Hymn XLIV (Carmina Nisibena XLIV)
Twelve stanzas of natural-philosophical argument for bodily resurrection — a sustained Ephremite qal wa-homer (argument from lesser to greater) grounded in the distinction between human and animal. The Good One formed the body; the Just One breathed the soul. That which received no breath is dumb; that which received the breath speaks (stanza 1). Weigh the human on the scales of understanding alongside the beast: the beast is wholly transient, a portion of corruption; humanity is a deposit kept in trust, a portion of life (stanza 2). The beast is complete in its being — and wholly without hope — which puts to shame those who divided human nature, placing half under hope and half without (stanza 3). The wronged beast witnesses to recompense: its toil without reward, its suffering without promise — to teach the human that two under one yoke run for a crown, toil for a promise, and suffer for glory (stanza 4). Two cases are suspended: the unrewarded race of beasts and the promised reward of the human — God promised the human Garden and Gehenna, but gave the beasts pleasures without sins (stanza 5). The body is afflicted because it lent its fasting to righteousness — if there is no resurrection, it is wronged; its silence in the earth cries out louder than the blood of Abel (stanza 6). Kill a beast and learn: its soul is transient with its body — just as the beast's soul dies with its body, so our body is destined to live by the mystery of our soul (stanza 7). Scripture teaches the discerning, nature teaches the deniers: the transient is preserved for a season, the permanent is kept forever; the one who kills it is killed — the serpent who deceived and destroyed it (stanza 8). Bird, fish, and beast are slaughtered by blessing and eaten — no one is cursed who slaughters; but if the human body is corruption, why is the serpent cursed, and the murderer? (stanza 9). The seed that wilted and the fruit that decayed reproach the farmer who did not harvest — by their logic, one should kill the old man to release the soul from the body's bond (stanza 10). That the useless old are left alive teaches truth to liars: though the sword would relieve the old man, the youth who touches him is touched in return — to teach how dear the body is to its Maker (stanza 11). The old man full of defects — all await his death yet none kill him, for though his death is desired, his killing is greatly feared: to teach by his lowliness how glorious he was in Paradise and how great his glory when he rises (stanza 12). The refrain throughout: "Soul and body, my Lord, shall rejoice in your resurrection."
Melody: Same melody (II)
I.
The Good One formed the body
to teach the erring
how great is the work of his hands
and that it stands forever.
The Just One breathed the soul
to teach how great she is
beyond that of the beasts
in which he did not breathe.
For that which is not breathed-into —
its mouth is silent and dumb.
But this one, in which his mouth breathed —
its mouth also speaks.
Response: Soul and body, my Lord, shall rejoice in your resurrection.
II.
Weigh the human being
alongside the beasts
on the scales of understanding,
and see with the mind
that just as the beast
is a portion of corruption
and is wholly transient
in every manner,
so also humanity
is a deposit kept in trust —
wholly, in the resurrection,
a portion of life.
III.
Look again at the composition
of the beasts themselves,
and see that it is complete
in its being in everything.
It is equal in this:
that it is wholly without hope —
to put to shame the erring
who divided
the nature of the human being:
though he is equal, they placed him —
one half under hope,
and one half without hope.
IV.
A witness to our recompense
is the beast that is wronged:
its toil is without hope,
its running without reward,
its suffering without promise,
and all of it without resurrection —
to teach the human being
to be persuaded:
that two under one yoke —
their running is for a crown,
their toil is for a promise,
and their suffering is for glory.
V.
Behold, two cases
hang upon the weak one:
to persuade concerning the race —
the unrewarded one of beasts —
and to persuade concerning the reward —
the promised one of the human —
and to persuade that without injustice
they were created:
who promised the human being
Garden and Gehenna,
and multiplied for the beasts
pleasures without sins.
VI.
Look again at the beasts:
they were not compelled to lend
anything to God
that one might say they are wronged.
The body is afflicted because it lent
its fasting to righteousness.
And if there is no resurrection for it,
it is wronged.
And louder than the blood of Abel,
its silence in the earth
cries out for its restitution
before him who repays all.
VII.
Kill a beast and learn
that no one holds you to account,
for its soul is transient
together with the body.
And there is nothing in it
that comes to resurrection.
It is the word that settles all dispute —
the resolution:
that just as the beasts'
souls die like their bodies,
so too our body is destined
to live by the mystery of our soul.
VIII.
Scripture teaches the discerning;
nature teaches the deniers:
that the transient one
is preserved for a full season,
and the one that does not pass away
is kept forever.
And the one who kills it
is killed —
its dissolution proves that it too
is fixed forever.
Champion above all in everything:
the serpent that deceived and destroyed it.
IX.
Behold, bird
and fish and beast
are slaughtered by a blessing,
and by it they are eaten.
By it the seed is harvested,
by it the fruit is plucked —
and no one is cursed who slaughters
or plucks.
But if the body of the human being
is corruption,
why is one cursed, or accursed —
the serpent and the murderer?
X.
The seed that wilted and dropped,
the fruit that decayed and went flat —
they reproach the farmer
who delayed and did not pluck it,
nor stripped it and separated
the seed from the chaff.
It is fitting, by their word,
that he be blamed —
he who does not kill
the old man whose taste has gone flat,
to release from that soul
the heavy one's bond.
XI.
And that the old who are useless
are left remaining —
the Good One teaches through them
truth to the liars.
For though the sword
would be a relief to the old man,
the youth who would touch him
is touched in return.
He destroys the youth
that destroyed old age —
to teach how dear
the body is to its Maker.
XII.
The old man, full of every defect —
he is a burden of sorrows.
All await his death,
yet no one kills him.
For though his death is desired,
greatly feared is his killing —
to teach by his lowliness
how glorious he was
and how honored he was
when he was in Paradise,
and how great is his glory
when he rises and is resurrected.
Colophon
Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 44. 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 Balai ( балай), Syriac Translator, Life 6. Tulku lineage of the New Tianmu Anglican Church.
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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 44 (Carmina Nisibena 44)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܒ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܓܒܼܰܠ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܕܢܰܠܶܦ ܠܛܳܥܰܝ̈ܳܐ
ܟܡܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܥܒܳܕ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܰܠܥܳܠܡܺܝܢ ܩܰܝܳܡ
ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܢܦܼܰܚ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܕܢܰܠܶܦ ܟܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ
ܡܶܢ ܗܳܝ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܢܦܼܰܚ
ܗܳܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܦܺܝܚܳܐ
ܦܽܘܡܳܗ̇ ܫܠܶܐ ܘܰܚܼܪܰܫ
ܘܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܰܢܦܰܚ ܦܽܘܡܶܗ
ܦܽܘܡܳܗ̇ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܘܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܚܕܽܘܢ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ
2.
ܬܩܽܘܠܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܥܰܡܗܶܝܢ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܒܟ̈ܰܦܶܐ ܕܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ
ܘܰܚܙܳܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ
ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܕܗܼܺܝ ܒܥܺܝܪܳܐ
ܡܢܳܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܠܳܐ
ܘܥܳܒܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܟܽܠܳܗ̇
ܒܟܽܠ ܐܶܣܟܺܝܡ
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܐܳܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ
ܣܺܝܡܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܢܽܘܛܪܳܐ
ܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܡܢܳܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ
܀܀܀
3.
ܚܽܘܪ ܬܽܘܒ ܒܪܽܘܟܳܒܳܐ
ܕܺܝܠܗܶܝܢ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܘܰܚܙܳܝ ܕܫܰܠܶܡ ܗ̱ܽܘ
ܠܝܳܬܶܗ ܒܟܽܠܡܶܕܶܡ
ܟܽܠܶܗ ܫܘܶܐ ܒܗܳܕܶܐ
ܕܟܽܠܶܗ ܕܠܳܐ ܣܰܒܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܕܢܰܟܶܣ ܠܛܳܥܰܝ̈ܳܐ
ܕܦܰܠܓܽܘܗ̱ܝ
ܟܝܳܢܶܗ ܕܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܕܟܰܕ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܫܘܶܐ ܣܳܡܽܘܗ̱ܝ
ܦܰܠܓܶܗ ܬܚܶܝܬ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ
ܘܦܰܠܓܶܗ ܕܠܳܐ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ
4.
ܣܳܗܕܳܐ ܠܦܽܘܪܥܳܢܰܢ
ܒܥܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܡܶܬܛܰܠܡܳܐ
ܕܥܰܡܠܳܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܣܰܒܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܪܶܗܛܳܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܰܓܪܳܐ
ܘܚܰܫܶܗ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܽܘܠܟܳܢ
ܘܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܽܘܚܳܡ
ܕܢܰܠܶܦ ܠܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܕܬܶܛܦܺܝܣ
ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܒܚܰܕ ܢܺܝܪܳܐ
ܪܶܗܛܗܽܘܢ ܕܟܽܘܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܥܰܡܠܗܽܘܢ ܕܡܽܘܠܟܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܚܰܫܗܽܘܢ ܕܢܰܨܺܝܚܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
5.
ܗܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܫܰܪ̈ܒܺܝܢ
ܡܶܬܬܰܠܝܳܢ ܒܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ
ܕܰܢܦܺܝܣ ܥܰܠ ܪܶܗܛܳܐ
ܛܠܺܝܡܳܐ ܕܚ̈ܰܝܘܳܬܳܐ
ܘܕܰܢܦܺܝܣ ܥܰܠ ܐܰܓܪܳܐ
ܡܠܺܝܟܳܐ ܕܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܘܕܰܢܦܺܝܣ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܽܘܠ
ܒܶܪܝܳܢ
ܕܰܡܠܶܟ ܠܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
܀܀܀
ܓܰܢܬܳܐ ܘܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ
ܘܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܠܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܢܝ̈ܳܚܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ
6.
ܚܽܘܪ ܬܽܘܒ ܒܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܐܶܬܐܶܠܶܨ ܘܰܐܘܙܶܦ
ܡܶܕܶܡ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ
ܕܢܺܐܡܰܪ ܕܡܶܬܛܰܠܡܳܢ
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܐܰܠܺܝܨ ܕܰܐܘܙܶܦ
ܨܰܘܡܶܗ ܠܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܶܐܢ ܠܰܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܢܽܘܚܳܡ
ܐܶܬܛܠܶܡ
ܘܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܕܡܶܗ ܕܗܳܒܶܝܠ
ܫܶܬܩܶܗ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ
ܓܳܥܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܓܽܘܥܠܳܢܶܗ
ܩܕܳܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܦܪܰܥ ܟܽܠ
7.
ܩܳܛܽܘܠ ܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܺܝܠܶܦ
ܕܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܕܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܳܟ
ܕܥܳܒܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܢܰܦܫܳܗ̇
ܥܰܡܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܒܳܗ̇ ܡܶܕܶܡ
ܕܐܶܬܳܐ ܠܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܡܶܠܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܟܽܠ ܚܶܪܝܳܢ
ܫܪܳܝܳܐ
ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܕܢܰܦܫܗܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܗܶܝܢ
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܥܬܺܝܕ ܦܰܓܪܰܢ
ܕܢܺܚܳܐ ܒܪܳܙ ܢܰܦܫܰܢ
8.
ܟܬܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܠܦܳܪ̈ܽܘܫܶܐ
ܟܝܳܢܳܐ ܠܟܳܦܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ
ܡܰܠܶܦ ܕܥܳܒܽܘܪܳܐ
ܡܶܬܢܰܛܰܪ ܡܠܶܐ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ
ܘܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܳܒܰܪ
ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܕܢܽܘܛܳܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܘܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܶܗ
ܡܶܬܩܛܶܠ
ܫܪܳܝܶܗ ܡܦܺܝܣ ܕܳܐܦ ܗ̱ܽܘ
ܩܰܒܥܶܗ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܗܳܘܶܐ
ܐܰܬܠܺܝܛ ܒܟܽܠ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ
ܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܕܰܢܟܶܠ ܘܰܫܪܳܝܗ̱ܝ
9.
ܗܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܦܳܪܰܚܬܳܐ
ܘܢܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܘܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ
ܒܒܽܘܪܟܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܬܢܰܟܣܶܝܢ
ܘܒܳܗ̇ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܶܬܐܰܟܠܶܝܢ
ܒܳܗ̇ ܡܶܬܚܨܶܕ ܙܰܪܥܳܐ
ܒܳܗ̇ ܡܶܬܩܛܶܦ ܦܺܐܪܳܐ
ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܠܺܝܛ ܕܢܰܟܼܶܣ
ܐܰܘ ܩܼܛܰܦ
ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܕܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ
ܠܡܰܢ ܡܶܬܠܺܝܛ ܐܰܘ ܠܺܝܛ
ܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܘܩܳܛܽܘܠܳܐ
10.
ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܥܳܦ ܘܰܢܬܰܪ
ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܦܰܓ ܘܦܰܟܶܗ
ܪܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܠܦܰܠܳܚܳܐ
ܕܰܐܘܚܰܪ ܘܠܳܐ ܩܰܛܦܶܗ
ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܫܠܚܶܗ ܘܦܰܪܫܶܗ
ܠܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܘ ܬܶܒܢܳܐ
ܙܳܕܶܩ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܠܰܬܗܽܘܢ
ܕܢܶܬܪܫܶܐ
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ
ܠܣܳܒܳܐ ܕܦܰܟܶܗ ܛܰܥܡܶܗ
ܕܢܶܫܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܝ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܐܰܣܽܘܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܩܺܝܪܳܐ
11.
ܘܟܽܠܶܗ ܕܡܶܫܬܰܒܩܺܝܢ
ܣ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܚܫܰܚܘ̱
܀܀܀
ܕܢܺܠܰܦ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܛܳܒܳܐ
ܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܠܟܰܕܳܒ̈ܶܐ
ܕܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܣܰܝܦܳܐ
ܠܣܳܒܳܐ ܡܢܺܝܚܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܥܠܰܝܡܳܐ ܕܢܰܥܶܓ ܠܶܗ
ܡܶܬܢܰܥܰܓ
ܡܚܰܒܶܠ ܠܛܰܠܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܚܰܒܠܰܬ ܠܣܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܢܺܠܰܦ ܟܡܳܐ ܚܰܒܺܝܒ
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܠܓܳܒܽܘܠܶܗ
12.
ܣܳܒܳܐ ܕܟܽܠ ܡܽܘ̈ܡܺܝܢ
ܡܰܘܒܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܥܳܩ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܠܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܡܣܰܟܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܘܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܕܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܶܗ
ܕܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܪܚܺܝܡ ܡܰܘܬܶܗ
ܣܰܓܺܝ ܕܚܰܝܶܠ ܩܰܛܠܶܗ
ܕܢܺܠܰܦ ܒܫܺܝܛܽܘܬܶܗ
ܟܡܳܐ ܫܒܺܝܚ
ܘܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܡܝܰܩܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܟܰܕ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܒܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܐ
ܘܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܶܗ
ܡܳܐ ܕܩܳܡ ܘܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡ
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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