Hymn XLVIII (Carmina Nisibena XLVIII)

Twelve stanzas of Old Testament typology for resurrection — the most densely symbolic hymn in the series. Aaron's rod sprouted and bore leaves and fruit, whispering that Aaron was justified in the vestments of priesthood — a mystery of the resurrection, for a dead rod came alive by the will of the Most High (stanza 1). The twelve rods were placed in the Ark in the mystery of the body; when they came out, one was crowned and all bore shame — a mystery of the end, when the bodies of the wicked rise in disgrace and the saints delight in glory (stanza 2). While in the Ark, the rod bloomed; the manna in the vessel did not rot — mysteries of Paradise where bodies rejoice and mortals do not die (stanza 3). Moses' staff acquired eyes: if a rod not of its nature gained form and life, how much more shall the body return to its own nature in the resurrection! (stanza 4). Moses guarded bones and broke tablets, honoring the corpse above the tablets — not a different body was given to Lazarus; the same one is raised, to show it is the same that is resurrected (stanza 5). Moses wrote unclean whoever touched bones, yet carried a dead man forty years in the camp — a mystery of the Church where the death of the Giver of all life is proclaimed; the cross of life walked in the camp (stanza 6). By the painter's finger and pigments the king's image is painted, but it fades; the unfading image — what king was mixed into his own image, putting on his likeness, sitting in it that his image might be worshipped through him? (stanza 7). Nebuchadnezzar made an image of sixty-six cubits; our Lord, without measure, shrank into a despised image and gathered scattered worship (stanza 8). Adam returned to his earth and wrote a testament owing Death and Sin; our Lord came and redeemed him; Death turned and wrote, and Sheol pledged — all they plundered shall return in the resurrection (stanza 9). Eve's rib multiplied from herself: bone poured forth bones, senses, and veins — how easy for the Architect to rebuild the body from its own dust at the nod of his coming (stanza 10). Fish are born in merciless water; the murderous sea gives them life in its depths — fish dance in the sea in their death, and if they rise to the air, they choke in life (stanza 11). One is he: if he commands, the living die; if he beckons, the dead are raised. Death for the righteous is sleep in their tombs; life for sinners kills in Gehenna (stanza 12). The refrain: "Seek, my Lord, the wronging of the body in your resurrection."

Melody: Same melody (VI)

I.

Aaron's rod sprouted and was magnified —
the staff of the Levite.
The will of the Most High
raised it to strike with it
the mystery of resurrection —
it whispered to us in its stillness.
Fruit and also leaves
it bore,
and by its branches it proclaimed
that Aaron was justified
in the vestments of priesthood,
the privileges of ministry.

Response: Seek, my Lord, the wronging of the body in your resurrection.

II.

The rods were placed —
all of them — in the Ark, in the mystery of the body.
And when they came out and were separated,
one alone was crowned,
and all of them were stripped
and bore shame.
In the rod, see the mystery
of the end:
that the bodies of the wicked
rise in disgrace,
but delighting in glory
is the body of the saints.

III.

That rod was placed
in the Ark,
and as long as it was there,
it bloomed and rejoiced —
a mystery of Paradise,
where bodies rejoice.
The manna persuades concerning it,
that it does not sour:
while it was in the vessel,
it did not rot, though it would have —
a mystery that mortals
do not die in Eden.

IV.

Moses' staff —
it acquired eyes of its own.
And if that which was not of its nature
gained form and life —
how much more shall the body's form
flourish, being of its own nature!
The staff was alive and crawled
by the word.
And if, against its custom,
it acquired what was not its own,
how much more shall the body return
to its own in the resurrection!

V.

Moses guarded bones
and shattered and cast away tablets.
More than the tablets,
the corpse he honored.
Tablets in place of tablets
he carved, to teach
that we are not summoned to resurrection
at random —
for not a different body
was given to Lazarus:
the same one came forth, to show
that this one is the one who is raised.

VI.

Whoever approached
bones in the wilderness —
Moses wrote them unclean,
lest they defile the bones.
Forty years he carried
a dead man in the camp —
a mystery he fashioned there
for the Church,
in which is proclaimed daily
the death of the Giver of all life.
The cross of life
walked in the camp.

VII.

By the painter's finger
and the richness of pigments,
the king's image is painted —
but because it fades,
it is fashioned by artisans:
the image that does not fade.
Kings magnify
their images.
Who has seen a king
who mixed himself into his image,
put on his likeness, and sat in it,
that his image might be worshipped through him?

VIII.

Another made an image
of sixty-six cubits,
and though he was small,
by the image he wished to grow great.
He gathered for that image
a worship that was rebuked.
Our Lord made a marvel
in his coming:
though he is without measure,
in a small, despised image he shrank,
and gathered in that image
a scattered worship.

IX.

Adam returned to his earth
and made a testament.
He wrote that he owed much
to Death and to Sin
through the breaking of the commandment.
He mortgaged the dwelling.
Our Lord came, redeemed it,
and raised it.
Death turned and wrote,
and Sheol pledged with him:
that all they plundered and seized
shall be returned in the resurrection.

X.

Eve's rib —
from itself it multiplied:
bone poured forth bones
and senses and veins.
It is a shoot from Adam
in which his beauty is hidden.
Behold — the house whose dust
is in Sheol.
How easy for him,
the Architect of all,
to rebuild it from itself
at the nod of his coming!

XI.

Fish are born in water
without mercy,
and the murderous sea
gives them life in its depths.
And though it is bitter,
in its bosom it nurses them.
All things praise the Lord
of all:
for fish in the sea
dance in their death,
and if they rise to the air,
they are choked by life.

XII.

Let not the voices
of hopelessness dismay you:
for One is he who, if he commands,
the living he puts to death.
And he is the One who, if he beckons,
the dead he raises.
In the treasury of his will
all things are found.
Death for the righteous
is sleep in their tombs.
And life for sinners
kills in Gehenna.

Colophon

Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE), Carmina Nisibena, Hymn 48. 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, 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 48 (Carmina Nisibena 48)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܘ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܐܰܦܪܰܥ ܘܐܬܶܥܰܠܰܡ
ܫܰܒܛܶܗ ܕܠܶܘܳܝܳܐ
ܕܨܶܒܝܳܢ ܥܶܠܳܝܳܐ
ܢܰܚܡܶܗ ܕܢܳܟܶܣ ܒܶܗ
ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܠܚܶܫ ܠܰܢ ܒܫܰܠܝܽܘܬܶܗ
ܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܛܰܪ̈ܦܶܐ
ܠܒܶܫ ܗܘܳܐ
ܒܦܶܪ̈ܥܰܘܗܝ ܡܝܰܒܶܒ ܗܘܳܐ
ܕܠܰܐܗܪܽܘܢ ܐܙܶܕܰܕܰܩܘ
ܠܒܽܘ̈ܫܶܐ ܕܟܽܘܡܪܽܘܬܳܐ
܀܀܀
ܙܶܕܩ̈ܶܐ ܕܬܶܫܡܫܬܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܬܒܰܥ ܡܳܪܝ ܛܠܺܝܡܽܘܬܶܗ
ܕܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ

2.

ܥܰܠܘ ܐܶܬܐܣܺܝܡܘ ܫ̈ܰܒܛܶܐ
ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܘܟܰܕ ܢܦܰܩܘ ܘܐܶܬܦܪܶܫܘ
ܚܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܡܟܰܠܶܠ ܗܘܳܐ
ܘܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܫܠܺܝܚܺܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ
ܘܚܶܣܕܳܐ ܛܥܺܝܢܺܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ
ܒܫܰܒܛܳܐ ܚܙܰܝ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ
ܕܚܰܪܬܳܐ
ܕܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܙܰܢܳܝ̈ܶܐ
ܩܳܝܡܺܝܢ ܒܟܽܘܐܳܪܳܐ
ܘܰܡܦܰܪܶܓ ܒܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ
ܦܰܓܪܽܗܘܢ ܕܩܰܕܺܝܫ̈ܶܐ

3.

ܗܽܘ ܕܶܝܢ ܗܰܘ ܫܰܒܛܳܐ
ܐܶܬܣܺܝܡ ܒܐܪܽܘܢܳܐ
ܘܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܬܰܡܳܢ ܗܘܳܐ
ܡܗܰܒܶܒ ܘܪܳܘܶܙ ܗܘܳܐ
ܪܳܐܙܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܐ
ܕܒܶܗ ܪܳܘܙܺܝܢ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܶܐ
ܡܢܢܳܐ ܢܦܺܝܣ ܥܠܰܘܗܝ
ܕܠܳܐ ܚܳܡܝ
ܕܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܒܓܰܘ ܩܶܣܛܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܣܪܺܝ ܕܰܣܪܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ
ܐ̱ܪܳܙܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܡܳܝܽܘ̈ܬܶܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܝܬܶܝܢ ܒܰܥܕܶܢ

4.

ܚܽܘܛܪܶܗ ܕܒܰܪ ܥܰܡܪܰܡ
ܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܩܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܶܠܝ
ܘܐܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܟܝܳܢܶܗ
ܩܢܳܐ ܨܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܘܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
܀܀܀
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܬܶܫܦܰܪ
ܨܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܕܒܰܟܝܳܢܶܗ
ܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܘܰܪܚܶܫ
ܒܡܶܠܬܳܐ
ܘܐܶܢܗܽܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܝܳܕܶܗ
ܩܢܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ
ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܦܢܶܐ
ܠܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ

5.

ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܢܛܰܪ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ
ܘܰܬܒܰܪ ܫܕܳܐ ܠܽܘ̈ܚܶܐ
ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܡܶܢ ܠܽܘ̈ܚܶܐ
ܫܠܰܕܳܐ ܡܙܰܝܰܚ ܗܘܳܐ
ܠܽܘ̈ܚܶܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܠܽܘ̈ܚܶܐ
ܓܠܰܦ ܗܘܳܐ ܕܢܰܠܶܦ ܗܘܳܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܡܙܰܡܢܰܢ
ܠܰܘ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܚܪܺܝܢ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ
ܚܠܳܦ ܗܰܘ ܕܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ
ܢܦܰܩ ܗܘܳܐ ܕܢܰܘܕܰܥ ܗܘܳܐ
ܕܗܳܢܰܘ ܕܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ

6.

ܐܶܢ ܐܢܳܫ ܩܰܪܶܒ ܗܘܳܐ
ܠܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ
ܟܬܰܒ ܛܰܡܐܶܗ ܡܽܘܫܶܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܛܰܡܐܽܘܗܝ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ
ܐܰܪ̈ܒܥܺܝܢ ܫ̈ܢܺܝܢ ܗܰܠܶܟ
ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܡܰܫܪܺܝܬܳܐ
ܐ̱ܪܳܙܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܨܳܪ ܬܰܡܳܢ
ܠܥܺܕܬܳܐ
ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܡܶܬܟܪܶܙ ܟܽܠܝܘܢ
ܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܨܠܺܝܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܗܰܠܶܟ ܒܡܰܫܪܺܝܬܳܐ

7.

ܒܨܶܒܥܳܐ ܕܨܰܝܳܪܳܐ
܀܀܀
ܘܥܽܘܬܪܳܐ ܕܣܰܡ̈ܡܳܢܶܐ
ܡܶܬܬܨܺܝܪ ܨܠܶܡ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ
ܘܡܶܛܽܘܠ ܕܰܒܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ
ܡܶܬܚܫܶܠ ܒܐܽܘܡ̈ܳܢܶܐ
ܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܒܳܠܶܐ
ܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ ܠܨܰܠܡ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܡܪܰܡܪܡܺܝܢ
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܚܙܳܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ
ܕܐܶܬܡܙܰܓ ܒܓܰܘ ܨܰܠܡܶܗ
ܠܒܶܫ ܝܽܘܩܢܶܗ ܝܺܬܶܒ
ܕܒܶܗ ܢܶܣܬܓܶܕ ܨܰܠܡܶܗ

8.

ܐܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܥܒܰܕ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ
ܕܶܫܬܺܝܢ ܘܫܶܬ ܐܰܡ̈ܺܝܢ
ܘܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܙܥܽܘܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܒܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܨܒܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܪܰܒ
ܟܰܢܶܫ ܠܗܰܘ ܨܰܠܡܶܗ
ܣܶܓܕܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܟܣܰܣܬ
ܡܳܪܰܢ ܥܒܰܕ ܬܶܗܪܳܐ
ܒܡܰܐܬܝܶܗ
ܕܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܣܰܟܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܙܥܰܪ ܫܺܝܛܳܐ
ܘܟܰܢܶܫ ܒܗܰܘ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ
ܣܶܓܕܬܳܐ ܡܒܰܕܰܪܬܳܐ

9.

ܐܳܕܳܡ ܗܦܰܟ ܠܐܰܪܥܶܗ
ܘܰܥܒܰܕ ܕܝܰܬܩܺܐ
ܟܬܰܒ ܚܳܒ ܠܶܗ ܣܰܓܺܝ
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܠܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ
ܒܰܥܒܳܪ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ
ܛܰܒܥܶܗ ܠܡܰܫܟܢܳܐ
ܡܳܪܰܢ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܦܰܪܩܶܗ
ܘܢܰܚܡܶܗ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܗܦܰܟ ܘܰܟܬܰܒ
ܘܥܶܪܒܰܬ ܫܝܽܘܠ ܥܰܡܶܗ
܀܀܀
ܕܟܽܠ ܡܳܐ ܕܒܰܙܘ̱ ܘܰܚܛܰܦܘ̱
ܢܶܦܢܽܘܢ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ

10.

ܐܶܠܥܳܐ ܕܚܰܘܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ
ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܘܒܳܗ̇ ܣܶܓܝܰܬ
ܓܰܪܡܳܐ ܓܣܳܐ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ
ܘܪ̈ܶܓܫܶܐ ܘܫܰܪ̈ܝܳܢܶܐ
ܫܒܶܫܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܡܶܢ ܐܳܕܳܡ
ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܗܽܘ ܟܣܶܐ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ
ܕܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܕܗܳܐ ܥܰܦܪܳܗ̇
ܒܓܰܘ ܫܝܽܘܠ
ܟܡܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܕܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ
ܠܰܐܪܕܺܟܠܳܐ ܕܟܽܠܳܐ
ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܘܒܶܗ ܢܶܒܢܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ
ܒܪܶܡܙܳܐ ܕܡܶܐܬܺܝܬܶܗ

11.

ܡܰܘܠܕܺܝܢ ܒܓܰܘ ܡܰܝ̈ܳܐ
ܢܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ
ܘܝܰܡܳܐ ܕܩܳܛܽܘܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܥܽܘܡܩܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܡܰܚܶܐ
ܘܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܡܰܪܺܝܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܒܥܽܘܒܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܠܗܶܝܢ ܡܰܝܢܶܩ
ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܠܡܳܪܳܐ ܟܽܠ
ܡܩܰܠܣܳܢ
ܕܢܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܝܰܡܳܐ
ܕܳܝܨܺܝܢ ܒܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܶܗ
ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܣܠܶܩܘ̱ ܠܳܐܐܰܪ
ܐܶܬܚܢܶܩܘ̱ ܒܚܰܝܽܘܬܳܐ

12.

ܠܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܢܶܦܗܽܘܢܳܟ
ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ
ܕܚܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܕܶܐܢ ܦܩܰܕ
ܠܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܡܰܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܠܳܟ
ܘܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܕܶܐܢ ܪܳܡܶܙ
ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܢܰܚܶܡ ܠܳܟ
ܒܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ
ܫܟܺܝܚ ܟܽܠ
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ
ܫܶܢܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܩܰܒܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܘܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܠܚ̈ܰܛܳܝܶܐ
ܩܳܛܠܺܝܢ ܒܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ

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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