Hymn XXXIV (Carmina Nisibena XXXIV)
Thirteen stanzas in an expansive metre — markedly longer lines than the standard Nisibis tricola, creating an effect of cumulative sweep suited to the hymn's panoramic vision of salvation history as medical history. The controlling metaphor is Christ as physician and the world as a sick body. Abraham came to Harran as the first physician (stanza 1): he felt her pulse, marveled, turned to Canaan, descended to Egypt, "bound and healed with the word of truth." But Harran was too ill. Jacob came as the second physician (stanza 2): twenty years he treated her, and when she had grown worse, he left — "behold, your waters are bitter and your children are circumcised" (that is, cut off from truth). The world-body is then mapped onto Nebuchadnezzar's great statue (Daniel 2): Babel the head, Judah the heart, Egypt the feet (stanza 6). Abraham healed downward from the head, Moses upward from the feet, Daniel straightened the mad head of Babylon (stanza 7-8). The whole nature was sick "like a body with the disease of Error" — its famous physicians ministered urgently, "that it might be healed from the hidden sickness of the soul" (stanza 9). But the physicians did not suffice (stanza 10): "the Physician who suffices for all came — he cut from his own body, placed it on our wound, and healed our suffering with his body and his blood." Stanza 11 identifies Jesus directly: "as God, he knows both the nature and the sickness of the soul — for he is both Maker and Binder and Physician and Medicine." The hymn ends with a plea (stanza 13): "The Good One who labored in the world that the whole body might be healthy — do not despise, my Lord, in your love, one weak member. By the body of the righteous let him be joined, and let his fastening be with them forever."
Melody: "Again on Harran"
I.
Abraham the physician, the praised one, came to Harran — for she was sick.
He felt her pulse and marveled, and turned to the land of Canaan.
He reached Egypt — the whole body he attended — and descended
and bound and healed with the word of truth.
If Abraham did not suffice for you, who can suffice for you,
O Harran, whose illness has pleased her?
II.
Jacob the physician, the renowned one, came to Harran to look upon her.
He felt her pulse and cast her aside and left her, lest he linger over her.
Twenty years he was treating her,
and when he saw that she had grown worse and stiffened against him,
he left her and departed. Behold, your waters are bitter
and your children are cut off — Harran, sweeten yourself by the cross.
III.
Babel — is she not the neighbor of that building whose builders failed?
Egypt — is she not the neighbor of the Sodomites?
But you, Harran — behold, you are set in the neighborhood
of the praised Edessa, the beautiful.
Daughter, resemble your mother, who is salt in the world
and purifies your mind by her teaching.
IV.
Whoever gazes for a moment in a mirror is adorned by it.
But you, Harran — filthy — behold, your mirror
is glorious and pure. Adorn yourself by it —
by the blessed one who is set before you, to please Jesus.
Gaze in it and be beautified by it, that it may be for your aid —
lest it become for your reproach.
V.
See Egypt the sick one — she too was healed by the Healer of all.
And the chronic disease of idolatry has taken root in Harran.
Yet when she was healed, there is no trust in her health,
for at every occasion her wound is hidden.
Babel and Harran and Egypt — all three,
names triple: he baptized and clothed.
VI.
How the world resembles the great statue the tyrant saw!
Its head is Babel, its middle the land of Judah;
in the figure of the feet, Egypt is set.
It is a great body — great physicians labored over it.
The Good One, through his servants, extended the treatment
like a great physician to every region.
VII.
And as Abraham the physician healed from the head downward,
so Moses healed from the feet upward.
O the sick one whose physicians from every side —
yet from health he is far! Blessed is the one
who never abandoned humanity,
who multiplied in every generation her aids.
VIII.
And as Joseph healed the sick foot — the land of Egypt,
the prophets healed Zion like the heart.
Daniel too straightened Babel like the head —
the one who went mad in the wild and was healed and confessed.
Egypt the skillful one, expert in her medicines —
her pains by her own will grew hard.
IX.
The whole nature fell sick like a body with the disease of Error.
Its renowned physicians pressed urgently —
the famous healers —
that it might be healed from the hidden sickness of the soul,
and rise and give thanks to the Physician who pitied it.
Glory to the one who sent the righteous to every region
to attend the sick world.
X.
The physicians did not suffice for the world with their medicines.
He saw it, and the Physician who suffices for all was moved.
He cut from his own body, placed it on its wound,
and healed our suffering with his body and his blood.
He healed our wound — glory to the Medicine of life,
for he alone sufficed and healed the sickness of souls by his teaching.
XI.
Jesus is our Physician — and as from the beginning we are in him,
so by his hand we were healed.
As God, he knows both the nature and the sickness of the soul,
for he is both Maker and Binder and Physician and Medicine.
Glory to the one who created what did not exist,
and when it sinned and fell, he raised it up.
XII.
The physicians of the world — only through pain can they heal.
Very dreadful is their hand to the wounded.
But for our wound, my Lord, very dear is the touch of your hand,
for even your finger is a touch of mercy.
Blessed is the one from whose garments, blessed and soft,
power went forth and healed gently.
XIII.
The Good One who labored in the world that the whole body might be healthy —
do not despise, my Lord, in your love, one weak member.
By the body of the righteous let him be joined, my Lord,
and let his fastening be with them forever.
The Good One who fastened the ear that was cut off —
do not cut me off from you, though I have angered you.
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Addai, a Good Works tulku, 2026. Source text: Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC), file 292.xml, CC BY 4.0 (syriaccorpus.org/292), 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 12 (Abraham in Harran, Egypt, stanza 1); Genesis 29-31 (Jacob in Harran, stanza 2); Daniel 2:31-45 (Nebuchadnezzar's statue, stanza 6); Daniel 4:28-37 (Nebuchadnezzar's madness, stanza 8); Matthew 26:51, Luke 22:51 (the severed ear, stanza 13); Matthew 9:20-22 (power from garments, stanza 12).
The metre of this hymn is notably longer than the standard Nisibis tricola (7+7 syllables), with lines of variable length building to expansive, almost prose-like cadences. This is the "Harran farewell" metre — used for the final address to the pagan city before the cycle turns to the Death-Satan dialogues (Hymns 35-37).
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 34 (Carmina Nisibena 34)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܬܽܘܒ ܥܰܠ ܚܳܪܳܢ
1.
ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܐܰܒܪܳܡ ܡܫܰܒܚܳܐ ܠܚܳܪܳܢ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܕܰܟܪܺܝܗܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ
ܓܳܫܳܗ̇ ܘܰܬܡܰܗ ܘܶܐܬܦܼܢܺܝ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܰܟܢܰܥܢ
ܡܰܛܺܝ ܠܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܠܟܽܠܶܗ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܣܰܥܪܶܗ ܘܰܢܚܼܶܬ
ܘܰܥܼܨܰܒ ܘܰܐܣܺܝ ܒܡܶܠܬܳܐ ܕܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ
ܕܰܐܒܪܳܡ ܠܳܐ ܣܦܼܰܩ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܣܳܦܶܩ ܠܶܟܝ̱
ܚܳܪܳܢ ܕܟܽܘܪܗܳܢܳܗ̇ ܒܰܣܼܶܡ ܠܳܗ̇
2.
ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܡܫܰܡܗܳܐ ܠܚܳܪܳܢ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܕܰܢܕܺܝܩ ܥܠܶܝܗ̇
ܓܳܫܳܗ̇ ܘܰܫܕܳܗ̇ ܘܰܐܪܦܺܝܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܒܼܛܰܠ ܒܳܗ̇
ܫܢ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܥܶܣܪܺܝܢ ܡܟܰܢܶܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇
ܘܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܕܰܫܢܳܬ ܐܳܦ ܗܶܡܣܰܬ ܒܶܗ
ܐܰܪܦܺܝܗ̇ ܘܫܰܢܺܝ ܗܳܐ ܡܺܝ̈ܟܰܝ ܡܪ̈ܺܝܪܺܝܢ
ܘܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܝܟܝ̱ ܓܕܺܝ̈ܕܺܝܢ ܚܳܪܳܢ ܐܶܬܚ̇ܰܠܺܝ ܒܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ
3.
ܒܳܒܶܠ ܐܺܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܫܒܳܒܳܬܳܐ ܕܗܰܘ ܒܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܦܳܫܘ̱ ܒܰܢ̈ܳܝܰܘܘ̱ܝ؟
ܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܐܺܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܫܒܳܒܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܣܕܽܘܡ̈ܳܝܶܐ
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܶܝܢ ܚܳܪܳܢ ܗܳܐ ܣܺܝܡܬܝ̱ ܗܽܘ ܒܰܫܒܳܒܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܡܫܰܒܰܚܬܳܐ ܐܽܘܪܗܳܝ ܦܺܐܝܬܳܐ
ܒܰܪܬܳܐ ܕܶܡܝ̱ ܠܶܐܡܶܟܝ̱ ܕܡܶܠܚܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܒܓܰܘ ܬܺܒܶܝܠ
ܘܡܰܕܶܟܝ̱ ܒܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܳܗ̇ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܟܝ̱
4.
ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܐܰܪ ܕܫܳܥܬܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܡܶܨܛܰܒܰܬ ܒܳܗ̇
ܐܰܢ̱ܬܝ ܕܶܝܢ ܚܳܪܳܢ ܨܳܐܬܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܶܟܝ̱
ܫܒܺܝܚܳܐ ܘܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܐܶܨܛܰܒܰܬܝ̱ ܒܳܗ̇
ܒܰܡܒܰܪܟܳܬܳܐ ܕܣܺܝܡܳܐ ܩܕܳܡܰܝܟܝ̱ ܕܬܶܫܦܪܺܝܢ ܠܝܶܫܽܘܥ
ܚܽܘܪܝ̱ ܒܳܗ̇ ܘܰܫܦܰܪܝ̱ ܒܳܗ̇ ܕܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܥܽܘܕܪܳܢܶܟܝ̱
ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܠܟܽܘܐܳܪܳܐ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܶܟܝ̱
5.
ܚܙܰܘ ܠܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܟܪܺܝܗܳܬܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܐܶܬܚܰܠܡܰܬ ܒܡܰܐܣܶܐ ܟܽܠ
ܘܚܳܠܕܳܝܬܐ ܕܰܦܬܰܟܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܚܳܪܳܢ ܚܶܠܕܰܬ
ܘܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܚܰܠܡܰܬ ܠܰܝܬ ܬܽܘܟܠܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܚܽܘܠܡܳܢܳܗ̇
ܕܰܒܟܽܠ ܥ̈ܶܠܠܳܢ ܣܶܬܳܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܚܽܘܬܳܗ̇
ܒܳܒܶܠ ܘܳܐܦ ܚܳܪܳܢ ܘܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܬܠܳܬܰܝܗܶܝܢ
ܫܡ̈ܳܗܶܐ ܬܠܺܝ̈ܬܳܝܶܐ ܥܡܼܰܕ ܘܰܠܒܼܶܫ
6.
ܡܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܠܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܛܪܽܘܢܳܐ
ܪܺܝܫܶܗ ܒܳܒܶܠ ܡܨܰܥܬܶܗ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܺܝܗܽܘܕ
ܒܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܕܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܐ ܣܺܝܡܳܐ ܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ
ܓܽܘܫܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܳܐܣܰܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܪܰܘܪ̈ܒܶܐ ܥܡܰܠܘ̱ ܒܶܗ
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܒܝܰܕ ܥܰܒ̈ܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܰܬܚܶܗ ܠܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܳܐ
ܐܰܝܟ ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܠܟܽܠ ܦܶܢܝ̈ܳܢ
7.
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܣܺܝ ܘܰܢܚܼܶܬ
ܐܳܦ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܐܰܣܝܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܐ
ܐܳܘ ܠܰܟܪܺܝܗܳܐ ܕܳܐܣܰܘ̈ܳܬܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܓܰܒ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܡܶܢ ܚܽܘܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܡܦܰܠܶܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܣܶܡ ܠܶܗ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܬܽܘܡ ܫܰܒܩܳܗ̇ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܒܟܽܠ ܕܳܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܥܽܘܪ̈ܢܶܝܗ̇
8.
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܕܰܠܥܶܩܒܳܐ ܟܪܺܝܗܬܳܐ ܐܰܣܺܝ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ
ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܠܨܶܗܝܽܘܢ ܐܰܣܝܽܘܗ̇ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܠܶܒܳܐ
ܐܳܦ ܕܳܢܺܝܐܶܝܠ ܠܒܳܒܶܠ ܟܰܢܶܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܪܺܝܫܳܐ
ܕܰܫܼܢܳܐ ܒܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܘܶܐܬܚܠܶܡ ܘܰܐܘܕܺܝ
ܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܐܳܣܺܝܬܳܐ ܡܗܺܝܪܰܬ ܒܣܰܡܳܡ̈ܢܶܝܗ̇
ܟܺܐ̈ܒܶܝܗ̇ ܒܨܶܒܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܐܶܬܩܰܫܺܝܘ
9.
ܟܝܳܢܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܐܶܬܟܪܶܗ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܒܟܽܘܪܗܳܢ ܛܽܘܥܝܰܝ
ܬܟܶܒܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܣܳܥܽܘܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܫܰܡ̈ܗܶܐ ܐܳܣܰܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ
ܕܢܶܬܰܐܣܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܘܪܗܳܢܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ
ܘܰܢܩܽܘܡ ܢܰܘܕܶܐ ܠܳܐܣܝܳܐ ܕܚܰܢܶܗ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܟܪܶܟ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܒܟܽܠ ܦܶܢܝ̈ܳܢ
ܕܠܰܟܪܺܝܗܬܳܐ ܬܺܒܶܝܠ ܢܶܣܥܽܘܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
10.
ܠܳܐ ܣܦܼܶܩܘ̱ ܠܶܗ ܕܶܝܢ ܠܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܐܳܣܰܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܒܣܰܡ̈ܳܡܢܰܝܗܽܘܢ
ܚܙܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܘܶܐܬܪܩܶܡ ܐܳܣܝܳܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܣܳܦܶܩ
ܓܙܰܪ ܡܶܢ ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܣܳܡ ܥܰܠ ܟܺܐܒܶܗ
ܘܰܐܣܺܝ ܚܫܰܢ ܒܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܘܰܕܡܶܗ
ܐܰܚܠܡܳܗ̇ ܡܚܽܘܬܰܢ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܣܰܡ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ
ܕܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܣܦܼܰܩ ܘܰܐܣܺܝ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܒܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܶܗ
11.
ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܳܣܝܰܢ ܘܰܐܝܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܡܬܽܘܡ ܒܶܗ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܗܘܰܝܢܰܢ
ܗܳܟܰܢ ܒܺܐܝܕܶܗ ܐܶܬܰܐܣܶܝܢ
ܘܰܐܝܟ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܟܝܳܢܳܐ ܘܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ
ܕܳܐܦ ܥܳܒܽܘܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܳܦ ܥܳܨܽܘܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܘܳܐܣܝܳܐ ܘܣܰܡܳܐ
ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܰܒܼܪܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܠܰܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܘܟܰܕ ܬܽܘܒ ܚܛܳܐ ܘܰܢܦܼܰܠ ܐܰܩܺܝܡܶܗ
12.
ܐܳܣܰܘ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܕܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܒܚܰܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܠܡܰܐܣܳܝܽܘ
ܣܰܓܺܝ ܕܚܺܝܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܕܗܽܘܢ ܠܰܡܡܰܚܰܝ̈ܳܐ
ܠܰܡܚܽܘܬܰܢ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܚܰܒܺܝܒ ܢܰܩܦܳܗ̇ ܕܺܐܝܕܳܟ
ܕܳܐܦ ܗܺܝ ܨܶܒܥܳܟ ܓܶܫܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ
ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܡܶܢ ܢܰܚ̈ܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܪ̈ܶܝܟܶܐ ܘܪ̈ܰܟܺܝܟܶܐ
ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܢܦܼܰܩ ܘܰܐܣܺܝ ܢܺܝܚܳܐܺܝܬ
13.
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܠܐܺܝ ܒܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܚܠܺܝܡܳܐ
ܠܳܐ ܬܶܒܣܼܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܪܶܚܡܬܳܟ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܕܳܡܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ
ܒܰܓܫܽܘܡ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܬܪܟܶܒ ܡܳܪܝ̱
ܘܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܩܰܒܥܶܗ ܥܰܡܗܽܘܢ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ
ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܩܒܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܐܕܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܦܰܣܩܰܬ
ܠܳܐ ܬܦܰܣܩܳܢܝ̱ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܕܰܐܪܓܶܙܬܳܟ
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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