{"slug":"LIT6487PPDam","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT6487PPDam","title":"ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","author":"Anonymous","genre":"prayer","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"unknown","publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:18:25Z","cost_usd":0.001821},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT6487PPDam","work_id":"LIT6487PPDam","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":389,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":12,"commentary_kinds":6,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":4,"work_notes":5,"external_links":2,"timeline":3},"summary":{"work":"LIT6487PPDam","abstract":"The Geʿez prayer ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡ (Prayer concerning blood) is an anonymous liturgical text from the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church, preserved in the manuscript betmas (LIT6487PPDam). It is used in rituals for stopping hemorrhage or for postpartum purification, blending Christian invocations (Trinity, Saint George, Raphael) with apotropaic and healing formulas. The prayer features imperative commands, adjuration, and repetitive naming, including obscure terms like 'Alpha Wi, Adonaʾawi' and the Arabic/Aramaic loanword ሱሐል (suḥal, 'chain' or 'fetter') for magical binding. The supplicant is named Nurit, likely a woman. Its exact date is unknown, but it belongs to the broader corpus of medieval Geʿez prayers without attribution.","historical_context":"The prayer is transmitted in the manuscript tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church, specifically in the collection betmas (LIT6487PPDam), which contains prayers and blessings. Its date of composition is unknown, but it likely originates from the medieval period (13th–17th centuries), when Geʿez liturgical and apotropaic texts flourished in the Ethiopian highlands. The community was predominantly Christian, with a strong monastic and scribal culture. The language is Geʿez, the classical liturgical language of Ethiopia. The genre is a prayer for ritual purification or healing, used in contexts of blood flow (e.g., hemorrhage, postpartum bleeding). The text lacks colophons or internal dating, and no critical edition or translation exists. It is anonymous, typical of many Geʿez prayers that circulated without attribution. The prayer reflects a blend of Christian theology (Trinitarian invocation, saints, angels) and folk healing practices, with terms like ሱሐል (suḥal) indicating cross-cultural influences from Arabic or Aramaic magical traditions. Its transmission is manuscript-based, with no evidence of wider dissemination beyond the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition.","significance":"This prayer is significant for illustrating the intersection of Christian liturgy and folk medicine in medieval Ethiopia, particularly in addressing bodily blood flow. It preserves apotropaic and healing formulas that blend biblical, apocryphal, and magical elements, such as the invocation of Raphael and the use of ሱሐል (suḥal) as a binding term. It relates to other Geʿez prayers for healing and protection, and to broader traditions of Christian amulets and exorcisms.","timeline":[{"date":"13th–17th c.","event":"Probable period of composition and use of Geʿez apotropaic prayers in Ethiopia."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Manuscript betmas (LIT6487PPDam) copied, preserving the prayer."},{"date":"20th–21st c.","event":"Manuscript digitized and cataloged as LIT6487PPDam."}],"relations":[{"work":"Prayer of the Cross (Geʿez)","relation":"Similar apotropaic structure and invocation of Christ's Harrowing of Hell","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Prayer against the Evil Eye (Geʿez)","relation":"Shares adjuration formulas and use of binding terms","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"The Book of the Saints (Ethiopic Synaxarion)","relation":"Context for veneration of Saint George and Raphael","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Magical Prayer of Saint Sisinnios","relation":"Parallel use of chains/fetters (suḥal) in healing rituals","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"Manuscript betmas (LIT6487PPDam)","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam","reason":"Primary source for the prayer text."},{"key":"ed:LIT6487PPDam","label":"Edition of LIT6487PPDam","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam","reason":"Provides the Geʿez text without translation."}],"cautions":["The exact date of composition is unknown; only a broad medieval period can be inferred.","The prayer is anonymous, with no colophon or internal evidence for authorship.","The meaning of 'Alpha Wi, Adonaʾawi' is uncertain; it may be a corruption or variant.","The term ሱሐል (suḥal) is a loanword, but its precise origin and usage in this context require further study.","No critical edition or translation exists; analysis relies solely on the Geʿez text."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000546,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:18:25Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT6487PPDam","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":12,"english_words":389,"source_letters":897,"commentary_kinds":6},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez title ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡ means 'Prayer concerning blood'. The work is anonymous and transmitted in the manuscript tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The prayer is preserved in the manuscript betmas (LIT6487PPDam), a collection of prayers and blessings. Its exact date of composition is unknown, but it belongs to the broader corpus of Geʿez liturgical texts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This prayer is used in contexts of ritual purification or healing, likely recited over a person suffering from hemorrhage or during rites for postpartum women. Its liturgical function is tied to bodily blood flow.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT6487PPDam","label":"source edition: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition provides no critical apparatus, variant readings, or translation. The user must rely on the Geʿez text alone; no contextual rubrics or performance instructions are included.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT6487PPDam","label":"source edition: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"No colophon or internal evidence dates the prayer. It is assigned to the 'Anonymous' category, typical of many Geʿez prayers that circulated without attribution in medieval Ethiopian manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"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: prayer in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 2 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT6487PPDam":{"label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"},"ed:LIT6487PPDam":{"label":"source edition: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"The following text is taken from .\n\nበስመአብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ ቅዱስ፡ ፩አም፡ ጸሎት፡ በእንተ ዘደም፡ ሽት፡\nአላሹት፡ አካላሹት፡ እሳት፡ ወተዶ፡ ጽላለም ለደም፡ ተከተር፡ ቁም፡ ደም አምህለከ፡ በአብ፡ ወወልድ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በጊዮርጊስ፡ ኮከበ፡ ክብር፡ ብሩህ፡ በሩህፋኤል፡\nመላከ ማህፀን፡ ከመ ይቁም፡ ደመ ያዊ፡ ያዊ፡ ያዊ ያዊ፡ ያዊ፡ ያዊ ያዊ፡ ያዊ፡ ያዊ አልፋ ዊ፡ አዶናኦዊ፡ ቅቡዕ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ።","english":"In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. Prayer concerning blood. Stop, stop, stop, fire and dew, shadow for the blood. Follow, stand, blood. I adjure you by the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by Giyorgis, the star of glory, bright, by Ruhfaʾel, the angel of the womb, that the blood of Yawi may stand. Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Yawi, Alpha Wi, Adonaʾawi, the sealed, ʿIyesus Krestos.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with a trinitarian invocation, followed by a series of imperative commands and an adjuration formula, concluding with a repetitive naming sequence. This structure is typical of Geʿez apotropaic prayers.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዘደም","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ዘደም (za-dam) means 'of blood' and identifies the prayer as a blood-staunching charm, a common genre in Ethiopic magical and liturgical texts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሽት","severity":"info","text":"The word ሽት (šət) is a Geʿez imperative meaning 'stop' or 'cease', here repeated to command the cessation of bleeding.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ያዊ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated name ያዊ (Yawi) is likely a magical or angelic name, possibly derived from Hebrew or Aramaic, and is used in adjuration formulas to invoke power over blood.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The invocation of Giyorgis (Saint George) and Ruhfaʾel (Raphael) reflects the blending of Christian saints and angels with folk healing practices. Raphael is traditionally associated with healing and protection.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Alpha Wi, Adonaʾawi' is obscure; 'Alpha Wi' may be a corruption or variant of 'Alpha and Omega', while 'Adonaʾawi' likely derives from Hebrew 'Adonai' (Lord). The exact meaning is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity and origin of the name 'Yawi' are unclear; it may be a magical name or a corruption of a divine name. The phrase 'Alpha Wi' is also ambiguous, possibly a scribal error or a cryptic formula."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ዘፈነ፡ ውከ፡\nላቲ፡ ለሔዋን፡ ፪ቱ፡ መላእክተ፡ ኀይላት፡ እምኩሉ፡ ደ ሃ ከማሁ፡ አጽንዕ ሱሐል፡ ሱሐል፡ ሱሐል፡ ሱሐል፡ ሱሐል፡ ቅንጽ፡ ሱሐል፡\nአጽንዕ ማፀና፡ ወፋቶተ፡ ሥጋሁ፡ ለምታ፡ ለከዊነ፡ ፍጽሞ፡ በድርስን፡ ያለክን፡ ክመ፡ እጽ፡ እንተ ትክልትል፡ ኀበ፡ ማሐዘማይ እንተ፡ ትሁብ ፍሬሃ፡ በበጊዜሃ፡ ወቆጽላኒ፡\nኢይትነገፍ፡ ከማሁ፡ ለይንግፍ ፍሬ፡ ማህፀና፡ ለአመትከ፡ ኑሪት፡ እስመ\nአልቦ፡ ነገር ዘይሲአኖ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ስተም፡ ስተም ስተም፡ ስተም፡ ስተም፡ ስተም፡\nሰንከረተም፡ ሰንከረተም፡ ሰንከረተም፡ ሰንከረተም፡ ዝዋፃ መ፡ ተከተር፡ ቁም፡\nለአመትከ፡ ኑሪት፡ ዘወፂአ፡ ደመ፡ አነ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ በከመ፡ ከተርከ፡ ደማ፡ አንተ፡ ደም፡ ይውህዛ\nከማሃ፡ ከትር፡ ደማ፡ አህያ፡ ሽራህያ፡ አልሸዳይ፡ እልመኩኑኘ፡ ፀባዓት፡ አልፋ፡ ወኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ ዘበመስቀልከ፡ አጽራእከ፡ ግብሮ፡ ለደብሎስ፡ ከማሁ፡ አጽርሰ፡\nህማመ፡ ባርያ፡ ወሌጌዎን፡ ደሰክ፡ ወጉ ፌ ፡ ወንድድ፡ ወድድቅ፡ ወእምጋኔነ፡ ቀትር፡ ሞት፡ ወ ምት፡ ፍልፀት፡\nወቁርፀት፡ መኛ፡ ወ ሞት፡ ወቁርጥማት፡ ውግዓት፡ ወምአመሂ፡ ዓይነተ፡ ሰብዕ፡ ወአጋንንት፡ ዘይመጽኡ፡ በመዓልት፡ ወበሌሊት፡ አርህቆሙ፡\nወአሰስሎሙ፡ ከመ ኢይ ክሱ፡ በአስናኒክሙ፡ ከመ ኢትግስሱ፡ በእደዊክሙ ከመ ኢትርግጹ በእገረክሙ፡ ዘይመጽኡ፡ በመዓልት፡ ወወበሌሊት\nለርሕቆሙ፡ ወአሰስሎሙ፡ ከመ፡ ኢትንከሱ፡ በአስናኒ፡ ክሙ፡ ከመ፡ ኢትርግጹ፡ በእደዊክሙ፡ ከመ ኢትነጽሩ፡ በአዕይቲክሙ፡ ከመ ኢትቅረበ፡ ኀበ ነፍስ፡ ወስጋሃ፡ ለመትከ፡","english":"... who has woven. Woe to her, to Eve. Two angels of the forces from all. Like her, strengthen the chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, the knot, chain. Strengthen the womb and the opening of his flesh for the garment, for the covering, complete it in the earth, you who are, like the fire, the one who plants, to the midwife, the one who gives her fruit in her time, and she has cut me. It will not be torn like her, for the fruit of the womb will not be torn for your handmaid Nurit, because there is no thing that can hinder the Lord. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. Bind, bind, bind, bind. Its exit, follow, stand. For your handmaid Nurit, from whom blood has come out. I, Jesus Christ, as you have stopped blood, you, blood, will be stopped. Like her, stop the blood of the donkey, its foal, El Shaddai, Elmelekunakwa, the armies, Alpha, and Jesus Christ, who on your cross you performed the work for the devil. Like her, perform the pain of the servant and leprosy, leprosy and scab, and fever, and plague, and from madness, death and wound, separation and contraction, plague and death and cutting, wounds and diseases of the eye of man and demons that come by day and by night. Drive them away and bind them, so that they may not bite with your teeth, so that they may not strike with your hands, so that they may not trample with your feet, those that come by day and by night. Drive them away and bind them, so that they may not bite with your teeth, so that they may not strike with your hands, so that they may not see with your eyes, so that they may not approach the soul and flesh of your handmaid.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሱሐል","severity":"info","text":"The repeated term ሱሐል (suḥal) is a loanword from Arabic or Aramaic meaning 'chain' or 'fetter', used here as a magical binding formula to arrest bleeding.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኑሪት","severity":"info","text":"Nurit (ኑሪት) is the name of the patient or supplicant, likely a woman suffering from hemorrhage; the name may mean 'my light' (from nūr).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ዘበመስቀልከ አጽራእከ ግብሮ ለደብሎስ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Jesus Christ, who on your cross performed the work for the devil' echoes apocryphal traditions of Christ's Harrowing of Hell, not a canonical verse.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ከማሃ ከትር ደማ አህያ ሽራህያ","severity":"info","text":"The command to stop the blood of a donkey and its foal parallels other Ethiopic止血 prayers that invoke animal analogies to reinforce the binding spell.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ስተም ... ሰንከረተም","severity":"info","text":"The repeated imperatives 'stop' (ስተም) and 'bind' (ሰንከረተም) form a rhythmic incantatory climax, typical of magical prayers to arrest flow or harm.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢይትነገፍ ከማሁ ለይንግፍ ፍሬ ማህፀና","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'It will not be torn like her, for the fruit of the womb will not be torn' is textually uncertain; the Geʿez may be corrupt or elliptical, and the English draft smooths over ambiguities.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT6487PPDam","label":"betmas: ጸሎት፡ በእንተ፡ ዘደም፡","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT6487PPDam"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Eve' (ሔዋን) is ambiguous: she may be the archetypal woman or a specific figure in a lost narrative.","The phrase 'two angels of the forces' (፪ቱ መላእክተ ኀይላት) is unclear—whether these are named angels or generic powers is not specified.","The name 'Alp' (አልፋ) at the end of the previous passage may be a divine name or a magical word; its referent is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}