Hymn XXXI (Carmina Nisibena XXXI)

Thirty-seven stanzas on Bishop Bitus of Harran — the longest of the Harran cycle (Hymns 31-33). Ephrem reads the Jacob-Laban narrative as a sustained typological key to the relationship between the Christian community in Edessa and the pagan city of Harran, only sixty kilometres to the southeast. Harran remained a centre of pagan worship — particularly of the moon-god Sin — well into the Islamic period, long after Ephrem's death. The "worshiper" of stanza 1 is Bitus, bishop of Harran, who is praised for clothing himself in the virtues of Abraham and Jacob while serving a hostile city. The hymn moves through the Jacob cycle: Laban's substitution of Leah for Rachel, the changing of wages ten times, the spotted-and-white flocks, the dream that defeated Laban, Eliezer's gift-laden camels, and Jacob's staff and poverty — each episode read as illuminating the present conflict between Christian mission and pagan resistance. The final movement (stanzas 22-37) shifts to direct petition: let the bitter root accept the sweet; help the Farmer plant the thirsty land; let wolves become sheep and thorns become seed. The stanza form is tricola: three lines of 7+7 syllables, the standard Nisibis metre.

Melody: "On Bishop Bitus of Harran"

I.

Remember, my Lord, the prayers
of Abraham in Harran,
of Jacob in Paddan —
and comfort your worshiper
who took them up and clothed himself
in his love for your beloved ones.

II.

He was adorned with their adornments
and excelled through their fasts;
and gazing in your mirror
he grew yet more beautiful —
the modest one who from the whole vine
withheld his mouth.

III.

Harran is accustomed, my Lord,
to oppress the house of Jacob —
the deceiver of his labors
sinned and stood in judgment,
for she wished to deceive and brought in
a sister in place of her sister.

IV.

"It is not done thus in our land,"
said Laban —
your custom testifies against you:
either you alone are false
and your land is pure and true,
or your land is stamped in you.

V.

For that you changed his wages
ten times
and cast him here and there —
is this too your land's custom,
that they not pay the wage,
that when they have reaped, they cheat and lie?

VI.

The careless one left his treasure
and went up to contend
with him who had endured
his ambushes and his thorns —
to deceive the truthful one
and reproach the beautiful one.

VII.

The wakeful one stood vigil
on the road and in Harran.
Laban was defeated in his sleep,
for the dream conquered him and brought
a crown to that vigil —
the reward of his wakefulness.

VIII.

He chose the spotted ones and lost,
and was vanquished by the white.
Bare was his persuasion —
Laban in his changes:
a cloud of turnings,
a wheel of transformations.

IX.

His Lord saw his labor —
that when wronged, he was silent,
that when insulted, he forbore,
that he multiplied his prayers.
The Hearer of prayers
crowned him with victories.

X.

The old man Eliezer
went down to betroth his sister —
when he saw his cunning,
with every gift he buried him;
for Laban had clothed himself
in the household and its inhabitants.

XI.

He loaded ten camels
and brought of all good things
to persuade every mouth.
He bought freedom
and bribed the hunger
of Harran with his offerings.

XII.

That handsome one too —
by wisdom he stole them.
For it is written that he gave to her father,
and written that he gave to her mother;
on Laban he was lavish and multiplied,
for their tongue was his.

XIII.

His custom came to seek
that companion of the flock —
sent forth bearing a staff,
a figure of the cross;
poor and honest,
he was buried in every device.

XIV.

They deceived him in the flock,
his ambushes at the feast —
a man without God,
how could he prosper?
His own daughters he hated —
on whom then could he show mercy?

XV.

The honest believed the deceiver
and trusted his promises,
because he sheltered himself
in the name of Abraham.
At the hour of the feast
he deceived the bridegroom in the midst.

XVI.

And because he was leading astray
the seed of Abraham,
Jacob became the crucible
in which his copper was revealed;
it was known through his changes
that he was an enemy of the house of Isaac.

XVII.

He boiled over and did not conceal
his evil, so as to adorn himself.
"Compulsion," he said, "constrained me" —
that he might be without grace.
He showed that his will
is the opposite of reconciliation.

XVIII.

Jacob, who was a son of peace,
rejoiced in that peace
and bought it with simplicity
from the greedy one who delights in it.
The just stood before the just —
the worshiped before his worshiper.

XIX.

He was envied wickedly
and scorned presumptuously,
pursued hastily
and prayed earnestly,
and was delivered wonderfully
and rejoiced abundantly.

XX.

Laban saw that whatever
he did turned to its opposite —
it became his, instead of Jacob's.
He turned back to make peace;
he set up a covenant with him,
and kissed him, released him, and departed.

XXI.

The pure one was wholly separated
from him who was wholly troubled.
The just one cut them off
and forever divided them:
to the depth sank the dregs,
to the height returned the pure one.

XXII.

My prayer, my Lord, is that not thus
you act in our days —
for if the root
admits what is bitter,
let it taste of the sweet also,
and though they be unworthy, reconcile them.

XXIII.

How easy it is, my Lord,
for the Sovereign — for natures
are not so bound
they cannot turn and be one.
Let the fallen seek,
and let the standing support.

XXIV.

For if animals
accept, love, and nurse
offspring alien
to their nature —
and if separated, by their cries
they proclaim their suffering —

XXV.

let us resemble the Watchers, my Lord,
who rejoice over the penitent,
lest I be accounted a mourner
or greatly blameworthy:
a mother without mercy
am I reckoned among the Watchers.

XXVI.

How my womb aches
for my children who are mine!
They are children of my nature,
and once were children of my truth.
Let them know by their fruits
that they have angered the Farmer.

XXVII.

Comfort the Farmer,
for alongside his planting — briars,
and flood and whirlwind
restrained the new planting.
The old planting they ruined —
through servants they wrought outrage.

XXVIII.

Comfort the Farmer
whose vine drooped at its beginning:
a worm in the ground
and mold in the storehouse —
what blighted within
consumed what was without.

XXIX.

Let him who was wronged in both
be enriched in both:
bless the seed in the field,
fill the storehouses within —
new and old,
let him prosper in his teaching.

XXX.

A new shepherd went out
and they met him — the fierce and the defiant,
the rough and the sharp.
They drove off the sheep;
they loved the wolves and believed
that the shepherd was the wolf.

XXXI.

For the eye of the oppressor
was drunken in darkness.
Their sight and their mind —
set them right through your light,
that toward the shepherd they may turn
and his lambs they may tend.

XXXII.

And because lambs and wolves
are mingled in the fold —
the sheep that tore his companion:
rebuke Satan, my Lord,
who from innocent lambs
has made fearsome leopards.

XXXIII.

Who would grant the shepherd of sheep
that wolves he might transform?
Who would grant the farmer
that weeds
he might transform
into wheat?

XXXIV.

Behold, to the priests is given the charge
to transform wolves —
and alongside them, the weeds.
By the Word — behold, they labor
that wolves might become sheep
and thorns might become seed.

XXXV.

Help the Farmer
to plant the thirsty land
with springs, with myrtle and juniper,
with rational plants
and Christian mysteries.

XXXVI.

Let their branches become
a shelter for the birds —
weary ones from afar
who come to sing to you:
David with psalmodies,
and praise with melodies.

XXXVII.

And the lowly one who honored his wing
yet refused and shut his mouth —
to vigil and to praise:
by their harp, the vigil-keepers,
by their lyre, the modest ones —
let them entreat on my behalf, our Lord.

Colophon

Translated from Classical Syriac by Addai, a Good Works tulku, 2026. Source text: Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC), file 289.xml, CC BY 4.0 (syriaccorpus.org/289), 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: Genesis 24 (Eliezer's mission, stanzas 10-12); Genesis 29-31 (Jacob and Laban cycle, passim); Genesis 30:25-43 (spotted and white flocks, stanza 8); Genesis 31:7 (wages changed ten times, stanza 5); Genesis 31:10-13 (the dream, stanza 7); Luke 15:7 (joy over the penitent, stanza 25); Matthew 13:24-30 (wheat and weeds, stanzas 33-34).

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

🌲

Source Text: Ephrem the Syrian — Hymns on Nisibis, Hymn 31 (Carmina Nisibena 31)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܕܥܰܠ ܒܺܝܛܽܘܣ ܐܶܦܺܝܣܩܽܘܦܳܐ ܕܚܳܪܳܢ

1.

ܥܗܼܰܕ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܨ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܒܓܰܘ ܚܳܪܳܢ
ܕܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܒܦܰܕܳܢܳܐ ܘܒܰܝܰܐ ܠܣܳܓܽܘܕܳܟ
ܕܰܫܩܼܰܠ ܠܒܼܶܫ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܚܽܘܒܶܗ ܠܚܰܒܺܝ̈ܒܰܝܟ

2.

ܘܰܫܼܦܰܪ ܒܨܶܒ̈ܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܢܨܰܚ ܒܨܰܘܡ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܘܰܕܚܳܪ ܒܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܟ ܐܰܘܣܶܦ ܫܼܦܰܪ ܣܰܓܺܝ
ܢܰܟܦܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܓܦܶܬܳܐ ܚܣܼܰܠ ܦܽܘܡܶܗ

3.

ܡܥܳܕܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܚܳܪܳܢ ܕܰܬܥܺܝܩ ܠܒܶܝܬ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ
ܛܳܠܽܘܡܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܡ̈ܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܣܟܶܠ ܘܩܳܡ ܕܳܐܶܢ
ܕܰܨܒܳܬ ܢܟܰܠ ܘܰܐܥܶܠ ܚܳܬܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܚܳܬܳܗ̇

4.

ܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܥܒܶܕ ܗܳܟܰܢ ܒܰܐܬܪܰܢ ܐܡܰܪ ܠܳܒܳܢ
ܥܺܝܕܳܟ ܢܦܺܝܣ ܥܠܰܝܟ ܕܰܐܘ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܚܽܘܕ ܕܰܓܶܠ
ܘܰܐܬܪܳܟ ܫܦܶܐ ܘܫܰܪܺܝܪ ܐܰܘ ܒܳܟ ܛܒܺܝܥ ܐܰܬܪܳܟ

5.

ܗܳܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܚܰܠܶܦܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܐܓܪܶܗ ܥܣܰܪ ܙܰܒ̈ܢܺܝܢ
ܘܡܶܟܳܐ ܘܰܠܟܳܐ ܫܕܰܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܡܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܰܐܬܪܳܟ ܗ̱ܺܝ
ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܠܽܘܢ ܐܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܡܳܐ ܕܩܰܨܘ̱ ܛܠܰܡܘ̱ ܕܰܓܶܠܘ̱

6.

ܐܰܪܫܶܠ ܫܒܼܰܩ ܓܰܙܶܗ ܘܰܣܠܼܶܩ ܕܢܶܬܟܰܬܰܫ
ܥܰܡ ܗܰܘ ܕܣܰܝܒܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܡܺܐ̈ܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܥܽܘܩ̈ܣܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܕܰܢܟܼܶܠ ܠܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܘܚܰܣܶܕ ܠܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ

7.

ܕܥܺܝܪܳܐ ܠܫܰܗܪܳܐ ܩܳܡ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܘܰܒܓܰܘ ܚܳܪܳܢ
ܚܳܒ ܒܫܶܢܬܶܗ ܠܳܒܳܢ ܕܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܐܝܬܺܝ
ܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܫܰܗܪܳܐ ܐܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܥܺܝܪܽܘܬܶܗ

8.

ܓܒܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܩܰܪ̈ܚܶܐ ܚܳܒ ܘܶܐܙܕܰܟܺܝ ܒܚܶܘܳܪ̈ܶܐ
ܩܪܰܚ ܦܝܳܣܶܟܝ̱ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܒܳܢ ܒܫܽܘܚ̈ܠܳܦܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܥܢܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܚ̈ܽܘܠܳܦܶܐ ܘܓܺܝܓܠܳܐ ܕܫܽܘܚ̈ܠܳܦܶܐ

9.

ܡܳܪܶܗ ܚܼܙܳܐ ܥܰܡܠܶܗ ܘܰܕܟܰܕ ܛܠܺܝܡ ܫܰܬܺܝܩ
ܘܰܕܟܰܕ ܥܠܺܝܒ ܡܰܗܡܶܐ ܘܕܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܨܠܰܘ̈ܳܬܶܗ
ܟܰܠܠܶܗ ܒܢܶܨ̈ܚܳܢܶܐ ܫܳܡܰܥ ܨܠܰܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ

10.

ܣܳܒܳܐ ܐܶܠܺܝܥܳܙܳܪ ܕܰܢܚܼܶܬ ܡܟܰܪ ܚܳܬܶܗ
ܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܨܢܺܝܥܽܘܬܶܗ ܒܟܽܠ ܡܰܘܗ̈ܒܳܢ ܛܰܡܪܶܗ
ܕܠܳܒܳܢ ܠܒܺܝܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܒܰܝܬܳܐ ܘܰܠܥܳܡܽܘܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ

11.

ܓܰܡ̈ܠܶܐ ܥܣܰܪ ܛܥܼܶܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܰܐܝܬܺܝ ܠܟܽܠ ܛܽܘ̈ܒܺܝܢ
ܕܰܢܦܺܝܣ ܠܟܽܠ ܦܽܘܡܺܝ̈ܢ ܙܰܒܢܳܗ̇ ܠܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܫܚܕܳܗ̇ ܠܟܰܦܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܚܳܪܳܢ ܒܩܽܘܪ̈ܒܳܢܰܘܗ̱ܝ

12.

ܐܳܦ ܗܰܘ ܗܕܺܝܪ ܐܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܒܚܶܟܡܳܐ ܓܢܼܰܒ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܟܬܺܝܒ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̇ ܘܰܟܬܺܝܒ ܕܰܝܗ̱ܒ ܠܶܐܡܳܗ̇
ܒܠܳܒܳܢ ܣܦܳܐ ܘܰܐܣܼܓܺܝ ܕܠܶܫܳܢܗܽܘܢ ܗܼܽܘ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ

13.

ܥܺܝܕܶܗ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܒܥܶܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܗܰܘ ܚܒܰܪ ܥܽܘܦܳܐ
ܕܰܫܠܺܝܚ ܫܩܺܝܠ ܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ ܢܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܡܶܣܟܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܰܫܦܶܐ ܛܰܡܪܶܗ ܒܟܽܠ ܨ̈ܶܢܥܳܢ

14.

ܢܰܟܠܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܳܢܳܐ ܟܡܺܐܢ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܡܶܫܬܽܘܬܳܐ
ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܰܠܳܗ ܘܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܡܨܶܐ ܕܰܢܫܰܪ
ܒ̈ܢܳܬܶܗ ܣܢܳܐ ܘܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܡܨܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܢܶܬܪܰܚܰܡ

15.

ܫܰܦܝܳܐ ܠܢܳܟܽܘܠܳܐ ܗܰܝܡܶܢܘ̱ ܒܫܽܘܘܕ̈ܳܝܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܡܶܛܽܘܠ ܕܶܐܣܬܰܬܰܪ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ
ܒܥܶܕܳܢ ܒܡܶܫܬܽܘܬܳܐ ܢܟܼܶܠ ܡܰܨܥܶܗ ܠܚܰܬܢܳܐ

16.

ܘܡܶܛܽܠ ܕܡܰܛܥܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܓܶܢܣܶܗ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ
ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܶܬܓܠܺܝ ܢܚܳܫܶܗ
ܘܶܐܬܺܝܕܰܥ ܒܫܽܘܚ̈ܠܳܦܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܣܢܐܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܐܺܝܣܚܳܩ

17.

ܪܬܰܚ ܠܶܗ ܘܠܳܐ ܛܰܫܺܝ ܒܺܝܫܬܶܗ ܕܰܢܨܰܛܒܶܬ
ܩܛܺܝܪܳܐ ܐܶܡܼܰܪ ܕܰܟܠܳܢܝ̱ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܛܰܝܒܽܘ
ܚܰܘܺܝ ܕܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܣܰܩܽܘܒܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܬܰܪܥܽܘܬܳܐ

18.

ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܕܒܰܪ ܫܰܝܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܚܼܕܺܝ ܒܶܗ ܒܗܰܘ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ
ܘܙܰܒܢܶܗ ܒܫܳܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܕܶܐ ܒܳܗ̇
ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܠܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܩܳܡ ܣܓܺܝܕܳܐ ܠܣܳܓܽܘܕܶܗ

19.

ܕܶܐܬܚܣܶܡ ܣܰܢܝܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܣܬܩܰܪ ܥܪܺܝܨܳܐܺܝܬ
ܐܶܬܪܕܶܦ ܪܗܺܝܒܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܨܰܠܺܝ ܬܟܺܝܒܳܐܺܝܬ
ܘܶܐܬܦܪܶܩ ܬܡܺܝܗܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܬܦܨܰܚ ܫܦܺܝܥܳܐܺܝܬ

20.

ܠܳܒܳܢ ܚܼܙܳܐ ܕܠܳܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܒܼܰܕ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܩܽܘܒܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܚܠܳܦ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܗܼܦܰܟ ܠܶܗ ܕܢܶܫܬܰܝܰܢ
ܩܝܳܡܳܐ ܐܰܩܺܝܡ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܘܰܢܫܼܰܩ ܫܪܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܐܫܩܶܠ

21.

ܘܰܐܓܗܺܝ ܫܦܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܠܺܝܚ ܟܽܠܶܗ
ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܦܣܼܰܩ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܦܼܪܰܫ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܠܥܽܘܡܩܶܗ ܢܚܼܶܬ ܬܶܛܪܳܐ ܠܪܰܘܡܶܗ ܦܢܳܐ ܫܰܦܝܳܐ

22.

ܨܠܽܘܬܝ̱ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܕܠܰܘ ܗܳܟܰܢ ܬܶܥܒܶܕ ܒܝܰܘܡ̈ܳܬܰܢ
ܕܶܐܢܗܼܽܘ ܕܥܶܩܳܪܶܗ ܡܩܰܒܶܠ ܕܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ
ܠܚܰܠܝܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܥܰܡ ܒܶܗ ܘܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܫܘܶܝܢ ܐܳܘܳܝܢ

23.

ܟܡܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܦܫܺܝܩܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܰܡܫ̈ܰܠܛܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ
ܟܝ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܐܰܣܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܢܶܦܢܽܘܢ ܘܚܰܕ ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ
ܘܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܦܼܰܠ ܢܶܒܥܶܐ ܘܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܩܳܡ ܢܶܣܡܽܘܟ

24.

ܐܶܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ ܝ̈ܰܠܕܶܐ ܕܢܽܘܟܪ̈ܳܝܺܝܢ
ܠܰܟܝܳܢܰܗܶܝܢ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܪܚܶܡ ܘܺܐܝܢܶܩ
ܘܶܐܢ ܦܼܪܰܫܘ̱ ܒܩ̈ܳܠܝܰܗܶܝܢ ܡܰܟܪ̈ܙܳܢ ܥܰܠ ܚܰܫ̈ܰܝܗܶܝܢ

25.

ܠܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܕܰܡܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܚ̈ܳܕܝܰܝ ܒܬܰܝ̈ܳܒܶܐ
ܕܶܐܠܳܐ ܐܰܒܺܝܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܥܕܺܝܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܶܐܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܠܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܫܺܝܒܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ

26.

ܟܡܳܐ ܡܚܰܝܢܺܝܢ ܥܽܘ̈ܒܰܝ ܠܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝ ܕܡܶܢܝ̱ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ
ܘܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܟܝܳܢܝ̱ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܘܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܫܪܳܪܝ̱ ܒܰܙܒܰܢ
ܢܶܪܥܽܘܢ ܒܦܺܐܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܰܐܪܓܙܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܦܰܠܳܚܳܐ

27.

ܒܰܝܰܐ ܠܦܰܠܳܚܳܐ ܕܥܰܡ ܢܶܨܒܬܶܗ ܒܰܪܕܳܐ
ܘܓܰܪܦܳܐ ܘܡܳܡܽܘܠܳܐ ܟܠܰܘ ܢܶܨܒܬܳܐ ܚܕܰܬܳܐ
ܥܰܬܺܝܩܬܳܐ ܣܰܓܶܦܘ̱ ܒܥܰܒ̈ܕܶܐ ܥܒܰܕ ܓܽܘܢܚܳܐ

28.

ܒܰܝܰܐ ܠܰܐܟܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܪܦܶܬܬ ܒܫܽܘܪܶܝܗ
ܬܽܘܠܥܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܘܒܰܐܘܨܳܪܳܐ ܩܳܠܡܳܐ
ܒܪܶܡܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܠܓܰܘ ܐܟܰܠܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܠܒܰܪ

29.

ܕܶܐܬܛܠܰܡ ܒܬܰܪ̈ܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ ܢܶܥܼܬܰܪ ܒܬܰܪ̈ܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ
ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܠܒܰܪ ܒ̇ܰܪܳܟ ܡܼܠܺܝ ܐܰܘܨܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܠܓܰܘ
ܚܰܕܬܳܐ ܘܥܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ ܢܶܣܼܪܰܚ ܒܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܶܗ

30.

ܢܦܼܰܩ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܪܥܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܫܘܬܝܢ
ܙܪܺܝܦܬܳܐ ܘܥܺܝܡܳܐ ܘܕܰܘܶܕܘ ܠܥ̈ܶܠܳܢܶܐ
ܠܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܪܚܶܡܘ̱ ܘܰܣܒܰܪܘ̱ ܕܗܰܘ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܕܰܐܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ

31.

ܕܫܶܟܪܰܬ ܒܚܶܫܽܘܟܳܐ ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܥܰܗܠܳܢܳܐ
ܚܙܳܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܡܰܕܥܗܽܘܢ ܢܶܬܩܰܢ ܒܝܰܕ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܟ
ܘܥܰܠ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܢܶܦܼܢܽܘܢ ܘܠܶܐܡܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܶܪܥܽܘܢ

32.

ܘܰܕܐܶܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܐ̱ܘܶܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܟܽܘܝܳܠܳܐ
ܥܶܪܒܳܐ ܕܩܼܰܪ ܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܓܥܽܘܪ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܡܶܢ ܐܶܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ ܥܰܒܼܕܳܐ ܢܶܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܚܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ

33.

ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܢܶܬܶܠ ܠܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܕܥܶܪ̈ܒܶܐ
ܕܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܢܫܰܚܠܶܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܠܰܐܟܳܪܳܐ
ܢܶܬܶܠ ܕܙܺܝ̈ܙܳܢܶܐ ܠܚܶܛ̈ܶܐ ܢܫܰܚܠܶܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ

34.

ܗܳܐ ܠܟܳܗ̈ܢܶܐ ܦܽܘܪܣܳܐ ܕܰܢܫܰܚܠܦܽܘܢ ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ
ܘܥܰܡܗܽܘܢ ܠܙܺܝ̈ܙܳܢܶܐ ܡܶܠܐܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܗܳܐ ܠܳܐܶܝܢ
ܒܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܥܶܪ̈ܒܶܐ ܘܟܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܙܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ

35.

ܥܰܕܰܪ ܠܦܰܠܳܚܳܐ ܕܰܢܨܰܒܬܳܗ̇ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ
ܨܗܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܡܰܒ̈ܽܘܥܶܐ ܒܐܶܣܳܐ ܘܒܰܫܪܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ
ܘܒܐܫܟܪܥܐ ܡ̈ܠܺܝܠܳܝܶܐ ܘܰܒܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܡܫ̈ܺܝܚܳܝܶܐ

36.

ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܒܣܰܘ̈ܟܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܠܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܠܦܳܪܰܚܬܳܐ
ܠܰܐܝܬܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܪܽܘܚܩܳܐ ܕܳܐܬܶܝܢ ܠܡܶܙܡܰܪ ܠܳܟ
ܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܒܩ̈ܺܝܢܳܬܳܐ ܘܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܒܢܶܥܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ

37.

ܘܫܶܦܠܳܐ ܕܝܰܩܰܪ ܓܶܦܶܗ ܘܶܐܡܐܰܢ ܩܰܦܶܣ ܦܽܘܡܶܗ
ܠܫܰܗܪܳܐ ܘܗܽܘܠܳܠܳܐ ܒܩܺܝܬܳܪܗܽܘܢ ܫܰܗܪ̈ܶܐ
ܒܟܶܢܳܪܗܽܘܢ ܢܰܟ̈ܦܶܐ ܢܶܒܥܽܘܢ ܥܠܰܝ ܡܳܪܰܢ

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.

🌲