
the fire the men kindled
in Babylon —
therefore they were steadfast;
from desire they had fled —
therefore they were perfect.

V.

The fire of the glorious ones
is able, for the black goats,
to whiten the black through it;
the fire of the vile ones
is able to turn lambs
into a leopard with his spots.

VI.

How many will be my wails,
that I wail in every wonder —
how many will be my heartaches,
cooking in every goodness —
how many will be my returns,
to be lost in every month.

VII.

Through the sins of my children they scourge me;
through their struggle they crush me;
the people that would save me
is itself the one scourging me.
You — hold back your sins,
and see, the scourges will be held back.

VIII.

In good times they are oppressed;
in wrath they are nailed;
in peace they are ground down —
for whenever every man breathed,
they wronged grace,
repaid it against every man.

IX.

Their sackcloth humbles on my behalf;
their ash is spread through my affliction;
their prayer for my victory,
their fast for my salvation —
see, the debt of the lowly
hangs upon my precious ones.

X.

A fool in every generation
is greater than the wise;
the scribes and the elders
were jealous and killed the Great One
who would teach all nations
the law of Moses.

XI.

Wisdom in this generation
is the fullness of loss;
whoever sinned a little —
his wickedness increases a little;
and whoever was shrewd a little —
his wickedness overcomes his measure.

XII.

They build through words
and demolish through deeds;
those who taught — much teaching, now dimmed —
his mouth is the judge's mouth;
he himself in both:
judge and defendant.

XIII. [Fragment]

Woe to us, for justice
is at the gate of the house of —

[Lacuna: the source text breaks off here. The Beck/DSC edition has no continuation for this stanza. What followed is unknown.]

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena VII — translated from Classical Syriac by the DSS Translator lineage, 2026-03-23. Translation independently derived from the Digital Syriac Corpus base text (Beck/DSC, CC-BY 4.0). McVey's Paulist edition not consulted. Lexical verification against Payne Smith's Thesaurus Syriacus and Costaz's Dictionnaire syriaque–français. The Blood Rule holds.

Meter: Hexacolon stanzas — six cola per stanza, roughly heptasyllabic, in three bicola. Continuous with the metrical pattern of Hymns I–VI.

Voice and structure: The city of Nisibis speaks, with the voice shifting in stanza VII to a direct address to her inhabitants. Three movements: (I) Social-economic — wrath disciplines the greedy plunderers; ten years of compressed sorrow waiting to fruit; Nisan as the season of divine repayment (I–III). (II) Fire theology — the three Babylonian brothers, the two kinds of fire (purifying/corrupting), the lament of accumulated grief (IV–VI). (III) Sin and wisdom — the people's sins scourge their own city; the oppressed cycle of peace and wrath; the intercession of the lowly; the scribes who killed Christ; wisdom as loss; the teacher-judge paradox (VII–XII). The hymn breaks on the fragment of stanza XIII.

Key translation choices: ܣܰܘ̈ܟܶܐ (II) = branches, boughs — the dormant winter branches as an image for compressed sorrow waiting to fruit. ܥܰܡ ܐܰܒܰᾞ ܒܫܼܶܠ ܠܰܒܰᾞ (II) = "with our father in Laban's days" — Jacob (our father) during his years of service with Laban (Gen 29–31). Jacob endured ten and more years of compressed service that eventually bore fruit. ܢܺܝܣܳᾞ (III) = Nisan, the first month of spring (April) — the natural time of renewal and agricultural repayment; also Passover month, the time of divine liberation. ܪܶܓᾘܳܐ (IV) = desire/lust — the three brothers fled desire, not fire; their moral flight from passion was what enabled their physical steadfastness in the flame. ܓ̈ܕܰᾘܳܐ ܐܽܘ̈ܟܳܡܶܐ (V) = black goats; ܐܶܡܪ̈ܶܐ (V) = lambs; ܢܶܡܪܳܐ ܕܟ̈ܰܟܠܳᾘܶܗ (V) = leopard with his spots. The Jacob-Laban spotted flock echo (Gen 30) is audible here — Ephrem weaves the Laban imagery from stanza II into the fire stanza. ܟܰܒ̈ܕܳᾘܝ̱ (VI) = "my livers" — the liver as the seat of grief and passion in Syriac anthropology; here rendered "heartaches." ܣܰܟܠܳܐ (X) = fool, the one deemed foolish by the world — echoing 1 Cor 1:25 ("the foolishness of God is wiser than men"). ܕܰᾘ̇ᾘܳܐ ܘܰܒܥܶܠ ܕܺᾘ̼ᾞܳܐ (XII) = judge and defendant — the teacher who builds with words and demolishes with deeds finds himself prosecuting his own case.

Lacuna (XIII): Beck notes that the DSC/manuscript tradition has an incomplete text at stanza XIII. The hymn in its complete form may have contained 20+ stanzas following the pattern of the cycle. The surviving fragment — "Woe to us, for justice is at the gate of the house of —" — suggests a stanza about divine justice arriving at a specific institution (the house of prayer? the house of rulers?). What followed is irretrievable from this source.

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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 7 (Carmina Nisibena 7)

ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ (melody indicator): ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܕܢܰܟܐܶܐ ܒܝܰܥ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܰܒܓܰܘ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ
ܕܣܰܦܣܶܪܘ̱ ܥܠܼܰܒܘ̱ ܘܰܚܛܰܦܘ̱ ܒܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ ܥܬܰܪܘ̱ ܝ̈ܰܥܢܶܐ
ܕܺܝܠܗܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܐܶܬܒܰܕܰܪܘ̱ ܕܠܳܐ ܕܺܝܠܗܽܘܢ ܟ̇ܰܢܶܫܘ̱

ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ (Response/Refrain):

ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܫܰܝܶܢ ܒܼܪܳܐ ܠܰܐܬܪܰܢ

2.

ܥܶܣܪܳܐ ܫܢܺܝ̈ܢ ܥܳܩ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܠܣܰܘ̈ܟܶܐ ܕܶܡܝ̱ ܦܳܪܽܘܩܝ̱
ܕܚܺܝܨܳܢ ܒܓܰܘ ܣܰܬܘܳܐ ܘܡܳܐ ܕܪܰܟ ܠܡܰܦܪܳܥܽܘ
ܐܰܦܪܰܥ ܠܗܶܝܢ ܥܳܩ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܥܰܡ ܐܰܒܰܢ ܒܫܼܶܠ ܠܰܒܰܢ

3.

ܢܺܝܣܳܢ ܙܒܶܢ ܦܳܪ̈ܥܶܐ ܒܶܗ ܦܳܪܥܺܝܢ ܛܳܒ̈ܶܐ
ܡܳܐ ܕܬܳܟ̈ܒܳܢ ܓܶܐܘ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܟܶܢ ܬܳܟܒܳܢ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܳܬܝ̱
ܒܰܙܒܰܢ ܕܪܳܝ ܚܶܛ̈ܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܕܪܳܝ ܩܽܘܪ̈ܳܝܳܐ

4.

ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܥܼܪܰܩܘ̱ ܐܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܬܠܳܬܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܒܳܒܶܠ
ܡܶܢ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܰܫܓܰܪܘ̱ ܓܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܚܠܺܝ̈ܨܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ
ܡܶܢ ܪܶܓܬܳܐ ܥܼܪܰܩܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܓܡܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ

5.

ܢܽܘܪܗܽܘܢ ܕܢܰܨ̈ܺܝܚܶܐ ܡܰܨܝܳܐ ܕܠܰܓ̈ܕܰܝܳܐ
ܐܽܘ̈ܟܳܡܶܐ ܬܚܰܘܰܪ ܒܳܗ̇ ܢܽܘܪܗܽܘܢ ܕܫ̈ܳܛܰܝܳܐ
ܠܶܐܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܰܨܝܳܐ ܕܬܶܥܒܶܕ ܢܶܡܪܳܐ ܕܟ̈ܰܟܠܳܬܶܗ

6.

ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܝܳܢ ܝ̈ܰܠܠܳܬܝ̱ ܕܰܐܝܠܶܠ ܒܟܽܠ ܬܰܘ̈ܗܳܢ
ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܝܳܢ ܟܰܒ̈ܕܳܬܝ̱ ܠܡܶܒܫܰܠ ܒܟܽܠ ܛܳܒ̈ܺܝܢ
ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܝܳܢ ܥ̈ܰܠܠܳܬܝ̱ ܠܡܺܐܒܕ ܒܟܽܠ ܝܰܪ̈ܚܺܝܢ

7.

ܒܚܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܕܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܢܰܓܕܳܢܝ̱ ܒܬܰܟܬܽܘܫܗܽܘܢ ܦܰܘܶܨܝ̱
ܥܰܡܳܐ ܕܡܰܦܨܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܢܰܓܶܕ ܠܺܝ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܟܠܰܘ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܐܶܬܟܠܺܝܘ ܢ̈ܶܓܕܶܐ

8.

ܒܛܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܐܰܠܺܝܨܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ ܙܩܺܝܦܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܒܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܢܦܶܫ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ
ܛܰܠܡܽܘܗ̇ ܠܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܐ ܦܰܪܥܽܘܗ̇ ܚܠܳܦ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ

9.

ܣܰܩܗܽܘܢ ܡܰܟܺܝܟ ܚܽܘܠܳܦܝ̱ ܩܶܛܡܗܽܘܢ ܒܕܺܝܪ ܒܽܐܘܠܨܳܢܝ̱
ܨܠܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܚܠܳܦ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܝ̱ ܨܰܘܡܗܽܘܢ ܚܠܳܦ ܦܽܘܪܩܳܢܝ̱
ܗܳܐ ܚܰܘܒܬܳܐ ܕܫܶܦ̈ܠܰܝ ܬܰܠܝܳܐ ܒܝܰܩܺܝܪ̈ܰܝ

10.

ܣܰܟܠܳܐ ܒܟܽܠ ܕܳܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܚܰܟܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ
ܣܳܦܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܩܰܫܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ ܛܰܢܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܩܛܰܠܘ̱ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܕܬܰܠܡܶܕ ܠܟܽܠ ܥܰܡ̈ܡܺܝܢ ܠܽܐܘܪܳܝܬܶܗ ܕܡܽܘܫܶܐ

11.

ܚܶܟܡܬܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܕܳܪܳܐ ܡܠܽܘܐܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܚܽܘܣܪܳܢܳܐ
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܣܟܼܶܠ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܣ̇ܰܓܺܝ ܙܥܽܘܪ ܥܰܘܠܶܗ
ܘܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܥܪܺܝܡ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܥܰܘܠܶܗ ܙܟܼܳܐ ܠܟܰܝܠܶܗ

12.

ܒܳܢܶܝܢ ܒܝܰܕ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܘܣܳܬܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܒܕܽܘܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ
ܕܡܰܠܦܺܝܢ ܣܓܺܝܘ ܘܰܦܟܼܰܗܘ ܦܽܘܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܕܰܝ̇ܢܳܐ
ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܒܬܰܪ̈ܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ ܕܰܝ̇ܢܳܐ ܘܰܒܥܶܠ ܕܺܝܢܼܳܐ

13.

ܘܳܝ ܠܰܢ ܕܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܬܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ --

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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