Hymn X (Carmina Nisibena X)

If Hymn IX moves into shame, Hymn X moves into the body. It is the most physically harrowing hymn in the Nisibene cycle — a catalogue of siege thirst. Doves snared from the fortresses. Wax-bodies melting. Milk cut from infants. An infant writhing from its mother with nothing to suckle, nothing for her to drink — they breathed out and died. The fortress that killed its inhabitants by thirst and then turned to drink the seeping of their corpses. The Lazarus image (Luke 16) appears exactly: the gulf, the cry unanswered, the tongue that cannot be wetted. The Sodom challenge sharpens the theodicy: Sodom's destruction was fire, one hour — Nisibis endured prolonged thirst, prolonged death, and what Ephrem calls "the thin anguish." The city finds its consolation not in rescue but in the excess of chastening itself — which proves relationship. The final plea is minimal: do not add more to me, Lord. The refrain throughout: Blessed is your discipline.

I.

My children were killed,
and my daughters outside me —
their walls uprooted,
their children scattered,
their thresholds trampled.

Refrain: Blessed is your discipline.

II.

The hunters snared
my doves from my fortresses —
they left their nests
and fled to the thickets,
and in the forest were caught.

III.

In the pattern of wax
that melted from fire,
bodies melted and dissolved —
my children from heat
and thirst in the fortresses.

IV.

And instead of the springs
of milk that once flowed
for my children and my little ones —
from infants milk was cut off,
and water from the emaciated.

V.

An infant fell and writhed
from its mother —
with nothing to suckle,
nothing for her to drink —
they breathed out and died.

VI.

How was it able,
that your mercy held —
stopping her springs
whose floods cannot be contained,
the flowing of her sources?

VII.

And how did it hold,
your grace holding her mercies,
and stop her springs
from the people who cried out
to wet their tongue?

VIII.

And there was a gulf
between them and their brothers —
like the rich man
who cried out and none answered
to wet his tongue.

IX.

As if amid fire
the weak ones had been cast —
heat in the midst of the thirsty:
fire breathed
and burned in them.

X.

Their bodies melted
and dissolved from the heat;
the thirsty turned
to drink the earth
with the moisture of their bodies.

XI.

And the fortress that had killed
its inhabitants by thirst
turned itself to drink
the seeping of the corpses
that had melted from thirst.

XII.

Who has seen a people
tormented by thirst,
with a wall of water encircling them —
yet unable
to wet their tongue?

XIII.

Is it then in Sodom's judgment
that my beloved ones were judged?
My children tormented
with Sodom's torment —
which was only a single day?

XIV.

Sodom's torment of fire —
one hour, Lord —
against prolonged thirst,
prolonged death,
and the thin anguish.

XV.

After my griefs, Lord,
and my bitter anguish —
this is the consolation,
the one that comforted me:
that you increased my chastening.

XVI.

The medicine I hoped for
is certain pain;
the herb I looked toward
is bitter breaking —
it wishes to work in me.

XVII.

And I hoped to ascend
from within the mire —
in one whose mire
itself leads to harbor,
away from what is in the sea.

XVIII.

For I thought in my foolishness
that I had escaped and ascended —
from within the pit
my sins threw me
back into it.

XIX.

See, Lord, my members —
swords thick in me,
planted in my arms;
the welts of arrows
planted on my sides.

XX.

Tears in the eyes,
in the ears that heard —
woes in the mouth,
grief in the heart —
do not add more to me, Lord.

Colophon

Carmina Nisibena X — 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: Pentacolon stanzas — five cola per stanza (two bicola + one closing colon), roughly heptasyllabic per colon. Refrain (ʿunīthā): ܒܪܺܝܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܰܪܕܽܘܬܳܟ — Blessed is your discipline — congregationally sung after each stanza.

Voice and structure: Nisibis speaks in first person throughout. Five movements: (I) The devastated daughters — city-states outside Nisibis whose walls were uprooted, doves snared from the fortresses (I–II). (II) The thirst catastrophe — wax-bodies, cut milk, the infant dying with its mother, the incomprehensible paradox of mercy holding back her own springs (III–VII). (III) The biblical echoes — the Lazarus gulf (Luke 16), the weak ones cast into fire (VII–XII). (IV) Theodicy — the Sodom challenge: Sodom was one hour of fire; Nisibis endured prolonged thirst, prolonged death, "the thin anguish" (XIII–XIV). (V) Consolation, medicine, and the final plea — the excess of chastening proves relationship; medicine is pain; the herb is bitter; sins threw the city back into the pit it thought it had escaped; the body full of wounds; do not add more (XV–XX).

Key translation choices: ܝܰܘ̈ܢܰܝ ܡܶܢ ܚ̈ܶܣܢܰܝ (II) = my doves from my fortresses — the fortresses (ܚ̈ܶܣܢܰܝ, plural of ܚܶܣܢܳܐ) are the satellite cities around Nisibis; the doves are their populations, snared when they fled to the thickets. ܒܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܕܫܳܥܽܘܬܳܐ (III) = in the pattern of wax — ܫܳܥܽܘܬܳܐ is specifically beeswax; the bodies melt in the same pattern as wax melting from fire. ܦܰܚܬܳܐ (VIII) = gulf — the same word used in the Peshitta rendering of Luke 16:26 (the great chasm between Abraham's bosom and Hades); the identification is deliberate. ܪܶܕܝܳܐ ܕܰܫ̈ܠܰܕܶܐ (XI) = seeping of the corpses — ܪܶܕܝܳܐ is a slow fluid flow, seeping; the fortress's masonry absorbs the decomposition-liquid of those who died of thirst within it; the image is a grotesque inversion of the spring-mercy imagery of stanzas VI–VII. ܡܰܢܽܘ ܚܼܙܳܐ (XII) = Who has seen — a standard rhetorical impossibility in Semitic lament (cf. Lamentations 1:12); here the impossibility is geometric: encircled by water, dying of thirst. ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܗ̇ ܕܰܣܕܽܘܡ (XIII–XIV) = torment of Sodom — the city makes an explicit comparative theodicy appeal: Sodom's punishment (Genesis 19) was instantaneous fire; Nisibis endured prolonged (ܢܰܓܺܝܪܳܐ) thirst-death and what Ephrem calls ܢܶܓܕܳܐ ܩܰܛܺܝܢܳܐ = "the thin anguish," the attenuated drawn-out thinning of slow death by thirst. ܣܰܟܺܝܬ ܕܶܐܣܰܩ (XVII) = hoped to ascend — the mire-harbor image: the city hoped to escape from quicksand to someone whose own quicksand led to harbor; the image is of a rescuer who seems to offer worse conditions but whose conditions lead upward. ܚ̈ܛܳܗܰܝ (XVIII) = my sins — the city's confession that its own sins threw it back into the pit it thought it had escaped; the theological logic of discipline culminates here. ܟܽܘܬܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܕܓܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ (XIX) = welts of arrows — ܟܽܘܬܡܳܬܳܐ = bruise, welt, mark; the arrows have left raised marks on the city's sides, planted there like seeds.

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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 10 (Carmina Nisibena 10)

ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ (melody indicator): ܓ ܕܥܰܠ ܐܶܢܙܺܝܛ ܚܶܣܢܳܐ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܐܶܬܩܰܛܰܠܘ̱ ܝܰܠܕ̈ܰܝ ܘܰܒܢ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܕܰܠܒܰܪ ܡܶܢܝ̱
ܥܩܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܫܽܘܪ̈ܰܝܗܶܝܢ ܘܕܳܪܶܝܢ ܝܰܠܕܰܝ̈ܗܶܝܢ
ܘܕܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܩܽܘܫ̈ܰܝܗܶܝܢ

ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ (Response/Refrain):

ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܪܺܝܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܰܪܕܽܘܬܳܟ

2.

ܓܦܰܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܨܰܝ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܝܰܘ̈ܢܰܝ ܡܶܢ ܚ̈ܶܣܢܰܝ
ܕܰܫܒܼܰܩ ܩܰܢܳܝ̈ܗܶܝܢ ܘܰܥܪܰܩܘ̱ ܠܰܓ̈ܦܺܝܦܶܐ
ܒܓܽܘܦܳܐ ܨܳܕܘ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ

3.

ܒܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܕܫܳܥܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܫܚܰܬ ܡܶܢ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ
ܫܳܚܘ̱ ܘܰܦܫܰܪܘ̱ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܡܶܢ ܚܽܘܡܳܐ
ܘܨܰܗܝܳܐ ܕܰܒܚ̈ܶܣܢܶܐ

4.

ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܡܰܒ̈ܽܘܥܶܐ ܕܚܰܠܒܳܐ ܕܪ̈ܳܕܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ
ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܘܰܠܫܰܒܪ̈ܰܝ ܠܥܽܘ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܓܳܙ ܚܰܠܒܳܐ
ܘܡ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܠܰܚܣ̈ܺܝܠܶܐ

5.

ܘܰܢܦܰܠ ܘܶܐܬܦܰܪܦܰܪ ܥܽܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܶܡܶܗ
ܕܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܶܐܢܰܩ ܘܠܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܡܶܫܬܳܐ
ܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܣܰܩܘ̱ ܘܡܺܝܬܘ̱

6.

ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܐܶܬܡܰܨܝܰܬ ܕܬܶܐܚܽܘܕ ܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ
ܦܓܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ ܕܡ̈ܰܒܽܘܥܶܝܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܡܶܬܬܰܟܣܺܝܢ
ܫ̈ܶܦܥܶܐ ܕܢܶܒ̈ܥܰܝܗܽܘܢ

7.

ܘܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܟܰܝ ܐܶܚܕܰܬ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܝܗ̇ ܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ
ܘܰܟܠܳܬ ܡܰܒ̈ܽܘܥܶܝܗ̇ ܡܶܢ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܕܰܓܥܳܐ
ܕܢܰܪܛܶܒ ܠܶܫܳܢܶܗ

8.

ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܦܶܚܬܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܠܰܐܚ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܥܰܬܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܓܳܥܶܐ ܘܠܰܝܬ ܕܥ̇ܳܢܶܐ
ܕܢܰܪܛܶܒ ܠܶܫܳܢܶܗ

9.

ܘܰܐܝܟ ܕܰܒܓܰܘ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܰܪܡܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ
ܘܚܽܘܡܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܨܗ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܢܳܫ̇ܶܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܘܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܕܳܠܶܩ̇ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ

10.

ܫܳܚܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܓܽܘܫܡ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܦܫܰܪܘ̱ ܡܶܢ ܚܽܘܡܳܐ
ܘܰܗܦܼܰܟܘ̱ ܨܗ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܕܢܶܫܩܽܘܢܳܗ̇ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ
ܒܪܶܗܠܳܐ ܕܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ

11.

ܘܚܶܣܢܳܐ ܕܰܩܛܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܨܶܗܝܳܐ ܠܥܳܡܽܘܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܗܼܦܰܟ ܠܶܗ ܕܢܶܫܬܶܐ ܗܽܘ ܪܶܕܝܳܐ ܕܰܫ̈ܠܰܕܶܐ
ܕܫܼܳܚܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܗܝܳܐ

12.

ܡܰܢܽܘ ܚܼܙܳܐ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܕܨܰܝܺܝܦ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܗܝܳܐ
ܘܟܳܪܶܟ ܠܶܗ ܫܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܡ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ
ܕܢܰܪܛܶܒ ܠܶܫܳܢܶܗ

13.

ܒܕܺܝܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܟܰܝ ܕܰܣܕܽܘܡ ܐܶܬܕܺܝܢܘ̱ ܚܰܒ̈ܺܝܒܰܝ
ܘܶܐܬܢܰܓܰܕܘ̱ ܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܗ̇ ܕܰܣܕܽܘܡ
ܕܚܰܕ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܚܽܘܕ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ

14.

ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܗ̇ ܕܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܰܚܕܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܫܳܥܳܐ
ܒܨܶܗܝܳܐ ܢܰܓܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܢܰܓܺܝܪܳܐ
ܘܢܶܓܕܳܐ ܩܰܛܺܝܢܳܐ

15.

ܒܳܬܰܪ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܶܒ̈ܠܰܝ ܘܚ̈ܰܫܰܝ ܡܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ
ܗܳܢܰܘ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܕܒܰܝܰܐܬܳܢܝ̱
ܕܰܐܣܓܺܝܬ ܐܰܟܡܰܪܬܳܢܝ̱

16.

ܣܰܡܳܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܣܰܟܺܝܬ ܟܺܐܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܚܰܬܺܝܬܳܐ
ܥܶܨܒܳܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܚܳܪܶܬ ܬܶܒܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ
ܨܳܒܶܐ ܕܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܠܺܝ

17.

ܘܰܕܣܰܟܺܝܬ ܕܶܐܣܰܩ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܡܰܚܫܽܘܠܳܐ
ܒܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܠܺܝ ܡܰܚܫܽܘܠܶܗ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܕܰܠܡܺܐܢܳܐ
ܡܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܒܝܰܡܳܐ

18.

ܕܣܶܒܪܶܬ ܒܥܰܛܳܠܽܘܬܝ̱ ܕܣܶܒܟܶܬ ܐܳܦ ܣܶܠܩܶܬ
ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܓܽܘܡܳܨܳܐ ܫܕܰܐܽܘܢܝ̱ ܚ̈ܛܳܗܰܝ
ܡܶܕܪܺܝܫ ܠܓܰܘܶܗ

19.

ܚܙܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܰܝ ܕܣܰܝ̈ܦܶܐ ܣܒܺܝܣܺܝܢ ܒܺܝ
ܘܨܳܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܒܰܕܪ̈ܳܥܰܝ ܘܟܽܘܬܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܕܓܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ
ܫܬܺܝܠܳܢ ܥܰܠ ܓܰܒ̈ܰܝ

20.

ܕܶܡ̈ܥܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܘܒܶܐܕ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܰܫܡ̇ܽܘܥܬܳܐ
ܘ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܦܽܘܡܳܐ ܘܶܐܒܠܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܠܶܒܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܬܰܘܣܶܦ ܠܺܝ

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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