Hymn XXXVIII (Carmina Nisibena XXXVIII)
Eleven stanzas in which Death speaks in first person — no longer the adversary of the preceding dialogue cycle (Hymns 35–37), but a philosopher-theologian defending his own justice. Death claims to be the great equalizer: impartial, incorruptible, a servant of God who takes no bribes. "Through me equality is proclaimed, for slave and master in Sheol I make equal" (stanza 2). The hymn then turns to Christology: all who were raised before Christ were not the true firstborn, for Christ is the Firstborn of Sheol (stanza 7). John the Baptist heralds Christ at Sheol's gate, and Death confesses himself Christ's treasurer, opening and closing by command (stanza 6). The theological summit arrives in stanzas 9–10: Adam's cause preceded creation, since the Creator was gazing upon Adam while still creating the world — and if Adam before existing was elder than creation, how much more is Christ's humanity made elder by his divinity, which is from eternity. Death ends as supplicant (stanza 11): "Make for me a resurrection of your mercy" — for even Iscariot would prefer Sheol's death to Gehenna's life. This is the fourth hymn of the Death-Satan melody group, from the cycle that Beck identified as Ephrem's most dramatic sustained composition.
Melody: Same melody (IV)
I.
My throne was established for me —
my seat in Sheol —
and one dead man rose
and overthrew me from it.
All feared me alone,
and I feared no one.
Dread and anxiety belong to the house of the living;
peace and calm to the house of the dead.
By a slain man
captivity has entered Sheol.
I used to take all captive —
the son of the captive I captured has captured me;
his captivity he led away and went to Paradise.
Response: Blessed is he who gave life to the dead of Sheol by his Cross.
II.
Everyone has received much from me,
but I received from one alone.
Who among the children of men is as just as I?
Yet time has struck at my justice.
I love all,
and he who hates me — he knows it.
I have never known bribery.
Not before the faces of kings have I accepted gifts.
Through me equality is proclaimed,
for slave and master in Sheol I make equal.
III.
Before God I serve —
with whom there is no partiality.
Who else could endure what I endure?
I am insulted, yet I do good —
they repay me with the opposite.
The good debts I collect,
though my deeds are fair,
my name is not fair.
My mind is at rest in his truth.
In God I find my comfort,
for though he is good, he is wronged daily — and endures.
IV.
The aged I have spared from all their pains,
and the young from all their sins.
Hidden wars I silence in Sheol —
in our land, injustice does not exist.
Sheol and Heaven alone
are free from all sins.
This earth in the middle —
injustice dwells in it.
Therefore, whoever is wise,
let him ascend to Heaven;
and if that is difficult, let him descend to Sheol — for that is easy.
V.
For one man, over one dead,
all rush to console.
But I, from whom many dead have come to life —
there is none who enters to comfort me.
As for Satan, who complained —
seven woes upon him!
Though the Son of Mary trampled him,
his spirit is still high —
he is a serpent that boasts though he is crushed.
It would be better for me to fall and worship
before this Jesus who conquered me by his Cross.
VI.
When he entered the gate of Sheol,
John heralded before him
and cried out: "Behold, the one who gives life to the dead has arrived!"
I am your servant henceforth, Jesus —
because of your body I failed to recognize you,
for it concealed your divinity.
Do not be angry, O Son of the King,
at your treasurer —
by your command I opened and I closed.
Though my wings are swift,
by your nod I run to every side.
VII.
All who were raised were not the firstborn,
for our Lord is the Firstborn of Sheol.
How can the dead precede him —
that power by which he rose?
There are last who are first,
and younger who became firstborn.
For Manasseh was the firstborn,
yet behold — Ephraim took his birthright.
And if a later birth precedes him,
how much more does the Lord and Son precede in his resurrection!
VIII.
Behold, John, like a herald,
declares that one who is last — though he himself is elder.
For he said: "Behold, a man comes after me,
and he has become before me."
For how did he precede him?
By that power through which he proclaimed.
For everything that was made for the sake of something
is last, even though it is first.
For the cause that called it forth
is elder and first in all things.
IX.
The cause of Adam was elder
than the creatures that were fashioned for him.
For upon Adam the Creator was gazing continually
while he was yet creating.
And if Adam, before he existed,
was elder than creation —
how much more, my Lord, shall your humanity be made elder
by your divinity,
which is from eternity with your Begetter!
To you be glory, and through you to your Father, from us all.
X.
To you be praise, for you are before me
in your divinity and in your humanity.
For though Elijah preceded you and ascended,
he could not precede the one
for whose sake he ascended,
for his mystery hangs upon your truth.
And though openly they preceded you,
the mysteries are hidden before your truth.
Creation preceded Adam,
yet he is prior to it — for it was fashioned for his sake.
XI.
My Lord, grant me that resurrection —
not of your compulsion, but of your love.
Your compulsion gives life even to sinners.
For Iscariot too would have wished
to choose the death of Sheol
rather than the life of Gehenna.
Make for me then a resurrection
of your mercy —
and if your justice should leave me behind,
your grace has a cause.
This alone remind me: that in it I trusted.
Colophon
Translated from Classical Syriac by Bardaisan, a Good Works tulku, 2026. Source text: Digital Syriac Corpus (DSC), file 296.xml, CC BY 4.0 (syriaccorpus.org/296), 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.
Death's self-defense as philosopher-theologian is unique in patristic literature. Stanza 4's argument — that Sheol and Heaven alone are free from sin, with earth caught between — anticipates the medieval ubi sunt tradition by a millennium. The reversed-primogeniture argument (stanzas 7–9) is characteristically Ephremian: theological paradox expressed through biblical typology. The plea for resurrection by mercy (stanza 11) transforms Death from cosmic adversary to supplicant — perhaps the most startling reversal in the entire Carmina Nisibena cycle.
Biblical parallels: Genesis 48:14–20 (Ephraim and Manasseh, stanza 7); John 1:15, 1:30 (John's testimony, stanza 8); 2 Kings 2:11 (Elijah's ascension, stanza 10); Matthew 27:3–5 (Judas Iscariot, stanza 11); Philippians 2:6–8 (Christ's concealed divinity, stanza 6); Luke 3:16 (John as herald, stanza 6).
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 38 (Carmina Nisibena 38)
ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ (melody indicator): ܕ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ
1.
ܡܰܬܩܰܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ
ܟܽܘܪܣܳܝ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܘܩܳܡ ܚܰܕ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ
ܣܰܚܦܰܢܝ̱ ܡܶܢܶܗ
ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܡܶܢܝ̱ ܗܽܘ ܕܚܶܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ
ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܠܳܐ ܕܶܚܠܶܬ ܩܶܢܛܳܐ ܘܨܶܦܬܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ
ܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܘܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ
ܒܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܩܛܺܝܠܳܐ
ܗܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܫܶܒܝܳܐ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܫܳܒܶܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ
ܒܰܪ ܫܰܒܝܳܐ ܕܰܫܒܺܝܬ ܫܒܳܢܝ̱
ܕܰܫܒܺܝܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܗ̇ ܘܶܐܙܰܠ ܠܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܐ
ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܐܚܺܝ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܒܰܨܠܺܝܒܶܗ
2.
ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܡܶܢܝ̱ ܗܽܘ
ܩܰܒܶܠ ܣܰܓܺܝ
ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܕ
ܩܰܒܠܶܬ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ
ܡܼܰܢܽܘ ܒܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܰܟܐܶܝܢ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܝ̱
ܘܰܡܛܳܗ̇ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܠܰܬܪܺܝܨܽܘܬܝ̱
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܪܳܚܶܡ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܘܰܕܣܳܢܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܗܼܽܘ ܝܳܕܰܥ
ܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܝܰܘܡ̈ܰܝ
ܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܒܰܐܦ̈ܰܝ ܡܰܠܟ̈ܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܣ̇ܒܶܬ
ܒܺܝ ܡܶܬܟܰܪܙܳܐ ܫܰܘܝܽܘܬܳܐ
ܕܰܠܥܰܒܼܕܳܐ ܘܡܳܪܶܗ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܫܰܘܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
܀܀܀
3.
ܩܕܳܡ ܐܰܠܳܗܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܡܫܰܡܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܠܰܝܬ ܠܘܳܬܶܗ
ܡܰܣܰܒ ܒܰܐܦ̈ܶܐ
ܡܰܢܽܘ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܣܰܝܒܰܪ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܝ̱
ܕܰܡܨܶܛܚܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܰܡܛܰܐܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܶܬܦܢܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ
ܚܽܘܒ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܛܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܪܳܡܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܟܰܕ ܣܽܘܥܪ̈ܳܢܰܝ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ
ܫܶܡܝ̱ ܠܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܡܢܳܚ ܗܽܘ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܝ̱ ܒܰܫܪܳܪܶܗ
ܒܰܐܠܳܗܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ
ܕܟܰܕ ܛܳܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܛܠܺܝܡ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܘܰܡܣܰܝܒܰܪ
4.
ܠܣ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܚ̇ܶܣܟܰܬ
ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܟܺܐܒܰܝ̈ܢ
ܐܳܦ ܠܰܛܠܳܝ̈ܶܐ
ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܘܒܰܝ̈ܢ
ܩܪ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܟܣܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܡܰܫܠܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܒܰܐܬܪܰܢ ܥܰܘܠܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ
ܫܝܽܘܠ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܘܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ
ܕܰܚܣܺܝ̈ܟܳܢ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܺܝܢ
ܗܳܕܶܐ ܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܒܰܡܨܰܥܬܳܐ
ܥܰܘܠܳܐ ܫܪܶܐ ܒܳܗ̇ ܒܰܕܓܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܦܳܪܽܘܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܐܰܘ ܠܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܢܰܣܶܩ ܠܶܗ
ܘܶܐܢ ܥܶܛܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܢܶܚܽܘܬ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܕܰܦܫܺܝܩܳܐ
5.
ܠܚܰܕ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ
ܥܰܠ ܚܰܕ ܡܺܝܬܶܐ
ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܪܳܗܶܛ
ܠܰܡܒܰܝܰܐܘ
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܕܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܶܐ ܚܼܰܝܰܘ ܠܺܝ
ܠܰܝܬ ܕܥܳܐܶܠ ܘܰܡܒܰܝܰܐ ܠܺܝ
ܥܰܠ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܪܰܥܰܡ
ܫܰܒܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܘܳܝ̈ܳܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܶܗ
ܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܕܳܫܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܪܝܰܡ
ܪܳܡܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܪܽܘܚܶܗ ܚܶܘܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܡܥܳܙܳܐ ܘܰܪܨܺܝܨ
܀܀܀
ܦܰܩܳܚ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܐܦܶܠ ܘܶܐܣܓܽܘܕ
ܩܕܳܡ ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܙܰܟܳܢܝ̱ ܒܰܨܠܺܝܒܶܗ
6.
ܡܳܐ ܕܥܳܐܶܠ ܒܶܗ
ܒܬܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܚܠܳܦ ܝܽܘܚܰܢܳܢ
ܐܰܟܪܶܙ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܘܶܐܩܥܳܐ ܕܗܳܐ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܡܰܛܺܝ
ܥܼܰܒܕܳܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܦܰܓܪܳܟ ܫܟܰܪܬܳܟ
ܕܚܰܦܺܝܬܳܗ̇ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܽܘܬܳܟ
ܠܳܐ ܬܶܪܓܰܙ ܐܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ
ܥܰܠ ܓܺܙܰܒܪܳܟ ܒܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܟ ܦܶܬܚܶܬ ܘܶܐܚܕܶܬ
ܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܓܶܦ̈ܰܝ ܩܰܠܺܝܠܺܝܢ
ܒܝܰܕ ܪܶܡܙܳܟ ܗܰܘ ܪܳܗܶܛ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܟܽܠ ܓܰܒܺܝ̈ܢ
7.
ܟܽܠ ܕܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡܘ̱
ܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܽܘܟܪ̈ܶܐ
ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ
ܒܽܘܟܪܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܡܺܝܬܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܠܶܗ
ܠܗܰܘ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ
ܐܺܝܬ ܐ̱ܚܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܕܰܩܕܳܡܺܝܝܢ
ܘܰܙܥܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܗܘܰܘ ܒܽܘܟܪ̈ܶܐ
ܡܢܳܫܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܒܽܘܟܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܐܶܫܟܰܚ ܕܰܐܦܪܶܝܡ ܢܣܰܒ ܒܽܘܟܪܽܘܬܶܗ
ܘܶܐܢ ܝܰܠܕܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܳܝܳܐ ܩܕܳܡܶܗ
ܟܡܳܐ ܢܶܩܕܽܘܡ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܘܰܒܪܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܶܗ
8.
ܗܳܐ ܝܽܘܚܰܢܳܢ
ܐܰܝܟ ܟܳܪܽܘܙܳܐ
ܡܦܺܝܣ ܕܰܐܚܪܳܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܩܰܫܺܝܫ
ܐܶܡܰܪ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܗܳܐ ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܒܳܬܰܪܝ̱
ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܡ ܩܕܳܡܰܝ
ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܩܰܕܶܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ
܀܀܀
ܠܗܰܘ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܡܰܟܪܶܙ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
ܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܰܗܘܳܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ
ܐ̱ܚܪܳܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܳܦܶܢ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ
ܥܶܠܬܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܗܳܝ ܕܩܰܪܬܶܗ
ܩܰܫܺܝܫܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܐܳܦ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܒܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ
9.
ܥܶܠܬܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ
ܩܰܫܺܝܫܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ
ܡܶܢ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ
ܕܠܶܗ ܐܰܬܬܩܶܢ
ܒܶܗ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܳܐܕܳܡ ܚܳܐܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܽܠܫܳܥ
ܒܳܪܽܘܝܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܗܳܐ ܒܪܳܐ
ܘܶܐܢ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܥܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ
ܩܰܫܺܝܫ ܗܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ
ܟܡܳܐ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܬܶܬܩܰܫܰܫ
ܗܳܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܟ ܒܰܐܠܳܗܽܘܬܳܟ
ܗܳܝ ܕܺܐܝܬܶܝܗ̇ ܡܶܢ ܥܳܠܰܡ ܥܰܡ ܝܰܠܽܘܕܳܟ
ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܘܒܺܐܝܕܳܟ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܟ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠܰܢ
10.
ܠܳܟ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ
ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܗܽܘ ܩܕܳܡܰܝ
ܒܰܐܠܳܗܽܘܬܳܟ
ܘܰܒܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܟ
ܐܳܦܶܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܩܰܕܶܡ ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ ܘܰܣܠܶܩ
ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ
ܕܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܶܗ ܐܶܣܬܰܠܰܩ
ܕܰܬܠܶܐ ܗܽܘ ܪܳܙܶܗ ܒܰܫܪܳܪܳܟ
ܘܳܐܦܶܢ ܩܕܳܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܓܰܠܝܳܐܺܝܬ
ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܠܩܽܘܫܬܳܟ ܩܕܳܡܰܝ ܗܽܘ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܟܰܣܝܳܐܺܝܬ
ܩܰܕܡܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ
ܩܕܺܝܡ ܗܽܘ ܠܗܶܝܢ ܕܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܶܗ ܐܰܬܬܩܶܢ
11.
ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܥܒܰܕ ܠܺܝ
ܗܰܘ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
܀܀܀
ܠܳܐ ܕܰܩܛܺܝܪܳܟ
ܐܶܠܳܐ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܟ
ܩܛܺܝܪܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܠܚ̈ܰܛܳܝܶܐ ܡܰܚܶܐ
ܪܳܥܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ ܐܶܣܟܰܪܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܕܢܶܓܒܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ
ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܕܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ
ܥܒܼܶܕ ܠܺܝ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ
ܗܰܘ ܕܰܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܘܶܐܠܳܐ ܫܳܒܩܳܐ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܟ
ܐܺܝܬ ܠܳܗ̇ ܥܶܠܬܳܐ ܠܛܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܟ
ܗܳܕܶܐ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܬܥܰܗܶܕ ܠܺܝ ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܛܶܦܣܶܬ
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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