{"slug":"dsc-250","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-250","title":"Literal Commentary on Jonah","author":"Dionysius bar Salibi","genre":"commentary","date":"Mid-12th century","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:17Z","cost_usd":0.003787},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-250","work_id":"dsc-250","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"},"stats":{"passages":5,"english_words":1553,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":29,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":3,"ambiguities":8,"work_notes":5,"external_links":4,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-250","abstract":"Dionysius bar Salibi's Literal Commentary on Jonah is a 12th-century West Syriac exegetical work that adheres to the Antiochene tradition, prioritizing literal and historical interpretation over allegory. The commentary reflects Syriac tropes, such as Nineveh as a symbol of moral decay and the identification of Tarshish with Tarsus. It was used in West Syriac liturgical readings for the fast of Nineveh but never attained the authority of earlier commentators like Ephrem or Theodore. The text survives in a single manuscript tradition, with the edition based on MS Vat. Syr. 149, which shows later orthographic updates. The commentary includes a lacuna and lacks a critical apparatus for variant readings.","historical_context":"Dionysius bar Salibi (d. 1171) was a West Syriac metropolitan of Ma‘dan and a prominent exegete. His Literal Commentary on Jonah was composed in the mid-12th century, during a period of Syriac theological and literary activity under Crusader and Muslim rule. The work follows the Antiochene tradition, emphasizing literal and historical exegesis over allegory, a method rooted in earlier Syriac fathers like Theodore of Mopsuestia. The commentary was used in West Syriac liturgical readings for the fast of Nineveh, a three-day observance in the Syriac tradition. No autograph survives; the earliest manuscripts date from the 13th–14th centuries. The text is preserved in a single manuscript tradition, with MS Vat. Syr. 149 serving as the basis for the edition, though it shows signs of later West Syriac orthographic updating. The commentary never achieved the authority of Ephrem's or Theodore's works on Jonah.","significance":"Bar Salibi's commentary is significant as a representative of 12th-century West Syriac Antiochene exegesis, illustrating the continued use of literal and historical interpretation in the Syriac tradition. It also highlights the liturgical integration of biblical commentary, particularly for the fast of Nineveh, and preserves standard Syriac geographical and theological glosses, such as the identification of Tarshish with Tarsus and the typological link between Jonah's entrapment and Christ's descent.","timeline":[{"date":"Mid-12th century","event":"Composition of Dionysius bar Salibi's Literal Commentary on Jonah."},{"date":"1171","event":"Death of Dionysius bar Salibi."},{"date":"13th–14th centuries","event":"Earliest surviving manuscripts of the commentary."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Use of the commentary in West Syriac liturgical readings for the fast of Nineveh."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Edition based on MS Vat. Syr. 149, with later orthographic updates."}],"relations":[{"work":"Commentary on Jonah by Ephrem the Syrian","relation":"Earlier Syriac commentary on the same book, with which Bar Salibi's work shares standard glosses but lacks its authority.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Commentary on Jonah by Theodore of Mopsuestia","relation":"Earlier Antiochene commentary that influenced Bar Salibi's literal and historical approach.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Peshitta","relation":"Syriac Bible version used as the base text for Bar Salibi's commentary.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Fast of Nineveh","relation":"Liturgical observance in which the commentary was used for readings.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Dionysius bar Salibi","label":"Dionysius bar Salibi","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysius_bar_Salibi","reason":"Provides background on the author and his works."},{"key":"wikipedia:Antiochene school","label":"Antiochene school","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Antioch","reason":"Contextualizes the literal and historical exegetical tradition."},{"key":"wikipedia:Fast of Nineveh","label":"Fast of Nineveh","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_of_Nineveh","reason":"Explains the liturgical context of the commentary."},{"key":"wikipedia:Peshitta","label":"Peshitta","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshitta","reason":"The Syriac Bible version used in the commentary."}],"cautions":["No autograph survives; the earliest manuscripts are from the 13th–14th centuries, over a century after composition.","The edition relies on a single manuscript (MS Vat. Syr. 149) with later orthographic updates, and no critical apparatus for variant readings is provided.","A lacuna in the Syriac text (ܕܓ[]ܢܗ) may affect the interpretation of a passage about Jonah's understanding of God's power."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000498,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:51:21Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-250","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":5,"translated":5,"commentary_passages":5,"commentary_units":29,"english_words":1553,"source_letters":4131,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius bar Salibi (d. 1171) was a West Syriac metropolitan of Ma‘dan and a prominent exegete. His commentary on Jonah follows the Antiochene tradition, emphasizing literal and historical interpretation over allegory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The commentary is dated to the 12th century based on Bar Salibi’s known floruit. No autograph survives; the earliest manuscripts are from the 13th–14th centuries.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text is preserved in a single manuscript tradition, with occasional scribal glosses. The edition relies on MS Vat. Syr. 149, which shows signs of later West Syriac orthographic updating.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Bar Salibi’s Jonah commentary was used in West Syriac liturgical readings for the fast of Nineveh, though it never achieved the authority of Ephrem’s or Theodore’s works.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"This edition does not include a critical apparatus for variant readings across manuscripts, nor does it provide a full collation of the few known witnesses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: commentary in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 5 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"3 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":5},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-250":{"label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܦܘܼܫܩܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܢܒܝܐ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܐܝܼܬ\nܬܘܼܒ ܦܘܼܫܩܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܢܒܝܐ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܐܝܼܬ ܗܿܠܝܢ ܕܠܘܿܬ ܝܘܢܢ ܐܫܼܬܡ̈ܫܝ ܛܘܼܦܣܐ ܘܚܘܼܬܡܐ ܐܢܝܢ ܕܗܿܠܝܢ ܕܒܡܪܢ ܘܟܕ ܢܒ̈ܝܐ ܟܿܠܗܘܿܢ ܠܘܿܬ ܥܡܐ ܐܢܼܒܝܼܘ. ܗܿܢܐ ܒܠܚܘܼܕ̄ܘ\nܐܬܦܼܩܕ ܠܡܫܼܢܝܘܼ ܠܘܿܬ ܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ ܓܒܐ ܕܢܥܼܪܘܿܩ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܫܼܬܪܐ ܣܝܿܓܐ ܗܿܢܐ. ܘܢܣܼܬܠܐ ܥܡܐ. ܝܼܕܥ ܓܝܪ ܕܠܘ ܠܡܼܘܒܕܘܼ ܠܢܝܼܢܘ̈ܝܐ ܒܿܥܐ ܐܠܗܐ. ܐܠܐ ܠܡܼܦܢܝܘܼ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܠܘܿܬܗ܀ ܨ܆ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܩܘܼܡ ܙܠ ܠܢܝܼܢܘܐ ܗ̄ ܘܐܟܼܪܙ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܗܦܘܼ̣ܝܐ ܕܡܕܝܼܢܬܗܘܿܢ ܒܗ݀ܘ ܙܒܼܢܐ ܗܿܕܐ ܐܝܼܬܝܗܿ ܗܘܬ݀ ܡܕܝܼܢܬܐ ܪܒܼܬܐ ܕܐܬܘܼܪ̈ܝܐ ܘܕܡܫܪܬܚܐ ܒܐܢܫܘܼܬܐ ܘܢܬܝܼܩܐ ܒ݀ܬܪ ܥܘܠܐ ܘܫܪܝܼܚܘܼܬܐ ܘܕܘܼܒܪ̈ܐ ܫܟܝܼܪ̈ܐ. ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܣܠܼܩܬ݀ ܗ̄ ܕܗܿܢܐ ܟܿܠܗ ܣܓܝܬ݀ ܒܝܼܫܘܼܬܗܘܿܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܬܥܝܼܪܢܝ ܠܬܒܼܥܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܗܿܝ ܕܓܥܿܬܐ ܕܣܕܘܼܡ ܥܠܬ݀ ܩܕܡܝ. ܠܡܥܼܪܩ ܠܬܪܫܝܼܫ ܗ̄ ܐܠܘܼ ܓܝܪ ܐܪܓܫܼ ܕܐܒܿܕܝܼܢ ܢܝܼܢ̈ܘܝܐ ܟܿܠܢܐܝܼܬ ܠܐ ܥܿܪܩ ܗܼܘܐ. ܐܠܐ ܝܼܕܥ ܕܬܝܿܒܝܼܢ ܘܗܿܘܝܐ ܥܠܝܗܘܿܢ ܛܒܿܬܐ ܘܡܚܼܕܐ ܡܣܼܬܒܪ ܕܓܠܐܥܠ ܗܿܝ ܥܪܩܼ ܘܐ݀ܦܢ ܟܕ ܝܼܕܥ ܕܒܟܿܠܕܘܿܟ ܐܝܼܬ̄ܘ ܐܠܗܐ ܥܪܼܩ ܐܣܼܒܪ ܒܢܦܼܫܗ ܕܡܥܼܒܕܢܘܼܬܗ ܕܓ[]ܢܗ ܠܘ ܒܟܿܠܕܘܿܟ ܐܝܼܬܝܗܿ ܐܠܐ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܕܡܘܼܠܟܢܐ. ܬܪܫܝܼܫ ܗ̄ ܛܪܣܘܿܣ ܕܩܝܼܠܝܼܩܝܐ. ܘܡܼܢ ܕܣܼܠܩ ܠܐܠܼܦܐ ܢܚܼܬ ܠܐܫܼܬܗܿ ܘܕܡܼ̣. ܐܪܡܝܼܘ ܦܼܨ̈ܐ ܗ̄. ܐܬܬܢܝܼܚ ܝܡܐ ܗ ܒܿܬܪ ܕܫܕܐܘܼܗܝ. ܕܒܼܚܘ ܕܒܚ̈ܐ ܗ̄ ܠܘ ܒܝܡܐ ܕܒܼܚܘ. ܐܠܐ ܐܫܼܬܘܕܝܼܘ ܕܠܐ ܡܟܝܼܠ ܦ݀ܠܚܝܼܢ ܬܘܼܒ ܠܦܬܟܪ̈ܐ. ܐܠܐ ܕܒܚܼܘ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܡܪܐ ܕܝܡܐ ܘܕܝܒܼܫܐ.","english":"A Literal Commentary on the Book of Jonah the Prophet\n\nAgain, a literal commentary on the Book of Jonah the Prophet. This is that Jonah was used as a type and seal of this matter concerning the Lord, and when all the prophets were sent to the people, he alone was commanded to prophesy to the nations, that he might flee and not deliver this decree, and that he might contend with the people. For he knew that God does not wish to destroy the Ninevites, but to turn them to him. Chapter 1: \"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to them the repentance of their city.\" At that time, this was the great city of the Assyrians, which was spread out in wickedness and established in iniquity and licentiousness and drunken habits. Because it had risen up, all this great evil of theirs, until it would stir up destruction, like that of Sodom which had occurred before. He fled to Tarshish. For if he had perceived that the Ninevites would perish completely, he would not have fled. But he knew that they would repent, and that good would come upon them, and he rejoiced, supposing that this flight would be hidden and that he would escape, while knowing that God is everywhere. He fled, supposing in himself that the working of his Lord was not everywhere, but in the land of the kingdom. Tarshish is Tarsus of Cilicia. And when he went up into the ship, he went down into its hold and slept. They cast the lots. The sea became calm after they had thrown him. They sacrificed sacrifices, not into the sea did they sacrifice, but they confessed that they would no longer serve idols, but that they sacrificed to God, the Lord of the sea and the dry land.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܦܘܼܫܩܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܢܒܝܐ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܐܝܼܬ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'literal commentary' (ܦܘܼܫܩܐ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܐܝܼܬ) signals a non-allegorical reading, typical of Antiochene exegesis. Dionysius bar Salibi follows this method, focusing on the historical sense of Jonah.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܢܝܼܢ̈ܘܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"Nineveh is described as the great city of the Assyrians, 'spread out in wickedness' and compared to Sodom. This reflects a common Syriac trope of Nineveh as a byword for moral decay, rooted in biblical and patristic tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܘܼܡ ܙܠ ܠܢܝܼܢܘܐ","severity":"info","text":"The command 'Arise, go to Nineveh' echoes Jonah 1:2 (Peshitta: ܩܘܼܡ ܙܠ ܠܢܝܼܢܘܐ). The commentary paraphrases the verse, adding the detail that Jonah was to proclaim 'the repentance of their city'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܛܘܼܦܣܐ ܘܚܘܼܬܡܐ","severity":"info","text":"The terms 'type' (ܛܘܼܦܣܐ) and 'seal' (ܚܘܼܬܡܐ) indicate that Jonah prefigures Christ. This typological reading is common in Syriac exegesis, where the prophet's mission mirrors Christ's redemptive work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܬܪܫܝܼܫ","severity":"info","text":"The identification of Tarshish with Tarsus of Cilicia (ܛܪܣܘܿܣ ܕܩܝܼܠܝܼܩܝܐ) is a standard Syriac gloss, found in earlier commentators like Ephrem. It reflects a geographical tradition linking Jonah's flight to a known port.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܥܼܒܕܢܘܼܬܗ ܕܓ[]ܢܗ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna: ܕܓ[]ܢܗ. The English draft reads 'the working of his Lord', but the missing letters may alter the sense. The passage likely means Jonah thought God's power was limited to the land of Israel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna ܕܓ[]ܢܗ in the Syriac is uncertain; the English draft supplies 'his Lord', but the exact reading is unclear.","The phrase 'they cast the lots' (ܐܪܡܝܼܘ ܦܼܨ̈ܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to sailors casting lots to decide Jonah's fate, or to a ritual act."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܘܩܪܝܿܬ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܗܿܟܢ ܪܘܝܼܚܐ ܗܘܬ݀ ܟܪܣܗ ܕܩܝܼܛܘܧܣ ܐܝ̣ܿܢܐ ܕܢܩܘܼܡ ܒܗܿ ܘܢܨܼܠܐ܆ ܨ܆ ܕܒ̄ ܡܼܢ ܟܪܣܗܿ ܕܫܝܘܿܠ ܗ̄ ܗܿܕܐ ܢܒܝܘܼܬܐ ܗܿܝ ܕܝܼܕܥ ܒܪܘܼܚܐ ܕܢܿܦܩ ܡܼܢ ܢܘܼܢܐ ܟܕ ܐܝܿܬܝ ܗܿܘܝܬ ܒܟܪܣܗ ܕܢܘܼܢܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܒܥܘܼܡܩܐ ܕܫܝܘܿܠ. ܩܪܝܿܬܟ ܘܥܢܼܝܬܢܝ. ܠܐܫܼܬܗܘܿܢ ܕܛܘܼܪ̈ܐ ܢܚܿܬܬ ܗ̄ ܐܬܿܚܦܝܿܬ ܒܝܢܬ݀ ܛܘܼܪ̈ܐ. ܘܐܬܿܝܢ ܛܘܼܪ̈ܐ ܕܒܓܘ ܝܡܐ. ܘܐܬܟܣܝܿܬ ܐܝܟ ܐܝܿܢܐ ܕܐܬܒܼܠܥ ܒܝܢܬ݀ ܛܘܼܪ̈ܐ ܘܐܬܿܝܢ ܛܘܼܪ̈ܐ ܘܩܝܿܡܝܼܢ ܠܥܼܠ ܡܼܢ ܪܝܼܫܗ. ܘܐܪܥܐ ܐܚܕܬ݀ ܗ̄ ܘܐܣܼܒܪܬ݀ ܕܠܥܿܠܡ ܡܬܼܬܚܕ ܐܢܼܐ ܒܗܿܠܝܢ ܟܕ ܢܚܬܿܬ ܠܥܘܼܡ̈ܩܐ ܬܚ̈ܬܝܐ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܕܡܼܢ ܥ݀ܠܡ ܘܠܐ ܐܬܥܡܼܪܬ݀ ܘܐܬܟܣܼܝܬ݀ ܠܥܼܠ ܡܢܼܝ ܘܐܝܟ ܕܠܓܘ ܡܼܢ ܬܪ̈ܥܐ ܘܣܘܼܟܪ̈ܐ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܼܦܬܚܝܼܢ ܬܘܼܠ ܠܥܿܠܡ. ܡܣܿܒܪ ܗܿܘܝܬ ܕܠܥܿܠܡ ܚܒܝܼܫ ܐܢܼܐ. ܘܦܩܼܕ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܢܘܼܢܐ ܘܦܠܼܛܗ ܗ̄ ܒܕܘܼ̣ܬܐ ܕܒܠܥܼܗ ܒܗܿ ܓܣܼܝܗܝ ܡܼܢ ܕܪܝܼܫܝ܆ ܨܚ̄ ܕܓ̄܆ ܘܩܼܡ ܝܘܢܢ ܘܐܙܼܠ ܗ̄ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܬܦܼܩܕ ܠܢܝܼܢ̈ܘܝܐ ܒܕܐܬܪܕܝܼ ܣܿܦܩܐܝܼܬ ܒܡܕܡ ܕܓܕܫܼܗ. ܡܕܝܼܢܬܐ ܗܘܬ݀ ܪܒܬܼܐ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܗ̄ ܡܼܢ ܡܦܼܪܢܣܢܘܼܬܐ ܐܠܝܗܿܝܬܐ. ܠܪܒܘܼܬܐ ܐܬܬ݀ ܘܣܓܝ̄ܘܼ ܕܥܡܘܪ̈ܐ. ܡܪܕܐ ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܗ̄ ܠܘ ܕܗ̣ܿܢܐ ܡܬܝܼܚܐ ܗܼܘܬ݀ ܡܕܝܼܢܬܐ ܐܠܐ ܥܠܗ݀ܝ ܕܐܢ ܐܢܫ ܒܿܥܐ ܗܼܘܐ ܕܢܬܼܟܪܟ ܒܟܿܠܗܿ ܘܢܟܼܪܙ ܒܟܿܠܗܘܿܢ ܫܘܼܩ̈ܝܗܿ. ܠܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܡܫܒܚ ܗܼܘܐ ܕܠܟܿܠܗܿ ܢܬܼܟܪܟ ܒܟܿܠܗܿ ܘܢܟܼܪܙ ܒܟܿܠܗܿܘܢ ܫܘܼܩ̈ܝܗܿ. ܠܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܡܫܒܚ ܗܼܘܐ ܕܠܟܿܠܗܿ ܢܬܼܟܪܟ ܘܝܿܕܥ ܕܟܡܼܐ ܐܝܼܬܝܗܿ. ܫܪܝܼ ܝܘܢܢ ܠܡܼܪܕܐ. ܢܝܼܢܘܐ ܡܬܼܗܦܟܐ ܗ̄ ܐܢ ܠܐ ܬܝܿܒܝܼܢ. ܘܒܝܘܡܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܕܗܿܕܐ ܐܟܼܪܙ ܐܬܩܼܒܠ ܘܫܪܝܼܘ ܡܚܼܕܐ ܒܬܝܿܒܘܼܬܐ.","english":"and called to the Lord, for the spirit was in the belly of the whale, as a sign that he would stand in it and pray. And from the belly of the whale, which is the belly of Sheol, this prophecy is that which is known by the spirit that came out with the sign when I was in the belly of the whale, as in the depths of Sheol. I called you and you answered me. The mountains were not shaken, but were hidden among the mountains. And the mountains came within the sea, and were covered as a sign that was swallowed among the mountains, and the mountains came and stood above his head. And the earth took hold and showed that it would never be united with those who descended to the lower depths of the earth, which are with the world and were not inhabited, and were covered above me, and as if within gates and bars that cannot be opened forever. I thought that I would be imprisoned forever. And the Lord commanded the whale, and it cast him out at the place where it had swallowed him, on its shore with its head. And Jonah stood and went as he was commanded to the Ninevites, when he was driven appropriately by what had happened to him. The city was great for God, with divine proclamation. It had come to greatness and the number of its inhabitants was large. The repentance was for three days, not that the city was spacious, but that if a man wished to go around the whole of it and proclaim in all its streets, for three days he would be able to go around the whole of it and proclaim in all its streets, and know how great it was. Jonah began to repent. The sign was changed, if they did not repent. And on the first day of this, the proclamation was received, and they immediately began to repent.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܪܣܗ ܕܩܝܼܛܘܧܣ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'belly of the whale' (karseh d-qeṭos) is a Syriac calque on the Greek κῆτος, used here as a type for Sheol, linking Jonah's entrapment to Christ's descent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܼܢ ܥ݀ܠܡ ܘܠܐ ܐܬܥܡܼܪܬ݀","severity":"info","text":"The description of the 'lower depths of the earth' that are 'with the world and were not inhabited' echoes the abyss in Jonah 2:6 (Peshitta), where Jonah descends to the sea's bottom, here allegorized as the underworld.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܕܝܼܢܬܐ ܗܘܬ݀ ܪܒܬܼܐ ܠܐܠܗܐ","severity":"info","text":"The description of Nineveh as 'great for God' and requiring three days to traverse reflects the historical size of Nineveh (ca. 750 ha), a detail Bar Salibi uses to explain the three-day repentance period in Jonah 3:4.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܦܩܼܕ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܢܘܼܢܐ ܘܦܠܼܛܗ","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from Jonah's prayer and imprisonment in the whale to his release and mission to Nineveh, marking a narrative pivot from typological allegory to historical-prophetic action.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܕܐ ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ","severity":"info","text":"Bar Salibi interprets the three-day repentance as a practical measure for Nineveh's size, not a symbolic number, reflecting a literalist exegetical approach common in Syriac commentary tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text has minor orthographic variations (e.g., ܢܨܼܠܐ for ܨܠܐ) that do not affect the sense; the reading follows the standard Peshitta-based interpretation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܘܟܕ\nܚܙܼܐ ܝܘܢܢ ܕܒܝܘܡܐ ܕܚܼܪܩ ܠܐ ܐܒܕܬ݀ ܟܪܝܬ݀ ܠܗ ܕܐܬܚܫܼܒ ܕܓܠܐ܆ ܨ܆ ܕܕ̄ ܘܫܐܼܠ ܡܿܘܬܐ ܠܢܦܼܫܗܗ̄ ܗܿܝ ܕܝܼܬܒ ܠܒܪ ܒܣܘܼܟܝܐ ܕܟܼܒܪ ܚܿܘܐ ܒܗܿ ܐܬ݀ܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܗܦܘܼ̣ܝܐ. ܨܚܬ݀ ܫܡܼܫܐ ܗ̄ ܦܩܼܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܙܠܝܼܩܐ ܕܟܕ ܠܐ ܡܒܕܪܐ ܚܡܝܼܡܘܼܬܗ ܥܠ ܪܝܼܫܗ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܢܚܘܼܬ ܘܢܪܬܼܚܝܼܘܗܝ ܗ̄ ܠܐ ܝܿܕܥܝܼܢ ܒܝܬ ܝܡܝܼܢܗܘܿܢ ܗ̄ ܫܒܼܪ̈ܐ ܕܥܕܟܝܼܠ ܠܐ ܦܿܪܫܝܼܢ ܛ݀ܒܬܐ ܡܼܢ ܒܝܼܫܬܐ ܘܕܿܟܝܢܼ ܡܼܢ ܥܘܠܐ ܘܚܛܝܼܬܐ. ܘܣܘܓܐܐ ܕܒܥܝܼܪܐ ܗ̄ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܦ ܗܿܠܝܢ ܫܿܘܝܢܼ ܕܢܬܼܢܛܪܘܢܿ ܥܡ ܫܒܼܪ̈ܐ. ܡܛܾ݀ ܕܒܕܡܘܼܬܗܘܿܢ ܕܟܿܝܢܼ ܡܼܢ ܥܘܠܐ܀ ܫܠܼܡ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܝܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ. ܢܘܼܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܢܒܝܐ ܐܬܢܼܒܝܼ ܝܘܢܢ ܒܝܘܡ̈ܝ ܚܙܩܝܐ ܘܐܡܿܪ ܝܥܩܘܿܒ ܐܘܼܪܗܝܐ ܕܠܐ ܐܝܼܬܘܗܝ ܛܠܐ ܕܢܚܼܡ ܐܠܝܐ ܟܕ ܚܿܐܪ ܒܪܚܝܼܩܘܼܬܐ ܕܙܒܼܢܐ ܕܡܼܢ ܐܚܒ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܚܙܩܝܐ. ܥܪܘܿܩܝܐ ܕܬܪܫܝܼܫ ܗ̄ ܚܕܐ ܛܪܣܘܿܣ ܕܩܠܝܼܩܝܐ ܘܐܚܪܬܐ ܒܐܬܪܐ ܕܦܪܝܼܩܝܼ ܘܐܚܪܬܐ ܒܗܢܕܘܼ. ܘܬܠ̈ܬܝܗܝܢ ܡܥܿܗܕ ܩܘܼܪܝܼܠܠܘܿܣ ܒܦܘܼܫܩܐ ܕܐܫܝܥܐ. ܡܚܫܘܼܠܐ ܗ̄ ܒܿܒܥܐ ܕܢܘܼܢܐ. ܡܦܼܩܬܐ ܕܡܼܢ ܩܝܼܛܘܿܣ. ܬܝܿܒܘܼ̄ ܕܢܝܼܢ̈ܘܝܐ. ܫܘܼܘܙܒܐ. ܡܘܥܝܼܬܐ ܕܩܐܪܐ ܘܐܒܕܢܗ. ܥܪܩܼ ܓܝܪ ܠܬܪܫܝܼܫ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܠܐ ܗܢܝܼ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܗ ܕܢܟܼܪܙ ܠܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ. ܘܐܘܿܪܫܠܡ ܗܝܼ ܠܚܘܼܕ ܐܬܪܐ ܩܕܝܼܫܐ ܘܝܿܕܥ ܗܼܘܐ ܕܥܬܝܼܕܝܼܢ ܕܢܬܼܦܢܘܿܢ. ܘܡܛ݀ܠܗܿܕܐ ܓܙܼܡ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܣܢܝܐ ܗܼܘܬ ܥܠܘܝܗ ܕܢܼ̈ܘܐ ܢܒܝܐ ܕܓܠܐ ܘܥܼܪܩ. ܕܟܒܼܪ ܡܬܚܼܣܟ ܡܼܢ ܡܫܼܬܕܪܢܘܼܬܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܣܝܼܡ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܗ ܕܢܥܼܒܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܛܝܒܘܼܬܐ ܕܢܒܝܘܼܬܐ ܠܘܿܬ ܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ. ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܡܚܒ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܥܡܐ ܕܝܼܠܗ.","english":"And when Jonah saw that on the day of the gourd he had not perished, the ship was not lost to him, he thought that it was a revelation, and he sought death for himself, that which sits outside in the shelter of the grave, that something of the event might be shown in it. The sun commanded God to the burning one, that when the heat of his heat was not delayed upon the head of Jonah, he would show and boil him, and he would not know among his seas, the children who until then do not distinguish good from evil, and pure from iniquitous and sinful. And the multitude of the city is like those who are equal to the children. Because in their likeness, pure from iniquitous. The end of the history of Jonah. The sign of Jonah the prophet. Jonah was prophesied in the days of Hezekiah, and Jacob of Edessa said that he is not the son of the widow whom Elijah revived, when he looked at the distances of the time from Ahab until Hezekiah. The fleeing to Tarshish is one of the types of Cilicia, and another in the region of Phrygia, and another in India. And all three of them Cyril mentions in the commentary on Isaiah. The shipwreck is in the sea of the whale. The vomiting out of the whale. The repentance of the Ninevites. The salvation. The casting of the gourd and its loss. For he fled to Tarshish because it was not pleasing to him that he should preach to the nations. And Jerusalem is the only holy place, and he knew that they were destined to be destroyed. And because of this, God was angry with him, and it was a burden upon him that the prophet had revealed and fled. For he was hindered from the mission, and it was not pleasing to him that God should do the kindness of prophecy to the nations. Because he loved his own people.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܪܝܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܟܪܝܬܐ (kārīṯā) is here translated 'gourd', following the Peshitta of Jonah 4:6. Dionysius uses it as a symbol of the shelter that failed Jonah.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Jacob of Edessa","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius cites Jacob of Edessa (c. 640–708) to argue that Jonah is not the son revived by Elijah, a tradition found in some Syriac sources. This reflects a concern with harmonizing prophetic chronologies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":["Jacob of Edessa"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Cyril","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius refers to Cyril of Alexandria's commentary on Isaiah for the three locations of Tarshish (Cilicia, Phrygia, India). This shows the reception of Alexandrian exegesis in Syriac tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":["Cyril of Alexandria"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"end of the history of Jonah","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'The end of the history of Jonah' marks a clear structural division, concluding the narrative commentary before a separate section on the sign of Jonah and chronological notes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"Hezekiah","severity":"info","text":"Dionysius dates Jonah's prophecy to the reign of Hezekiah (late 8th century BCE), a common Syriac tradition, and uses Jacob of Edessa to distance Jonah from the time of Elijah and Ahab.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"the sun commanded God to the burning one","severity":"caution","text":"This phrase is obscure; it may refer to a lost tradition about the sun (or a solar deity) acting as God's agent to punish Jonah. The syntax is ambiguous and the referent of 'burning one' is unclear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the sun commanded God to the burning one' is syntactically ambiguous; it may be a corruption or a reference to an unknown tradition.","The identity of 'the burning one' (ܙܠܝܼܩܐ) is unclear; it could refer to a demon, a natural force, or a symbolic figure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ܘܝܡܐ ܐܬܕܠܼܚ ܗ̄ ܥܠ ܐܠܦܼܐ ܠܚܘܼܕ ܗܿܝ ܕܒܗܿ ܝܘܢܢ .ܘܥܠ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܝܬܐ ܡܫܿܝܢ ܗܼܘܐ ܘܡܛܿܠܗܿܕܐ ܐܬܬܼܙܝܼܥܘ ܠܘܿܬ ܦܼܨ̈ܐ. ܡܥܝܼܪܝܼܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܠܗ ܘܠܐ ܨ݀ܒܼܐ ܕܢܥܼܢܐ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܝܿܕܥ. ܗܿܢܐ ܕܗܘܼ ܐܝܼܬ̄ܘ ܥܠܼܬܐ. ܢܝܼܢܘܐ ܛܘܼܦܣܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ. ܠܐ ܨܒܼܐ ܝܘܢܢ ܗ̄ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܠܐ ܐܫܼܬܕܪܘ ܢܒ̈ܝܐ ܠܘܿܬ ܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ ܘܠܝܬ ܥܝܿܕܐ ܘܗܿܫܐ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܡܘܿܢ. ܐܠܦܼܐ ܛܘܼܦܣܐ ܕܟܢܘܼܫܬܐ. ܝܡܐ ܕܜܠܡܐ. ܡܠ̈ܚܐ ܕܢܒ̈ܝܐ. ܝܘܢܢ ܕܡܪܢ܀ ܦܨ̈ܐ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܠܝܬ ܒܡܿܘܬܐ ܕܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܦܘܼܪܩܢܐ ܐܠܐ ܒܡܪܢ. ܫܘܼܐܠܐ ܕܡܠ̈ܚܐ ܐܝܟ ܫܘܼܐܠܐ ܕܪ̈ܒܝ ܟܗ̈ܢܐ. ܫܘܼܩܠܘܼܢܝ ܘܐܪܡܘܼܢܝ ܒܝܡܐ ܗ̄ ܕܒܨܒܝܢܿܗ ܡܝܼܬ ܝܫܘܿܥ. ܨܠܘܿܬܐ ܕܡܠ̈ܚܐ ܕܠܐ ܬܬܚܼܫܒܝ ܥܠܝܗܘܿ ܚܛܝܼܬܐ ܗ̄ ܐܪܙ ܢܒ̈ܝܐ ܕܟܕ ܡܬܼܢܒܝܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܥܠ ܝܫܘܿܥ ܡܨܿܠܝܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܚܼܫܒܘܢܿ ܡܨܥܪ̈ܢܐ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܡܬܼܢܒܝܢ ܡܿܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ. ܐܬܼܬܢܝܼܚ ܝܡܐ ܗ̄ ܫܼܬܩ ܥܿܠܡܐ ܡܼܢ ܡܚܫ̈ܘܼܠܐ ܕܒܝܼܫܘܼܬܐ ܒܡܿܘܬܗ ܕܡܪܢ. ܢܘܼܢܐ ܐܪܙ ܡܿܘܬܐ. ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܐ ܐܝܟ ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܐ ܕܒܩܼܒܪܐ ܡܪܢ. ܨܠܘܿܬܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ ܐܪܙ ܟܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܐ ܕܒܫܝܘܿܠ. ܦܘܼܠܛܐ ܕܡܼܢ ܢܘܼܢܐܐܪܙ ܩܝ̄ܡܼ ܡܐܙܼܠܬܐ ܕܒ݀ܬܪܟܢ ܐܪܙ ܡܐܙܠܬܐ ܕܫܠ̈ܝܼܚܐ ܕܒܿܬܪܟܢ ܠܘܿܬ ܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ. ܡܪܕܐ ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘ̈ܡܝܼܢ ܠܘܿܬ ܐܘܼܪܟܗܿ ܕܡܕܝܼܢܬܐ ܘܦܬܝܗܿ ܐܠܐ ܕܒܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܫܡܼܥܬ݀ ܟܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܐ. ܒܝܘܢܝܐ ܡܼܟܐ ܠܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܟܬܝܼܒ. ܒܣܘܼܪܝܝܐ ܐܪܒܥܝܼܢ ܟܬܝܼܒ ܘܫܪ̈ܝܪܢ ܬܪ̈ܬܝܗܝܢ ܒ݀ܬܪ ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܗܦܼ̣ܬ݀ ܡܼܢ ܒܝܼܫܬܐ ܠܛܒܿܬܐ ܘܫܪܝܬ݀ ܒܬܝܿܒ̄ܘܼ ܥܕܐ ܠܐܪܒܥܝܼܢ ܘܠܒܫܼܬ݀ ܣܩܐ ܘܩܛܼܡܐ ܘܒܫܘܼܡܠܐ ܕܝܘܡ̈ܬܐ ܐܬܪܥܝܼ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܗܿ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܕܒܝܘܡܐ ܕܐܪܒܥܝܼܢ ܕܐܣܒܼܪܘ ܕܐܒܿܕܝܢ ܒܗ []ܢ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܡܪܝܐ.","english":"And the sea was stirred up against the ship only that one in which Jonah was. And as for the other ships, they were calm and were not disturbed toward the shore. They were warning him, but he did not want to turn back, because he knew that he himself was the cause. Jonah is a type of the peoples. He did not want to turn back because the prophets had not been sent to the peoples, and there was no custom; and now, because of what? The ship is a type of the Church. The sea of injustice. The sailors of the prophets. Jonah of the Lord. The shore and the rest, because there is no salvation in the death of others except in the Lord. The questioning of the sailors is like the questioning of the chief priests. They took him up and cast him into the sea, that by its will Jesus died. The prayer of the sailors, that it not be considered a sin against them, is the mystery of the prophets, that when they were casting lots over Jesus, they were praying that the lots not be considered an insult, because they were casting lots for the death of God. The sea became calm; the world was silent from the disturbances of evil at the death of the Lord. The fish is the mystery of death. Three days, like the three days of the Lord in the tomb. The prayer of Jonah is the mystery of the proclamation in Sheol. The casting up of the fish is the mystery of the resurrection, the going forth from the tomb. The going forth of the apostles after him to the peoples. He preached for three days to the length and breadth of the city, but in three days the proclamation was heard. In Hebrew it is written for three days. In Syriac it is written forty, and both are true. After three days it turned from evil to good, and it began to repent for forty days, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and at the end of the days the Lord had mercy on her, because on the fortieth day, when they despaired that they would perish in it, the Lord saved them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܛܘܼܦܣܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ṭupsā (type) is used repeatedly to mark typological correspondences: the ship is a type of the Church, Jonah a type of the peoples, etc.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܠܬܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The three days of Jonah in the fish are compared to the three days of Christ in the tomb, echoing the Gospel accounts of the resurrection (e.g., Matt 27:63–66; Mark 15:42–47).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܪܒܥܝܼܢ","severity":"info","text":"The shift from three to forty days reflects a known textual variation: the Hebrew text of Jonah 3:4 reads three days, while the Syriac Peshitta reads forty days. Bar Salibi affirms both as true.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܠ̈ܚܐ","severity":"info","text":"The sailors’ questioning is likened to the questioning of the chief priests in the passion narrative, and their casting lots for Jesus is paralleled with the prophets casting lots for the death of God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܠܘܿܬܐ ܕܝܘܢܢ","severity":"info","text":"Jonah’s prayer is interpreted as the mystery of the proclamation in Sheol, a reference to Christ’s descent into the underworld (cf. the Syriac tradition of the Harrowing of Hell).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"[]","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna marked by brackets at the end of the passage; the missing word or phrase is not recoverable from the edition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the burning one' in the previous passage is ambiguous; the text does not specify whether it refers to the sun or another agent.","The phrase 'by its will Jesus died' could be read as referring to the sea's will or to divine will; the Syriac is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ܘܢܦܼܩ ܝܘܢܢ ܘܝܼܬܒ ܥܠ ܬܪܥܐ ܐܬܬܼܥܝܼ ܒܕܠܐ ܗܢܝ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܗ ܕܢܬܕܓܠ ܘܠܐ []ܬܗܘܢ ܬܘܼܒ ܒܩܘܼܒܠܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܡܼܐ. ܘܡܟܣ ܠܗ ܒܫܪܘܿܐ ܕܩܐܪܐ. ܬܘܼܒ ܢܝܼܢܘܐ ܛܘܼܦܣܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܡܛܠܬܐ ܠܒܪ ܟܢܘܼܫܬܐ. ܫܪܘܿܪܐ ܐܪܙ ܥܡܐ ܕܚܿܕܝܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܒܢܒ̈ܝܐ. ܬܘܠܥܐ ܐܪܙ ܗܿܝ ܕܬܘܠܥܐ ܐܢܼܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܪܢܫܐ܆ ܗܘܼ []ܛܡܼܗ ܘܐܘܒܼܫܗ. ܘܫܡܼܫܐ ܕܙܕܝܼܩ̄ܘܼ ܟܕ ܣܠܼܩ ܡܼܢ ܩܼܒܪܐ ܐܘܒܼܫ ܠܥܡܐ ܛܠܘܿܡܐ ܕܠܐ ܝܿܕܥܝܼܢ ܒܝܬ ܝܡܝܼܢܐ ܠܣܡܼܠܐ ܗ̄ ܟܕ ܚܿܛܝܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܠܐ ܝܿܕܥܝܼܢ ܗܼܘܘ ܕܚܛܝܼܬܐ ܣܿܥܪܝܼܢ ܒܕܠܝܬ ܗܼܘܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܢܡܘܿܣܐ ܘܡܛ݀ܠܗܿܕܐ ܐܫܼܬܚܠܦܘ ܡܢܼܫܝܠܝ ܡܛ݀ܠ ܗܿ܆ܐ ܠܐ ܦܐܝܐ ܗܘܬ݀ ܕܢܗܼܡܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܢܼܗܘܿܢ. ܗ݀ܝ ܕܐܣܼܒܪ ܝܘܢܢ ܕܐܬܕܓܼܠ ܕܠܐ ܐܬܗܼܦܟܬ݀ ܢܝܼܢܘܐ ܡܼܢ ܥܠܼܬ݀ ܫܒܪܘܼܬܗ ܐܝܼܬܝܗܿ ܐܠܐ ܐܫܼܬܪܪܬ݀ ܡܠܼܬܗ ܒܗ݀ܝ ܕܐܬܗܦܼ̣ܬ݀ ܡܼܢ ܒܝܼܫ̈ܬܐ ܠܛܒ̈ܬܐ܆ ܫܠܼܡ ܕܝܘܢܢ.","english":"And Jonah went out and sat upon the shore, and he was amazed that it was not he who had lied, and that he would not again be in the assembly of the peoples. And he covered himself with the fringe of a gourd. Again, the type of the Church is shown from the outside of the gourd. The truth is a people who were rejoicing in the gourds. The worm is a type of that which the worm ate and not the head; it was astonished and dried it up. And the sun of righteousness, when it rose from the grave, dried up the oppressive people who did not know the house of the sea to the left, for while they were sinning they did not know that they were committing sin, because they had no law. And because of this, the foolish ones were changed because of this, for it was not fitting that the wrath of God should be with them. This is what Jonah proclaimed, that he had lied, that the type was not changed with the cause of his youth, but his word was confirmed in that it was changed from evils to goods. The end of Jonah.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܪܘܿܐ ܕܩܐܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'fringe of a gourd' (šārōʾē d-qārā) is ambiguous: it may refer to a plant's leaf or tendril, or to a garment's fringe. Bar Salibi uses it as a symbol for the Church's protective covering.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܘܠܥܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'worm' (tawlʿā) is a type of decay or corruption. Bar Salibi interprets it as the agent that consumes the gourd, symbolizing sin or heresy that attacks the Church from within.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܡܼܫܐ ܕܙܕܝܼܩ̄ܘܼ","severity":"info","text":"The 'sun of righteousness' (šemšā d-zdīqū) likely alludes to Christ or divine justice, echoing Malachi 4:2 (LXX) and patristic typology. Bar Salibi connects it to resurrection ('rose from the grave').","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܝܬ ܝܡܝܼܢܐ ܠܣܡܼܠܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'house of the sea to the left' (bēt yammāyā l-semālā) is obscure. It may refer to a geographical or cosmological location, possibly the underworld or a place of ignorance, consistent with the commentary's allegorical style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܠܼܡ ܕܝܘܢܢ","severity":"info","text":"The closing formula 'The end of Jonah' (šlām d-Yawnān) marks the conclusion of the commentary on the book of Jonah, a standard scribal colophon in Syriac manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"[]","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains lacunae (marked by []) in lines 1 and 5, affecting the reading of 'not again' and the verb 'astonished'. The English draft fills these conjecturally; the exact sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-250","label":"source edition: Literal Commentary on Jonah","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/250"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'gourd' (qārā) is ambiguous: it may be a literal plant (e.g., a colocynth) or a symbol for the Church's shelter. The 'worm' (tawlʿā) could be a literal pest or an allegory for sin. The phrase 'house of the sea to the left' (bēt yammāyā l-semālā) has no clear referent; it is read as a symbolic location of ignorance. The lacunae in the Syriac text leave the exact syntax of lines "],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]}]}