by Ephrem the Syrian
The Death-Drama hymns of the Carmina Nisibena (CN 35–42) stage the voices of cosmic personifications. In Hymn XL the speaker shifts from Death to the Evil One himself (ܒܺܝܫܳܐ, bīshā). He is not confessing — he is boasting. To his servants, in humiliation, he inflates his own greatness: his self-taught knowledge, his arsenal deployed against the Son of Mary, his repeated exposure in disputation. Then he turns to mock the folly of human beings who tend their houses and fields with more care than their souls. Finally, in stanzas 7 and 8, he claims a licensed role as God's furnace — a crucible that proves thought, a tester who distinguishes the faithful (like Job) from the false (like Saul).
The ʿŌnitā (refrain) — "Blessed is he who came and abolished the deceits of sin" — is the congregation's response to the Evil One's boast, confessing the one who silenced it. Only one refrain occurrence is marked in the source text; liturgically it would have recurred.
Melody (ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ): ܘ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
The Evil One felt
his great humiliation
and gloried in himself
before his servants —
his words he swelled as he persuaded them and said:
"The knowledge I possess
falls only a little short of nature's own,
and the abundance and wholeness of all learning.
I was great to myself:
I pressed my mind, untaught, and learned everything.
I adorned myself with every thing,
and through it led the crown I desired among humanity."
Refrain (ʿŌnitā): Blessed is he who came and abolished the deceits of sin.
2.
In full array
I dressed my abominations
to do battle with him —
that Son of Mary:
Fury like a bow, raining arrows;
Insolence shaming him.
— — —
Contempt rushed upon him,
Oppression crushed him,
Envy and jealousy, in wrath,
contended with him — and Blasphemy took up stones against him.
The physician rose up to stand among the sick
and stirred them all in his contest.
3.
Lest he fall
under my domination,
through questions
I took my cover.
I multiplied provocations, watched,
and saw: my falsehood laid bare,
my brazenness made known,
my arrogance shamed.
In the reversals of dispute
I was uncovered everywhere I debated him —
all my toil became for him like hay,
and the word of truth swept me on every side.
4.
I saw he is an athlete,
a master of force,
a craftsman at work
within the human being —
[and he frightens the outer beast].
My inclination within blazes —
my jealousy hisses every hour like a serpent —
I engender the lusts of death,
and dread the fire.
The commandment, instead of a root, can strike it numb;
[the mockery that strikes unto destruction —]
love alone is able to break it:
the hidden and bitter root of the tongue.
5.
Who is the fool
among human beings —
greater than himself —
who cares for his dwelling more than his soul?
He tends the vessels of his flaw every day;
a moth hides in his limbs, while he sews up the rents in his garments —
yet his mind itself is rent.
His house he keeps bright,
his heart he keeps dark — his senses swamp him and flood his windows.
His gate he holds firm and guards his silver,
his mouth lies open and the treasure of his thought is stolen.
6.
His livestock he magnifies
more than himself —
the fool who cares for his property
better than his soul:
Good seeds he sows in his earth;
in his heart he sows tares.
His thought is open and scattered,
yet he toils at the hedges of his vineyards.
He trims and plants his cuttings
while his mind is a vine from the vines of Sodom.
All his branches spring from that root,
and the wild boar forages in his thought.
7.
I brought a furnace
to the children of men —
through me their thoughts
are proved and weighed.
Therefore I have license to weave adulteration:
Chaldean arts I teach;
by truths I gained acceptance,
and falsehoods were believed.
In Egypt I blinded eyes —
I showed an apparition, and they believed it was real when it was not.
By blinding eyes I teach informers
that the righteous have no place in heaven.
— — —
8.
By my swiftness
I flew and saw
and hastened to reveal
to the one who prophesied.
Those who went astray through me counted me a prophet —
yet that is where I am insolent:
I petition so the hour may be granted me,
that hidden things be revealed to me,
and the faithful tested through me —
as with Job; and falsifiers, as with Saul.
There is one whose impurity was exposed;
and one whom the test polished to his truth, and he was praised.
Finis.
Colophon
Good Works Translation. Translated from Classical Syriac by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026, with AI assistance (Claude, Anthropic). Source text: Edmund Beck, ed., Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219, Louvain, 1961); TEI transcription by Michael Oez, Digital Syriac Corpus (CC-BY 4.0). No prior English translation of CN 40 known to exist. Blood Rule: English derived directly from the Syriac throughout; no existing English paraphrase consulted (none known).
Notes on this hymn: The Evil One speaks throughout all 8 stanzas — a compact, pointed monologue. Structurally distinct from the Death-Drama hymns (CN 35–39) in that the speaker is not Death/Sheol but the Evil One. The transition from self-boasting (st. 1–3) to mocking humanity (st. 4–6) to claiming the tester's role (st. 7–8) follows the pattern of Ephremic irony: the boast undermines itself as it proceeds. In st. 7, ܟܽܠܕܝܽܘܬܳܐ (kuldāyūtā) is rendered "Chaldean arts" — astrology/divination/magic, consistent with the Egypt reference (Pharaoh's magicians, Exodus 7–8). The ܀܀܀ structural breaks fall at the pivot of stanza 2 (between the external weapons listed and the rush of personified vices) and at the close of stanza 7. Bracketed lines in stanza 4 are textually uncertain passages in the source (marked in the Beck/DSC transcription). The Job/Saul contrast in stanza 8 invokes the two types of testing: the righteous refined (Job 1–2; 42), the false exposed (Saul's turn to the witch of Endor, 1 Sam 28). The Evil One takes credit for both, but the theology is clear: he serves as an unwilling instrument of divine economy. Melody indicator ܘ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ distinguishes CN 40 from CN 39 (ܗ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ) and CN 38 (ܕ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ) — a distinct tune.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 40 (Carmina Nisibena 40)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܘ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܐܶܪܓܶܫ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ
ܒܫܰܦܠܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܘܫܳܒܗܳܪ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ
ܩܕܳܡ ܦܰܠܳܚ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܡ̈ܶܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܪܰܘܪܶܒ ܟܰܕ ܐܰܦܺܝܣ ܘܶܐܡܰܪ
ܕܺܝܕܰܥܬܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܕܩܳܢܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܕܰܟܝܳܢܳܐ
ܘܣܽܘܓܳܐܗ̇ ܘܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܕܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܳܐ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܰܩܢܽܘܡܝ̱ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܘܫܶܚܩܶܬ ܡܰܕܰܥܝ̱ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܠܦܳܢܳܐ ܝܶܠܦܶܬ ܟܽܠ
ܙܶܝܢܶܬ ܢܰܦܫܝ̱ ܒܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ
ܘܕܰܒܪ̱ܬ ܒܳܗ̇ ܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܕܰܨܒܺܝܬ ܒܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܶܐܬܼܳܐ ܘܒܳܛܶܠ ܢ̈ܶܟܠܶܐ ܕܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ
2.
ܒܰܦܪܺܝܫܳܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܠܶܒܫܰܬ ܣ̈ܶܢܝܳܬܝ̱
ܕܰܐܩܪܶܒ ܥܰܡܶܗ
ܕܗܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܪܝܰܡ
ܚܶܡܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܩܶܫܬܳܐ ܓܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܛܪܰܬ
ܡܰܪܚܽܘܬܳܐ ܨܳܥܰܪܬܶܗ
܀܀܀
ܘܰܣܥܳܬ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܦܰܩܪܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܥܫܰܩܬܶܗ ܛܳܠܽܘܡܽܘܬܳܐ
ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܘܛܰܢܳܢܳܐ ܒܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ
ܢܳܨܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܘܓܽܘܕܳܦܳܐ ܟܺܐܦ̈ܶܐ ܫܩܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܩܳܡ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ
ܘܓܶܪܝܰܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܰܟܪ̈ܺܝܗܶܐ ܒܬܰܟܬܽܘܫܶܗ
3.
ܕܠܳܐ ܢܳܦܶܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܬܚܶܝܬ ܡܰܪܫܽܘܬܳܐ
ܒܫ̈ܺܐܝܠܳܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܡܶܬܓܰܘܰܣ ܗܘܺܝܬ
ܐܰܣܓܺܝܬ ܓܰܪܺܝܬ ܥ̈ܶܠܠܳܬܳܐ ܘܰܚܙܺܝܬ
ܕܶܐܬܟܰܣܶܣܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܕܰܓܳܠܽܘܬܝ̱
ܘܶܐܬܝܰܕܥܰܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܚܨܺܝܦܽܘܬܝ̱
ܘܶܐܬܒܰܣܪܰܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܣܪܽܘܒܽܘܬܝ̱
ܒܗ̈ܶܦܟܳܬܳܐ ܕܚܶܪܝܳܢܳܐ
ܡܶܣܬܰܬܰܪ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܟܽܠ ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܕܰܪܫܰܬ ܥܰܡܶܗ
ܗܳܘܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܥܡܰܠܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܽܘܪܳܐ
ܘܕܳܪܬܶܗ ܡܶܠܰܬ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܠܟܽܠ ܓܰܒܺܝ̈ܢ
4.
ܚܶܙܝܰܬ ܕܰܐܬܠܺܝܛܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܡܳܪܳܐ ܚܰܝܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܽܐܘܡܳܢܽܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܓܰܘ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
[ܘܡܰܕܚܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܪܰܚܫܳܐ ܕܰܠܒܰܪ]
ܝܳܨܪܶܗ ܒܓܰܘ ܡܶܬܥܰܘܩܰܕ
ܟܽܠܫܳܥ ܛܰܢܳܢܶܗ ܢܨܰܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ
ܐܰܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܳܬܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܘܠܶܕ
ܘܡܶܢ ܐܶܫܬܳܐ ܡܶܬܩܰܢܰܛ
ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܥܶܩܪܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܕܢܰܫܗܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ
[ܠܡܽܘܝܳܩܳܐ ܕܰܡܚܶܐ ܠܰܐܒܕܳܢ]
ܚܽܘܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܬܳܒܰܪ ܠܶܗ
ܠܥܽܘܩܣܶܗ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܘܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܠܶܫܳܢܳܐ
5.
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܰܣܟܶܠ
ܡܶܢ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܕܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ
ܕܥܽܘܡܪܶܗ ܝܺܨܶܦ
ܡܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܒܰܥܝܳܒܶܗ ܣܳܥܰܪ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ
ܘܰܟܣܳܐ ܣܳܣܳܐ ܒܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܣ̈ܶܕܩܶܐ ܕܰܒܢܶܚ̈ܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܳܐܶܛ
ܘܰܥܒܺܝܕ ܣܶܕܩܳܐ ܒܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ
ܒܰܝܬܶܗ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ ܗ̱ܽܘ
ܘܚܶܫܽܘܟ ܠܶܒܶܗ ܫܳܥ ܪ̈ܶܓܫܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܫܳܛܶܦ ܟܰܘ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܐܰܚܺܝܕ ܬܰܪܥܶܗ ܘܰܢܛܺܝܪ ܟܶܣܦܶܗ
ܬܪܺܝܥ ܦܽܘܡܶܗ ܘܰܓܢܺܝܒ ܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܡܰܚܫܰܒܬܶܗ
6.
ܒܥܺܝܪܶܗ ܡܶܢܶܗ
ܡܰܘܪܶܒ ܣܰܟܠܳܐ
ܕܝܳܨܶܦ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ
ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ
ܙܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ ܛܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܙܪܰܥ ܒܳܗ̇ ܒܰܐܪܥܶܗ
ܒܠܶܒܶܗ ܙܪܰܥ ܙܺܝ̈ܙܳܢܶܐ
ܬܪܺܝܥܳܐ ܘܫܳܕܝܳܐ ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬܶܗ
ܘܒܰܣ̈ܝܳܓܶܐ ܕܟܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܠܳܐܶܐ
ܡܰܓܒܳܐ ܘܢܳܨܶܒ ܢܶܨ̈ܒܳܬܳܐ
ܟܰܕ ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬܶܗ ܓܦܶܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܓܽܘ̈ܦܢܶܝܗ̇ ܕܣܳܕܽܘܡ
ܥܶܪܕܳܐ ܟܽܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܙܰܪܥܶܗ
ܘܰܪܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܚܙܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܥܶܒܳܐ ܠܡܰܚܫܰܒܬܶܗ
7.
ܟܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܰܝܬܺܝ
ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
ܘܒܺܝ ܡܶܬܒܰܚܪܺܝܢ
ܪ̈ܶܥܝܳܢܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܐܓܕܽܘܠ ܙܺܐܦܳܐ
ܟܽܠܕܝܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܠܶܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܒܫܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܳܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܣܬܰܩܒܰܠ
ܐܶܬܗܰܝܡܶܢ ܕܰܓ̈ܳܠܳܬܳܐ
ܒܓܰܘ ܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܐܶܚܕܶܬ ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ
ܩܰܠܡܳܐ ܚܰܘܺܝܬ ܣܰܒܰܪܘ̱ ܕܺܐܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬܶܝܗ̇
ܒܶܐܚܰܕ ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܡܰܠܶܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܳܠܽܘ̈ܫܶܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ
܀܀܀
8.
ܒܝܰܕ ܩܰܠܺܝܠܽܘܬܝ̱
ܛܳܣܶܬ ܘܰܚܙܺܝܬ
ܘܩܰܕܡܰܬ ܚܘܺܝܬܳܐ
ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܩܨܶܡ
ܐܰܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܛܥܰܘ ܒܺܝ ܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܚܰܫܒܽܘܢܝ̱
ܐܺܝܬ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܡܰܚܨܶܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܘܫܳܐܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܠܡܶܠܶܐ ܫܳܥܳܐ
ܢܶܬܓܰܠܝܳܢ ܠܺܝ ܟܰܣ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ
ܕܢܶܬܒܰܚܪܽܘܢ ܒܺܝ ܫܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ
ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܐܺܝܽܘܒ ܐܳܦ ܙܺܐܦܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܫܳܐܽܘܠ
ܐܺܝܬ ܕܓܰܠܝܳܬܶܗ ܠܢܰܚܫܶܗ
ܘܺܐܝܬ ܕܡܰܪܩܬܶܗ ܠܰܫܪܳܪܶܗ ܘܶܐܬܩܰܠܰܣ
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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