{"slug":"LIT4274AkkonuB","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","title":"Is it not that a man…?","author":"Anonymous","genre":"poetry","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T04:53:09Z","cost_usd":0.010776},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","work_id":"LIT4274AkkonuB","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"},"stats":{"passages":19,"english_words":3895,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":114,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":47,"work_notes":4,"external_links":5,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"LIT4274AkkonuB","abstract":"This anonymous Ethiopic poem, surviving in a single 18th–19th century manuscript (Betmaṣ 42), opens with a rhetorical question and mixes narrative with petition. Its private or occasional use is suggested by its absence from Ethiopian liturgical and canonical traditions. The text invokes a 'blessed Hebrew in the land of Akhmim,' likely a legendary figure from Coptic monasticism, and mentions an obscure 'book of the serpent.' The name 'Damianos' appears as a supplicant, indicating possible composition for a specific individual. The poem references the archangel Gabriel and a 'staff of the covenant,' possibly a symbol of ecclesiastical authority.","historical_context":"The poem is preserved in Geʿez, the classical language of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, but its place of composition is uncertain. The manuscript is dated palaeographically to the 18th–19th century, though the work may be older. The reference to Akhmim in Upper Egypt suggests Coptic influence, as Akhmim was a center of Coptic monasticism with legendary associations. The poem's private, non-liturgical character aligns with a tradition of devotional poetry composed for individual patrons or monks. The name 'Damianos' points to a possible monastic or lay patron. The work's transmission is limited to a single witness, indicating a narrow circulation, perhaps within a specific monastic community or scriptorium. The lack of colophon or internal dating leaves its origins obscure, but the text reflects a blend of Ethiopian and Egyptian Christian literary motifs.","significance":"This poem provides a rare example of private devotional poetry in the Ethiopic tradition, outside the canonical and liturgical corpus. Its references to Coptic geography and apocryphal motifs (e.g., 'book of the serpent') highlight cross-cultural exchanges between Ethiopian and Egyptian Christianity. The personal invocation of Damianos offers insight into the practice of commissioning poetry for individual spiritual patrons.","timeline":[{"date":"18th–19th c.","event":"Manuscript Betmaṣ 42 copied (palaeographic dating)"},{"date":"Undated","event":"Composition of the poem (unknown, possibly earlier than the manuscript)"},{"date":"4th–5th c.","event":"Flourishing of Coptic monasticism in Akhmim, Upper Egypt"},{"date":"1st c.","event":"Biblical Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), referenced in the poem"}],"relations":[{"work":"Gospel of Luke","relation":"Source for the angel of the Annunciation (Gabriel)","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ethiopic Marian poetry","relation":"Shares personal invocation and devotional style","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Coptic monastic literature","relation":"Possible influence via reference to Akhmim","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Apocryphal serpent traditions","relation":"Possible source for 'book of the serpent'","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Akhmim","label":"Akhmim","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhmim","reason":"Location referenced in the poem as a center of Coptic monasticism"},{"key":"wikipedia:Gabriel","label":"Angel Gabriel","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel","reason":"Angel of the Annunciation mentioned in the poem"},{"key":"wikipedia:Geʽez","label":"Geʽez language","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge%CA%BDez","reason":"Language of the poem"},{"key":"wikipedia:Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church","label":"Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church","reason":"Religious context of the poem's transmission"},{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"Betmaṣ 42 manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941","reason":"Single surviving witness of the poem"}],"cautions":["Date of composition is unknown; the manuscript is dated palaeographically to the 18th–19th century, but the poem may be older.","The 'book of the serpent' is obscure and may be a textual corruption or reference to a lost apocryphal work.","The identity of 'Damianos' is uncertain; he may be a monk, patron, or fictional supplicant.","The poem's attribution is anonymous, and its place of composition is not securely identified."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000444,"generated":"2026-11-15T01:12:28Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT4274AkkonuB","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":19,"translated":19,"commentary_passages":19,"commentary_units":114,"english_words":3895,"source_letters":8713,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work survives in a single manuscript witness, Betmaṣ 42, which is the basis for the present edition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"No colophon or internal evidence dates the poem; the manuscript is assigned to the 18th–19th century on palaeographic grounds.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The poem is not attested in the Ethiopian liturgical or canonical tradition; its use appears to have been private or occasional.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not provide a critical apparatus or translation; the Geʿez text is presented without annotation of variant readings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily 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: poetry in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 19 narrative."},{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","text":"1 scriptural phrase match(es) noted: Luke 1:28."},{"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":19},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB":{"label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"},"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB":{"label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"},"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging":{"label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"},"hollis:alma990028311540203941":{"label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"from\n\nአኮኑ፡ ብእሲ፡ ሶበ፡ ሐኒጸ፡ ቤት፡ አፍተዎ፨ ኵሎ፡ ፃዕፃዖ፡ ያቀድም፡ አስተዳልዎ፨ እስእለኪ፡ ሀብኒ፡ መንፈሰ፡ ጥበብ፡ ወአለብዎ፨ መንክራተኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ሶበ፡ ፈቀድኩ፡ ዜንዎ፨ ወለሠናይትኪ፡ ረትዓኒ፡ እትልዎ፨\n\nሶበ፡ ወሀበኪ፡ ዘልፈ፡ ሰላመ፡ መልአክ፡ ብስራታዊ፨ ፍቁርኪ፡ ገባራዊ፨ ከመ፡ ባረኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ማርያም፡ መጽሐፈ፡ ሓዊ፨ ባርክኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ምስለ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ናዝራዊ፨ በበረከቶሙ፡ ለይሁዳ፡ ወልዊ፨\n\nዕብራዊ፡ ብፁዕ፡ ውስተ፡ ምድረ፡ አክሚም፡ ዘልህቀ፨ እንዘ፡ ይሴብሕ፡ ስመኪ፡ ሶበ፡ ሰገደ፡ ወወድቀ፨ ከመ፡ አስተርአይኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ወተናበብኪዮ፡ ጽድቀ፨ ማርያም፡ አስተርእይኒ፡ ኀበ፡ ረሰይኩ፡ ምርፋቀ፨ እስመ፡ ሕሊናየ፡ ዘንተ፡ ያስተሐምም፡ ጥቀ፨\n\nለድምያኖስ፡ ዘተፀምደኪ፡ ዲበ፡ መልዕልተ፡ ደብር፡ ነዋኅ፨ ዘጸሐፍኪ፡ ስሞ፡ ኀበ፡ ዓምደ፡ ወርቅ፡ ቀይሕ፨ ምሥራቀ፡ ፀሓይ፡ ብሩህ፡ ማርያም፡ ጽባሕ፨ ጸሐፊ፡ ስመ፡ ዚአየ፡ ዲበ፡ ልብስኪ፡ ንጹሕ፨ ወበልብሰ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ካዕበ፡ ዘበደም፡ ንዙኅ፨","english":"Is it not that a man, when he builds a house, leaves it? He prepares all his tools and arranges them. I ask you, give me the spirit of wisdom and I will adorn it. Your wonders, Mary, when I wished to recount them, and for your goodness, it pleased me to recount them.\n\nWhen the angel of the Annunciation gave you the peace of the Lord, your beloved, the mighty one, as you blessed him before Mary, the book of the serpent. Bless me, my Lady, with your son the Nazirite, by the blessing of Judah and Levi.\n\nThe blessed Hebrew in the land of Akhmim who was zealous, while he praised your name when he bowed and fell, as you appeared to him before and you announced to him righteousness. Mary, appear to me where I have chosen my resting place, for my mind is greatly troubled by this.\n\nFor Damianos, who prayed to you on the high mountain of the hermitage, whose name you wrote on the pillar of red gold, the bright east of the sun, Mary, the dawn. Write my name on your pure garment, and on the garment of your son, again, which is of pure blood.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is the first of nineteen in a poetic work. The Coptic cue 'narrative' is deterministic for this structural classification, though the Geʿez text mixes narrative and petition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አኮኑ፡ ብእሲ፡","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase 'አኮኑ፡ ብእሲ፡' (is it not that a man) is a rhetorical question formula, typical of Geʿez poetic inquiry. It sets up a comparison between human action and divine response.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ዘልህቀ","severity":"info","text":"The 'blessed Hebrew in the land of Akhmim' likely refers to a legendary figure, possibly the monk or saint associated with Akhmim in Upper Egypt, a center of Coptic monasticism. The reference to 'the book of the serpent' is obscure but may allude to a lost apocryphal tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ለድምያኖስ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Damianos' appears as a supplicant, suggesting the poem may have been composed for or about a specific individual, possibly a monk or patron. This personal invocation is a common feature in Ethiopic Marian poetry.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"መልአክ፡ ብስራታዊ","severity":"info","text":"The 'angel of the Annunciation' (መልአክ፡ ብስራታዊ) refers to the archangel Gabriel, who announced the birth of Christ to Mary. This is a direct echo of the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"መጽሐፈ፡ ሓዊ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'book of the serpent' (መጽሐፈ፡ ሓዊ) is obscure and may be a textual corruption or a reference to a lost apocryphal work. Its meaning in context is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'blessed Hebrew' in Akhmim is unclear; it may be a saint or a biblical figure.","The phrase 'book of the serpent' is ambiguous and may be a scribal error or a reference to an unknown text.","The relationship between the opening rhetorical question and the subsequent Marian petitions is not explicitly stated."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"አመ፡ እዴሁ፡ መተረ፡ ነሢኦ፡ መጥባሕተ፡ ማኅመሜ፨ አባስ፡ ካህነ፡ ሮሜ፨ ከመ፡ ፈወስኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ማርያም፡ እኅተ፡ ሰሎሜ፨ ፈውሲ፡ ቍስለ፡ ነፍስየ፡ ወጸግውኒ፡ ሱላሜ፨ ጊዜ፡ ተዘመርኩ፡ ስመኪ፡ ቀዋሜ፨\n\nይስሓቅ፡ መነኮስ፡ እምድኅረ፡ ጽሕቀ፡ ወተመነየ፨ ገጸኪ፡ ልኁየ፡ በዕለተ፡ ርእየ፨ ከመ፡ ትቤልዮ፡ ሎቱ፡ እስከ፡ ፈድፋደ፡ ተኃሥየ፨ በልኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ተፈሣሕ፡ ቍልዔየ፨ እምድኅረ፡ ዕለታት፡ ሠላስ፡ ትሄሉ፡ ምስሌየ፨\n\nዘአትለውኪያ፡ ማርያም፡ ወነሣእኪያ፡ ጽሚተ፨ ለወለት፡ አሓቲ፡ እንተ፡ ትለብስ፡ ሜላተ፨ ከመ፡ አሣዕነኪ፡ እፁር፡ ወምርጉዘኪ፡ ሕይወተ፨ ኀበ፡ ሖርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ አትልውኒ፡ ሊተ፨ ብፁዕ፡ ገብር፡ ዘይትሉ፡ እግዝእተ፨\n\nምስለ፡ ዓራቱ፡ ዘዕፅ፡ ጊዜ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ተነጽሓ፨ ከመ፡ ረዳእኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ወባላህኪዮ፡ ኣሜሃ፨ ለዘሠዓለኪ፡ ብእሲ፡ መካነ፡ ብካይ፡ ወፍሥሓ፨ ባልህኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ እንተ፡ ትሠረገዊ፡ ንጽሓ፨ ሶበ፡ አኅጕሎትየ፡ ጽህቀ፡ ለሐሰት፡ አቡሃ፨","english":"From his hand the measure of the staff of the covenant of the priest of Rome, as you healed before Mary, sister of Salome. Heal the wound of my soul and grant me peace. When I sang your name, the enduring one.\n\nIsaac the monk, after he thirsted and became a monk, your face was changed for him on the day he saw, as you said to him until he was utterly hidden. Tell me, my Lady, rejoice my little ones. After three days, you will go with me.\n\nWhat you gave to Mary and took the veil for the only daughter who wears a garment, as I made you hear the word and your chosen life. Where you went, my Lady, give to me. Blessed is the servant who gives to the Lady.\n\nWith his wooden bed, when it was bound together, as you helped him before and made him forget then, for the man who asked you for a place of weeping and joy. Make me forget, my Lady, who is pure. When my thoughts thirsted for the falsehood of his father.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መጥባሕተ፡ ማኅመሜ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'staff of the covenant' likely refers to a liturgical or monastic symbol of authority, possibly the staff of a priest of Rome (i.e., the bishop of Rome).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"እኅተ፡ ሰሎሜ","severity":"info","text":"Salome is traditionally identified as the sister of Mary in apocryphal literature, notably the Protoevangelium of James, where she witnesses the birth of Jesus.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Protoevangelium of James"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ይስሓቅ፡ መነኮስ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts to a narrative about Isaac the monk, whose face is changed after seeing Mary, echoing a hagiographic trope of spiritual transformation.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሠላስ፡ ትሄሉ፡ ምስሌየ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'three days' may allude to the resurrection of Christ after three days, a common typological motif in Christian poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ካህነ፡ ሮሜ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to a 'priest of Rome' suggests a connection to the Roman Church, possibly indicating a later Ethiopic reception of Roman liturgical or hagiographic traditions.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ለሐሰት፡ አቡሃ","severity":"caution","text":"The final line 'the falsehood of his father' is obscure; it may refer to a theological error or a personal narrative, but the text is ambiguous and possibly corrupt.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the priest of Rome' is unclear; it may be a specific historical figure or a generic title.","The phrase 'the falsehood of his father' is syntactically and semantically ambiguous, possibly a textual corruption or a reference to a lost narrative."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ዐጸደ፡ ወይን፡ ማርያም፡ ዘጣዕመ፡ ፍሬሃ፡ አዳም፨ ውስነ፡ ጽጌሃ፡ ልምሉም፨ ኀበ፡ ተቀብረ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ኢየሩሳሌም፨ ሶበ፡ ሰአለኪ፡ በተማኅፅኖ፡ ነጋዲ፡ ሕሙም፨ ከመ፡ አብጸሕኪዮ፡ ለስዒም፡ አብጽሕኒ፡ ዮም፨\n\nዘካርያስ፡ ወሬዛ፡ ህየንተ፡ ኃምሳ፡ ጽጌ፡ ረዳ፨ አስትዓ፡ ማኅሌት፡ ለኪ፡ ሶበ፡ አወፈየኪ፡ ጋዳ፨ ከመ፡ አድኀንኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ እምቀትለ፡ ፈያት፡ ማእከለ፡ በዳ፨ አድኅንኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ወባልህኒ፡ እምዕዳ፨ አመ፡ ኢያሰልጥ፡ ወርቅ፤ ወባህርይ፡ ፀዓዳ፨\n\nኃይልኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ስነነ፡ ኃጥአን፡ ሰበረ፨ ኅብስተ፡ አዋልድ፡ ክልኤቲ፡ ሶበ፡ ተፍዕሙ፡ ኅቡረ፨ በኃይልኪ፡ ዝንቱ፡ እንተ፡ አርአየ፡ መንክረ፨ ገብርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ዘኢያአምር፡ ተግባረ፨ ውስተ፡ መቅደስኪ፡ እፈቱ፡ ኃዲረ፨\n\nዐረባውያን፡ ዕደው፡ እለ፡ ውኂዘ፡ ማይ፡ ኃየሎሙ፨ ማርያም፡ ስመኪ፡ ሶበ፡ ዘከሩ፡ ቀዲሙ፨ ከመ፡ ኮነ፡ ብእሲ፡ እንተ፡ ተሳለቀ፡ ቦሙ፨ ፀርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ለለጌሰሙ፡ ወዓሙ፨ ሲሳየ፡ ሐርገፅ፡ ይኩን፤ ወይዘርዘር፡ ዓፅሙ፨","english":"The vine of Mary, whose fruit is bitter to Adam, within her flower is tender. Where your son is buried, Jerusalem, when you were asked by the supplication of the sick shepherd, as you caused the blind man to see, cause me to see today.\n\nZechariah and Elizabeth, among fifty flowers of the myrtle, offered a hymn to you when they presented you with a gift. As you saved him before from the sword of the executioner in the midst of the desert, save me, my Lady, and deliver me from the hand when the gold is sifted and the sea is white.\n\nYour power, Mary, broke the strength of sinners. The bread of the two children when they were joined together. By this your power, which showed a wonder, your servant, my Lady, whose deed I do not know, dwells within your sanctuary.\n\nThe Arabs, the wild ones, who lack water, your name, Mary, when they remembered it before, as it happened to the man who mocked them, your enemy, my Lady, consumed them and killed them. May the food of the locust be, and may it scatter their bones.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐጸደ ወይን ማርያም","severity":"info","text":"The vine of Mary is a Marian metaphor common in Geʿez hymnody, evoking Christ as the grape and Mary as the vine that bears the fruit of salvation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ከመ አብጸሕኪዮ ለስዒም","severity":"info","text":"The healing of the blind man (ስዒም) recalls John 9:1–7, where Jesus restores sight; here Mary is implored to perform a similar miracle.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘካርያስ ወሬዛ","severity":"info","text":"Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist, are invoked as exemplars of offering hymns and gifts to Mary, a motif not found in canonical Gospels but developed in apocryphal traditions.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ኅብስተ አዋልድ ክልኤቲ","severity":"info","text":"The bread of two children joined together may parallel the apocryphal story of Mary saving two children from a demon or famine, a common hagiographic trope.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐረባውያን ዕደው","severity":"info","text":"The Arabs, wild ones lacking water, who remember Mary's name and are saved, reflect a trope in Ethiopic hagiography where hostile peoples are converted or punished by Marian intervention.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሲሳየ ሐርገፅ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'food of the locust' is obscure; it may be a curse invoking plague or a metaphor for divine punishment, but the exact sense is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'sick shepherd' (ነጋዲ ሕሙም) is ambiguous; possibly a biblical figure or a local saint.","The 'gold sifted and sea white' (ኢያሰልጥ ወርቅ ወባህርይ ፀዓዳ) is a cryptic image, perhaps alluding to a specific miracle or eschatological event."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ኃይለኪ፡ ጽኑዓ፡ ወመንክረኪ፡ ትክሥቲ፨ ከመ፡ አፍለስኪያ፡ ቅድመ፡ ለደብረ፡ ዕቆና፡ እንታክቲ፨ መንገለ፡ ኃሣር፡ ወወይሌ፡ ማርያም፡ ወለተ፡ ማቲ፨ አፍልሲ፡ ክብረ፡ ፀርየ፡ በጽንዓ፡ እዴኪ፡ ዛቲ፨ አኮኑ፡ ምክህየ፡ ወዝክርየ፡ አንቲ፨\n\nተወኪፈኪ፡ ስእለቶ፡ እምሐሊብኪ፡ መንፈሳዊ፨ ዘቀባዕኪ፡ ዓይኖ፡ ለዮሓንስ፡ አረጋዊ፨ ማርያም፡ ድንግል፡ ወለተ፡ ንጉሥ፡ ሐሴቦናዊ፨ ተወከፊ፡ ቃለ፡ አፉየ፡ ወጽራኅየ፡ ለብዊ፨ ወኀበ፡ ስእለትየ፡ ካዕበ፡ ዕዝነኪ፡ ጽልዊ፨\n\nሕይወተ፡ ሕሙማን፡ ማርያም፡ ዘፈወስኪዮ፡ እምቍስሉ፨ ለባዕል፡ ጽርዓዊ፡ እንተ፡ ተነድፈ፡ አባሉ፨ ከመ፡ ተአምረኪ፡ እስብክ፡ ወመንክረኪ፡ እተሉ፨ ስሕትኒ፡ ምስለ፡ ትፍሥሕት፤ ወምስለ፡ ጥዒና፡ አሀሉ፨ እስከ፡ አመ፡ እብል፡ ድኅረ፤ ተፈጸመ፡ ኵሉ፨\n\nለወለተ፡ ብእሲ፡ ባዕል፡ እንተ፡ አዖራ፡ በደዶ፨ ዘአብራህኪ፡ ዓይና፡ ሶበ፡ ሰአለተኪ፡ በተዓንግዶ፨ ፈለገ፡ ረድኤት፡ ማርያም፡ ዘትሰመዪ፡ መጌዶ፨ ለንጉሥ፡ በዕለተ፡ መርዓ፡ ይበልዕ፡ ማዕዶ፨ በማየ፡ ንጽሕኪ፡ ዘሐፀበ፡ እዶ፨","english":"Your strength is firm, and your miracle is a remedy. As you turned back before the mountain of ʿEqona, the suppliant, toward the path of sorrow and woe, Mary, daughter of Matti, turn back the glory of my enemy by the strength of your hand, this one. Is it not you who are my counsel and my memory?\n\nTrusting in her prayer from your spiritual milk, you who anointed the eye of John the Elder, Mary, virgin, daughter of the king of Ḥasētonawi, accept the word of my mouth and the cry of my heart, and incline your ear again to my prayer.\n\nLife of the sick, Mary, you who healed him from his wound, for the distant enemy who was cast down in his mourning, as I proclaim your sign and recount your miracle, join me with joy and with consolation, until I say afterward: it is all finished.\n\nFor the daughter of a man, a distant one who was blind from birth, you who caused the eye to see when she asked you in supplication, river of help, Mary, who is called your guide, for the king on the day of the wedding, may he consume his feast, by the water of your purity which touched the hand.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኃይለኪ ጽኑዓ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'your strength is firm' echoes a common epithet for Mary in Ethiopic hymnody, emphasizing her intercessory power.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ደብረ ዕቆና","severity":"info","text":"The mountain of ʿEqona is an otherwise unattested toponym; it may refer to a legendary site in the Marian cycle or a local Ethiopian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዮሓንስ አረጋዊ","severity":"info","text":"John the Elder (John the Evangelist) is associated with anointing eyes in apocryphal acts; here Mary is credited with healing his eye.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"አኮኑ ምክህየ ወዝክርየ አንቲ","severity":"info","text":"The rhetorical question 'Is it not you who are my counsel and my memory?' marks a structural pivot from narrative to direct invocation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ማርያም ድንግል ወለተ ንጉሥ ሐሴቦናዊ","severity":"info","text":"The epithet 'daughter of the king of Ḥasētonawi' is rare; it may reflect a local Ethiopian royal genealogy or a lost hagiographic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ለባዕል ጽርዓዊ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'for the distant enemy' is ambiguous: it could refer to a spiritual adversary or a literal foe; the translation opts for the latter.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the distant enemy' (ባዕል ጽርዓዊ) is unclear; it may be a demon, a human opponent, or a metaphor for sin.","The toponym 'mountain of ʿEqona' (ደብረ ዕቆና) is not attested elsewhere; its significance is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ማርያም፡ ንግሥት፡ ምስለ፡ ኵሎሙ፡ ደቂቃ፨ ዘትትሜካህ፡ ብኪ፡ እመ፡ እስራኤል፡ ርብቃ፨ ለዕቤራይት፡ አሓቲ፡ ክበደ፡ ተፅናስ፡ እንተ፡ አጽዓቃ፨ ከመ፡ ናዘዝኪያ፡ ወፈጸምኪ፡ ጻህቃ፨ ናዝዝኒ፡ ጸሎትየ፡ ኢትግባእ፡ ዕራቃ፨\n\nብኪ፡ ተመይጡ፡ እምፍኖተ፡ ጌጋይ፡ ዘኢመፍትው፨ እለ፡ ጸሐፉ፡ ስመኪ፡ ክልኤቱ፡ አኃው፨ ርኂተ፡ ምግባር፡ ማርያም፡ እምፀበለ፡ ኵሉ፡ አፈው፨ ቅድመ፡ ሠናይትኪ፡ ወርኅራኄኪ፡ ቅድው፨ አሥምሮ፡ ምኑን፡ ወላህይ፡ ሕስው፨\n\nሶበ፡ ጊዮርጊስ፡ ኖመ፡ እምጽንዓ፡ ኵነኔ፡ ዕፁብ፨ ከመ፡ ኣስተርአይኪዮ፡ ሎቱ፡ በአርኣያ፡ ፅዕዱት፡ ርግብ፨ ወለተ፡ ንጉሥ፡ መክብብ፡ ማርያም፡ ጠባብ፨ መልዕልተ፡ ምስሐል፡ ከመ፡ ይጼልል፡ ኪሩብ፨ ጽልልኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ክንፈኪ፡ ዘላህብ፨\n\nዓቃቢ፡ ምዑክ፡ አመ፡ ምስለ፡ ከጢር፡ ተባአሰ፨ ዘአጽወስኪ፡ እግሮ፡ እስከነ፡ ፈለሰ፨ ንግሥተ፡ ሰማይ፡ ማርያም፡ እንተ፡ ወለድኪ፡ ንጉሠ፨ እግረ፡ ዕድዋንየ፡ ረስዪ፡ ጽቡሰ፨ ወበዲበ፡ ፀርየ፡ ካዕበ፡ ፈንዊ፡ ተፅናሰ፨","english":"Mary, queen with all the subtle ones, who is adorned in you, mother of Israel, Rebecca. For the suppliant, one sister, heavy affliction, who has been strengthened. As you turned back and completed the path of sorrow, turn back my prayer, O let it return to the gate.\n\nIn you are mingled from the path of error, which is bitter. Those who wrote your name, the two brothers. Distant in deed, Mary, from the multitude of all mouths. Before your goodness and your mercy, the first. The mind is weak, and the tongue is silent.\n\nWhen George slept from the strength of the wondrous judgment, as you appeared to him in the form of a pure dove. Daughter of the king, the glorious, Mary, the hidden. Above the altar, as the cherub hovers, hover over me, my lady, with your wing of gold.\n\nThe keeper of the deep, when he was joined with the sword, you made his foot firm until he fled. Queen of heaven, Mary, who bore the king, take the foot of my enemies, O beautiful one, and upon my enemy again send affliction.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This stanza (the fifth of nineteen) continues the pattern of addressing Mary with epithets and petitions, shifting from a narrative of her intervention to a direct plea for protection.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ርብቃ","severity":"info","text":"Rebecca (ርብቃ) is the Old Testament matriarch, here invoked as a type of Mary, mother of Israel, linking Mary to the lineage of the patriarchs.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ጊዮርጊስ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to George (ጊዮርጊስ) sleeping and Mary appearing as a dove echoes hagiographic traditions of St. George, possibly from the Geʿez Synaxarion or homilies.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ዕቤራይት","severity":"info","text":"The term 'suppliant' (ዕቤራይት) may refer to a specific devotee or the poet himself, common in Ethiopic prayer poetry where the speaker adopts a humble persona.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ክንፈኪ ዘላህብ","severity":"info","text":"The image of Mary's 'wing of gold' (ክንፈኪ ዘላህብ) parallels cherubim imagery in Ethiopic liturgical texts, such as the Weddase Māryām, where Mary is depicted as a protective celestial being.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትግባእ","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ኢትግባእ ('let it return') is ambiguous; it may be a misspelling or variant of ኢትግባእ (imperative of 'return'), but the context suggests a petition for the prayer's return to the gate (i.e., acceptance).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the suppliant' (ዕቤራይት) is unclear; it may be the poet or a generic devotee.","The phrase 'the two brothers' (ክልኤቱ አኃው) who wrote Mary's name is obscure; possibly a reference to specific hagiographers or a lost tradition.","The verb ኢትግባእ may be a scribal error or dialectal form; the intended meaning is likely 'let it return'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"እንዘ፡ ገብረ፡ ዚአኪ፡ አነ፡ እንበለ፡ ሕፀፅ፡ ወንትጋ፨ ዘእትቀነይ፡ ለኪ፡ አምሳለ፡ አኃው፡ ዘብሔረ፡ ደልጋ፨ ማርያም፡ ግንግል፡ ማርያም፡ ምልዕተ፡ ጸጋ፨ ተገደፍኩኑ፡ እምቅድመ፡ አዕይንትኪ፡ እንጋ፨ ሶበ፡ ተዳደቀኒ፡ ግብተ፡ ለዘመን፡ ፁጋ፨\n\nለአፍርንጋዊ፡ ብእሲ፡ ሶበ፡ ኀቤኪ፡ ተማኅፀነ፨ ዘአሕየውኪ፡ እግሮ፡ እንተ፡ ኮነ፡ ዕብነ፨ ማርያም፡ ለኪ፡ ጊዜ፡ አዓርግ፡ ቍርባነ፨ ውስተ፡ ትፍሥሕትየ፡ ኢትቶስሒ፡ ኀዘነ፨ ከወ፡ ይቶስሑ፡ ምስለ፡ ማይ፡ ወይነ፨\n\nለመርቆሬዎስ፡ ካህን፡ ዘአንጻሕኪ፡ ለምጾ፨ ወአሕየውኪዮ፡ ፍጹመ፡ እምነ፡ ሕማም፡ ዘታረምጾ፨ ማርያም፡ ምልሒ፡ ለሕሊናየ፡ ሕፀፆ፨ ለወልድኪ፡ መምህረ፡ ሕግ፡ ከመ፡ ኢይርሣዕ፡ ተግሣጾ፨ ከመ፡ ዘይሬኢ፡ በመጽሔት፡ ገጾ፨\n\nለብእሲት፡ ስብርት፡ ዘአሕየውኪያ፡ እምጻማ፨ ሶበ፡ ሰአለተኪ፡ አስተሓሚማ፨ ንጉሠ፡ እስራኤል፡ አቡኪ፡ ለእለ፡ ውስተ፡ ጌት፡ ወኖባማ፨ ከመ፡ ወሀበ፡ አስትዓ፡ በጊዜ፡ ነሥአ፡ ሰቂማ፨ ጸጋ፡ መንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ሀብኒ፡ ማርያም፡ ዘራማ፨","english":"While I am your servant, I am without stain or blemish. I bow down to you like a brother from the land of Dälga. Mary, virgin, Mary, full of grace. Have I been cast out from before your eyes? When the deed of the time of affliction deceived me.\n\nFor the Frankish man, when he took refuge with you, what saved you was his foot, which was a stone. Mary, when I offer a sacrifice to you, in my joy, sorrow will be removed, as wine is removed with water.\n\nFor Merqorewos the priest, whom you raised up for the altar, and you saved him completely from the sickness that afflicts him. Mary, fill my mind with your grace. For your son, the teacher of the law, so that he may not forget his discipline, as one who sees in the mirror of his face.\n\nFor the broken woman, whom you saved from thirst, when she implored you, weeping. The king of Israel, your father, for those in Geth and Nobama, as he gave a feast when he took the measure. Grant me the grace of the Holy Spirit, Mary of Rama.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Dälga","severity":"info","text":"Dälga (ደልጋ) is a place name, possibly a region or town in Ethiopia. Its mention here may evoke a specific geographic or cultural reference familiar to the Geʿez audience.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ፍርንጋዊ (färnǧawi)","severity":"info","text":"ፍርንጋዊ (färnǧawi) means 'Frankish' or 'European,' often used in Geʿez literature to denote Western Christians, especially Crusaders or pilgrims.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መርቆሬዎስ (Märqorewos)","severity":"info","text":"መርቆሬዎስ (Märqorewos) is a personal name, likely a Geʿez form of 'Mercurius,' a common Christian name in Ethiopian tradition, possibly referring to a priest.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ንጉሠ እስራኤል (king of Israel)","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'king of Israel, your father' may allude to David, a typological figure of Christ in Ethiopian tradition, or to a specific biblical narrative involving Geth (Gath) and Nobama (possibly Nob).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"passage 6","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the pattern of intercessory petitions to Mary, each introduced by a specific supplicant (Frankish man, priest Merqorewos, broken woman), mirroring the structure of earlier passages.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘራማ (of Rama)","severity":"caution","text":"The epithet 'Mary of Rama' is unusual; Rama may refer to a place in Ethiopia or a biblical Ramah. The reading is uncertain and may reflect a textual corruption or local tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Dälga' is unclear; it may be a place or a personal name.","The phrase 'king of Israel, your father' could refer to David or another figure; the reference to Geth and Nobama is obscure.","The epithet 'Mary of Rama' is ambiguous; Rama may be a toponym or a variant of Ramah."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"Luke 1:28","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “full of grace”, which matches Luke 1:28. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"መቅደሰ፡ ኦሪት፡ ማርያም፡ ወወንጌላዊት፡ ሕንፃ፨ ጰራቅሊጦስ፡ ዘይሔውጻ፨ እምከርሠ፡ ሶፍያ፡ ፍጡነ፡ ዘሠዐርኪ፡ ፅንሰ፡ ዓመፃ፨ ይሠዓር፡ ኃጢአትየ፡ ለስእለትኪ፡ በድምፃ፨ ከመ፡ ምክረ፡ ባሕር፡ ተሥዕረ፡ በኆፃ፨\n\nእምብልሀ፡ አስይፍት፡ ወኵያንው፡ እስከ፡ ነስሓ፡ ወተጋነየ፨ ዘዐቀብኪዮ፡ ለባሮክ፡ እንተ፡ ይሰመይ፡ ጠዋየ፨ ኵሎ፡ ዘመነ፡ እንበለ፡ ዳእሙ፡ ሠናየ፨ ዕቀብኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ከመ፡ ኢይርኣይ፡ ጌጋየ፨ ወለእመኒ፡ ጌገይኩ፡ ምሕረትኪ፡ ብየ፨\n\nታቦተ፡ አምላክ፡ ማርያም፡ ዘትትከደኒ፡ ውቱረ፨ ወርቀ፡ ቅድስና፡ ጽሩየ፡ ወአኮ፡ ብሩረ፨ አንስጣስዮስ፡ ገብርኪ፡ አመ፡ በደዌሁ፡ ተፅዕረ፨ ከመ፡ አብሰርኪዮ፡ ዘያስተፌሥሕ፡ ነገረ፨ ብስራተ፡ ሰላም፡ አስምዕኒ፡ ወትረ፨\n\nእንበለ፡ ማኅፄ፡ ወመፍጽሕ፡ አመ፡ ገዳመ፡ ፈለሰ፨ ዘሰቈርኪ፡ ሎቱ፡ አረፍተ፡ ዕብን፡ ይቡሰ፨ ለዘሰአለኪ፡ ብእሲ፡ እንተ፡ ይሰመይ፡ ሣሉሰ፨ ስቍሪ፡ ገቦ፡ ፀርየ፡ ወዘጸላእትየ፡ ከርሠ፨ ነሢአኪ፡ ማርያም፡ መጥባሕተ፡ ሐዲሰ፨","english":"Sanctuary of the Law, Mary, and Evangelic Edifice. Paraclete who expels from the womb of Sophia, swift one whom you wove the conception of iniquity. May my sin be woven for your prayer with tears, as the counsel of the sea is woven on its shore.\n\nFrom the abundance of swords and spears until repentance and humility, what you preserved for Barok, who is called the wanderer, all the time without a good end. Preserve me, my Lady, as one who sees no error, and if I have erred, your mercy is abundant.\n\nArk of God, Mary, who covers me with glory, pure gold of holiness and not alloyed. Anastasius, your servant, when he was wounded by his affliction, as you announced to him a joyful matter, let me hear the news of peace continually.\n\nWithout a cave or a cleft, when he fled to the wilderness, the stone heap you built for him is rotten. For the man who asked you, who is called the third, build a wall against my enemy and the belly of my adversaries. I implore you, Mary, for a new baptism.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጰራቅሊጦስ","severity":"info","text":"Paraclete, from Greek παράκλητος, here invoked as a title of the Holy Spirit or of Christ as advocate, linked to the expulsion from the womb of Sophia (Wisdom).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሶፍያ","severity":"info","text":"Sophia, Greek for wisdom, personified; in Geʿez tradition often associated with the Holy Spirit or divine wisdom, here the source from which the Paraclete expels.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ባሮክ","severity":"info","text":"Barok, likely a biblical or hagiographic figure; the epithet 'wanderer' (ጠዋየ) may refer to a hermit or a character in a lost Ethiopic narrative.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"አንስጣስዮስ","severity":"info","text":"Anastasius, a name common among saints and monks; the speaker identifies as Anastasius, servant of Mary, possibly the author or a persona.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage comprises four stanzas, each opening with a Marian epithet (Sanctuary of the Law, Ark of God) and closing with a petition or request.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሣሉሰ","severity":"caution","text":"The name 'the third' (ሣሉሰ) is ambiguous; it may refer to a specific person (e.g., a monk named Salus) or a numeral epithet; the sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Barok and the 'third' man is unclear; the stone heap (አረፍተ ዕብን) may be a symbolic or literal structure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ፍቅርኪ፡ አድኀኖ፡ ለበላዔ፡ ሰብእ፡ ጊጉይ፨ በእንተ፡ ኅፍነ፡ ማይ፡ ዘቆመ፡ በገቦ፡ ነዳይ፨ ከንቱ፡ ከንቱ፡ ዘታሕተ፡ ሰማይ፨ ምንትኑ፡ ለእጓለ፡ እመሕያው፡ ሠናይ፨ እንበለ፡ ፍቅርኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ባህርይ፨\n\nኦንግሥት፡ ወላዲተ፡ ንጉሥ፡ ፈራቂ፨ ከመ፡ አድኀንኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ለወልደ፡ መበለት፡ ሠራቂ፨ ማርያም፡ ዘልፈ፡ አድኅኖትየ፡ ጸሐቂ፨ ለፀርየኒ፡ እስከ፡ አስናኒሁ፡ የሐቂ፨ ላዕሌሁ፡ ፈንዊ፡ ጋኔነ፡ ዘይሣቂ፨\n\nለብእሲት፡ ፅንስት፡ በሰዓተ፡ ወሊድ፡ ወሐሪስ፨ ማእከለ፡ ሞገድ፡ መፍርህ፡ ዘከደንኪያ፡ በልብስ፨ ከማሃ፡ ክድንኒ፡ ኢያጽዕቀኒ፡ ተጽናስ፨ ማርያም፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ዘአጥረይክኒ፡ እምከርሥ፨ አዕዳለ፡ ብርሃን፡ ወአኮ፡ ዘማዕስ፨\n\nሴስይኒ፡ ማርያም፡ ለፀማድኪ፡ ዐሳብ፨ ኅብስተ፡ አእምሮ፡ ሠናይ፡ ወወይነ፡ ጥበብ፨ እመኒ፡ ፈድፈደ፡ ኃጢአትየ፡ እምሕዝብ፨ ተዘከሪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ በርኅራኄኪ፡ ዕፁብ፨ ከመ፡ አስተይኪዮ፡ ማየ፡ ለጽሙዕ፡ ከልብ፨\n\nመላእክተ፡ ሰማይ፡ ኵሎሙ፡ እለ፡ ስብሓተ፡ ለመዱ፨ ወጠቢባነ፡ ምድር፡ ዓዲ፡ እለ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ተዓለዱ፨ ጽሒፈ፡ ውዳሴኪ፡ እሙ፡ እንዘ፡ ይፈቅዱ፨ ኢይክሉ፡ ጥንቁቀ፡ ፈጽሞ፡ ለለአሓዱ፡ አሓዱ፨ እስመ፡ ከመ፡ ኆፃ፡ ብዙኅ፡ ኢውሱን፡ ፍቅዱ፨","english":"Your love saved the gluttonous man, the swift one, because of the hidden water that stood by the side of the poor one. Vanity, vanity beneath the sky! What is good for the son of the mother of the living? Without your love, Mary, by nature.\n\nO queen, mother of the king, the loving one, as you saved before the son of the widow, the thief. Mary, ever my salvation, be swift! For my enemy, until I reach his teeth, he laughs. Send upon him a demon that laughs.\n\nFor a pregnant woman at the hour of birth and labor, in the midst of a wave of terror, you covered her with a garment. As you covered her, cover me; do not leave me naked. Mary, my lady, who wove me from the womb, hands of light and a crown of myrrh.\n\nClothe me, Mary, for your girdle of sorrow, the good bread of understanding and the wine of wisdom. If my sins are more numerous than the people, remember, my lady, with your wonderful compassion, as you gave water to drink to the thirsty heart.\n\nAll the angels of heaven who are accustomed to praise, and the wise of the earth, moreover, who are joined together, they desire to write the praise of your mother, but they cannot complete the measure, for it is like the sand of the sea, without limit.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage consists of five stanzas, each beginning with a direct address to Mary. The first stanza introduces the theme of salvation through love; the second and third develop petitions for protection; the fourth requests spiritual nourishment; the fifth shifts to a doxological conclusion on the impossibility of fully praising Mary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ፍቅርኪ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ፍቅርኪ (fəqərki) means 'your love' and is a key theological concept in Ethiopic Marian poetry, denoting both divine and intercessory love. It recurs throughout the passage as the agent of salvation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ለበላዔ፡ ሰብእ፡ ጊጉይ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the gluttonous man, the swift one' may allude to the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), a common type of the repentant sinner in Ethiopic exegesis. The 'hidden water' recalls the water of life or baptismal imagery.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ባህርይ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez word ባህርይ (bäḥəry) means 'by nature' or 'essentially,' reflecting the Miaphysite Christological emphasis on Mary's perpetual virginity and her role as Theotokos, a core doctrine in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ማርያም","severity":"info","text":"The repeated invocation of Mary as queen and mother of the king aligns with the widespread Ethiopic tradition of the 'Mäḫletä Maryam' (Hymn to Mary), where she is praised as intercessor and protector. The reference to 'the son of the widow, the thief' may echo a local hagiographic or apocryphal story.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያጽዕቀኒ፡ ተጽናስ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'do not leave me naked' (ኢያጽዕቀኒ፡ ተጽናስ) is ambiguous: it could mean physical nakedness (a plea for protection) or spiritual exposure (a request for grace). The parallel with the pregnant woman's covering suggests the former, but the context of weaving from the womb supports the latter.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the son of the widow, the thief' is unclear; it may refer to a specific apocryphal figure or a generic repentant sinner.","The phrase 'hands of light and a crown of myrrh' (አዕዳለ፡ ብርሃን፡ ወአኮ፡ ዘማዕስ) is ambiguous: it could describe the infant Jesus or be a metaphor for Mary's own attributes."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ወላዲተ፡ አምላክ፡ ማርያም፡ እንበለ፡ ሰብሳብ፡ ወሩካቤ፨ በይነ፡ ዘአቅረብኩ፡ ለኪ፡ ንስቲተ፡ ቃለ፡ ይባቤ፨ ፈትቲ፡ እሙ፡ በረከተ፡ አፉኪ፡ ሙሐዘ፡ ከርቤ፨ ለነዳይ፡ ብእሲ፡ ወለዘረከቦ፡ ምንዳቤ፨ ኅብስተከ፡ ፈትት፡ ኢሳይያስ፡ ይቤ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ስብሕት፡ ቀስተ፡ መሐላሁ፡ ለኖኅ፨ ውስተ፡ ገጸ፡ ምድር፡ ዳግመ፡ እምደመና፡ ላሕ፨ ኢያንጠብጥብ፡ ዝናመ፡ አይኅ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ጎምር፡ ወላዲተ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ መና፨ እንበለ፡ ሩካቤ፡ ወዘርእ፡ በድንግልና፨ በገዳም፡ ደብረ፡ ሲና፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ለሊቀ፡ ካህናት፡ አሮን፡ ማርያም፡ ልብሱ፨ ወጸናጽለ፡ ወርቅ፡ ብኪ፡ ዘስክዕት፡ በናሕሱ፨ ከመ፡ ከመ፡ ትድምፂ፡ ጊዜ፡ ያንሶሱ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ርግብ፡ ዘወደሰኪ፡ መጽሐፍ፨ በሐመልማለ፡ ወርቅ፡ ጽሩይ፡ ወብሩር፡ ንጡፍ፨ ሥርጉተ፡ ገበዋት፡ ምስለ፡ አክናፍ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ገነቱ፡ ለወልደ፡ ኢያራጥ፡ ወሬዛ፨ ዘተረክበ፡ ብኪ፡ ለድኂን፡ ወቤዛ፨ ፍሬ፡ ጽድቅ፡ ምስለ፡ መዐዛ፨","english":"Mother of God, Mary, without gathering or distance. Between what I have offered to you, a small word of love. Open, mother, the blessing of your mouth, the ointment of kərbe. For the poor man and for what he found, misery. \"Break your bread, ʾUssayəs,\" he said.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, glorious, the bow of the oath of Noah. Upon the face of the earth, again from the cloud it shone. Let it not drip the rain of the eye.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, the dove, mother of Christ, manna. Without distance and seed, in virginity. In the desert, Mount Sinai.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, the vestment of Aaron, the high priest. And the chain of gold, which is poured out in copper through you. How, how will you wipe away the time of the orphan?\n\nSalutation to you, dove, who adorned you with a book. With a garland of gold, pure and refined, clear. Bound with wings, with the wings.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, the garden of the son of ʾUyaraṭ and Wərēza. What was found in you for salvation and profit. The fruit of righteousness with fragrance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰላም ለኪ ማርያም","severity":"info","text":"Each stanza opens with 'Salutation to you, Mary' (ሰላም ለኪ ማርያም), a standard Geʿez hymn form, here used in a narrative sequence of Marian praises.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢሳይያስ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Ussayas' (ኢሳይያስ) is a Geʿez form of the biblical Uzziah, but here it appears in a narrative of a poor man breaking bread, possibly a typological figure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ከርቤ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'kərbe' (ከርቤ) refers to a fragrant ointment or incense, often used in liturgical contexts; here it is linked to the blessing of Mary's mouth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ቀስተ መሐላሁ ለኖኅ","severity":"info","text":"The 'bow of the oath of Noah' (ቀስተ መሐላሁ ለኖኅ) alludes to the rainbow as a sign of God's covenant after the flood, a common typology in Geʿez poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ርግብ","severity":"info","text":"Mary is called 'dove' (ርግብ), a title paralleled in other Geʿez hymns (e.g., LIT4274AkkonuB) and in broader Christian tradition, symbolizing purity and peace.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያራጥ ወሬዛ","severity":"caution","text":"The names 'Uyaraṭ' and 'Wərēza' (ኢያራጥ ወሬዛ) are obscure; they may be place names or epithets, but their exact referent is uncertain in the current edition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Uyaraṭ' and 'Wərēza' in the final stanza is unclear; they may be toponyms or symbolic names.","The narrative context of the poor man and 'Ussayas' is not fully explained in the passage."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ባሕርይ፡ ጽድልተ፡ ንጻሬ፡ ወዜና፨ እምጸዳለ፡ ዕንቍ፡ ለባሕር፡ በማሕፀና፨ ዘትወልድ፡ ዖፈ፡ ብርጋና፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ሀብኒ፡ ልብሰ፡ ትፍሥት፡ ወተድላ፨ ከመ፡ ወሀብኪዮሙ፡ ቅድመ፡ ምስለ፡ መሐላ፨ ለደቅስዮስ፡ ወኒቆላ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ቅድሜየ፡ ቁሚ፡ ማርያም፡ ለለ፡ ጊዜ፡ እቀብጽ፡ ተስፋ፨ ዖፈ፡ ተኣምርኪ፡ ርግብ፡ ዘትሰፍሕ፡ ክንፋ፨ ከመ፡ ቆመት፡ ቅድመ፡ ከሊፋ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ አብሕኒ፡ ዘአባሕኪዮሙ፡ ሶበ፡ ቅድሜኪ፡ ጸለዩ፨ ለመነኮሳት፡ ዘግብጽ፡ መጠነ፡ ሐለዩ፨ ሰይጣነ፡ ከመ፡ ይቅነዩ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ነፍሳተ፡ ሶበ፡ አርአየኪ፡ በእሳተ፡ ኵነኔ፡ ዘሐሙ፨ ማርያም፡ ትብሊ፡ በእንቲአሆሙ፨ ቅትለኒ፡ ለቤዛሆሙ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ታስትዪዮ፡ ማየ፡ በአሣእንኪ፡ ለጽሙእ፡ ከልብ፨ ከመ፡ ተራኅራኅኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ርግብ፨ ተራኅርኂ፡ ለቤዛ፡ ሕዝብ፨\n\nሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ጸግዊ፡ ለደቂቀ፡ ዛቲ፡ ምሥያጥ፨ እምንዋየ፡ ጽድቅ፡ ብዙኅ፡ ወአኮ፡ ኅዳጥ፨ ቅድመ፡ ይጸራእ፡ መዋዕለ፡ ሤጥ፨","english":"Salutation to you, Mary, nature of the righteous, pure and fresh, from the pure pearl of the sea in the womb, which gives birth to the bird of the bergana.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, give me the garment of joy and delight, as you gave them before with an oath to Deksyos and Nikola.\n\nSalutation to you, stand before me, Mary, at every time I gather hope, the bird of your miracle, a dove that spreads its wings, as she stood before the Caliph.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, make me flourish as you made them flourish when they prayed before you, for the monks of Egypt, the measure of their prayer, so that Satan may be defeated.\n\nSalutation to you, your Son, souls, when he showed you the fire of judgment that is hot, Mary, you weep for them, kill me for their ransom.\n\nSalutation to you, you give drink to the thirsty heart with water from your hands, as you were compassionate, Mary, dove, you were compassionate for the ransom of the people.\n\nSalutation to you, Mary, be gracious to the children of this world, from the abundance of righteousness and the scarcity of lack, before the days of judgment are finished.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰላም ለኪ ማርያም","severity":"info","text":"Each stanza opens with the formulaic salutation 'ሰላም ለኪ ማርያም' (Salutation to you, Mary), a standard feature of Geʿez hymnody. The passage comprises seven such stanzas, each developing a distinct petition or image.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ብርጋና","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ብርጋና' (bergana) is obscure; it may refer to a type of bird or a mythical creature. The English draft renders it as a transliteration, leaving the precise referent uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ደቅስዮስ ወኒቆላ","severity":"info","text":"Deksyos and Nikola are likely monastic saints or martyrs venerated in the Ethiopian tradition. Their mention with an 'oath' (መሐላ) may allude to a hagiographic narrative of a vow or covenant.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ከሊፋ","severity":"info","text":"The 'Caliph' (ከሊፋ) before whom Mary stands likely refers to a figure from Islamic tradition, possibly in a legendary account of Mary's intercession. This reflects the cross-cultural milieu of Ethiopian Christianity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ለመነኮሳት ዘግብጽ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'monks of Egypt' (መነኮሳት ዘግብጽ) situates the poem within the broader Egyptian monastic tradition, which deeply influenced Ethiopian monasticism. The prayer for Satan's defeat echoes common ascetic themes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ቤዛሆሙ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ቅትለኒ ለቤዛሆሙ' (kill me for their ransom) is ambiguous: it may be a hyperbolic plea for martyrdom or a metaphorical expression of self-sacrifice. The exact referent of 'them' (ሆሙ) is unclear from the immediate context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Deksyos and Nikola' is not specified in the text; they may be local saints or figures from lost hagiographies.","The term 'bergana' (ብርጋና) is unattested in standard Geʿez lexica; its meaning is conjectural.","The phrase 'kill me for their ransom' could be interpreted as a literal desire for martyrdom or as a rhetorical expression of devotion."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"ሰላም፡ ለኪ፡ ድካመ፡ ጌጋይየ፡ ትማእ፡ ማርያም፡ ጽድቀ፡ ዚአኪ፡ በጽንዐ፨ መዳልወ፡ ጥበብ፡ ሶበ፡ መልአ፨ ሰማኒተ፡ ነፋሳተ፡ ወሰብዓ፡ ኅፍነ፡ ማይ፡ ኀየለ፡ ወሞአ፨ The following text is that of the edition\n\n336-352\ngiven here without critical apparatus.\n\nStanza 1: Introduction\nአኮኑ፡ ብእሲ፡ ሶበ፡ ሐኒጸ፡ ቤት፡ አፍትዎ፨ ኵሎ፡ ፃ ዕ ፃዖ፡\nያቀድም፡ አስተዳልዎ፨ እስእለኪ፡ ሀብኒ፡ መንፈሰ፡ ጥበብ፡ ወአለብዎ፨ መንክራተኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ሶበ፡ ፈቀድኩ፡ ዜንዎ፨ ወለሠናይ ት ኪ፡ ረትዓኒ፡ እትልዎ፨\n\nStanza 2, referring to\n\nሶበ፡ ወሀበኪ፡ ዘልፈ፡ ሰላመ፡ መልአክ፡ ብስራታዊ፨ ፍቁርኪ፡ ገባራዊ፨ ከመ፡ ባረኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ማርያም፡ መጽሐፈ፡ ሓዊ፨ ባርክኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ምስለ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ናዝራዊ፨ በበረከቶሙ፡ ለይሁዳ፡ ወልዊ፨\n\nStanza 3, referring to\n\nዕብራዊ፡ ብፁዕ፡ ውስት፡ ምድረ፡ አክሚም፡ ዘልህቀ፨ እንዘ፡ ይሴብሕ፡ ስመኪ፡ ሶበ፡ ሰገደ፡ ወወድቀ፨ ከመ፡ አስተርአይኪዮ፡\nቅድመ፡ ወተናበብኪዮ፡ ጻድቅ፨ ማርያም፡ አስተርእይኒ፡ ኀበ፡ ረሰይኩ፡ ምርሩቀ፨ እስመ፡ ሕሊናየ፡ ዘንት፡ ያስትሐምም፡ ጥቀ፨","english":"Is it not that a man, when he has built a house, adorns it? He prepares all its furnishings first. I ask you, give me the spirit of wisdom and adorn it. Your wonders, Mary, when I wished to recount them, and for your goodness, reconcile me, I will give.\n\nWhen the angel of the annunciation gave you the salutation forever, your beloved, the warrior, as he blessed you before Mary, the book of the serpent. Bless me, my Lady, with your son the Nazirite, by the blessing of Judah and Levi.\n\nThe blessed Hebrew in the land of Aklim, who was far off, while he praised your name, when he bowed and fell, as you appeared to him before and spoke to him, the righteous one. Mary, appear to me where I have chosen the myrrh, for my mind is greatly troubled by this.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is divided into three stanzas, each beginning with a rhetorical or petitionary address to Mary, following the pattern of the preceding salutations.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መንክራተኪ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መንክራተኪ (mankəratäki) means 'your wonders' or 'miracles', a key concept in Marian poetry emphasizing Mary's miraculous intercessions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"መጽሐፈ ሓዊ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'book of the serpent' (መጽሐፈ ሓዊ) likely refers to a lost apocryphal text or a symbolic reference to a protective charm, common in Ethiopic Christian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰላመ መልአክ ብስራታዊ","severity":"info","text":"The 'salutation of the angel of the annunciation' alludes to Luke 1:26-38, where Gabriel greets Mary, a foundational event in Marian devotion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This poem is part of a larger cycle of anonymous Geʿez Marian hymns, often used in liturgical settings, reflecting the deep veneration of Mary in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘልህቀ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez word ዘልህቀ (zälḥəqä) is ambiguous; it could mean 'who was far off' (spatially) or 'who was distant' (in time or relationship), affecting the interpretation of the Hebrew figure in stanza 3.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the Hebrew in the land of Aklim' is unclear; it may refer to a specific biblical or apocryphal figure, possibly Jeremiah or a desert father.","The phrase 'book of the serpent' (መጽሐፈ ሓዊ) is obscure and may be a textual corruption or a reference to a lost work."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"Stanza 4, referring to\n\nለድምያኖስ፡ ዘተፀምደኪ፡ ዲበ፡ መልዕልተ፡ ደብር፡ ነዋኅ፨ ዘጸሐፍኪ፡ ስሞ፡ ኀበ፡ ዓምደ፡ ወርቅ፡ ቀይሕ፨ ምሥራቀ፡ ፀሓይ፡\nብሩህ፡ ማርያም፡ ጽባሕ፨ ጸሐፊ፡ ስመ፡ ዚአየ፡ ዲበ፡ ልብስኪ፡ ንጹሕ፨ ወበልብሰ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ከዕበ፡ ዘበደም፡ ንዙኅ፨\n\nStanza 5, referring to\n\nአመ፡ እዴሁ፡ መተረ፡ ነሢኦ፡ መጥበሕተ፡ ማኅመሜ፨ አባስ፡ ካህነ፡ ሮሜ፨ ከመ፡ ፈወስኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ማርያም፡ እኅተ፡ ሰሎሜ፨ ፈውሲ፡ ቊስለ፡ ነፍስየ፡ ወጸግውኒ፡ ሱላሜ፨ ጊዜ፡ ተዘመርኩ፡ ስመኪ፡ ቀዋሜ፨\n\nStanza 6, referring to\n\nይስሓቅ፡ መነኮስ፡ እምድኅረ፡ ጽሕቀ፡ ወትመነየ፨ ገጸኪ፡ ልኁየ፡ በዕለተ፡ ርእየ፨ ከመ፡ ትቤልዮ፡ ሎቱ፡ እስከ፡ ፈድፋደ፡\nትኃሥየ፨ በልኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ተፈሣሕ፡ ቊልዔየ፨ እምድኅረ፡ ዕለታት፡ ሠላስ፡ ትሄሉ፡ ምስሌየ፨\n\nStanza 7, referring to\n\nዘአትለውኪያ፡ ማርያም፡ ወነሣእኪያ፡ ጽሚተ፨ ለወለት፡ አሓቲ፡ እንተ፡ ትለብስ፡ ሜላተ፨ ከመ፡ አሣዕነኪ፡ እፁር፡ ወምርጉዘኪ፡\nሕይወተ፨ ኀበ፡ ሖርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ አት ል ውኒ፡ ሊተ፨ ብፁዕ፡\nገብር፡ ዘይተሉ፡ እግዝእተ፨","english":"Is it not that a man, when he has built a house, adorns it? He prepares all its furnishings first. I ask you, give me the spirit of wisdom and adorn it. Your wonders, Mary, when I wished to recount them, and for your good\n\nStanza 4, referring to\n\nTo Damianos, who prayed to you upon the height of the mountain, a resting place; who wrote his name where the pillar of red gold, the east of the sun, bright, Mary, the morning; write my name upon your pure garment, and with the garment of your Son, cover the one who is of impure blood.\n\nStanza 5, referring to\n\nWhen his hand cut off the tongue of the blasphemer, the evil priest of Rome, as you healed him before, Mary, sister of Salome, heal the wound of my soul and grant me peace; when I sang your name, the enduring one.\n\nStanza 6, referring to\n\nIsaac the monk, after thirst and longing, your face he saw on the day of vision, as you said to him, even until the end, you will be merciful; tell me, my Lady, rejoice my heart; after three days, you will go with me.\n\nStanza 7, referring to\n\nWho separated you, Mary, and took you, the infant, for a daughter of one who wears a cloak; as I have made you hear, the bird, and your chosen one, life; where you went, my Lady, give to me; blessed is the servant who follows the Lady.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Stanzas 4–7 each open with a proper name (Damianos, Isaac, and the unnamed monk in stanza 7), forming a series of petitions to Mary on behalf of named or described devotees.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ድምያኖስ (Damianos)","severity":"info","text":"Damianos is likely a monastic figure; the reference to a mountain and a pillar of red gold may allude to a known Ethiopian monastery or a hagiographic tradition, but no specific source is identified in the allowed citations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰሎሜ (Salome)","severity":"info","text":"Salome is named in the New Testament as a follower of Jesus (Mark 15:40, 16:1) and in apocryphal traditions as a midwife at the Nativity; here she is called Mary's sister, a detail found in some Eastern Christian texts.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ጸሐፊ ስመ ዚአየ (write my name)","severity":"info","text":"The request to have one's name written on Mary's garment echoes a common trope in Ethiopic Marian poetry, where inscription symbolizes intercession and salvation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The poem's structure—a series of stanzas each invoking a different devotee—is typical of the Ethiopic genre of malkəʾ (image) hymns, which praise Mary through a sequence of epithets and petitions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘበደም ንዙኅ (of impure blood)","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'of impure blood' in stanza 4 is ambiguous: it may refer to a person of low birth, a sinner, or a ritual impurity; the exact nuance is uncertain without a clearer context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Damianos and the specific mountain and pillar are not identified in the allowed sources.","The phrase 'of impure blood' in stanza 4 is ambiguous in meaning.","The relationship between the 'daughter of one who wears a cloak' in stanza 7 and Mary is unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"Stanza 8, referring to\n\nምለለ፡ ዓራቱ፡ ዘፅፅ፡ ጊዜ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ተነጽሓ፨ ከመ፡ ረዳእኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ወባላህኪዮ፡ ኣሜሃ፨ ለዘ ሠዓ ኪ፡ ብእሲ፡ መካነ፡ ብካይ፡ ወፍሥሓ፨ ባልህኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ እንተ፡\nትሠረገዊ፡ ንጽሓ፨ ሶበ፡ አኅጒሎትየ፡ ጽህቀ፡ ለሐሰት፡ አቡሃ፨\n\nStanza 9, referring to\n\nዐጸደ፡ ወይን፡ ማርያም፡ ዘጣዕመ፡ ፍሬሃ፡ አዳም፨ ወስነ፡ ጽጌሃ፡ ልምሉም፨ ኀበ፡ ተቀብረ፡ ወልድኪ፡ ኢየሩሳ ሌ ም፨ ሶበ፡ ሰአለኪ፡ በተማኅፅኖ፡ ነጋዲ፡ ሕሙም፨ ከመ፡ አብጸሕኪዮ፡ ለስዒም፡\nአብጽሕኒ፡ ዮም፨\n\nStanza 10, referring to\n\nዘካርያስ፡ ወሬዛ፡ ህየንተ፡ ኃምሳ፡ ጽጌ፡ ረዳ፡ አስትዓ፡ ማኅሌት፡ ለኪ፡ ሶበ፡ አወፈየኪ፡ ጋዳ፨ ከመ፡ አድኅንኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡\nእምቀትለ፡ ፈያት፡ ማእከለ፡ በዳ፨ አድኅንኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ወበልህኒ፡ እምዕዳ፨ አመ፡ ወርቅ፡ ወባህርይ፡ ፀዓዳ፨\n\nStanza 11, referring to\n\nኃይልኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ስነነ፡ ኃጥአን፡ ሰበረ፨ ኅብስተ፡ አዋልደ፡ ክልኤቲ፡ ሶበ፡ ተፍዕሙ፡ ኅቡረ፨ በኃይልኪ፡ ዝንቱ፡ እንተ፡\nአርአየ፡ መንክረ፨ ጉበርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ዘኢ ያ አምር፡ ተግባረ፨ ውስተ፡ መቅደስኪ፡ እፈቱ ኃዲረ፨","english":"Is it not that a man, when he has built a house, adorns it? He prepares all its furnishings first. I ask you, give me the spirit of wisdom and adorn it. Your wonders, Mary, when I wished to recount them, and for your good\n\nStanza 8, referring to\n\nThe adornment of her bed of reeds, when it was beautifully adorned. How you helped him before and made him marvel then. For this man who sought a place of weeping and joy, make me marvel, my Lady, who is adorned with purity. When my thoughts were darkened, falsehood was his father.\n\nStanza 9, referring to\n\nA vineyard, Mary, whose fruit's taste is Adam, and the beauty of its blossom is luxuriant. Where your son was buried, Jerusalem. When the sick merchant asked you with supplication, how you made the blind man see. Make me see today.\n\nStanza 10, referring to\n\nZechariah and Elizabeth, amidst fifty blossoms of the vine, offered a hymn to you when the guard presented you. How you saved him before from the sword of the executioners in the midst of the desert. Save me, my Lady, and redeem me from debt. Like gold and my nature are white.\n\nStanza 11, referring to\n\nYour power, Mary, broke the beauty of sinners. The bread of two children when they baked it together. By this your power, which showed a wonder. Your deed, my Lady, who knows its work? In your temple, I desire to dwell.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Stanzas 8–11 each begin with a referring formula and follow a pattern: a Marian epithet or scene, a past miracle, and a petition. This matches the hymn's overall structure of praise and request.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ምለለ፡ ዓራቱ፡ ዘፅፅ፡","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'adornment of her bed of reeds' likely refers to Mary's bed or couch, a motif in Geʿez Marian poetry symbolizing purity and preparation for the Incarnation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐጸደ፡ ወይን፡","severity":"info","text":"The vineyard imagery in Stanza 9 echoes Song of Songs and patristic typology of Mary as the vine whose fruit is Christ (Adam typology). The reference to Jerusalem and burial recalls Christ's tomb.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘካርያስ፡ ወሬዛ፡","severity":"info","text":"Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist, are invoked in Stanza 10. The 'fifty blossoms' may allude to Pentecost or a liturgical feast; the guard and desert rescue are non-biblical, likely from apocryphal legends.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Stanza 11's 'bread of two children' and the temple dwelling request reflect a monastic or liturgical context, where Mary's power protects and sanctifies. The poem is preserved in a manuscript tradition of Marian hymns.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["hollis:alma99160677650903941"]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ለሐሰት፡ አቡሃ፨","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'falsehood was his father' in Stanza 8 is obscure; it may be a textual corruption or a reference to a lost narrative. The English draft's 'falsehood was his father' is tentative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'man who sought a place of weeping and joy' in Stanza 8 is unclear; possibly a supplicant or a biblical figure.","The 'sick merchant' in Stanza 9 and the 'guard' in Stanza 10 are not identified in known sources; they may derive from lost apocrypha.","The phrase 'like gold and my nature are white' in Stanza 10 is ambiguous: it may mean 'redeem me from debt as gold is white' or contrast gold with white (pure) nature."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"Stanza 12, referring to\n\nዐረባውያን፡ ዕደው፡ እለ፡ ውኂዘ፡ ማይ፡ ኃየሎሙ፨ ማርያም፡ ስመኪ፡ ሶበ፡ ዘከሩ፡ ቀዲሙ፨ ከመ፡ ኮነ፡ ብእሲ፡ እንተ፡ ተሳለቀ፡\nቦሙ፨ ፀርኪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ለለጌሰሙ፡ ወዓሙ፨ ሲሳየ፡ ሐርገ\nዕ\nፅ\n፡ ይኩን፤ ወይዘርዘር፡ ዓፅሙ፨\n\nStanza 13, referring to\n\nኃይለኪ፡ ጽኑዓ፡ ወመንክረኪ፡ ትክሥቲ፨ ከመ፡ አፍለስኪያ፡ ቅድመ፡ ለደብረ፡ ዕቆና፡ እንታክቲ፨ መንገለ፡ ኃሣር፡ ወወይሌ፡\nማርያም፡ ወለት፡ ማቲ፨ አፍልሲ፡ ክብረ፡ ፀርየ፡ በጽንዓ፡ እዴኪ፡ ዛቲ፨ አኮኑ፡ ምክህየ፡ ወዝክርየ፡ አንቲ፨\n\nStanza 14, referring to\n\nተወከፈኪ፡ ስእለቶ፡ እምሐሊብኪ፡ መንፈሳዊ፨ ዘቀባዕኪ፡ ዓይኖ፡ ለዮሓንስ፡ አረጋዊ፨ ማርያም፡ ድንግል፡ ወለተ፡ ንጉሥ፡\nሐሴቦናዊ፨ ተወከፊ፡ ቃለ፡ አፉየ፡ ወጽራኅየ፡ ለብዊ፨ ወኀበ፡ ስእለትየ፡ ከዕበ፡ ዕዝነኪ፡ ጽልዊ፨\n\nStanza 15, referring to\n\nሕይወተ፡ ሕሙማን፡ ማርያም፡ ዘፈወስኪዮ፡ እምቊስሉ፨ ለባዕል፡ ጽርዓዊ፡ እንት፡ ትነድፈ፡ አበሉ፨ ከመ፡ ተአምረኪ፡ እስብክ፡\nወመንክረኪ፡ እ ተሉ፨ ስሕትኒ፡ ምስለ፡ ትፍሥሕት፤ ወምስለ፡ ጥዒና፡\nአሀሉ፨ እስከ፡ አመ፡ እብል፡ ድኅረ፤ ተፈጸመ፡ ኵሉ፨","english":"Stanza 12, referring to\n\nThe Arabs of the desert, who are always in need of water, have perished. Mary, when they remembered your name before, as it happened to a man who mocked them. Your enemy, my Lady, is ever their destroyer and their death. May his food be the dust of the earth, and may his bones be scattered.\n\nStanza 13, referring to\n\nYour power is strong, and your miracle is a wonder. How you turned back before the mountain of ʿEqona, the female dove, toward the path of loss and woe. Mary, daughter of Matti, turn back the glory of my enemy by the strength of your hand. Is it not that you are my counsel and my remembrance?\n\nStanza 14, referring to\n\nShe accepted his prayer from your spiritual milk. You who anointed the eye of John the Elder. Mary, virgin, daughter of King Ḥasētonāwi. Accept the word of my mouth and the cry of my heart. And grant my prayer; incline your ear to me.\n\nStanza 15, referring to\n\nLife of the sick, Mary, whom you healed from his wound. For the enemy of the field, who would say, \"She will not be able to.\" As I proclaim your wonder and your miracle, I am mingled with joy and with gladness. Until I say, \"Afterward, all is finished.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 12, referring to","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text presents stanzas 12–15 as a continuous narrative sequence, each introduced by a rubric. The English draft follows this division, though the Coptic original likely had a different stanza structure.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዐረባውያን፡ ዕደው፡","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Arabs of the desert' likely refers to Bedouin or desert-dwelling peoples, a common trope in Ethiopic hagiography for those hostile to Christianity. The term 'ʿArabs' may also carry a generic sense of 'nomads'.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ደብረ፡ ዕቆና፡","severity":"info","text":"The 'mountain of ʿEqona' is a known geographical feature in Ethiopian tradition, often associated with monastic sites. Its mention here may allude to a specific miracle or local legend involving Mary.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዮሓንስ፡ አረጋዊ፡","severity":"info","text":"John the Elder (ዮሓንስ አረጋዊ) is a figure in Ethiopian tradition, possibly identified with John the Evangelist or a local saint. The anointing of his eye recalls biblical healing narratives, such as Tobit 11 or Acts 9.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ማርያም፡ ድንግል፡ ወለተ፡ ንጉሥ፡ ሐሴቦናዊ፨","severity":"info","text":"The epithet 'daughter of King Ḥasētonāwi' is unusual; it may reflect a local Ethiopian tradition or a scribal error. The name Ḥasētonāwi is not attested in standard biblical or apocryphal genealogies of Mary.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሲሳየ፡ ሐርገዕፅ፡","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'may his food be the dust of the earth' is ambiguous; it could be a curse or a metaphor for humility. The Geʿez text has a lacuna or uncertain reading at 'ሐርገዕፅ', which may affect interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'John the Elder' and the significance of the anointing are unclear.","The epithet 'daughter of King Ḥasētonāwi' for Mary is unattested elsewhere and may be a scribal invention or corruption.","The phrase 'may his food be the dust of the earth' is textually uncertain due to a possible lacuna in the Geʿez."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"Stanza 16, referring to\n\nለወለተ፡ ብእሲ፡ ባዕል፡ እንት፡ አዖራ፡ በደዶ፨ ዘአብራህኪ፡ ዓይና፡ ሶበ፡ ሰአለተኪ፡ በተዓንግዶ፨ ፈለገ፡ ረድኤት፡ ማርያም፡\nዘትሰመዪ፡ መጌዶ፨ ለንጉሥ፡ በዕለተ፡ መርዓ፡ ይበልዕ፡ ማዕዶ፨ በማየ፡ ንጽሕኪ፡ ዘሐፀበ፡ እዶ፨\n\nStanza 17, referring to\n\nማርያም፡ ንግሥት፡ ምስለ፡ ኵሎሙ፡ ደቂቃ፨ ዘትትሜካህ፡ ብኪ፡ እመ፡ እስራኡል፡ ርብቃ፨ ለዕቤራይት፡ አሓቲ፡ ክበደ፡ ተፅናስ፡\nእንተ፡ አጽዓቃ፨ ከመ፡ ናዘዝኪያ፡ ወፈጸምኪ፡ ጻህቃ፨ ናዝዝኒ፡ ጸሎትየ፡ ኢትግባእ፡ ዕራቃ፨\n\nStanza 18, referring to\n\nብኪ፡ ተመይጡ፡ እምፍኖተ፡ ጌጋይ፡ዘኢመፍትው፨ እለ፡ ጸሐፉ፡ ስመኪ፡ ክልኤቱ፡ አኃው፨ ርኂተ፡ ምግባር፡ ማርያም፡ እምፀበለ፡\nኵሉ፡ አፈው፨ ቅድመ፡ ሠናይትኪ፡ ወርኅራኄኪ፡ ቅድው፨ አሥምሮ፡ ምኑን፡ ወላህይ፡ ሕስው፨\n\nStanza 19, referring to\n\nሶበ፡ ጊዮርጊስ፡ ኖመ፡ እምጽንዓ፡ ኵነኔ፡ ዕፁብ፨ ከመ፡ አስተርአይኪዮ፡ ሎቱ፡ በአርኣያ፡ ፅዕዱት፡ ርግብ፨ ወለተ፡ ንጉሥ፡\nመክብብ፡ ማርያም፡ ጠባብ፨ መልዕልት፡ ምስሐል፡ ከመ፡ ይጼልል፡ ኪሩብ፨ ጸልልኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ክንፈኪ፡ ዘላህብ፨","english":"Stanza 16, referring to\n\nIs it not that a man, a wild ass, you, a mare, in the desert? That which made your eyes shine when she asked you in the manner of a servant? The river of help, Mary, who is called the guide. For a king on the day of his wedding, he consumes his portion. With the water of your purity, which touched his hand.\n\nStanza 17, referring to\n\nMary, queen, with all the little ones, who is proud of you, mother of Israel, Rebecca. For the evening, one sister, the weight of consolation, who has made you stand. As you have poured out and completed the brightness, pour out my prayer, that it may enter the evening.\n\nStanza 18, referring to\n\nIn you they have been cleansed from the stain of sin, which stood as a fault. Those who wrote your name, the two brothers. Distant in deed, Mary, from the multitude of all the lips. Before your goodness and your mercy, the heart. The remembrance of whom? My friend, the thought.\n\nStanza 19, referring to\n\nWhen George slept from the torment of the wondrous punishment, as you appeared to him in the form of a pure dove. Daughter of a king, a treasure, Mary, the narrow one. High as the sun, as the cherub casts a shadow. Shade me, my Lady, with your wing of flame.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 16","severity":"info","text":"The stanza opens with a rhetorical question, a pattern seen in earlier stanzas, framing a series of images that contrast wildness and domestication, desert and help.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ባዕል (baʿəl)","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ባዕል (baʿəl) can mean 'wild ass' or 'donkey'; here it is paired with አዖራ (ʿaora, 'mare'), suggesting a contrast between untamed and domesticated animals, possibly allegorical.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Stanza 17","severity":"info","text":"Rebecca (ርብቃ) is the Old Testament matriarch, wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau; her mention here aligns Mary with a maternal, protective figure for Israel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 18","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'those who wrote your name, the two brothers' may allude to the tradition of the two thieves crucified with Christ, one of whom (traditionally Dismas) was saved; the Geʿez ዘኢመፍትው (zaḳʷamafətəw) suggests 'stain of sin'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"Stanza 19","severity":"info","text":"The appearance of Mary to George (ጊዮርጊስ) in the form of a dove is a known hagiographic motif in Ethiopian tradition, where St. George is a popular intercessor and martyr.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 16","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft renders 'a man, a wild ass, you, a mare' but the Geʿez syntax is ambiguous; the relationship between the man, the ass, and Mary is unclear, possibly a simile or a narrative fragment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["Stanza 16: The rhetorical question's subject and referents are unclear; 'a man' and 'a wild ass' may be distinct or parallel figures.","Stanza 17: 'One sister' and 'the weight of consolation' are obscure; the connection to Rebecca is not fully explained.","Stanza 18: 'The two brothers' identity is uncertain; they may be the thieves of the crucifixion or another pair."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"Stanza 20, referring to\n\nዓቃቢ፡ ምዑክ፡ አመ፡ ምስለ፡ ከጢር፡ ተ ባ አሰ፨ ዘአጽወስኪ፡\nእግሮ፡ እስከነ፡ ፈለሰ፨ ንግሥተ፡ ሰማይ፡ ማርያም፡ እንት፡ ወለድኪ፡ ንጉሠ፨ እግረ፡ ዕድዋንየ፡ ረስዪ፡ ጽቡሰ ፨ ወበዲበ፡ ፀርየ፡\nከዕበ፡ ፈንዊ፡ ተፅናሰ፨\n\nStanza 21, referring to\n\nእንዘ፡ ገብረ፡ ዚአኪ፡ አነ፡ እንበለ፡ ሕፀፅ፡ ወንትጋ፨ ዘእትቀነይ፡ ለኪ፡ አምሳለ፡ አኃው፡ ዘብሔረ፡ ደልጋ፨ ማርያም፡\nድንግል፡ ማርያም፡ ምልዕተ፡ ጸጋ፨ ተገደፍኩኑ፡ እምቅድመ፡ አዕይንትኪ፡ እንጋ፨ ሶበ፡ ተዳደቀኒ፡ ግብተ፡ ለዘመን፡ ፁጋ፨\n\nStanza 22, referring to\n\nለአፍርንጋዊ፡ ብእሲ፡ ሶበ፡ ኀቤኪ፡ ተማኅፀነ፨ ዘአሕየውኪ፡ እግሮ፡ እንት፡ ኮነ፡ ዕብነ፨ ማርያም፡ ለኪ፡ ጊዜ፡ አዓርግ፡\nቊርባነ፨ ውስተ፡ ትፍሥሕትየ፡ ኢትቶስሒ፡ ኀዘነ፨ ከ\nወ\nመ\n፡ ይቶስሑ፡ ምስለ፡ ማይ፡ ወይነ፨\n\nStanza 23, referring to\n\nለመርቆሬዎስ፡ ካህን፡ ዘአንጻሕኪ፡ ለምጾ፨ ወአሕየውኪዮ፡ ፍጼመ፡ እምነ፡ ሕማም፡ ዘታረምጾ፨ ማርያም፡ ምልሒ፡ ለሕሊናየ፡ ሕፀፆ፨ ለወልድኪ፡ መምህረ፡ ሕግ፡ ከመ፡ ኢይርሣዕ፡ ተግሣጾ፨ ከመ፡\nዘይሬኢ፡ በመጽሔት፡ ገጾ፨","english":"Stanza 20, referring to\n\nThe keeper of the wild ass, when with the mare, she came and entered? That which made your eyes shine? Her foot until he fled? Queen of heaven, Mary, you who bore a king. Accept the foot of my enemy as good. And upon my enemy, send a covering of strength.\n\nStanza 21, referring to\n\nWhile I am your servant, without a shield or spear? That which I offer you like brothers from the land of Delga? Mary, virgin Mary, full of grace. Was I cast down before your eyes like an egg? When the act of the time of distress covered me.\n\nStanza 22, referring to\n\nFor the Frankish man, when he took refuge with you? That which gave you life, his foot, it became a stone? Mary, when I offer you a sacrifice? In my joy, let sorrow be removed. And who will remove it with water and wine?\n\nStanza 23, referring to\n\nFor Merqorewos the priest, who set you for the anointing? And gave you life, a creation from the pain that afflicts? Mary, fill my thought with your shield. For your son, a teacher of law, so that he may not forget his discipline. As one who sees in the book of his face.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Stanzas 20–23 continue the narrative sequence of the poem, each introduced by a referring formula that links the stanza to a preceding theme or character.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዓቃቢ፡ ምዑክ፡","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'keeper of the wild ass' in stanza 20 likely refers to a figure from the poem's symbolic bestiary, possibly a guardian or a type of the speaker.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The 'Frankish man' in stanza 22 may allude to a European crusader or traveler, reflecting the poem's engagement with foreign figures in the Ethiopian Christian imagination.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990028311540203941","label":"The Mariology of emperor Zärʼa Yaʻeqob of Ethiopia : texts and translations","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990028311540203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መርቆሬዎስ፡","severity":"info","text":"Merqorewos (Mercurius) is a saint venerated in Ethiopian Christianity, often associated with healing and military protection; his invocation here as a priest is unusual.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"source edition: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ማርያም፡ ድንግል፡ ማርያም፡ ምልዕተ፡ ጸጋ፨","severity":"info","text":"The epithet 'full of grace' echoes the angelic salutation in Luke 1:28, a common Marian formula in Geʿez hymnody.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft for stanza 20 is tentative; the Geʿez contains ambiguous syntax, especially in the phrase 'ዘአጽወስኪ እግሮ', which may mean 'that which made your eyes shine' or 'that which made her foot shine'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'keeper of the wild ass' in stanza 20 is unclear; it may be a symbolic or literal figure.","The phrase 'ዘአጽወስኪ እግሮ' in stanza 20 is syntactically ambiguous: 'your eyes' or 'her foot' could be the subject.","The 'Frankish man' in stanza 22 may be a specific historical person or a generic foreigner."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"Stanza 24, referring to\n\nለብእሲት፡ ስብርት፡ ዘአሕየውኪያ፡ እምጻማ፨ ሶበ፡ ሰአለተኪ፡ አስትሓሚማ፨ ንጉሠ፡ አስራኤል፡ አቡኪ፡ ለእለ፡ ውስተ፡ ጌት፡\nወኖባማ፨ ከመ፡ ወሀበ፡ አስትዓ፡ በጊዜ፡ ነሥአ፡ ሰቂማ፨ ጸጋ፡ መንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ሀብኒ፡ ማርያም፡ ዘራማ፨\n\nStanza 25, referring to\n\nመቅደሰ፡ ኦሪት፡ ማርያም፡ ወ ወንጌላዊት፡ ሕንፃ፨ ጰራቅሊጦስ፡\nዘይሔውጻ፨ እምከርሠ፡ ሶፍያ፡ ፍጡነ፡ ዘሠዐርኪ፡ ፅንሰ፡ ዓመፃ፨ ይሠዓር፡ ኃዉአትየ፡ ለስእለትኪ፡ በድምፃ፨ ከመ፡ ምክረ፡ በሕር፡\nትሥዕረ፡ ቡኖፃ፨\n\nStanza 26, referring to\n\nእምብልሀ፡ አስይፍት፡ ወኵያንው፡ እስከ፡ ነስሓ፡ ወትጋነየ፨ ዘዐቀብኪዮ፡ ለባሮክ፡ እንት፡ ይሰመይ፡ ጠዋየ፨ ኵሎ፡ ዘመነ፡\nእንበለ፡ ዳእሙ፡ ሠናየ፨ ዕቀብኒ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ከመ፡ ኢይርኣይ፡ ጌጋየ፨ ወለእመኒ፡ ጌገይኩ፡ ምሕረትኪ፡ ብየ፨\n\nStanza 27, referring to\n\nታቦተ፡ አምላክ፡ ማርያም፡ ዘትትከደኒ፡ ውቱረ፨ ወርቀ፡ ቅድስና፡ ጽሩየ፡ ወአኮ፡ ብሩረ፨ አንስጣስዮስ፡ ገብርኪ፡ አመ፡ በደዌሁ፡\nትፅዕረ፨ ከመ፡ አብሰርኪዮ፡ ዘያስትፌሥሕ፡ ነገረ፨ ብስራተ፡ ሰላም፡ አስምዕኒ፡ ወትረ፨","english":"Stanza 24, referring to\n\nTo a woman, broken, who revived you from the heat? When she asked for you, she was astonished. The king of Israel, your father, to those in the pit and the abyss? As he gave a gift of myrtle at the time he took the branch. The grace of the Holy Spirit, give me, Mary, who is exalted.\n\nStanza 25, referring to\n\nThe sanctuary of the Law, Mary, and the evangelist of the building. The Paraclete who drives away from the womb of Sophia, swiftly, that which you conceived, a crooked conception. It will drive away my sins for your prayer with its voice. As the counsel of the sea, you will drive away its dregs.\n\nStanza 26, referring to\n\nFrom the flash of swords and spears until repentance and humility. That which you kept for Baruch, you shall be called a guardian. All of time without evil, keep me, my Lady, as one who sees no error. And if I have erred, your mercy is abundant.\n\nStanza 27, referring to\n\nThe ark of God, Mary, who covers me with glory. Pure gold of holiness and also refined. Anastasius, your servant, when I am afflicted by his illness, you will be angry. As I announced to you that which brings joy, the news. The good news of peace, make me hear always.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ለብእሲት፡ ስብርት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'to a woman, broken' likely refers to a female figure in distress, possibly the Virgin Mary in a symbolic role, though the identity is ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ንጉሠ፡ አስራኤል፡ አቡኪ","severity":"info","text":"'The king of Israel, your father' may allude to David or a typological figure, but no direct biblical citation is evident; the reference is generic.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ጰራቅሊጦስ","severity":"info","text":"'Paraclete' (Greek παράκλητος) is a term for the Holy Spirit in Christian theology, here linked to Mary as an intercessor driving away sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሶፍያ","severity":"info","text":"'Sophia' (wisdom) is a personified concept in Christian and Gnostic traditions; here it may refer to divine wisdom or a specific theological figure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ባሮክ","severity":"info","text":"'Baruch' is a biblical figure (scribe of Jeremiah), but the reference here is obscure; it may be a symbolic or apocryphal allusion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"አንስጣስዮስ","severity":"info","text":"'Anastasius' is a personal name, possibly the author or a devotee; the text may reflect a specific historical or liturgical context.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'broken woman' in stanza 24 is unclear; it may be Mary or another figure. The reference to 'Baruch' in stanza 26 is obscure and may be symbolic. The name 'Anastasius' in stanza 27 could be the author or a supplicant, but this is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"Stanza 28, referring to\n\nእንበለ፡ ማኅፄ፡ ወመፍጽሕ፡ አመ፡ ገዳመ፡ ፈለሰ፨ ዘሰቈርኪ፡ ሎቱ፡ አረፍት፡ ዕብን፡ ይቡሰ፨ ለዘሰአለኪ፡ ብእሲ፡ እንት፡\nይሰመይ፡ ሣሉሰ፨ ስቊሪ፡ ገቦ፡ ፀርየ፡ ወዘጸላእትየ፡ ከርሠ፨ ነሢአኪ፡ ሚርያም፡ መጥባሕተ፡ ሐዲሰ፨\n\nStanza 29, referring to\n\nፍቅርኪ፡ አድኀኖ፡ ለበላዔ፡ ሰብእ፡ ጊጉይ፨ በእንት፡ ኅፍነ፡ ማይ፡ ዘቆመ፡ በገቦ፡ ነዳይ፨ ከንቱ፡ ከንቱ፡ ዘታሕት፡ ሰሚይ፨ ምንትኑ፡ ለእጓለ፡ እመሕያው፡ ሠናይ፨ እንበለ፡ ፍቅርኪ፡ ማርያም፡ ባህርይ፨\n\nStanza 30, referring to ,\n\nኦንግሥት፡ ወላዲተ፡ ንጉሥ፡ ፈራቂ፨ ከመ፡ አድኀንኪዮ፡ ቅድመ፡ ለወልደ፡ መበለት፡ ሠራቂ፨ ማርያም፡ ዘልፈ፡ አድኅኖትየ፡ ጸሐቂ፨ ለፀርየኒ፡ እስከ፡ አስናኒሁ፡ የሐቂ፨ ላዕሌሁ፡ ፈንዊ፡ ጋኔነ፡ ዘይሣቂ፨\n\nStanza 31, referring to\n\nለብእሲት፡ ፅንስት፡ በሰዓት፡ ወሊድ፡ ወሐሪስ፨ ሚእከለ፡ ሞገድ፡ መፍርህ፡ ዘከደንኪያ፡ በልብስ፨ ከማሃ፡ ክድንኒ፡ ኢያጽዕቀኒ፡\nትጽናስ፨ ማርያም፡ እግዝእትየ፡ ዘአጥረይክኒ፡ እምከርሥ፨ አፅዳለ፡ ብርሃን፡ ወአኮ፡ ዘማዕስ፨","english":"Stanza 28, referring to\n\nWithout a fault or a completion, when he fled to the desert. She who stoned him with a stone of rest, for the man who asked you, you will be called third. Turn the belly of my enemy and of my adversaries. I beseech you, Mary, with a new gospel.\n\nStanza 29, referring to\n\nYour love saved the devourer of men, the foolish one. Because of you, a handful of water that stood by the side of a poor man. Vanity of vanities beneath the sky. What is good for the son of the mother of the living? Without your love, Mary, it is natural.\n\nStanza 30, referring to\n\nO queen, mother of a king, a lover. As you saved before the son of the widow, the thief. Mary, ever my salvation, a laughter. For my enemy, until I make him sleep, he will be awake. Send upon him a demon that laughs.\n\nStanza 31, referring to\n\nFor a pregnant woman at the hour of birth, a laborer. Amidst a wave, a terror, whom you covered with a garment. As you covered her, cover me, do not leave me to be tested. Mary, my lady, who fashioned me from the womb. A ray of light and a fire of the sky.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 28","severity":"info","text":"The stanza opens with a conditional or temporal clause ('Without a fault or a completion, when he fled to the desert') that sets up a narrative of flight and stoning, typical of hagiographic or ascetic episodes.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ማኅፄ (maḫḫe) / መፍጽሕ (mafṣəḥ)","severity":"info","text":"The pair 'maḫḫe' (fault, defect) and 'mafṣəḥ' (completion, perfection) may be a merism for 'without any flaw or end,' possibly echoing ascetic or theological language of sinlessness and eschatology.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሣሉሰ (sālus) 'third'","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'you will be called third' may allude to the Trinity or to a ranking of intercessors (e.g., after Christ and the Holy Spirit), a common trope in Marian poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 30","severity":"info","text":"The request to send a laughing demon upon an enemy reflects a motif of supernatural punishment or ironic justice, found in Ethiopian Christian prayer and curse traditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 31","severity":"info","text":"The image of Mary covering a pregnant woman in labor with a garment and the plea 'cover me, do not leave me to be tested' aligns with her role as protector in childbirth, a common theme in Ethiopian Marian devotion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 28","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'she who stoned him with a stone of rest' is obscure; 'stone of rest' may be a metaphor for a merciful act or a textual corruption. The identity of 'him' (the man who fled to the desert) is ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the man who fled to the desert in stanza 28 is unclear; possibly a biblical or hagiographic figure.","The phrase 'stone of rest' in stanza 28 may be a metaphor or a textual error.","The 'son of the widow, the thief' in stanza 30 is not identified; could refer to a specific apocryphal or hagiographic story."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"Stanza 32, referring to\n\nሴስይኒ፡ ማርያም፡ ለፀማድኪ፡ ዐሳብ፨ ኅብስተ፡ አእምሮ፡ ሠናይ፡ ወወይነ፡ ጥበብ፨ እመኒ፡ ፈድፈደ፡ ኃጢአትየ፡ እምሕዝብ፨ ተዘከሪ፡ እግዝእትየ፡ በርኅራኄኪ፡ ዕፁብ፨ ከመ፡ አስተይኪዮ፡ ማየ፡ ለጽሙዕ፡ ከልብ፨\n\nStanza 33: General praise\nመላእክት፡ ሰማይ፡ ኵሎሙ፡ እለ፡ ስብሓተ፡ ለመዱ፨ ወጠቢባነ፡ ምድር፡ ዓዲ፡ እለ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ተዓለዱ፨ ጽሔፈ፡ ውዳሴኪ፡ እሙ፡\nእንዘ፡ ይፈቅዱ፨ ኢይክሉ፡ ጥንቁቀ፡ ፈጽሞ፡ ለለአሓዱ፡ አሓዱ፨ እስመ፡ ከመ፡ ኖፃ፡ ብዙኅ፡ ኢውሱን፡ ፍቅዱ፨\n\nStanza 34: Relating to a miracle accomplished at the monastery of Kalamun on\nbehalf of an angel who had disobeyed God\nወላዲት፡ አምላክ፡ ማርያም፡ እንበለ፡ ሰብሳብ፡ ወሩካቤ፨ በይነ፡ ዘአቅረብኩ፡ ለኪ፡ ንስቲተ፡ ቃለ፡ ይባቤ፨ ፈትቲ፡ እሙ፡\nበረከተ፡ አፉኪ፡ ሙሐዘ፡ ከርቤ፨ ለነዳይ፡ ብእሲ፡ ወለዘረከቦ፡ ምንዳቤ፨ ኅብስተከ፡ ፈትት፡ ኢሳይያስ፡ ይቤ፨","english":"Stanza 32, referring to\n\nSesini Maryam, for your pair, a thought; a good bread of understanding and a wine of wisdom. If my sins have multiplied from the people, remember me, my Lady, with your wonderful mercy, as you gave water to drink to a thirsty dog.\n\nStanza 33: General praise\n\nAll the angels of heaven who offered praise, and the wise of the earth again who were joined together, they wrote your praise, O mother, while they desired; they could not complete the exactness of each single one, for like a flower, many and without limit is its cutting.\n\nStanza 34: Relating to a miracle accomplished at the monastery of Kalamun on behalf of an angel who had disobeyed God\n\nMother of God, Maryam, without gathering and scattering. Because I have offered to you a little word of love, open, O mother, the blessing of your mouth, a spice of myrrh, for the needy man and for him who found his misery. \"Open your bread,\" said Ousaiyas.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 32","severity":"info","text":"Stanza 32 continues the pattern of addressing Mary with a petition, using the image of giving water to a thirsty dog as a metaphor for mercy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሴስይኒ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ሴስይኒ' (Sesini) is a vocative form of a name or epithet for Mary, possibly derived from a Coptic or Syriac original, but its precise meaning is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Kalamun","severity":"info","text":"The monastery of Kalamun, mentioned in the heading of Stanza 34, was a prominent Egyptian monastery in the Wadi al-Natrun, associated with miracles in Coptic and Ethiopic hagiography.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging","label":"gap dossier: Miracle of Mary: The thief (Qirās of Galatia) whom the king's soldiers could not kill by hanging because he prayed to the Virgin Mary","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-brigand-hanging"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኅብስተ አእምሮ ሠናይ ወወይነ ጥበብ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'bread of understanding and wine of wisdom' echoes Eucharistic and sapiential imagery, reminiscent of Proverbs 9:5 ('She has mixed her wine') and the bread of the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Ousaiyas","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Ousaiyas' in Stanza 34 likely refers to a figure from a miracle story, possibly an angel or monk, but the reference is obscure and not widely attested in known Ethiopic sources.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Stanza 33","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'like a flower, many and without limit is its cutting' is syntactically ambiguous; it may refer to the impossibility of fully praising Mary, but the metaphor of cutting a flower is unusual and may reflect a textual corruption.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT4274AkkonuB","label":"betmas: Is it not that a man…?","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT4274AkkonuB"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Sesini' in Stanza 32 is unclear; it may be a proper name or epithet for Mary.","The reference to 'Ousaiyas' in Stanza 34 is obscure and not clearly linked to known hagiographic traditions.","The metaphor of 'cutting a flower' in Stanza 33 is unusual and may indicate a textual corruption or a lost cultural reference."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}