Hymn XXVIII (Carmina Nisibena XXVIII)

Fourteen stanzas of sustained grief — the Church as a mother mourning children who have not died but have departed alive in schism. The hymn opens with a nature analogy (stanzas 1-3): trees are ugly in their wounds but desirable in their fruits; how much more should humans feel their pains, since their sins caused their scourging. Branches that were trimmed leave ugly stumps; cracks are hateful when wide open; how much more loathsome if they remain so. Stanza 4 returns to the garment metaphor from Hymn XXVII: a garment tore itself and was mended by Christ, tore again and was repaired again, was drenched in his blood and washed — yet it rebelled against him. The central section (stanzas 7-10) is the hymn's emotional core: the Church mourns that her children departed alive — worse than death, for the dead can be buried with psalms and committed to the Giver of life for the resurrection, but these 'living dead' are neither buried nor forgotten. She mourns in two ways: those who died on the road were buried in foreign lands, but those who died in their own homes were driven out. Stanzas 11-13 build toward resolution through the animal analogy: the cow and she-goat cry for their lost young, and when the young return, they leap for joy; the Church fears being rebuked by beasts who mourn their offspring more faithfully than she does. The closing stanza invokes Jeremiah 8:7: the foolish Synagogue was shamed by the stork and swallow who keep their appointed times — to shame freedom, God praised the birds.

The melody is 'of its melody' — a continuation of the tune from Hymn XXVII.

I.

If natures, my Lord,
are hated in their pains,
ugly in their sufferings,
loathsome in their blemishes —
yet desirable in their fruits
and beautiful in their beauties —

II.

How much more should human beings
feel their pains,
lament in their mourning,
and be ashamed of their blemishes —
for their sins
were the cause of their scourging.

III.

The branches that were trimmed —
their stumps are ugly;
and cracks are hateful
when they are wide open.
How much more loathsome, my Lord,
if they remain so.

IV.

A garment tore itself
and you turned and mended it;
again it tore its rents,
and you added and repaired it.
In your blood it was drenched, my Lord,
and was washed — yet it rebelled against you.

V.

Is there still hope
for my rents to be mended?
Even though they are broken, my Lord,
they grope toward you, seeking;
and even though they slipped and fell,
they hoped they had reached you.

VI.

Show them yourself,
our light, for they seek you.
Though they slipped and fell, they hoped
that somehow they might rise.
Bow down and show, my Lord,
that toward the fallen you have bowed.

VII.

The years have trampled — my children
departed from me and are gone.
My daughters-in-law buried and forgot
the mourning for their children.
But my children are not forgotten,
for my dead are not buried.

VIII.

Let not your zealous servants
mock me, my Lord,
nor reproach me for weeping
for my dead who yet live —
for would that instead of living
they had departed from me in death!

IX.

Would that I had hastened and laid
my hands upon their eyes,
escorted them with psalms,
and committed them to the Giver of all life —
that in the resurrection
he would return them to me, that I might see them!

X.

But no, my Lord — I mourn for them in two ways:
the one who died on the road
was buried in a foreign land;
but those who died in their own homes
were driven out
from their dwellings.

XI.

Make, my Lord, of their lives
a resurrection of repentance,
and multiply for their deaths
hymns of jubilation.
Let us rejoice in their lives
and celebrate their remains!

XII.

By the voice of the cow and the she-goat,
let us learn to mourn —
they cry because their children
are gone, are lost;
and as though they themselves, my Lord,
are perishing with the perished.

XIII.

And if they are found and return,
again rejoice and leap!
As though they themselves, my Lord,
are found again and restored.
How I fear lest
you rebuke me by the beasts!

XIV.

The foolish Synagogue
you rebuked greatly, my Lord,
by the stork and the swallow
who keep their appointed times.
To shame freedom,
you praised the birds.

Colophon

Translated from Classical Syriac by Yaqob, a Good Works tulku, 2026. Source text: Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC), file 286.xml, CC BY 4.0 (syriaccorpus.org/286), based on the critical edition of Edmund Beck, Carmina Nisibena (CSCO 218/219, Louvain, 1961). Translation prepared directly from the Syriac. Lexical verification against Payne Smith's Thesaurus Syriacus and SEDRA (sedra.bethmardutho.org). No existing English translation of the Carmina Nisibena was consulted during translation.

Biblical parallels identified: Jeremiah 8:7 (the stork and swallow who keep their appointed times, stanza 14).

The 'living dead' of stanzas 7-10 are Christians who departed in schism — worse than the physically dead, because the dead can be buried with psalms and committed to the resurrection, while the schismatics are neither dead nor alive, neither buried nor present.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 28 (Carmina Nisibena 28)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܐܶܢܗܽܘ ܕܰܟܝ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣܢܶܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܟܺܐܒܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܫܟܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܒܚܰܫܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܢܕܺܝܕܺܝܢ ܒܡܽܘ̈ܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܶܐ ܒܦܺܐܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܦܐܶܝܢ ܒܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ

2.

ܟܡܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܒܢܰܝ̈ܢܳܫܳܐ ܢܶܪܓܫܽܘܢ ܒܟܺܐܒܰܝ̈݁ܗܽܘܢ
ܘܢܰܟܪܽܘܢ ܒܶܐܒܠܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܘܢܶܒܗܬܽܘܢ ܒܡܽܘܡܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܕܰܗܘܰܘ ܚܛܳܗ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܥܶܠܬܳܐ ܠܢ̈ܶܓܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ

3.

ܣܰܘ̈ܟܶܐ ܕܶܐܬܦܰܫܰܚ ܚܒܳܪ̈ܳܬܗܶܝܢ ܣܰܢܝܳܢ
ܘܣܶܕܩ̈ܶܐ ܣܢܶܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܡܳܐ ܕܛܳܒ ܐܶܬܡܰܠܺܝܘ
ܟܡܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܢܕܺܝܕܺܝܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܶܢ ܦܳܝܫܺܝܢ ܗܳܟܰܢ

4.

ܢܰܚܬܳܐ ܣܼܕܶܩ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܘܰܗܦܰܟܬ ܡܰܠܺܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
ܘܰܗܼܦܰܟ ܬܢܳܐ ܣܶܕܩ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܐܘܣܶܦܬ ܘܰܐܬܩܶܢܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ
ܒܕܰܡܳܟ ܐܬܦܰܠܦܰܠ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܘܶܐܬܡܣܺܝ ܡܼܪܰܕ ܡܶܢܳܟ

5.

ܐܺܝܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܥܕܰܟܺܝܠ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܠܣܶܕܩ̈ܰܝ ܕܢܶܬܡܰܠܽܘܢ
ܕܳܐܦܶܢ ܫܘܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܳܟ ܡܳܝܫܺܝܢ ܒܳܥܶܝܢ
ܘܳܐܦܶܢ ܫܼܪܰܥܘ̱ ܘܰܢܦܼܰܠܘ̱ ܠܘܳܬܳܟ ܣܒܰܪܘ̱ ܕܰܫܼܪܰܟܘ̱

6.

ܚܰܘܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܢܽܘܗܪܰܢ ܕܒܳܥܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ
ܘܕܰܫܼܪܰܥܘ̱ ܢܦܼܰܠܘ̱ ܘܰܣܒܰܪܘ̱ ܕܟܶܐܡܰܬ ܡܩܳܡ ܗܽܘ ܩܳܡ
ܐܶܬܪܟܶܢ ܘܰܚܘܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܕܨܶܝܕ ܢ̈ܳܦܠܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܪܰܟܶܢܬ

7.

ܘܕܳܫܬ ܫ̈ܳܢܺܝܢ ܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝ ܦܪܰܫܘ̱ ܡܶܢܝ̱ ܘܠܰܝܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܢܶܫ̈ܰܝ ܩܒܼܰܪ ܘܰܛ̈ܥܰܝ ܐܶܒ̈ܠܶܐ ܕܝܰܠܕܰܝ̈ܗܶܝܢ
ܠܳܐ ܐܶܬܛܥܺܝܘ ܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܶܬܩܒܰܪܘ̱ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܰܝ

8.

ܠܳܐ ܢܰܗ̇ܠܽܘܢ ܒܺܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܥܰܒܼ̈ܕܰܝܟ ܛܰܢܳܢ̈ܶܐ
ܠܳܐ ܢܶܥܕܠܽܘܢ ܕܶܐܒܟܶܐ ܠܡ̈ܺܝܬܰܝ ܒܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܕܰܠܘܰܝ ܚܠܳܦ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܦܪܰܫܼܘ̱ ܗܘܰܘ ܡܶܢܝ̱

9.

ܠܘܰܝ ܪܶܚܦܶܬ ܣܳܡܶܬ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝ ܥܰܠ ܥܰܝܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ
ܘܰܠܘܺܝܬ ܒܡܰܙܡܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܶܐܬܓܰܥܠܶܬ ܠܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܕܠܺܝ ܬܽܘܒ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܢܰܦܢܶܐ ܕܶܐܚܙܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ

10.

ܘܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܕܗܳܐ ܒܬܰܪ̈ܬܶܝܢ ܥܠܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܒܺܝܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܡܺܝܬ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܐܶܬܩܒܰܪ ܒܰܐܟܣܶܢܝܳܐ
ܘܰܕܡܺܝܬܘ̱ ܒܥܽܘܡܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܶܬܢܕܶܕܘ̱ ܒܟܶܕ̈ܟܰܝܗܽܘܢ؟

11.

ܥܒܶܕ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡ ܬܝܳܒܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܐܣܓܳܐ ܠܡ̈ܰܘܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܗܽܘܠܳܠ ܙܡܺܝܪ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܢܶܚܼܕܶܐ ܒܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܢܙܰܝܰܚ ܫܠܰܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ

12.

ܒܩܳܠ ܬܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܘܢܶܩܝܳܐ ܢܰܐܠܶܦ ܠܡܰܟܪܳܝܽܘ
ܕܓܳܥܶܝܢ ܕܠܰܝܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܢܰܝ̈ܗܶܝܢ ܕܰܐܒܺܝܕܺܝܢ
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܗܰܘ ܕܗܶܢܶܝܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܳܒܕܳܢ ܒܰܐܒܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ

13.

ܘܶܐܢ ܐܶܫܬܟܰܚܘ̱ ܘܰܦܢܰܘ ܬܽܘܒ ܐܶܬܦܨܰܚ ܘܰܣܘܼܰܚ
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܗܰܘ ܕܗܶܢܶܝܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܬܽܘܒ ܐܶܫܬܟܰܚ ܘܰܦܼܢܺܝ
ܡܳܐ ܕܳܚܠܳܢܝ̱ ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܬܚܰܣܕܳܢܝ̱ ܒܚ̈ܰܝܘܳܬܳܐ

14.

ܠܰܟܢܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܣܰܟܠܳܬܳܐ ܚܶܣܕܶܬ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣ̇ܰܓܺܝ
ܒܚܽܘܪܒܳܐ ܘܰܣܢܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܰܡ̈ܛܰܟܣܳܢ ܙܰܒ̈ܢܶܐ
ܕܢܶܒܗܰܬ ܠܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܩܰܠܶܣ ܠܦܳܪܰܚܬܳܐ

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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