Hymn XXXII (Carmina Nisibena XXXII)

Sixteen stanzas — the second of the Harran triad. Where Hymn XXXI read the Jacob-Laban cycle as typology for Christian mission to Harran, Hymn XXXII focuses on Rebecca as the decisive agent. Rebecca is Laban's sister but nothing like him: from his own stock, truth; from his household, ruin. Ephrem reads her manipulation of the blessing (Genesis 27) as a typological victory over Satan. She clothed the innocent Jacob in goatskins — "the mysteries of Satan himself" (stanza 12) — so that by all of Satan's devices the deceiver might be utterly vanquished. The theological architecture is precise: stanza 5 establishes that as Leah does not resemble Rachel, neither does the idol resemble God; stanza 6 extends the logic — if sister does not resemble sister within the same nature, how much more alien is idolatry to the God whose name it usurps? Stanza 7 turns to Jacob's sowing: even though deceived, he cast his seed into the land consigned to him, so that his seed would not remain in the land of weeds. The final stanzas (14-16) resolve the typology: Rebecca sent out to the hunt and won two young women — a type of the two congregations — for both of whom patience is needed. The melody is marked "In the same voice" (bar qāleh), indicating the same tune as Hymn XXXI.

Melody: "In the same voice" (as Hymn XXXI)

I.

Rebecca, Laban's sister,
did not resemble him:
that pure wisdom —
that hateful cunning.
By his own nature Rebecca lived;
by hers, Laban perished.

II.

The pure one who accompanied
the old man who led her —
she saw the Exalted One, for Abraham
was greatly remembered.
He sent and betrothed and led her
and brought her into his inheritance.

III.

Wheat from amid thorns
and weeds came forth,
and from the storehouse of the pagans
to the dwelling of the righteous.

IV.

Their master is hidden and cunning,
and they learned his craft
and imitated his devices.
He labored greatly over them
that they might be sons of his side —
his vessels and his disciples.

V.

From their own nature they could
have perceived his —
for as Leah
does not resemble Rachel,
so neither does the idol
resemble God.

VI.

And if even sister
does not resemble sister
when she is daughter of the same nature,
how much more alien
is Error to God,
who has borrowed his name?

VII.

And Jacob, even though they deceived him,
submitted — he acquired justly
the land they had consigned to him.
His seed he cast into it,
that his seed might not remain
in the land of weeds.

VIII.

It is Truth that never
submitted to join
his truth to paganism,
his holiness to impurity,
his garment to filth,
his style to confusion.

IX.

Rebecca — she clothed herself
in his craft against him,
and in his cunning
she fell with him into the contest.
The weapon he had forged — she turned,
she wore, and she defeated him.

X.

And though Esau
was her son, her firstborn,
she knew he was alien
to the seed of the truthful,
and that to Harran
he belonged by his ways.

XI.

The master of the Harranites
was dwelling within Esau.
Rebecca outwitted him —
she vanquished the one who teaches
that humans should give
one thing in exchange for another.

XII.

She called the innocent one
and with guile she clothed him
in skins — the mysteries
of Satan himself —
so that by all of Satan's devices
he might be utterly defeated.

XIII.

She outwitted and despoiled him
of the treasure of the blessings
and searched and emptied him
so that not a trace would remain
for her son of the left hand —
to strip his side bare.

XIV.

And as she stripped him
of the blessings,
she sent the innocent one —
the vessel of purity —
and he descended to despoil again,
to impoverish Harran.

XV.

She vanquished above and below —
Rebecca vanquished the deceiver.
In his own guile she outwitted him;
she vanquished him with blessings;
she vanquished him with captivities
that brought about his instruction.

XVI.

She sent to the hunt,
and he hired and took them gladly —
two young women,
a type of the congregations.
For both of them,
patience is what is needed.

Colophon

Translated from Classical Syriac by Addai, a Good Works tulku, 2026. Source text: Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC), file 290.xml, CC BY 4.0 (syriaccorpus.org/290), 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 (Rebecca's betrothal, stanza 2); Genesis 25:23-28 (Jacob and Esau, stanzas 10-11); Genesis 27 (the stolen blessing, stanzas 12-14); Genesis 29:16-30 (Leah and Rachel, stanza 5); Genesis 29:21-30 (the two brides as congregations, stanza 16).

Stanza 3 contains textual damage in the Beck edition (line 3 breaks off with dashes). The translation preserves what survives.

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 32 (Carmina Nisibena 32)

ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ

1.

ܪܳܦܩܳܐ ܚܳܬܶܗ ܕܠܳܒܳܢ ܠܳܐ ܕܳܡܝܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܠܶܗ
ܠܗܳܝ ܚܶܟܡܬܳܐ ܫܦܺܝܬܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܨܶܢܥܬܳܐ ܣܢܺܝܬܳܐ
ܒܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܚܝܳܬ ܪܳܦܩܳܐ ܒܕܺܝܠܳܗ̇ ܐܶܒܰܕ ܠܳܒܳܢ

2.

ܫܦܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܩܦܰܬ ܠܶܗ ܠܣܳܒܳܐ ܕܕܰܒܪܳܗ̇ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܪܳܡܳܐ ܚܼܙܳܐ ܕܠܰܐܒܪܳܡ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܥܗܺܝܕܬܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ
ܫܰܕܰܪ ܡܼܟܰܪ ܕܰܒܪܳܗ̇ ܘܰܐܥܠܳܗ̇ ܠܝܽܘܪܬܳܢܶܗ

3.

ܚܶܛܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܟܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܢܶܦܩܰܬ ܘܙܺܝ̈ܙܳܢܶܐ
ܘܡܶܢ ܐܰܘܨܪܳܐ ܕܚ̈ܰܢܦܶܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܡܰܥܡܪܳܐ ܕܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ
ܐܰܘ ---- -----
܀܀܀

4.

ܪܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܟܣܶܐ ܘܰܨܢܺܝܥ ܘܺܝܠܶܦܘ̱ ܐܘܡܳܢܘܬܶܗ
ܘܕܰܡܺܝܘ̱ ܒܨ̈ܶܢܥܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܠܐܺܝ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܣܰܓܺܝ
ܕܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܓܰܒܶܗ ܡܳܐܢܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܘܬܰܠܡ̈ܺܝܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ

5.

ܡܶܢ ܕܺܝܠܗܽܘܢ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܰܡܚܳܪ ܒܗܳܝ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ
ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܶܝܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܕܳܡܝܳܐ ܠܪܳܚܶܝܠ
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܦܬܰܟܪܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ

6.

ܘܶܐܢܗܽܘ ܕܳܐܦ ܚܳܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܕܳܡܝܳܐ ܠܚܳܬܳܗ̇
ܟܰܕ ܒܰܪ̱ܬ ܟܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܗܺܝ ܟܡܳܐ ܟܺܝܬ ܢܽܘܟܪܳܝܳܐ
ܛܽܘܥܝܰܝ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܟܰܢܝܰܬ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ

7.

ܘܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܐܳܦܶܢ ܢܰܟܠܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܶܬܪܡܺܝ ܩܢܳܗ̇ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ
ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܰܐܓܥܶܠܘ̱ ܠܶܗ ܙܰܪܥܶܗ ܫܕܳܐ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇
ܕܠܳܐ ܢܦܽܘܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܙܰܪܥܶܗ ܒܰܐܬܪܳܐ ܕܙܺܝ̈ܙܳܢܶܐ

8.

ܩܽܘܫܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܡܬܽܘܡ ܐܶܬܪܡܺܝ ܕܢܶܩܰܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܫܪܳܪܶܗ ܠܚܰܢܦܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܩܽܘܕܫܶܗ ܠܛܰܡܐܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܢܰܚܬܶܗ ܠܨܳܐܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܶܐܣܛܶܗ ܠܦܽܘܠܦܳܠܳܐ

9.

ܪܳܦܩܳܐ ܠܽܐܘܡܢܽܘܬܶܗ ܠܩܽܘܒܠܶܗ ܠܒܶܫܬܳܗ̇ ܗܘܳܬ
ܘܰܒܨܶܢܥܬܶܗ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܢܶܦܠܰܬ ܒܰܐܓܽܘܢܳܐ
ܒܙܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܚܫܼܰܠ ܗܶܦܟܰܬ ܠܶܒܫܰܬ ܘܚܰܝܶܒܬܶܗ

10.

ܘܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܥܺܣܽܘ ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܪܳܗ̇ ܒܽܘܟܪܳܗ̇
ܝܶܕܥܰܬ ܕܢܽܘܟܪܳܝ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܫܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ
ܘܟܶܐܡܰܬ ܠܚܳܪܳܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܚܝܳܢ ܒܕܽܘܒܳܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ

11.

ܪܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܕܚܶܪ̈ܢܳܝܶܐ ܫܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܺܣܽܘ
ܐܶܨܛܰܢܥܰܬ ܪܳܦܩܳܐ ܙܟܳܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܠܶܦ
ܕܡܶܕܶܡ ܚܠܳܦ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܢܶܥܒܕܽܘܢ ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ

12.

ܘܰܩܪܳܬ ܠܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐ ܘܢܶܟܠܰܬ ܘܶܐܠܒܶܫܬܶܗ
ܡܰܫ̈ܟܶܐ ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܪܳܙܶܗ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܕܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ
ܕܰܒܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܢܶܙܕܟܶܐ ܓܡܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ

13.

ܘܢܶܟܠܰܬ ܘܚܰܠܶܨܬܶܗ ܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܒܽܘܪ̈ܟܳܬܳܐ
ܘܒܶܥܪܰܬ ܘܣܰܦܶܩܬܶܗ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܫܬܼܒܶܩ ܗܰܘܦܳܐ
ܠܰܒܪܳܗ̇ ܕܣܶܡܳܠܳܐ ܕܰܬܣܰܪܩܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܓܰܒܶܗ

14.

ܘܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܕܣܰܪܶܩܬܶܗ ܡܶܢܗܶܝܢ ܕܒܽܘܪ̈ܟܳܬܳܐ
ܫܰܕܪܰܬ ܠܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐ ܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܘܰܢܚܼܶܬ ܚ̇ܳܠܶܨ ܬܽܘܒ ܕܰܢܡܰܣܟܢܶܝܗ̇ ܠܚܳܪܳܢ

15.

ܙܟܳܬܶܗ ܠܥܶܠ ܘܰܠܬܰܚܬ ܪܳܦܩܳܐ ܠܢܳܟܽܘܠܳܐ
ܒܢܶܟܠܶܗ ܢܟܰܠܬܶܗ ܗܘܳܬ ܙܟܳܬܶܗ ܒܒܽܘܪ̈ܟܳܬܳܐ
ܙܟܳܬܶܗ ܒܰܫܒܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܬܺܝ ܠܬܽܘܠܡܳܕܶܗ

16.

ܘܫܰܕܪܰܬ ܠܨܰܝܕܳܐ ܘܰܐܓܰܪ ܘܕܳܨ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ
ܠܬܰܪ̈ܬܶܝܢ ܛܰܠܝ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܕܰܟܢܽܘܫ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܕܚܳܫܚܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܠܬܰܪ̈ܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ ܗܳܝ ܡܰܓܪܰܬ ܪܽܘܚܳܐ

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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