{"slug":"LIT3981Homily","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT3981Homily","title":"Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","author":"Anonymous","genre":"homily","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:09Z","cost_usd":0.002228},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT3981Homily","work_id":"LIT3981Homily","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"},"stats":{"passages":3,"english_words":592,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":17,"commentary_kinds":6,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":6,"work_notes":5,"external_links":5,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"LIT3981Homily","abstract":"This anonymous Ethiopic homily, attributed pseudepigraphically to John Chrysostom, narrates a moral contrast between a wealthy, hard-hearted man and a poor, faithful couple devoted to the Archangel Michael. It is read in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church on the 12th of each month, Michael’s regular feast, and appears in the printed Ethiopian Synaxarion. The text survives only in Geʿez manuscripts from the 15th–16th centuries, with no known Greek or Coptic source. Its composition date is uncertain, but it likely originated within Ethiopian monastic circles. The homily includes a scribal colophon and a standard Ethiopic angelological litany.","historical_context":"The homily is preserved solely in Ethiopic (Geʿez) manuscripts, the earliest of which date to the 15th–16th centuries, though the composition may be earlier. It belongs to a larger corpus of Geʿez homilies on Michael, often transmitted alongside other angelological works. The attribution to John Chrysostom (d. 407) is pseudepigraphic, reflecting a common Ethiopian practice of ascribing authority to patristic figures. The text is used liturgically on the 12th of each month, Michael’s feast in the Ethiopian tradition, and is included in the printed Synaxarion. No Greek or Coptic Vorlage is known, suggesting composition in Ethiopic. The source edition (betmas) lacks a critical apparatus, and the relationship to other Ethiopic Michael homilies remains unexamined.","significance":"This homily exemplifies the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition of angelological devotion, particularly to Michael, and illustrates the pseudepigraphic attribution of patristic authority in Ethiopic literature. It also provides insight into the liturgical use of homilies and the transmission of hagiographic narratives in the Horn of Africa. The text’s colophon and litany reflect standard Ethiopic scribal and liturgical practices.","timeline":[{"date":"4th c.","event":"John Chrysostom (d. 407) active; homily later attributed to him."},{"date":"15th–16th c.","event":"Earliest extant Ethiopic manuscripts of the homily."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Composition of the homily in Geʿez, likely in Ethiopian monastic context."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Homily included in printed Ethiopian Synaxarion as a reading for Michael’s feast."}],"relations":[{"work":"Homily on the Archangel Michael (Ethiopic corpus)","relation":"Part of a larger corpus of Geʿez homilies on Michael, often transmitted together.","key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"},{"work":"Ethiopian Synaxarion","relation":"Included as a reading for the 12th of each month.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Life of John Chrysostom (Coptic legend)","relation":"Pseudepigraphic attribution to John Chrysostom parallels other Ethiopic works.","key":"dossier:coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend","label":"gap dossier: Coptic Life (legend) of John Chrysostom","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend"},{"work":"Theodosius of Alexandria, Homily on Michael","relation":"Another homily on Michael in the Coptic tradition, possibly related.","key":"dossier:coptic-theodosius-michael","label":"gap dossier: Encomium on Saint Michael the Archangel","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-theodosius-michael"},{"work":"1 Enoch","relation":"The litany of angels and living creatures draws on Enochic and Revelation traditions.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:John Chrysostom","label":"John Chrysostom","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chrysostom","reason":"The homily is pseudepigraphically attributed to him."},{"key":"wikipedia:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church","label":"Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church","reason":"The homily is used liturgically in this tradition."},{"key":"wikipedia:Archangel Michael","label":"Archangel Michael","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_%28archangel%29","reason":"The homily is devoted to Michael."},{"key":"wikipedia:Geʽez","label":"Geʽez","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge%CA%BDez","reason":"The homily is composed in this language."},{"key":"wikipedia:Synaxarion","label":"Synaxarion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium","reason":"The homily is included in the Ethiopian Synaxarion."}],"cautions":["The homily is undated; composition may be earlier than the 15th–16th century manuscripts.","Attribution to John Chrysostom is pseudepigraphic and not historical.","No Greek or Coptic Vorlage is known; the work is likely original to Ethiopic.","The source edition (betmas) lacks a critical apparatus; variant readings and manuscript relationships are unexamined."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000513,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:26:04Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT3981Homily","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":3,"translated":3,"commentary_passages":3,"commentary_units":17,"english_words":592,"source_letters":1384,"commentary_kinds":6},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The homily is attributed to John (Chrysostom) in the Geʿez tradition, but the work is anonymous and likely pseudepigraphic, composed in Ethiopic rather than translated from Greek.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The text survives only in Ethiopic manuscripts, with no known Greek or Coptic Vorlage. It is part of a larger corpus of Geʿez homilies on Michael, often transmitted in the same codices as other angelological works.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi","label":"gap dossier: The Book of Spiritual Medicine (anonymous penitential manual, distinct from the compilation of Michael of ʾAṯrīb)","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi"},{"key":"dossier:coptic-theodosius-michael","label":"gap dossier: Encomium on Saint Michael the Archangel","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-theodosius-michael"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This homily is read in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church on the 12th of each month, the regular feast of Michael, and is included in the printed Ethiopian Synaxarion as a reading for that day.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["hollis:alma990018390203941"]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The homily cannot be securely dated. It is attributed to John Chrysostom (d. 407) but is certainly later; the earliest Ethiopic manuscripts are from the 15th–16th centuries, though the composition may be earlier.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The source edition (betmas) does not provide a critical apparatus or collation of multiple manuscripts. Variant readings, scribal emendations, and the relationship to other Ethiopic Michael homilies remain unexamined.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: homily in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 3 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":3},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT3981Homily":{"label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"},"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi":{"label":"gap dossier: The Book of Spiritual Medicine (anonymous penitential manual, distinct from the compilation of Michael of ʾAṯrīb)","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi"},"dossier:coptic-theodosius-michael":{"label":"gap dossier: Encomium on Saint Michael the Archangel","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-theodosius-michael"},"dossier:coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend":{"label":"gap dossier: Coptic Life (legend) of John Chrysostom","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ዘተናገረ፡ ዮሐንስ፡ ጳጳስ፡ በእንተ፡ አሐዱ፡ ብእሲ፡ ዕቡይ፡ ዘይነበር፡ በአሐቲ፡ ሀገር፡\nወልቡ፡ ፀዋግ፡ ከመ፡ ፈርዖን፡ ወአልቦቱ፡ ጾም፡ ወጸሎት። ወሀሎ፡ አሐዱ፡ ብእሲ፡ ነዳይ፡ ዘይነብር፡ በጎረቤቱ፡ ምስለ፡ ብእሲቱ፡ ወርቱዕ፡ ሃይማኖቶሙ፡ ወይፀመድዎ፡ ለቅዱስ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ሊቀ፡ መላእክት፡ ወትረ፡\nወይሰርሑ፡ ለበዓሉ፡ ወይውህቡ፡ ኵሎ፡ ዘረከቡ፡ ለነዳያን፡ ወለምስኪናን። ወርእዮ፡ ዝኩ፡ ባዕል፡ ዘጎሮሙ፡ ያንጕረጕር፡ በልቡ፡ እንዘ፡ ይብል፡ በእንተ፡ እሉ፡ ነዳያን፡ እለ፡ አልቦሙ፡ ዘይበልዑ፡ ወይሰትዩ፡ ወኢይረክቡ፡ ለርእሶሙ፡\nምንተኒ፡ ምንተ፡ ይውህቡ፡ ለነዳያን። ወአሐተ፡ ዕለተ፡ ጸውዖ፡ ለነዳይ፡ ወይቤሎ፡ አንተ፡ ብእሲ፡ ዘአልብከ፡ ገራህት፡ ዘትረዝዕ፡ ወአልብከ፡ ዘትሠይጥ፡ ወዘትሣየጥ፡ በአይቴ፡ ትረክብ፡ ዘትውሀብ፡\nለነዳይ። ወይቤሎ፡ ነዳይ፡ አነኒ፡ ወብእሲትየ፡ ሶበ፡ ንጼውዕ፡ ስመ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ሊቀ፡ መላእክት፡ ይውህበነ፡ ኃይለ፡ ወበረከተ፡ ወንሰርሕ፡ በእደዊነ፡ ብዙኅ፡ ስራሐ፡\nወይትባረክ፡ ቦቱ፡ ግብረ፡ እደዊነ፡ ወበጊዜሃ፡ ተኀፍረ፡ ውእቱ፡ ዕቡይ፡ ባዕል፡ ወአርመመ።","english":"John the bishop spoke concerning a certain rich man who dwelt in a certain city, and his heart was hard as Pharaoh’s, and he had no fasting nor prayer. And there was a certain poor man who dwelt in his neighborhood with his wife, and their faith was steadfast, and they would devote themselves continually to the holy Michael, the chief of the angels, and they would prepare for his feast and give all that they had to the poor and the needy. And that rich man, their neighbor, saw this and murmured in his heart, saying concerning these poor ones who have nothing to eat nor drink and cannot obtain for themselves anything at all, how then do they give to the poor? And one day he summoned the poor man and said to him, “You, a man who has no plow to till with, and you have nothing to sow or to reap, where do you find what to give to the poor?” And the poor man said to him, “I and my wife, when we invoke the name of Michael, the chief of the angels, he gives us strength and blessing, and we prepare with our hands much work, and our handiwork is blessed thereby; and at that time that rich man was ashamed and confounded.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage opens the homily with a narrative contrast between a rich, hard-hearted man and a poor, faithful couple devoted to Michael.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ፀዋግ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ፀዋግ (ṣawāg) means 'hard' or 'obdurate,' here likening the rich man's heart to Pharaoh's, a standard trope for impiety.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The rich man's question about the poor giving alms reflects a common hagiographic motif testing faith through economic paradox.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi","label":"gap dossier: The Book of Spiritual Medicine (anonymous penitential manual, distinct from the compilation of Michael of ʾAṯrīb)","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ፈርዖን","severity":"info","text":"The comparison to Pharaoh evokes Exodus imagery of hardened heart, possibly alluding to Pharaoh's refusal to release Israel (Exod 5–14).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This homily is attributed to John (likely Chrysostom) in the Ethiopic tradition, though it is anonymous; the narrative style aligns with Coptic Michael legends.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:coptic-theodosius-michael","label":"gap dossier: Encomium on Saint Michael the Archangel","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-theodosius-michael"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወርቱዕ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ወርቱዕ ሃይማኖቶሙ (wartuʿ haymanotomu) is ambiguous: it may mean 'their faith was steadfast' or 'their faith was abundant'; the draft takes the former.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'John the bishop' is uncertain; the text may refer to John Chrysostom or another John, but the homily is anonymous in the Ethiopic tradition.","The phrase 'ወርቱዕ ሃይማኖቶሙ' could be read as 'their faith was abundant' rather than 'steadfast,' though the context supports steadfastness."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ወአነ፡ አቡክሙ፡ ዮሐንስ፡ ጳጳስ፡ ዘኢትዮጵያ፡ ወአንትሙ፡ ደቂቅየ፡ ወሕዝብየ፡ ዘወሀበኒ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ሰአሉ፡ ወጸልዩ፡ ከመ፡ ንርከብ፡ ሞገሰ፡ ወሣህለ፡\nወምሕረተ፡ በቅድሜሁ፡ ለመፍቀሬ፡ ሰብእ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ በጸሎቱ፡ ለቅዱስ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ሊቀ፡ መላእክት፡ ወበትንብልናሁ፡ ለቅዱስ፡ ገብርኤል፡ አብሣሬ፡ ትስብእት፡\nወበስእለታ፡ ለእግዝእትነ፡ ማርያም፡ ወላዲተ፡ አምላክ፡ ወበጸሎቱ፡ ለዮሐንስ፡ መጥምቅ፡ ወበጸሎቶሙ፡ ለጻድቃን፡ ወሰማዕት፡ ወበስእለቶሙ፡ ለአርባዕቱ፡ እንስሳ፡ ወዕሥራ፡\nወአርባዕቱ፡ ካህናተ፡ ሰማይ። ስብሐት፡ ለአብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በረከቶሙ፡ ወሀብተ፡ ረድኤቶሙ፡ ለኵሎሙ፡ ቅዱሳን፡ የሀሉ፡ ምስሌነ። ለዘጸሐፎ፡ ወለዘአጽሐፎ፡ ለዘአንበቦ፡ ወለዘተርጐሞ፡ ወለዘሰምዐ፡ ቃላቲሁ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ይምሐሮሙ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ በመንግሥተ፡ ሰማያት፡ ለዓለመ፡\nዓለም፡ አሜን።","english":"I, your father John, bishop of Ethiopia, and you, my children and my people whom God has given me, ask and pray that we may find favor, mercy, and compassion before the lover of mankind, God, through the prayer of the holy Michael, chief of the angels, and through the glory of the holy Gabriel, announcer of the incarnation, and through the intercession of our Lady Mary, mother of God, and through the prayer of John the Baptist, and through the prayers of the righteous and martyrs, and through the intercession of the four living creatures and the twenty-four heavenly priests. Praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May their blessing and the gift of their help, of all the saints, be with us—for the one who wrote it, for the one who caused it to be written, for the one who read it, for the one who translated it, and for the one who heard its words together. May God have mercy on them in the kingdom of heaven forever and ever. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a scribal or authorial colophon appended to the narrative, shifting from story to a prayer for blessing on all who copy, read, translate, or hear the work.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትዮጵያ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'Ḥətyopya' (ኢትዮጵያ) here refers to Ethiopia, but in this homily it may be a later addition to the name of John, bishop, aligning the text with Ethiopian ecclesiastical tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The invocation of Michael, Gabriel, Mary, John the Baptist, the righteous, martyrs, four living creatures, and twenty-four heavenly priests reflects a standard Ethiopic litany, drawing on Revelation 4:6–8 and 1 Enoch.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi","label":"gap dossier: The Book of Spiritual Medicine (anonymous penitential manual, distinct from the compilation of Michael of ʾAṯrīb)","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-faws-manfasawi"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The colophon's blessing for scribes, readers, translators, and hearers indicates the text's use in liturgical or communal reading, typical of Ethiopic homilies transmitted in manuscript form.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'bishop of Ethiopia' may be anachronistic or a scribal interpolation, as the homily is attributed to John (possibly Chrysostom) but the Ethiopian setting is not original.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend","label":"gap dossier: Coptic Life (legend) of John Chrysostom","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/coptic-anon-life-john-chrysostom-legend"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'John, bishop of Ethiopia' is uncertain; it may refer to John Chrysostom or a local figure, but the Ethiopian epithet is likely secondary.","The phrase 'four living creatures and the twenty-four heavenly priests' could be interpreted as angelic beings or as the elders of Revelation, but the text does not specify."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"After\nበስመአብ፡ ወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፩አምላክ፡ ድርሳን፡ ዘቅዱስ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ሊቀ፡ መላእክት፡ ዘይትነበብ፡ በውርኃ፡ ኃምሌ፡ ዘተናገረ፡\nዮሃንስ፡ ጳጳስ፡ ዘብሔረ፡\nኢትዮጵያ፡\nበ አኩሰም፡ ትንብልናሁ፡ የሀሉ፡\nወነበረ፡ ፩ብሲ፡ ጸዋግ፡ ከመ፡ ፈርዖን፡ ወኢየ፡ አምር፡ ጾመ፡ ወጽሎተ፡ ወፅኑእ፡ ልቡ፡ ከመ፡ አብነ፡ አየ፡\nማሰ፡ ወበጥቃሁ፡ ይንብር፡ ነደ፡ ዘአልቦቱ፡ ሲሳየ፡ እለተ፡ ወርቱዕ፡ ሃይማኖቱ፡ ምስለ፡ ብእሲቱ፡ ወይጸመድዎ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ወይገብሩ፡ ተካሮ፡ ለቅዱስ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ወይሁቡ፡\nእምዘ፡ ረከቡ፡ ለነዳያን፡ ወለምኪናን፡ ወበጸሎቱ፡ ለዮሐንስ፡ መጥምቅ፡ ወቦ፡ ስለቶሙ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ወገብርኤል፡ ወበ፡ ጸሎተ፡ ኩሎሙ፡ ቅዱሳን፡\nሰማዕት፡ ጸድቃን፡ ነቢያት፡ ወሐዋርያት፡ ይምሐረነ፡ ወይሣህልነ፡ ለእመ፡ ረከብክሙ፡ ሀቡ፡ ወለእመ፡ ኢረከብክሙ፡ ሀቡ፡ ማየ፡ በእንተ፡ ስሞሙ፡ ሚካኤል፡ ወገብርኤል፡ ወይትኈለቅ፡\nለክሙ፡ ጽድቀ፡ ሎቱ፡ ሰብሐት፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለ፡ ዓሜን፡","english":"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. A homily of the holy Michael, chief of the angels, which is read in the month of Ḥamle, spoken by John, bishop of the land of Ethiopia, in Aksum, where his see is. And there was a certain evil man, like Pharaoh, and he did not know fasting and prayer, and his heart was hard as stone. He saw a vision, and by his strength he dwelt in fire, having no sustenance, and his faith was fat with his wife. And they harness themselves to God, and they make a feast for the holy Michael, and they give from what they have received to the poor and the needy. And by the prayer of John the Baptist, and by the intercession of Michael and Gabriel, and by the prayer of all the holy martyrs, the righteous, the prophets, and the apostles, may he have mercy on us and pardon us. If you have received, give; and if you have not received, give water in the name of Michael and Gabriel. And may righteousness be increased for you, praise to the world of worlds. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"በስመአብ፡ ወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፩አምላክ፡","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with a trinitarian invocation typical of Geʿez homilies, marking the start of the narrative section after the preceding exhortation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጸዋግ፡","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ጸዋግ (ṣawāg) is rendered 'evil man' in the draft; it can also mean 'wicked' or 'tyrant,' and the comparison to Pharaoh reinforces a stock figure of impiety.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትዮጵያ፡","severity":"info","text":"The homily is attributed to John, bishop of Ethiopia, with his see in Aksum, linking the text to the Aksumite ecclesiastical tradition, though the work's actual provenance is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ከመ፡ ፈርዖን፡","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of the evil man to Pharaoh echoes the biblical portrayal of Pharaoh as a hardened, impious ruler (e.g., Exodus), a common trope in homiletic literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ድርሳን፡ ዘቅዱስ፡ ሚካኤል፡","severity":"info","text":"This homily is prescribed for reading in the month of Ḥamle, indicating its liturgical use in the Ethiopian tradition, likely for the feast of Michael on the 12th of that month.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT3981Homily","label":"betmas: Homily on the Archangel Michael by John","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT3981Homily"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢየ፡ አምር፡","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ወኢየ፡ አምር፡ (wa-ʿayya ʾamr) is ambiguous; the draft reads 'he did not know,' but it could also mean 'he did not see' or 'he did not understand,' affecting the interpretation of the man's ignorance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase ወኢየ፡ አምር፡ could be read as 'he did not know' or 'he did not see,' leaving the nature of the man's ignorance unclear.","The clause ወይጸመድዎ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ is syntactically ambiguous: it may mean 'they harness themselves to God' (as in the draft) or 'they yoke themselves to God,' a metaphor for devotion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}