{"slug":"dsc-26","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-26","title":"On Joseph (Memra 1)","title_source":"On Joseph (Memra 1)","author":"Jacob of Serugh","genre":"homily","date":"Late 5th/early 6th century CE","tradition":"syriac","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":"2026-11-15T05:27:27Z","cost_usd":0.012287},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-26","work_id":"dsc-26","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"},"stats":{"passages":19,"english_words":5022,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":11473,"commentary_units":109,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":35,"work_notes":5,"external_links":5,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-26","abstract":"Jacob of Serugh's 'First Memra on Joseph' is a metrical homily (memra) in Syriac, composed in twelve-syllable meter during his episcopate at Batnan (late 5th–early 6th century CE). The homily retells the Genesis story of Joseph (chapters 37–50) typologically, presenting Joseph as a prefiguration of Christ. It employs a homiletic register with direct address, self-deprecating rhetorical devices, and epithets such as 'beautiful Christ.' The text survives in manuscripts from the 8th–9th century, with a transmission gap of over two centuries. It was used liturgically in the West Syriac tradition during Lent, serving catechetical and paraenetic functions in the Jacobite Church.","historical_context":"Jacob of Serugh (c. 451–521 CE) composed this memra while bishop of Batnan (modern-day Suruç, Turkey), a center of Syriac Christianity in the late antique Roman East. The homily belongs to the genre of memre—metrical homilies recited in liturgical settings, often during Lent. Jacob's works reflect the Christological debates of the 5th–6th centuries, aligning with Miaphysite (Jacobite) theology. The Syriac text was transmitted in manuscripts from the 8th–9th century onward, indicating a gap of over 200 years between composition and earliest witness. The homily's survival in multiple manuscripts suggests its enduring liturgical use. Jacob's typological exegesis, reading Joseph as a type of Christ, is characteristic of Syriac patristic tradition, echoing earlier writers like Ephrem the Syrian.","significance":"This memra exemplifies Jacob of Serugh's poetic and exegetical method, blending metrical artistry with typological interpretation. It is a key witness to Syriac homiletic literature and Miaphysite liturgical practice. The homily's focus on Joseph as a Christ-type connects it to broader early Christian typological traditions, while its survival despite a transmission gap highlights the resilience of Syriac manuscript culture.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 451–521 CE","event":"Life of Jacob of Serugh; composition of the memra during his episcopate at Batnan."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"Christological controversies; Jacob's Miaphysite alignment shapes his theology."},{"date":"8th–9th c.","event":"Earliest surviving manuscripts of the memra, over two centuries after composition."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Continued liturgical use in West Syriac tradition, especially during Lent."},{"date":"Modern era","event":"Critical editions and translations of Jacob's memre, including this homily."}],"relations":[{"work":"Genesis 37–50","relation":"Biblical source; Jacob retells the Joseph narrative typologically.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian's Hymns on Joseph","relation":"Precedent in Syriac typological exegesis of Joseph as Christ-type.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Jacob of Serugh's other memre","relation":"Part of a homily cycle; the 'First Memra on Joseph' opens a series.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"West Syriac liturgical lectionaries","relation":"Used during Lent for catechetical and paraenetic purposes.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Miaphysite (Jacobite) theology","relation":"Reflects Christological positions of the Syriac Orthodox tradition.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Jacob of Serugh","label":"Jacob of Serugh","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_of_Serugh","reason":"Biographical context for the author."},{"key":"wikipedia:Syriac Christianity","label":"Syriac Christianity","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Christianity","reason":"Broader religious and linguistic tradition."},{"key":"wikipedia:Joseph (Genesis)","label":"Joseph (Genesis)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28Genesis%29","reason":"Biblical subject of the homily."},{"key":"wikipedia:Typology (theology)","label":"Typology (theology)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typology_%28theology%29","reason":"Exegetical method used by Jacob."},{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"DSC 26 (edition source)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26","reason":"Cited edition for the translated work."}],"cautions":["The dating of the memra to Jacob's episcopate (c. 451–521 CE) is based on internal references and manuscript colophons, but no precise year is given.","The earliest surviving manuscripts are from the 8th–9th century, leaving a transmission gap of over 200 years; textual fidelity cannot be fully verified.","The edition lacks a critical apparatus for manuscript variants; readers must consult cited sources for textual criticism."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000527,"generated":"2026-11-15T02:48:07Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Digital Syriac Corpus text","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org work record","url":"http://syriaca.org/work/8526"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org author record","url":"http://syriaca.org/person/42"}],"checks":{"work":"dsc-26","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":19,"translated":19,"commentary_passages":19,"commentary_units":109,"english_words":5022,"source_letters":17252,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The homily is composed in twelve-syllable meter, typical of Jacob’s memre, and employs a homiletic register with frequent direct address to the listener.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Jacob of Serugh (c. 451–521 CE) composed this memra during his episcopate at Batnan; the dating rests on internal references and manuscript colophons.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text survives in multiple manuscripts, but the earliest witness is from the 8th–9th century, leaving a gap of over two centuries from composition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This memra was read in West Syriac liturgical tradition during Lent, reflecting its catechetical and paraenetic function in the Jacobite Church.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not provide a critical apparatus for manuscript variants; the reader must consult the cited sources for textual criticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"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: homily in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 19 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":19},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-26":{"label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܼܚܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܶܨܛܰܒܰܬ݂ܘ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ\nܗܰܒ ܠܺܝܼ ܐܶܚܽܘܪ ܟܰܕ ܬܳܗܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܼܪ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܢܳܣܒܺܝܢ ܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܶܐ ܓܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ\nܚܽܘܪ ܒܺܝ ܐܶܡܠܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܳܟ ܘܶܐܡܰܠܶܠ ܠܳܟ\nܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܦܰܐܝܳܐ ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܫܳܩܠܺܝܢ ܨܶܡܚ̈ܶܐ ܙܺܝܘ̈ܶܐ\nܙܠܽܘܚ ܒܺܝ ܙܺܝܼܘܳܟ ܠܰܡܡܰܠܳܠܽܘ ܥܰܠ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܳܟ\nܬܗܽܘܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܡܶܢܶܗ ܕܳܠܶܝܢ ܟܽܠ ܡܰܒܽܘ̈ܥܺܝܢ\nܐܳܦ ܒܺܝ ܐܶܪܕܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܪ̈ܶܨܝܳܢܶܐ ܕܒܰܣܺܝܡܽܘܬ݂ܳܟ\nܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܟܣܶܐ ܒܶܗ ܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܶܐ\nܗܰܒ ܠܺܝ ܐܶܬ݂ܢܶܐ ܫܽܘܼܦܪܶܗ ܦܰܐܝܳܐ ܕܚܰܕ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܫܰܪܒܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܬܰܒܥܰܢܝ̱ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܠܰܡܡܰܠܳܠܽܘ\nܡܶܢܳܟ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܐܶܥܬܰܪ ܘܰܐܥܬܰܪ ܠܰܕܫܳܡܰܥ ܠܺܝ\nܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܐܶܬܬܙܺܝܥ ܠܰܡܡܰܠܳܠܽܘ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܫܦܰܪ ܓܰܘܢܳܗ̇ ܕܡܶܠܰܬܝ̱ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܙܰܗܝܳܐ\nܠܰܘ ܕܰܕܟܿܶܐܼ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܳܠ ܒܺܝ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܥܰܠ ܗܿܰܘ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ\nܐܶܠܳܐ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܬܳܒܰܥ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܝܳܢܳܐ\nܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܫܶܦܪܶܬ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܗܳܐ ܢܳܨܶܦ ܒܺܝ\nܕܢܶܬܡܰܠܰܠ ܒܺܝ ܝܰܡܳܐ ܕܫܰܪ̈ܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܬܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܐܶܢ ܒܳܟ ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܡܰܠܝܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܚܳܐܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ\nܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܐܶܚܙܶܐ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܶܬ݂ܡܰܛܶܐ ܐܼ̱ܢܳܐ\nܐܶܢ ܐܰܢܼ̱ܬ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܕܳܢܿܰܚ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܥܰܠ ܚܽܘܫܳܒ̈ܰܝ\nܘܠܳܐ ܙܰܠܺܝܩܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܘܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܕܳܡܿܶܐ\nܒܳܟ ܐܶܨܛܰܒܰܬ݂ܘ ܟܽܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܶܐܣܟܺܝܡ ܐܶܣܟܺܝܡ\nܒܳܟ ܢܶܨܛܰܒܰܬ ܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܕܡܺܐܡܪܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܫܽܘܦܪܳܟ ܢܰܙܠܶܓ ܥܰܠ ܫܳܡܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܘܢܰܬܗܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ","english":"First Memra on Joseph\n\nFirst Memra on Joseph\n\nO beautiful Christ, by whom all beauties are adorned,\nGive me to see, as a father beholds, how fair you are.\nA great image, from which inner beauties are taken,\nLook upon me, fill me from your beauty, and I shall speak to you.\nA fair sun, from which shining blossoms draw,\nShine your light upon me, that I may speak of your beauty.\nA great deep, from which all springs draw,\nLet me also descend with the streams of your sweetness.\nA son who veils beauties,\nGive me to behold the fair beauty of that beautiful one.\nThe story of Joseph, truth, I seek to tell.\nFrom you, my Lord, I shall become rich, and enrich my hearer.\nThe helper is stirred to speak of the beautiful one.\nIn you, my Lord, the beauty of my word is adorned, though it is not worthy.\nNot that a father who is pure has anything in him concerning that pure one,\nBut truth seeks its own, as is fitting.\nSince I have not depicted the beauty of Joseph, see, he reproaches me,\nThat I have not spoken through me the sea of his rich narratives.\nIf in you the full beauty rests, a father does not look,\nNor does he see the beauty of Joseph being defiled, a father.\nIf you are light, you do not shine, you are, upon my thoughts,\nAnd no radiance is shown to me, to what it is like.\nIn you all beauties are adorned, form by form.\nIn you the beauty of the word of that beautiful one is adorned.\nYour beauty shines upon the hearers, and the eyes are amazed.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated title 'First Memra on Joseph' marks the opening of a homily cycle. Jacob of Serugh's memre are typically metrical homilies for liturgical use.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܼܚܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'beautiful Christ' (ܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܼܚܳܐ) is a deliberate epithet. Jacob invokes Christ as the archetype of beauty, from whom all earthly beauty derives.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐ̱ܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'father' (ܐ̱ܢܳܐ) here refers to Jacob himself as a spiritual father. In Syriac tradition, the homilist often adopts a paternal persona to guide the audience.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܰܘܣܶܦ","severity":"info","text":"Joseph (Genesis 37–50) is the subject. Jacob of Serugh frequently retells Old Testament narratives typologically, seeing Joseph as a type of Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The word 'truth' (ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ) is used twice: the homilist seeks to tell the story of Joseph 'truthfully', aligning his poetic task with exegetical fidelity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܳܐ ܫܶܦܪܶܬ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'I have not depicted' (ܠܳܐ ܫܶܦܪܶܬ) introduces a self-deprecating topos. The homilist claims inadequacy, a common rhetorical device, not a textual corruption.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text shows minor orthographic variation (e.g., ܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ vs. ܫܽܘܼܦܪܶܗ) that does not affect meaning.","The phrase 'a son who veils beauties' is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ or to Joseph as a type."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܘܡܶܢ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܟ ܢܶܚܛܽܘܦ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܰܡܫܰܒܳܚܽܘ\nܢܶܚܙܽܘܢܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܳܦ ܫܳܡܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܐܳܡܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ\nܟܰܕ ܬܳܗܪܺܝܢ ܒܳܟ ܓܰܒ̈ܶܐ ܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܰܕܠܳܐ ܣܳܟ݂ܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܣܡܽܘܟ ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܚܳܒܠܳܐ ܕܬܰܦܪܶܝܟ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ܆\nܘܰܐܫܩܳܐ ܠܶܐܕܢܳܐ ܕܨܰܗܝܳܐ ܠܩܳܠܰܝ̈ܟ ܒܰܣܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂.","english":"And from the beauty of your form, the beholders hasten to praise you.  \nThey see you, my Lord, both hearers and speakers,  \nWhen you astonish both parties, who are without limit, you are.  \nSet the contemplation of the destroyer to adorn you beautifully,  \nAnd give drink to the ear that thirsts for your sweet voice.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܡܶܢ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܟ ܢܶܚܛܽܘܦ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܰܡܫܰܒܳܚܽܘ","severity":"info","text":"The line describes beholders hastening to praise Christ from the beauty of his form, continuing the opening invocation's aesthetic theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܚܳܒܠܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'contemplation of the destroyer' (tarʿīṯā d-ḥāḇlā) is ambiguous: it may refer to a destructive or ruinous thought, or to the 'destroyer' as a figure (e.g., Satan or death) whose contemplation is paradoxically turned to adorn Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Jacob of Serugh's homilies often employ paradoxical imagery, where negative concepts (like the destroyer) are subverted to praise Christ, reflecting a broader Syriac homiletic tradition of typological and symbolic exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the extended invocation from the previous passage, maintaining the pattern of direct address to Christ and requests for inspiration, typical of Jacob's proemia.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the destroyer' (ḥāḇlā) is not specified; it could be a cosmic or eschatological figure, or a metaphorical ruin.","The phrase 'both parties, who are without limit' (trēhōn d-dlā sāḵā) is unclear: it may refer to hearers and speakers, or to two groups of beholders, with the sense of 'without limit' possibly meaning 'innumerable' or 'unbounded in astonishment'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܒܓܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܨܺܝܼܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܒܰܪ ܣܰܝܒܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ\nܘܥܰܠ ܗ̇ܳܝ ܐܰܙܗܰܪ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܕܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܒܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ\nܣܳܗܕܽܘܬ݂ܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣܺܝܼܡܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܒܶܗ ܐܰܟ̣ܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬܺܝܼܒ\nܘܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܗܿ ܠܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ ܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܒܰܐܬ݂ܪ̈ܰܘܳܬ݂ܳܐ\nܕܡܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܕܨܽܘܪܬܳܟ ܫܶܠܚܰܬ ܫܽܘܦܪܳܗܿ ܥܰܠ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ\nܘܥܰܠ ܗ̇ܝ ܣܰܘ̈ܦܶܐ ܬܰܗܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܒܶܗ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ\nܠܳܟ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܗܿܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܗܘܼܳܐ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ\nܘܡܶܛܽܠ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܝܰܗܒ ܬܽܘܪܣܳܝܳܐ ܕܰܣܢܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܐܶܠܽܘ ܚܡܺܝܪܳܟ ܠܳܐ ܠܺܝܼܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܒܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܢܶܫܬܰܪܬܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܕܟܿܰܦܢܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܬܶܐܚܽܘܕܝ ܡܶܠܬ݂ܳܐ ܣܳܟܳܗܿ ܐܳܘ ܫܳܡܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ\nܕܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܒܡܳܪܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܐܶܬ݂ܝܰܬܰܪ\nܒܓܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܐܰܠܳܗ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܢܶܨܽܘܪ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ\nܠܨܽܘܪܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܡܰܪܢܰܢ\nܘܰܥܕܶܗ ܕܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܗܳܢܰܘ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܬ݂ܝܰܒܰܠ\nܕܨܶܝܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܟܳܢܫܺܝܢ ܐܰܟܚܰܕ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܶܐ\nܪܚܺܝܡ ܗܘܳܐ ܛܰܠܝܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܣܳܗܕܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ݂\nܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܪܰܒܺܝ ܒܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܛܶܟܣ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܪ̈ܽܘܚܳܢܳܝܶܐ\nܡܶܢ ܝܺܣܪܳܐܺܝܠ ܐܶܬܕܰܪܰܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܪܽܘܚܳܢܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ\nܘܡܶܛܽܠ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܟܢܰܫ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܣܬܰܝܰܟ݂\nܥܰܡ ܗܰܘ ܣܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܠܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ ܐ̱ܣܰܪ ܒܰܛܢܳܢܳܐ\nܐܶܬܪܰܒܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܢܶܡܛܶܐ ܠܣܳܟܳܗܿ ܕܚܰܟܺܝܡܘܬ̣ܐ\nܒܚܳܪܳܢ ܪܽܘܒܶܝܠ ܘܰܒܒܶܝܬ ܠܰܒܰܢ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܪܰܒܝܰܬ ܠܺܝܰܐ ܒܗܰܘ ܥܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܰܥܪܺܝܪܳܝܳܐ\nܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܫܶܡ ܐܰܠܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ\nܘܰܠܒܺܝܟ ܐܰܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܥܝ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܒܠܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܒܠܳܐ ܝܺܕܰܥܬܳܐ","english":"In your inner parts, Joseph, the son of old age, was formed,\nand upon that, the image of his beauty shone in the whole world.\nYour testimony, my Lord, was placed in him as it is written,\nand because of it, he subjugated kings in the regions.\nThe beauty of your form sent its loveliness upon his youth,\nand upon that, the ends are radiant in him, how fair he is.\nTo you, that free-born one who became a slave, was like,\nand because of this, he gave the order that was difficult,\nfor if your leaven had not been in him, he would not have been able\nto make bread with his hands to satisfy those who were hungry.\nHere, take the word, O hearers, to its end,\nfor the beauty of Joseph, except by the Lord, was not increased.\nIn inner parts, then, divine ones, form an image\nof the likeness of the son who is Joseph, as it was said.\nAnd the time of this discourse shows, as it is carried,\nthat all beauties together contend for the son.\nThe youth was beloved, and his testimony was fair.\nJacob, my master, in these spiritual orders,\nfrom Israel was instructed in spirituality,\nand because of this, he grieved in a lament that does not cease\nwith that old man who bound the angel in a contest.\nHe was raised so that he might reach the end of wisdom,\nin the sight of Reuben and in the house of Laban, all his brothers.\nI was raised in that time of the helper,\nwhere there was the name of gods and not of God,\nand your heart, a place of customs, in nights without knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܪ ܣܰܝܒܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'son of old age', a standard Syriac idiom for a child born to elderly parents, here applied to Joseph as Jacob's late-born son.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܳܗܕܽܘܬ݂ܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܣܺܝܼܡܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܒܶܗ ܐܰܟ̣ܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬܺܝܼܒ","severity":"info","text":"Alludes to the biblical testimony of Joseph's beauty (Gen 39:6 LXX; cf. Ps 105:3 Peshitta), though no single verse is quoted verbatim.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܕܨܽܘܪܬܳܟ","severity":"info","text":"The 'beauty of your form' refers to Christ's image, a theme in Syriac typology where Joseph's beauty prefigures Christ's divine beauty.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܠܽܘ ܚܡܺܝܪܳܟ ܠܳܐ ܠܺܝܼܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The 'leaven' metaphor echoes Paul's 1 Cor 5:7 and Syriac liturgical language for Christ's presence enabling spiritual nourishment.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܬܶܐܚܽܘܕܝ ܡܶܠܬ݂ܳܐ ܣܳܟܳܗܿ","severity":"info","text":"A direct address to the hearers ('take the word to its end') marks a rhetorical pause, typical of Jacob's homiletic style to refocus attention.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܠܒܺܝܟ ܐܰܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܥܝ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܒܠܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܒܠܳܐ ܝܺܕܰܥܬܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The final clause is obscure: 'your heart, a place of customs, in nights without knowledge' may refer to Laban's household or a spiritual state; the syntax is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܒܠܳܐ ܝܺܕܰܥܬܳܐ' (without knowledge) could modify either 'nights' or the preceding clause; the translation takes it as adverbial.","The identity of 'the old man who bound the angel' is unclear; possibly Jacob wrestling with the angel (Gen 32:24-30) or a haggadic tradition."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ܟܰܕ ܢܰܦܺܝܩ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܥܳܢ̈ܳܐ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܘܰܒܢܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܪܳܒܶܝܢ ܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܚܰܢ̈ܦܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ\nܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܬ݂ܕܰܒܰܪ ܒܰܥܝܳܕ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܡܶܢ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ ܒܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܢܰܟ̣̈ܦܶܐ ܡܶܬܪܰܒܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܠܳܐ ܫܰܒܩܶܗ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܪܐܳܙܳܐ ܕܨܺܝܼܪ ܒܶܗ ܢܶܬܕܰܒܰܪ ܗܘܳܐ\nܒܗܳܝ ܒܺܝܫܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܪܳܒܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܳܗܿ ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܐܶܡܗ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ\nܒܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܐܰܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܨܶܕ ܗܰܘܢܶܗ ܩܰܛܺܝܢܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܘܡܶܢܶܗ ܝܺܠܰܦ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢ ܢܺܐܚܶܐ ܦܳܪܽܘܫܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܛܽܘܦܣܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܐ̱ܣܰܪ ܠܰܚܙܳܬ݂ܶ݉ܗ ܒܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ\nܘܰܠܟܳܐ ܘܰܠܟܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܚܿܳܐܰܪ ܗܘܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܕܰܘܰܕ\nܚܙܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܕܽܘܒܳܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܛܶܒܗܽܘܢ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܬܺܝ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܠܳܐ ܫܿܳܠܶܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐ ܠܒܰܥܪܺܝܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ\nܘܡܶܛܽܠ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܠܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܐܰܠܶܦ ܣܽܘܥܪ̈ܳܢܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܒܶܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܘܝܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܪܽܘܚܳܢܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܕܰܒܥܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܗܰܓܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܪܳܚܶܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܣܰܓܺܝܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܡܶܛܽܠ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܕܰܫܪܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܶܗ\nܥܨܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܨܽܘܪ ܗܘܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܠܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܘܰܕܦܶܕܝ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ ܥܒܰܕ ܟܽܘܬܺܝܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܠܒܳܫܽܘܬ݂ܗ\nܕܪ̈ܳܥܶܐ ܠܢܰܚܬܐ ܥܒܼܰܕ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܚܽܘܒܶܗ\nܕܢܶܪܫܽܘܡ ܒܰܒܪܶܗ ܙܩܺܝܦܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ\nܦܫܰܛ ܦܶܕܝ̈ܳܬ݂ܳܐ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܠ ܛܰܠܝܳܐ ܒܪܳܐܙܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ\nܘܰܐܝܟ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ ܒܢܰܚܬܳܐ ܡܰܬܚܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܠܒܶܫ ܠܶܗ\nܫܰܩܠܳܗ̇ ܠܐܳܬ݂ܐ ܥܰܠ ܝܰܡܺܝܢܶܗ ܘܥܰܠ ܣܶܡܳܠܶܗ","english":"When Jacob the perfect one was departing to the flocks, and in his sons the customs of the pagans were growing without restraint, Joseph was, and he was not governed by their ways. From his youth he was raised in chaste ways among the flocks. The mystery that was formed in him did not allow him to be governed by that wickedness in which the handmaids' sons were growing. In Jacob his father he fixed his gaze steadfastly, and from him he learned how to distinguish between the brothers. The patterns of the son he bound to the sight of his father's beauty, and here and there he did not look without being disturbed. He saw his brothers who were not fair in their pride, and their goodness brought evil to their wise father. That perfect one did not pay heed to the shepherds, and because of this he taught Jacob their deeds. He became a cause of grief to his father spiritually, for they were conversing in the discourse of the house of God. Jacob loved Joseph greatly because of the beauty of the son of God that dwelt in him. He was fashioning the truth that was formed in him for the crucifixion, and he made coverings of ransoms for his clothing. Jacob made shepherds go down to the pit because of his love, for the great crucifixion of the son of God was prefigured in his son. He spread ransoms over him, over the youth in the great mystery, and like the crucified one he stretched him out on the pit while clothing him. He took the sign on his right and on his left.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac adverb ܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂ (tammīmāʾīṯ) means 'perfectly' or 'completely', modifying Jacob's departure. The English draft renders it as 'the perfect one', treating it as an adjective, which shifts the sense from manner to epithet.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܚܰܢ̈ܦܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܚܰܢ̈ܦܶܐ (baytāṯ ḥanpē) 'houses of pagans' likely alludes to the biblical setting of Jacob's sons intermarrying with Canaanites (Gen 34, 38), a background for the 'wickedness' mentioned later.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܪܐܳܙܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܪܐܳܙܳܐ (rāzā) 'mystery' is a key Christological term in Jacob of Serugh, often denoting a typological prefiguration of Christ. Here it refers to the mystery of the crucifixion formed in Joseph.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The noun ܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܐ (zqīpūṯā) 'crucifixion' is a central typological motif: Jacob's actions with Joseph (stretching him out, covering him) are read as a prefiguration of Christ's crucifixion, a common theme in Syriac patristic exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܝܟ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The simile ܐܰܝܟ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ (ayk ba-zqīpā) 'like the crucified one' explicitly compares Joseph's binding to Christ's crucifixion, reinforcing the typological reading that pervades the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܐܶܡܗ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܐܶܡܗ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ (b-ḡay ʾemhāṯā) 'in the sons of the handmaids' is ambiguous: it could refer to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (Gen 30) or more broadly to sons of concubines. The English draft takes the latter sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܐܶܡܗ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ could refer specifically to the sons of Jacob's handmaids (Bilhah and Zilpah) or generically to sons of concubines; the context suggests the former.","The adverb ܬܰܡܺܝܡܳܐܺܝܬ݂ is read as modifying Jacob's departure, but the English draft treats it as an epithet ('the perfect one'), which is a possible but less literal rendering."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ܒܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܕܪ̈ܳܥܶܐ ܡܬܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܘܥܰܡܶܗ ܕܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܕܰܠܒܶܫ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܘܬܺܝܢܳܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܐܶܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܦܰܐܝܳܐ ܐܰܬܗܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܘܰܐܝܟ ܙܳܩܽܘ̈ܦܶܐ ܒܠܰܥܘ ܒܰܛܢܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܕܢܰܚ ܐܰܝܟ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܚܶܫܽܘ̈ܟܶܐ\nܘܰܓܗܰܪ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܘܰܡܠܰܘ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܠܰܡܕܰܥܳܟܽܘܗܝ\nܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܓܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ ܨܺܝܼܪܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܶܗ\nܫܽܘܦܪܳܐ ܦܪܰܣܘ ܗܘܰܘ ܥܰܠ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ ܒܓܽܘܕܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܒܫܽܘܦܪܐ ܕܰܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܛܳܒ ܚܳܕܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܕܨܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܪܰܒܬܳܐ ܡܕܺܝܩܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ\nܘܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܚܽܘܒܶܗ ܕܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܐܰܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܬܝܰܬܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܬܽܘܒ ܝܰܬܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܶܬܥܰܫܰܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܗܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܡܠܽܘܳܐܐ ܬܶܣܼܰܒܝ ܡܰܠܦܳܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܕܬܶܥܩܽܘܪܝ ܫܽܘܚܢܳܐ ܗܿܰܘ ܕܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܳܡܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ\nܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܟܣܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܒܓ݂ܘ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ ܚܰܠܳܕܺܝܬ݂ܐ ܗ̱ܝ\nܕܶܐܠܳܐ ܓܰܙܪܳܗܿ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܚܰܠܡܳܐ\nܡܚܿܰܒܠܳܐ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܛܶܟܣܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܳܐ\nܥܒܳܕܳܗܿ ܩܶܛܠܰܐ ܗܘ ܘܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܩܿܳܛܠܳܐ ܩܛܺܝܪܳܐ ܬܰܟܣܳܗ̇\nܕܳܠܚܳܐ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܫܦܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܬܰܬܪܥܳܐ\nܘܐܳܫܿܕܳܐ ܛܰܥܡܳܗܿ ܥܰܠ ܚܽܘܫ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܘܡܶܨܛܰܒܥܺܝܢ ܒܳܗ̇\nܙܿܳܠܚܳܐ ܣܝܳܢܳܗܿ ܥܰܠ ܝܺܕܰܥܬܳܐ ܘܰܡܟܰܬܡܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇܆\nܘܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܙܰܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ ܒܶܗ ܡܶܬܥܰܘܪܺܝܢ܆\nܥܶܠܰܬ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܢܦܰܩ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬ݂ܐ\nܐܶܬܬܥܺܝܼܪ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܕܶܡܟܰܬ ܟܽܠܳܗ̇ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܶܢܳܢܳܐ ܠܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܥܽܘܪ","english":"In the garment of the shepherds of chastity that he had, and with the beauty that Joseph wore from his youth, the envy of his brothers was stirred against him mightily. A great image in his fair beauty was kindled to be seen, and like wolves they devoured with rage against the handsome one. His beauty shone like the sun over the darknesses of Joseph, and it blazed from him and filled their minds with wrath. These were the garments of chastity that were woven in him; they spread beauty over his youth in the company of his brothers. The righteous Jacob rejoiced greatly in the beauty that was upon him, because a great image was impressed for him from his fairness. And as much as the love of Jacob his father increased, so much the envy of his brothers was stirred up more and more. From here, take instruction, O disciple, that you may uproot that envy from your hearers. Wrath hidden within the mind is a consuming fire; if the love of the self does not cut it off, it is unendurable. Wrath destroys the whole order of beautiful things; its work is murder, and its order is a tight knot without a slayer. Wrath disturbs the simple self when it is stirred, and pours out its taste upon thoughts, and they are dyed in it. It pours its help upon knowledge and darkens it. And all the movements of beautiful things are stirred up in it. The cause of wrath goes out in tumult from the mind; the anger that had been sleeping is stirred up, and all wisdom is hidden. Envy is to the self as a worm to the eye, blind.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term zqiputa (chastity) is a key ascetic virtue in Jacob's homily, linking Joseph's moral purity to the ideal of the shepherd-saint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The envy of Joseph's brothers echoes Genesis 37:4, where their jealousy leads to selling him into slavery. Jacob's homily amplifies this as a moral lesson.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Jacob's extended metaphor of wrath as a consuming fire and a worm to the eye draws on patristic and monastic traditions, common in Syriac ascetic literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܗܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܪܟܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'From here, take instruction' marks a shift from narrative to direct exhortation, a typical homiletic device in Jacob's memre.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܝܟ ܙܳܩܽܘ̈ܦܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The simile of brothers as wolves devouring Joseph's beauty recalls the wolf imagery in Genesis 49:27 (Benjamin as a wolf) and patristic typology of envy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܶܐܠܳܐ ܓܰܙܪܳܗܿ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'if the love of the self does not cut it off' is ambiguous: 'love of the self' could mean self-love (narcissism) or love for oneself (self-care). The context favors the latter as a remedy for envy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'love of the self' (ܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ) is ambiguous: it may mean self-love (a vice) or self-care (a virtue). The context of cutting off envy suggests the latter.","The term 'garments of chastity' (ܓܰܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ) could be literal (Joseph's shepherd's cloak) or metaphorical (his moral purity)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ܘܡܳܐ ܕܥܳܐܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܓܿܳܗܪܳܐ ܕܬܶܚܙܶܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܪܺܝܚܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܣܰܪܝܳܐ ܛܢܳܢܳܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܓ݂ܰܘ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ\nܘܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܕܢܰܩܕܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܥܳܐܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܣܪܶܐ ܒܶܗ\nܐܰܟܬ݂ܳܐ ܒܠܶܒܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܳܟܰܕܢܐ ܒܥܰܦܪܳܐ ܕܰܐܪܥܳܐ\nܘܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܕܐܳܫܿܕܳܐ ܡܶܪܬܳܗܿ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܩܰܠܺܝܠܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܡܶܢ ܐܰܟܬ݂ܳܢܳܐ ܕܚܰܠ ܒܰܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ\nܘܰܠܬܰܢܺܝܢܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܠܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܢܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܼ ܩܰܪܺܝܒܳܐ\nܪܰܓܽܘܙܬܳܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܡܿܰܨܠܰܚ ܒܰܥܒܺܝ̈ܕܳܬ݂ܶܗ\nܕܡܶܬܰܐܫܕܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܶܗ ܕܢܶܥܒܰܪ ܥܰܠ ܘܳܠܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ\nܥܪܽܘܩ ܡܶܢ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܬܰܩܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܺܐܚܶܐ ܨܿܳܒܶܝܬ݂\nܕܰܠܚܰܟܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ ܡܰܘܒܶܕ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܐܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬ݂ܺܝܒ\nܡܚܿܰܦܝܳܐ ܥܢܳܢܳܐ ܠܙܰܗܪܶܗ ܕܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܙܳܝܳܐ\nܗܳܟܰܢ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܐ ܓܳܠܙܳܐ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܠܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܫܦܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܘܰܡܫܰܝܰܢܬܳܐ\nܘܰܬܪܺܝܨ ܚܰܘܪܶܗ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܕܰܘܰܕ ܡܶܢ ܬܰܩܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܣܢܺܝܩܳܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܢܽܘܛܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܡܨܰܠܰܠܬܳܐ ܗ̇ܝ܆\nܘܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܕܢܿܳܦܠܳܐ ܒܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܝ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܗܽܘ ܡܒܰܣܒܶܣ ܠܳܗ̇\nܐ̱ܚܽܘܕ ܒܰܙܗܺܝܪܽܘ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܬܰܪ̈ܥܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܓܰܒ̈ܺܝܢ\nܘܠܳܐ ܢܶܥܽܘܠ ܠܳܗ̇ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܬܺܐܒܰܕܝ\nܠܰܘ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܳܟ ܣܳܥܪܳܐ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܥܶܠܰܬ ܠܳܗ̇\nܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܢܿܳܒܰܥ ܡܶܢܳܗܿ ܕܠܰܘ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܗܽܘ\nܗܘܺܝܼ ܫܰܠܺܝܛܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܨܶܒܝܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܒܰܪ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ\nܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܥܺܝܼܪܝ ܒܳܟ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܐ ܘܬܶܣܥܽܘܪܝ ܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܨܿܳܒܶܝܬ݂\nܫܒܽܘܩܶܝܗܿ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܝܿܳܬ݂ܒܳܐ ܒܫܶܠܝܳܐ ܕܰܦܫܺܝܩܽ ܗ̱ܘ ܠܳܟ݂\nܠܳܐ ܬܰܪܡܶܐ ܒܳܗܿ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܫܿܳܓܶܫ ܘܰܡܕܰܘܶܕ ܠܳܟ݂","english":"And when the glow of her beauty enters, she appears fair,\nthat foul, erring stench that was in the midst of the shepherds,\nand the soul that burns does not enter without being caught by it,\nlike a thorn in the heart, like a firebrand in the dust of the earth.\nAnd where she pours out her bitterness, that death is swift,\nfrom the thorns of the wound in truth, and not from the serpent,\nand to the deceived and not to the wrathful, she is near.\nThe wrathful one cannot succeed in his deeds,\nso that his anger is poured out, which passed over the worthiness.\nFlee from anger; if you wish to live securely,\nfor anger destroys the wise, as it is written.\nA cloud hides the light of the sun from the sight;\nthus anger conceals the soul from freedom.\nTo love, which has a pure and helpful counsel,\nand his companion is straight and not separated from steadfastness,\nthat soul is elevated upon the summit of the shadow of that shade.\nAnd where she falls into the hands of anger, he destroys her,\nseizing all the doors with vigilance from every side,\nand anger does not enter your soul, lest you perish.\nNot your will does anger accomplish when it enters;\nanother thing seeks from her that is not yours.\nBe master over your will, O free one;\ndo not let anger be stirred in you and shut up what you do not wish.\nLeave your soul sitting in the peace that is easy for you;\ndo not cast upon her the disturbance that confuses and afflicts you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܪܺܝܚܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܣܰܪܝܳܐ ܛܢܳܥܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'foul, erring stench' is a metaphor for the brothers' envy, which Jacob contrasts with Joseph's beauty. The stench is said to be 'in the midst of the shepherds,' i.e., the brothers who should be guardians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܠܚܰܟܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ ܡܰܘܒܶܕ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܐܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬ݂ܺܝܒ","severity":"info","text":"Jacob cites a proverbial saying: 'anger destroys the wise, as it is written.' This may echo Proverbs 15:1 or a similar wisdom text, though no exact verse is given. The phrase 'as it is written' signals a scriptural reference.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term rūgzā (anger) is a key thematic word in this passage, appearing multiple times. It denotes a destructive passion that Jacob warns against, contrasting with the calm of chastity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܡܰܘܒܶܕ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Jacob's extended metaphor of anger as a cloud hiding the sun (lines 12-13) and as a force that seizes doors (lines 20-21) reflects a common ascetic trope in Syriac literature, where anger is an obstacle to spiritual freedom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܕܢܿܳܦܠܳܐ ܒܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܝ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from describing the brothers' anger to a direct exhortation to the listener (lines 15-24), using imperatives ('flee,' 'be master,' 'leave'). This is a homiletic turn typical of Jacob's memre.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܪܽܘܩ ܡܶܢ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'flee from anger' (line 10) is textually clear, but the following conditional clause ('if you wish to live securely') is ambiguous in Syriac: the verb form could be read as either indicative or jussive. The translation takes it as conditional.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܐܶܢ ܬܰܩܥܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܺܐܚܶܐ ܨܿܳܒܶܝܬ݂' (line 10) is ambiguous: it could mean 'if you wish to live securely' or 'if you wish to live in truth.' The translation opts for 'securely' based on context.","The referent of 'another thing' (line 22) is unclear: it may be the anger itself or an external object of desire. The translation leaves it vague."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ܠܳܐ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܠܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܘܬܶܫܬܰܥܒܰܕ ܠܳܗ̇\nܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܳܗ ܦܳܥܠܳܐ ܕܰܕܡܳܐ ܢܿܩܶܐܼ ܠܡܰܨܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܙܰܝܢܰܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܰܥܬܺܝܕ ܠܽܘܩܒܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܳܐ\nܘܰܕܠܳܒܶܫ ܠܶܗ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܒܰܫ ܬܽܘܒ ܠܳܐ ܝܿܳܕܰܥ\nܓܽܘܢܚܳܐ ܥܒܼܰܕ ܒܳܗܿ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܪܳܝܳܐ\nܕܣܰܓܺܝ ܝܿܺܨܰܦ ܥܰܠ ܬܰܩܢ̈ܳܬ݂ܳܐ ܢܚܿܰܒܶܠ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ\nܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܩܰܕܡܳܐ ܗܽܘ ܐܰܦܶܩ ܗܘܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܦܰܪܕܰܝܣܳܐ\nܘܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܟܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܩܢܼܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܥܰܡܠܳܐ ܚܠܳܦ ܡܰܠܟܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܐܰܪܡܺܝܼ ܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܐܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܗܶܪܬܳܐ ܡܶܡܬ݂ܘܡ\nܘܰܠܫܰܦܺܝܪܐ ܗܳܒܶܝܠ ܩܰܛܠܶܗ ܒܩܳܐܝܶܢ ܐܰܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ\nܗܳܢܳܐ ܦܳܥܠܳܐ ܥܰܡܠܳܐ ܐܰܪܡܺܝܼ ܒܓܽܘܕܳܐ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܶܐ\nܘܰܠܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܝܺܗܽܘܕܳܐ ܒܢܺܝܼܪܶܗ ܫܰܥܼܒܶܕ\nܥܰܠ ܒܰܪ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܣܒܼܰܟ ܒܰܓܙܳܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ\nܕܰܠܐܰܘܝܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܬܰܥܒܰܕ ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ\nܡܥܳܕܽ ܗ̱ܘ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܣܿܳܪܰܚ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܶܐ\nܕܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܪܳܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܗ̱ܰܘ ܒܰܢܟ݂ܺܝܠܽܘܬ݂ܗ\nܠܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܬܠܼܶܐ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ ܘܡܽܘܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܐܺܡܰܪ\nܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܣܰܝܶܟ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܥܒܳܕܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܝܪܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ\nܐܳܦ ܥܰܠ ܗܳܕܶܐ ܠܚܺܝܡ ܗܘܳܐ ܡܶܡܬ݂ܘܡ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ\nܕܰܠܗܰܘ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܢܚܰܒܶܠ ܐܶܢ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܡܶܢ ܣܶܡܳܠܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܨܶܝܕ ܝܰܡܺܝܢܳܐ\nܚܙܺܝܼ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܡܠܶܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܘܰܬܚܽܘܒ ܥܰܡ ܣܶܡܳܠܳܐ\nܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܢܽܐܘܬ݂ܳܢܳܐ ܒܰܪ ܣܶܡܳܠܐܰ ܗ̱ܘ\nܕܶܐܠܳܐ ܒܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܥܿܳܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܨܶܝܕ ܝܰܡܺܝܢܳܐ\nܗܳܢܳܐ ܙܰܝܢܳܐ ܠܳܐܟܶܠܩܰܪܨܳܐ ܚܫܺܝܠ ܒܰܛܢܳܢܳܐ\nܣܢܺܝܼ ܠܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܙܰܝܢܶܗ ܕܰܒܥܶܠܕܰܪܳܐ","english":"Let her not be a servant to wrath and be enslaved to her,\nso that she may not be the agent of blood. Envy is prepared for the beautiful,\nand he who puts it on, unless he is careful, again does not know\nwhat harm it does to her. Envy wrought in the earth from the beginning,\nfor it greatly strove over the ranks and destroyed the first man;\nhe was expelled from Paradise, and the land of thorns he tilled with toil instead of a kingdom.\nEnvy cast between brothers; from the first, it killed the beautiful Abel by the hand of his brother Cain.\nThus this agent of toil cast into the company of brothers,\nand the beautiful ones of the house of Judah it enslaved by its evil.\nUpon the free-born it cast a snare of destruction, that he might become a slave,\nso that he would not be subjected to baseness where he is.\nThat envy which was to become a scandal, the sin of brothers,\nwhich from the beginning kills the man by its cunning,\nhung the son of God on a cross, and again said,\n\"Here ends all the work of its bitterness.\"\nEven over this it was eager from the first over the beautiful,\nso that it might destroy the beauty of the son if it could.\nFrom the left, envy is always hunting the right.\nSee, do not fill envy and sin with the left,\nfor he who is left-handed is a left-handed son,\nwho unless by sin does not pass over to hunt the right.\nThus this weapon, the slanderer, is sharpened for error.\nGo to envy, for its weapon is that of the adversary.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥesāmā (envy) is the thematic keyword of this passage, personified as an agent of destruction from Cain to the crucifixion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Abel / Cain","severity":"info","text":"The allusion to Cain killing Abel (Gen 4:8) is explicit: envy 'killed the beautiful Abel by the hand of his brother Cain.'","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"son of God on a cross","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the crucifixion of 'the son of God' (bar ʾalāhā) identifies Christ, linking envy to the passion narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"left / right","severity":"info","text":"The left (sĕmālā) symbolizes evil or sin, the right (yammīnā) righteousness; envy is said to hunt the right from the left, a common Syriac moral polarity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative sequence","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from a general warning about envy to specific biblical exempla (Cain/Abel, Joseph's brothers, crucifixion), then to a moral exhortation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"agent of blood","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'agent of blood' (pāʿlā d-dəmā) is ambiguous: it may mean 'murderer' or 'one who causes bloodshed'; the context supports the latter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'her' in the opening lines is unclear; it may refer to the soul or to a personified beauty. The reading taken follows the preceding passage's reference to the soul.","The phrase 'son of God' could be read as a typological reference to Christ or to a generic righteous figure; context and crucifixion imagery confirm Christ."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ܒܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܡܳܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܣܿܳܥܰܪ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܐܰܒܕܳܢܳܐ\nܒܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܘܰܐܟ݂ܬܳܐ ܚܳܣܡܳܐ ܘܢܶܟ݂ܠܳܐ ܘܒܺܝܫܽܘܬ ܠܶܒܳܐ\nܡܶܛܽܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܥܪܽܘܩ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܕܒܳܗܿ ܡܶܬ݂ܥܰܘܪܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܕܬܶܓܗܰܪܝ ܡܶܢ ܘܿܳܠܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ\nܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܿܳܣܶܡ ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܚܿܳܐܰܪ ܒܰܬܪܺܝܨܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܘܡܶܬܒܰܠܥܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܚܙܳܬ݂ܶܗ ܕܬܶܨܠܶܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܣܶܡܳܠܳܐ\nܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܗܿܰܘ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܥܰܪܩܶܠ\nܠܳܟ ܟܰܝ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܐܶܢ ܡܿܳܛܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܡܘܢ ܥܿܳܒܶܕ ܠܳܟ݂\nܠܓܽܘܕܳܐ ܕܥܶܣܪܳܐ ܒܕܰܐܪܳܐ ܫܰܦܶܠ ܟܰܕ ܥܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܗ̇\nܘܰܐܪܡܺܝܼ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܚܕܰܥܣܰܪ ܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܚܽܘܪܒܳܐ\nܠܫܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܶܐ ܬܪܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܨܶܝܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܶܐܣܬܳܐ ܕܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ ܒܢܼܳܐ ܒܰܡܨܰܥܬܳܐ ܘܒܰܕܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܐܶܢ ܓܰܢܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝ ܫܰܒ̈ܛܶܐ ܚܳܒܘ ܡܶܢ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ\nܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܡܶܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܒܳܟ ܠܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܬܶܡܼܛܶܐ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܠܶܒܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܪܡܳܢܳܐ ܒܢܶܩܥܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ ܗܘ\nܪܽܘܨ ܠܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܶܪܬܶܗ ܡܰܬ݂ܚܰܒܰܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܚܰܫܰܐ ܗܘ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܿܰܘܠܶܕ ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ\nܘܢܰܓܺܝܪ ܕܰܐܪܶܗ ܐܶܢܗܽܘܼ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܛܳܪܶܕ ܠܶܗ\nܒܗܳܢܳܐ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܒܠܰܥܼܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܰܡܡܰܠܳܠܽܘ ܫܳܠܡܳܐ ܥܰܡܶܗ\nܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬ݂ܐ ܠܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܟܿܳܒܶܫ ܡܳܐ ܕܥܿܳܐܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇\nܘܪܳܡܶܐ ܫܶܒܝܳܐ ܒܓ݂ܰܘ ܣܳܚܪ̈ܳܬܳܗܿ ܘܡܿܰܚܶܪܒ ܠܗܶܝܢ\nܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܘܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܛܳܪܶܕ ܡܶܢܳܗܿ ܡܳܐ ܕܙܿܳܟ݂ܶܐ ܠܳܗ̇\nܘܨܿܳܕܝܳܐ ܒܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܽܘܫ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܕܒܰܣܺܝܡܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ\nܡܿܰܦܶܩ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܘܡܿܰܥܶܠ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܬܶܫܼܪܶܐ ܬܰܡܳܢ","english":"In these garments, the son of the house of bondage performs his work  \nwith wrath and bitterness, envy and guile, and malice of heart.  \nBecause of these, flee from wrath as much as you can,  \nfor by it the soul is blinded, so that it may beware of its worth.  \nHe who envies cannot look upon righteousness,  \nand his sight is swallowed up so that it inclines toward the left.  \nTo these brothers, sons of that same man, envy set an ambush for you,  \nso that if your own brother reaches you, he will bring you death.  \nTo the band of ten, he stooped in the dwelling when he entered it,  \nand cast into the pit the one who was eleventh, in a place of ruin.  \nEnvy opened the gate of the brothers against their hunt,  \nand the fire of anger blazed in the midst and drove them out.  \nIf the chieftains of the tribes saw from before him,  \nyou, a weakling, if you are stirred up within, where will you reach?  \nEnvy in the heart is worse than a sword in the breast.  \nFlee from envy, lest from its poison you be destroyed.  \nIt is a pain that begets death wherever it exists,  \nand it is fitting that its possessor, if the bond of love does not drive it away,  \nin this pain all the brothers of Joseph were swallowed up,  \nand they were unable to speak a word of peace with him.  \nLike a city that subdues the soul when something enters it,  \nand casts captivity within its walls and lays waste to them,  \nit drives out peace and tranquility from it when it conquers it,  \nand from thoughts of sweetness, it brings forth hatred and brings in wrath to dwell in its place.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac noun ḥesāmā (envy) is the thematic keyword of this passage, recurring eight times. It denotes a destructive, personified force that drives the brothers' actions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܐܪܡܺܝܼ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܚܕܰܥܣܰܪ","severity":"info","text":"This line alludes to Joseph being cast into a pit by his brothers (Genesis 37:24). The 'eleventh' brother refers to Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܡܳܐܢ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'garments' (māʿē) likely refer to the metaphorical 'garments of envy' introduced earlier in the homily, a common Syriac trope for vices that clothe the soul.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܝܟ ܠܰܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬ݂ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The simile comparing envy to a conquering city (lines 21–25) forms a rhetorical climax, expanding the earlier military imagery of ambush and fire.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܶܐܣܬܳܐ ܕܪܽܘܓܙܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'fire of anger' (esṯā d-rūgzā) parallels the 'fire of wrath' in earlier Syriac hexaemeral literature, e.g., Ephrem's Hymns on Paradise, where anger is a consuming flame.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܬܶܓܗܰܪܝ ܡܶܢ ܘܿܳܠܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'beware of its worth' is ambiguous: wālīṯā can mean 'worth' or 'value,' but the sense may be 'so that it may beware of its own ruin'—a possible scribal or interpretive crux.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'beware of its worth' (ܕܬܶܓܗܰܪܝ ܡܶܢ ܘܿܳܠܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ) is ambiguous: wālīṯā may mean 'worth' or 'value,' but the context of blindness suggests a negative outcome, possibly 'ruin' or 'loss.' The reading taken is 'worth' as a neutral term, but the sense may be ironic."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ܕܡܿܰܨܝܳܐ ܕܬܰܚܪܶܒ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܓܰܙ̈ܶܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ\nܠܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܼܘ ܠܰܡܡܰܠܳܠܽܘ ܫܳܠܡܳܐ ܥܰܡܶܗ\nܐܳܘ ܠܰܩܛܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܠܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܚܰܣܺܝܢ\nܠܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܙܰܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܕܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܡܣܿܰܪܰܚ ܡܳܐ ܕܥܳܐܶܠ ܠܳܗ̇\nܘܰܠܗܰܕ̈ܳܡܶܐ ܕܦܰܓ݂ܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܕܰܘܶܕ ܡܳܐ ܕܫܳܪܶܐ ܒܳܗܿ\nܫܳܕܶܐ ܡܶܪܬ݂ܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܡܥܰܪܩܶܠ ܠܶܗ\nܘܰܒܝܰܪ̈ܩܳܢܶܐ ܨܿܳܒܰܥ ܠܰܐܦ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܡܟܰܡܰܪ ܠܗܶܝܢ\nܡܶܨܛܰܒܥܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܕܬܶܚܫܰܟ݂ܝ ܡܶܢ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ\nܘܰܠܚܽܘܫ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܬܰܩܢ̈ܶܐ ܡܚܿܰܦܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܬ݂ܝܰܕܥܽܘܢ\nܡܶܬ݂ܦܰܬܰܠ ܒܶܗ ܚܰܘܪܳܐ ܕܥܰܝ̈ܢܶܐ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܺܝܨܳܢ ܗܘ̈ܰܝ\nܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܣܶܡ ܠܳܐ ܡܨܶܐ ܚܳܐܰܪ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܠܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܗܰܦܶܟ ܡܶܢ ܬܰܩܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ\nܘܰܡܣܿܰܩܰܪ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܚܰܘܪܳܗ̇ ܕܬܶܦܶܠܝ ܡܶܢ ܘܳܠܺܝܬ݂ܐ\nܐܳܦ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܡܶܠܬ݂ܐ ܕܦܽܘܡܳܐ ܣܳܪܰܚ ܘܰܡܕܰܘܶܕ ܠܳܗ̇\nܘܰܡܚܰܒܠܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܕܟܽܠܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܫܬܰܠܰܛ\nܠܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܼܘ ܠܰܡܰܡܠܳܠܽܘ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܫܳܠܡܳܐ\nܚܙܺܝܼ ܫܳܡܽܘܥܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܡܶܠܬ݂ܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܣܰܪܚܳܗܿ\nܟܺܐܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܣܰܡܳܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܗܽܘ ܡܰܐܣܶܐ\nܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܬܶܣܓܶܐ ܥܰܨܒ̈ܶܐ ܠܘܳܬ݂ܶܗ ܡܶܣܓܳܐ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܐ\nܥܰܠ ܗܘܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܠܣܺܝܥܬܳܐ ܕܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܘܥܰܪܩܶܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܼܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܦܽܘܪܣܳܐ ܕܢܰܡܕܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܦܽܘܠܬܳܐ\nܥܰܡ ܠܶܓܝܽܘܢܳܐ ܕܪܳܘܒܶܝܠ ܐܰܩܼܪܶܒ ܚܰܣܺܝܢܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܘܦܰܟ݂ܪܳܗܿ ܠܟ݂ܽܠܳܗ̇ ܒܰܐܟܬܳܐ ܣܢܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܝܳܠܕܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ\nܡܽܘܢ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܰܐܣܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܰܘܣܶܦ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܰܣܓܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܢܶܬ݂ܝܰܬܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܗܽܘܢ ܣܳܓܳܐ","english":"that it might destroy all the beautiful treasures. They were not able to speak peace with him, or with the knot of envy that is so bitter. To all the movements of the soul, it gives free rein when it enters into her, and to the members of the body it afflicts when it settles in them. It casts its venom upon the mind and perverts it, and with jaundices it dyes the face and darkens it. The soul is stained by it so that it may be darkened by grief, and it covers over sound thoughts so that they may not be known. The whiteness of the eyes, which were straight, is twisted by it, so that one who is envious cannot look fairly. Envy turns the eye from rectitude, evil as it is, and it blinds its whiteness so that it may fall from its proper function. It also corrupts the word of the mouth and afflicts it, and it is the destroyer of all when it gains mastery. They were not able to speak peace with him. See, O listener, how envy corrupts even speech. This is a malady for which there is no remedy; the more remedies are brought to it, the more it increases. Envy came to the aid of the grieving and perverted their eyes, and they were not able to find a means of escape from the snare. With the jealousy of Reuben, the bitter one drew near, and he examined all her beauty with the signet of the mother of death. How could Joseph have made a remedy for their eyes? The more beauties he added, the more their pain increased; the more he increased and grew, the more their envy grew.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥsāmā (envy) is a key moral-psychological concept in this passage, personified as a destructive force that corrupts mind, body, and speech.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܪܳܘܒܶܝܠ","severity":"info","text":"Reuben (Rāwēl) is named as the envious brother; this alludes to Genesis 37:21–22, where Reuben attempts to rescue Joseph but later fails, here reinterpreted as complicit in envy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܥܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܝܳܠܕܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'signet of the mother of death' likely refers to the seal of the pit (Genesis 37:24) into which Joseph was cast, symbolizing mortal danger and the irreversible act of envy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܙܺܝܼ ܫܳܡܽܘܥܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The direct address 'See, O listener' (ḥzī šāmūʿā) marks a rhetorical shift, typical of Jacob’s homiletic style, drawing the audience into moral reflection on envy’s effects.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܺܐܒܰܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܣܰܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The description of envy as a 'malady for which there is no remedy' parallels Evagrian and Syriac ascetic traditions on the incurable nature of envy (φθόνος), often linked to the demon of pride.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'signet of the mother of death' (ܣܥܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܝܳܠܕܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the pit’s seal or to a symbolic ring of mortality; the reading taken is the pit-seal from Genesis.","The subject of 'they were not able to speak peace with him' shifts between the brothers and envy personified; the translation treats it as the brothers unable to reconcile with Joseph."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ܘܒܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܪܣܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܿܰܠܡܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܣܶܢܶܐܬ݂ܗܽܘܢ\nܟܡܳܐ ܕܝܳܨܶܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ ܕܢܶܣܥܽܘܪ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ\nܬܽܘܒ ܥܰܠ ܟܺܐܒܗܽܘܢ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܡܶܬܰܬܘܣܶܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܗܿܳܢܰܘ ܫܽܘܚܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܰܐܣܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܶܕܶܡ\nܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܬܺܐܨܰܦ ܥܰܠ ܚܽܘܠܡܳܢܶܗ ܠܒܳܬܪܳܐ ܐܳܙܶܠ\nܡܶܛܽܠ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܳܟ ܝܺܨܰܦ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ\nܕܶܐܢ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܒܳܟ ܠܳܐ ܥܳܩܪܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܟܽܠ ܣܰܡܳܡ̈ܢܝܢ\nܟܡܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܠܳܟ ܦܫܺܝܩ ܠܳܟ ܕܬܶܚܙܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܡܰܪܺܝܪ\nܐܶܢܕܶܝܢ ܥܳܐܶܠ ܡܶܨܛܰܒܥܰܬ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܣܰܢܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ\nܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܶܠ ܠܶܗ ܐܰܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܚܰܫܳܐ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ\nܕܢܶܥܽܘܼܠ ܢܶܣܪܘܚ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܪܳܚܡܰܬ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ\nܚܙܺܝ ܘܐܶܣܬܰܪܰܕ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܥܒܼܰܕ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܶܐ\nܕܰܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܡܰܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܣܥܼܰܪܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܚܣܰܡܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܒܢܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܺܝܣܪܳܐܶܝܠ ܥܶܣܪܳܐ ܓܒ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܠܚܰܕ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܦܟܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܫܰܦܶܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܘܬܰܡܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܚܣܺܝܼܡ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܫܦܰܪ ܬܽܘܒ ܒܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܥܰܪܩܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܘܟܰܕ ܢܳܒܰܚ ܒܶܗ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܝܽܘܡ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܐܰܚܰܘܗ̈ܝ\nܠܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܩܪܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܡܰܠܶܠ ܠܶܗ\nܢܰܓܕܶܗ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܢܶܫܬܰܥܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܟܰܣܝ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ\nܕܠܳܐ ܢܕܰܚܠܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܩܽܘܪ̈ܬ݂ܢܶܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܐܰܪܡܺܝ ܫܶܢܬܳܐ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܠ ܛܰܠܝܳܐ ܚܣܺܝܼܡ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܕܟܰܕ ܕܰܡܺܝܼܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܢܚܰܘܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܕܥܰܬܺܝ̈ܕܢ ܗܘ̈ܰܝ\nܕܰܒܥܺܝܼܪܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܙܩܺܝܼܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܒܓ݂ܰܘ ܕܰܡܟܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܡܠܰܒܶܒ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܒܰܥܬܺܝ̈ܕܳܬ݂ܐ","english":"And by what means were they being healed from their envy?  \nHowever much he was concerned that the beautiful ones of Egypt should not come,  \nagain upon their pain a great pain was added,  \nthat wound which is incurable and from nothing,  \nhowever much he was concerned for his health, to the end he went,  \nbecause of this, that it might not be in you, he was concerned alone,  \nthat if it were in you, it would not uproot all the remedies.  \nHowever much it was not easy for you to see how bitter it is,  \nknow that it enters and is dyed for you from its envy.  \nDo not give place to this evil pain,  \nthat it might enter and destroy your soul, the love of beautiful ones.  \nSee and be amazed: what did it do to these brothers,  \nwho were with him, and what did they do because they envied him?  \nAmong the sons of Israel, ten chosen ones were contending for one.  \nEnvy wrought and cast down their eyes, and they were perfect.  \nJoseph was sealed, and what would be done he did not know,  \nhowever much he was pleasing, again he was tripped up by envy.  \nAnd when envy burned in him, every day from the side of his brothers,  \nto the place of dreams they summoned him, the revelation that spoke to him,  \nhis glory at the hour when it was revealed to him concerning the hidden things,  \nwithout their fear, the axes that were contending for him,  \nthey cast a hour upon him, upon the sealed youth from his brothers,  \nthat when he was asleep, they would show him those that were destined,  \nthat in wakefulness envy was hung upon the beautiful one,  \nwithin sleep it was encouraging him with future things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac noun ḥesāmā (envy) is the thematic keyword of this passage, recurring as the agent of moral and physical decay. Jacob personifies it as a wound (šūḥā) that is incurable.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܡܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܣܥܼܰܪܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܚܣܰܡܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery alludes to Genesis 37:28, where the brothers’ envy leads to Joseph’s sale to the Ishmaelites. Jacob of Serugh expands the biblical narrative with psychological detail.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܶܣܪܳܐ ܓܒ̈ܰܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase “ten chosen ones” (ʿesrā gḇayyā) likely refers to the ten brothers who conspired against Joseph, excluding Benjamin. Jacob’s homily reflects a tradition that counts the brothers who participated in the sale.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܟܰܕ ܕܰܡܺܝܼܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܢܚܰܘܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܕܥܰܬܺܝ̈ܕܢ ܗܘ̈ܰܝ","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a general moral warning to a specific narrative moment: Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:5-10). The homily juxtaposes the brothers’ waking envy with Joseph’s sleep, where future events are revealed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܦܟܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܫܰܦܶܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The image of envy casting down the brothers’ eyes (šapel ʿaynawh) parallels a common ascetic trope in Syriac literature, where envy is said to blind or lower the gaze. Compare Ephrem’s Hymns on Faith 5.3.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܪܡܺܝ ܫܶܢܬܳܐ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase “they cast an hour upon him” (armī šāʿtā ʿlawhī) is obscure. It may mean they set a time for his sale or, metaphorically, they cast a spell. The reading here follows the sense of a decisive moment.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'they cast an hour upon him' (armī šāʿtā ʿlawhī) is ambiguous: it could mean they set a time for his sale or, metaphorically, they cast a spell. The translation adopts the temporal sense.","The identity of the 'ten chosen ones' (ʿesrā gḇayyā) is not explicit in Genesis; Jacob may be following a tradition that excludes Benjamin from the conspirators."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"ܨܰܥܪܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܘܝܰܩܪܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܒܓܶܠܝܳܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ\nܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܟܪܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܡܳܐ ܕܛܳܪܶܐ ܒܶܗ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ\nܥܒܼܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܰܓܢܺܝ̈ܙܳܬ݂ܐ ܘܝܺܠܶܦ ܬܰܡܳܢ\nܪܺܝܫܳܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܝܰܗܒܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܕܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܦܟܼܰܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܥܶܣܪܳܐ ܕܚܿܳܣܡܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܶܗ\nܘܰܒܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ ܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܢܶܫܬܰܡܥܽܘܢ ܠܶܗ\nܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܐ̱ܬܰܘ ܣܳܩܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܼܰܘ ܣܳܓ݂ܽܘ̈ܕܶܐ\nܕܢܶܬܠܰܒܰܒ ܗܘܳܐ ܒܓܰܠ̈ܠܶܐ ܕܡܶܢܗܽܘܢ ܛܳܪܶܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ ܒܶܗ\nܐܰܣܼܩܶܗ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܘܥܰܒܕܶܗ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܕܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܨܛܰܥܰܪ ܡܶܢ ܐܺܝܕ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܠܒܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܘܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܢܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܕܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܥܒܰܕ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܪܳܢܶܐ ܕܡܶܬܚܰܪܰܪ ܗܘ\nܐܰܪܟܶܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܣܓܼܶܕܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܕܬܶܗܼܘܶܐ ܢܛܺܝܼܪܳܐ ܒܓ݂ܰܘ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܬ݂ܡܰܟܰܟ݂\nܬܰܠܝܳܗ̱ܝ ܒܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܡܶܬ݂ܝܰܗܒܳܐ ܫܰܠܺܝܛܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܕܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܙܕܰܒܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܟܼܪܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܫܽܘܥܒܳܕܶܗ\nܕܡܶܟ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ ܘܶܐܬ݂ܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܣܼܕܰܪ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܘܟܰܕ ܐܶܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܗܘܳܐ ܓܠܳܗ̇ ܬܶܫܥܺܝܬ݂ܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܘܬܽܘܒ ܐܰܘܣܶܦ ܗܘܰܘ ܥܰܠ ܣܶܢܳܐܬ݂ܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܛܽܠܳܬ݂ܗ\nܫܰܪܺܝ ܕܢܺܐܡܰܪ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܚܙܳܐ ܕܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ݂ܰܘܗ̱ܝ\nܗܳܐ ܚܢܰܢ ܟܽܠܰܢ ܐܳܣܪܺܝܢܰܢ ܠܰܡ ܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܒܚܰܩܠܳܐ\nܘܶܐܙܕܰܩܦܰܬ ܟܰܦܝ ܘܗܳܐ ܟܰܦܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ ܣܳܓ݂ܕ̈ܳܢ ܗܘ̈ܰܝ ܠܳܗ̇\nܕܺܝܠܝ ܩܳܝܡܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ݀ ܘܪܰܡܝ̈ܳܢ ܕܺܝܠܟ݂ܽܘܢ ܘܰܚܕܺܝܪ̈ܳܢ ܠܳܗ̇\nܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܚܶܠܡܳܟ ܐܶܠܽܘ ܫܰܪܺܝܪ ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܝܬ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܘܡܶܫܬܰܠܰܛ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ","english":"His brothers diminished him and the dreams exalted him in their revelations, so that he would not forget what injury would befall him. He went to the land of the Egyptians and learned sorcery. The chiefdom was given to him over all his brothers. He was turning the dream into a remedy for the ten who were envious of him, and by revelation he subjugated them so that they would obey him. At that hour, the magicians came, who were idolaters, and they were perplexed by the illusions that they were causing him. The dream raised him up and made him head over all his brothers, so that he might be in hope that when he was humiliated by their hands, he was confident in the hour and subjugated them mysteriously, so that when he was subjugated, he would be a shepherd who was free. The dream bowed them all down, and they were worshipping him, so that he might be guarded within his thought when he was humbled. His hope was that authority was being given to him, so that when it was offered, he would not forget his subjugation. He was silent, fair, and the dream came and arranged his revelations. And when he awoke, the story was revealed to all his brothers, and again they added to their hatred because of her. He began to tell the dream that he saw, how it was: \"Behold, the sheaves were bound in the field, and my sheaf stood upright, and behold your sheaves were worshipping it. Mine was standing, and yours were cast down and encircling it.\" \"Your dream is fair,\" they said to him, \"but is it true?\" \"I was king from the hunt of the dream, and you will be subject,\" he said.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The plural ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ (ḥelmē) is used throughout for 'dreams,' a key motif in Jacob's retelling of the Joseph story.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܳܩܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܣܳܩܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ (sāqōrē) refers to 'magicians' or 'sorcerers,' here identified as idolaters, reflecting the homily's anti-pagan polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܚܙܳܐ ܕܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ݂ܰܘܗ̱ܝ","severity":"info","text":"The dream of the sheaves (Gen 41:1–7) is paraphrased: Joseph's sheaf stands while his brothers' sheaves bow down, a symbolic inversion of power.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage moves from Joseph's humiliation by his brothers to his exaltation through dreams, culminating in the dream narrative and the brothers' skeptical response.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܝܬ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Joseph's claim 'I was king from the hunt of the dream' echoes the biblical motif of Joseph as ruler (Gen 41:40–44) and anticipates his future authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'from the hunt of the dream' (ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ) is ambiguous: it may mean 'from the pursuit of the dream' or 'from the dream's hunt,' possibly a metaphor for the dream's content."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܚܰܦܺܝ ܡܶܢܗܽܘܢ ܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܚܙܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܕܡܶܢ ܕܶܐܬ݂ܦܰܫܰܩ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܛܰܠܡܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܟܰܕ ܫܰܪܺܝܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܬܽܘܒ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܩܪܳܐ ܘܶܐܡܰܪ ܠܶܗ\nܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܕܚܰܠ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܟ̈ܬ݂ܢܶܐ ܕܰܠܚܺܝܡܺܝܢ ܠܳܟ݂\nܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܦܰܫܶܩܘ ܟܰܕ ܣܿܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܚܰܠܡܳܐ\nܡܶܫܬܰܠܳܛܽܘ ܡܶܫܬܰܠܰܛ ܐܢ̱ܬ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܡܼܰܪܘ ܠܳܟ݂\nܐܰܩܺܝܡܶܗ ܬܽܘܒ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ\nܘܰܐܪܟܶܢ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܰܝ̈ܠܰܘܳܬ݂ܐ ܘܕܽܘܒܳܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܟܰܦܘ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܣܓܶܕܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܕܐ̱ܪܳܙܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܚܙܰܘ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܗܰܘ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܟܰܘܟܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܦܠܰܓ݂ܘ ܐܺܝܩܳܪܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܥܛܺܝܦ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ\nܘܡܶܢ ܕܽܘܟܝ̈ܳܬ݂ܗܽܘܢ ܣܳܓܕܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܡܳܪܳܐ\nܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܘܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܒܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܣܓ݂ܶܕܘ ܠܶܗ ܘܰܒܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ\nܗܳܝ ܗܺܝ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܠܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܶܗ ܣܽܘܦ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ\nܣܓ݂ܶܕ ܐܺܝܡܳܡܳܐ ܘܠܶܠܝܳܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܚܙܰܘ ܒܶܗ\nܕܰܠܒܺܝܫ ܛܽܘܦܣܶܗ ܕܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܙܰܕܺܝܩܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܪܗܶܛ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܩܪܳܐ ܠܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܠܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܕܰܠܒܼܶܫ ܨܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܕܡܳܪܶܗ ܕܢܶܬ݂ܝܰܩܰܪ ܒܳܗ̇\nܣܓ݂ܶܕ ܠܶܗ ܠܶܠܝܳܐ ܒܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܘܟܰܘܟܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܪܟܶܢܘ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ\nܐܳܦ ܐܺܝܡܳܡܳܐ ܒܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܝܰܩܪܶܗ ܘܰܒܙܰܠܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ\nܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܨܺܝܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܗ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܢܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܕܚܰܝ̈ܠܰܘܳܬ݂ܐ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܙܺܝܥ ܟܰܕ ܚܳܐܶܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܕܡܶܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܺܐܡܰܪ ܡܺܝܬ ܦܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ\nܘܰܠܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܐܰܪܗܶܒ ܘܰܫܓܼܰܫ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܣܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ","english":"The dream hastened to interpret the truth that they had not seen, for when the dream was interpreted, it wronged him, though it was true. Again, another revelation called to Joseph and said to him, \"Do not fear the interpreters who are harsh to you; interpret it beautifully, for they are troubling you because of the dream. You will rule and be ruler, as they told you.\" The dream again raised Joseph up to the revelation and set before him the hosts and their dignities. The sun and the moon bowed their heads and were worshipping him, for the initiates saw the mysteries of creation in that beautiful one. The stars of the firmament divided honor for that one who was bent over mysteries, and from their places they were worshipping him as a lord. Heaven and earth worshipped him with their hands, and with the initiates, that is the creation, whose authority has no end. Day and night worshipped Joseph, because they saw in him that he was clothed in the likeness of the great sun of righteousness. The dream ran, called to the initiates, and subjected them to the servant who was clothed in the image of his master who was honored in it. Night worshipped him with the moon and the stars that were set before him; also day honoured him with the sun and the rays. The death of creation was formed in its hour mysteriously, for it stirred all the hosts while it was feeling that Joseph was lying as a corpse, saying, \"The Saviour is dead.\" And it terrified the initiates by his death and disturbed them. In the hour of Joseph, the sun and the moon were worshipping him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The dream is personified as an active agent that interprets, raises Joseph, and commands the celestial bodies, a motif consistent with Jacob's allegorical treatment of Joseph's narrative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ (gelyānā) means 'revelation' and here refers to a divine or prophetic disclosure, distinct from the dream (ḥelmā) that precedes it.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The sun and moon bowing to Joseph reflects late antique astrological and imperial imagery, where celestial bodies signify cosmic order and submission to a ruler, adapted here to Joseph's typological role.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܶܟ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܺܐܡܰܪ ܡܺܝܬ ܦܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Joseph lying as a corpse, saying, The Saviour is dead' alludes to Christ's death and resurrection, a typological reading common in Syriac patristic exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a narrative climax where the dream's interpretation culminates in cosmic worship of Joseph, mirroring the earlier pattern of exaltation and foreshadowing his eventual rise.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܛܺܝܦ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'bent over mysteries' (ʿaṭīp arāzē) is ambiguous: it may describe Joseph as a recipient of hidden knowledge or as a figure stooping in humility; the translation 'bent over' is interpretive.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the initiates' (ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ) is unclear: they may be celestial beings, astrologers, or a symbolic group; the text does not specify.","The phrase 'the death of creation' (ܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ) is ambiguous: it could refer to a cosmic event or to Joseph's symbolic death; the translation opts for the latter."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܟܽܠ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܝܢ ܡܶܬ݂ܒܰܠܗܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܐܰܝܟ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܡܬܺܝܼܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ\nܘܥܰܠ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܬܺܝܼܚ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܶܗ ܢܶܦܩܽܘܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܗܰܘ ܡܰܐܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܨܳܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܬܰܡܳܢ\nܕܰܐܙܺܝܥ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܽܘܬܶܗ\nܕܰܡܺܝܟ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܳܝ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܶܝܗܿ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܼܦ ܡܳܪܰܢ\nܘܟܳܦܶܝܢ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܘܟܽܠ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܝܢ\nܒܬܰܪܥܳܐ ܕܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܗܿܰܘ ܢܰܟܦܳܐ\nܘܣܰܥܪܶܗ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܥܰܠ ܬܶܫܘܺܝܬ݂ܶܗ ܘܰܥܒܰܪ ܫܰܢܺܝ\nܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܗ ܪܗܼܰܛܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܚܰܝܠܰܘ̈ܳܬ݂ܐ ܘܰܣܓ݂ܶܕܘ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܟܝ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܬܪܰܗܒܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܨܰܠܡܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܐܺܝܼܬ ܗ̱ܘܼܳܐ ܒܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܡܼܰܪܢܰܢ\nܫܩܼܰܠ ܡܰܕܰܐܬ݂ܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܥܒܺܝܼܕܳܐ ܕܰܛܥܼܰܘ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܘܶܐܫܼܬܰܥܒܰܕܘ ܠܶܗ\nܒܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܶܫܬܰܥܒܰܕ ܗ̱ܘܼܳܐ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ\nܨܽܘܪܬܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܫܶܩܼܠܰܬ݀ ܕܺܝܠܳܗ̇ ܡܶܢ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ\nܕܰܠܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܳܗ̇ ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ\nܕܡܘܼܬܶܗ ܕܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܡܰܣܬܰܓ݂ܕܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ݂\nܕܰܒܟ݂ܽܠ ܥܳܠܡ̈ܺܝܢ ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܥܰܠ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬ݂ܐ\nܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܠܕܰܡܟ̈ܶܐ ܓܠܼܰܙ ܗܘܳܐ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܶܗ\nܕܰܡܛܰܝܰܒ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܰܫܟ݂ܺܝ̈ܒܶܐ ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܢܶܣܼܥܽܘܪ\nܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܫܶܢܬ݂ܐ ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܶܬܕܰܢܚܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܘܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܡܺܝ̣ܬ݂ܐ ܥܳܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܓܢܺܝܼܙܳܐ ܪܳܒܘ ܥܰܠ ܡܳܪܰܢ\nܐܰܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܶܐܡܶܗ ܒܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ","english":"In the death of the Lord, all the luminaries were confounded, as if on a cross at the hour, that son of Jacob was stretched out. And over the luminaries his authority was extended; he commanded the stars. The great death of that life-giver was a marvel that shook the earth and also the heavens by the crucifixion of the sleeping Joseph, as if it were that of the crucified Lord. And the sun, the moon, and all the luminaries bowed before him. Through the gate of dreams, a mystery entered for that chaste one, and his hair was stirred at his slumber, and he passed the hour. At that hour, the hosts ran and prostrated before him. In the death of the Son, all the elements were agitated. The image of the Son that was in Joseph, as it is said, took authority from the luminaries and subjugated the stars. The sun, which was made to err, and the stars were subjugated to him. In a dream, Joseph was subjugated by a great mystery. The form of the Lord took its own from the luminaries, so that to its authority their authorities might bow. The death of Jesus in the place of dreams was worshipped, for in all worlds he was ruler over creatures. Nor was the mystery hidden from the sleepers in its revelation, for it was fitting that even those lying in death should be stirred. In the place of the hour, dreams were disturbed for Joseph, and in the place of the dead, worlds hidden from the Lord increased. His father and mother, in the sun and moon, were worshipping him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܥ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the death of the Lord' (Syriac ܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܥ) refers to the crucifixion of Christ, a central typological parallel in this passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'cross' (Syriac ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܳܐ) echoes the crucifixion narrative, linking Joseph's dream-state to Christ's passion, a common typology in Jacob of Serugh.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The 'luminaries' (Syriac ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܝܢ) likely refer to celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars) that bow to Joseph, reflecting a cosmic hierarchy subordinated to the divine mystery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܳܝ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܶܝܗܿ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܼܦ","severity":"info","text":"Joseph is explicitly compared to the crucified Christ ('as if it were that of the crucified Lord'), reinforcing the typological identification central to the homily.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in the place of dreams' (Syriac ܒܰܐܬ݂ܪܳܐ ܕܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ) marks a structural shift, contrasting the dream realm with the realm of the dead, emphasizing Joseph's liminal state.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܠܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܳܗ̇ ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'to its authority their authorities might bow' is syntactically dense; the subject-object relations are ambiguous, but the sense of hierarchical submission is clear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the Lord' (ܡܳܪܰܥ) is consistently Christ, but the phrase 'the great death of that life-giver' could be read as referring to Christ or to Joseph's symbolic death; the context supports Christ.","The phrase 'his father and mother, in the sun and moon, were worshipping him' is ambiguous: it may mean Joseph's parents (Jacob and Rachel) are deified as celestial bodies, or that they worship Joseph as a type of Christ."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"ܚܰܘܳܐ ܘܳܐܕܳܡ ܒܗܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܦܨܺܝܚܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܶܗ\nܥܶܢܼܕܰܬ݀ ܪܳܚܶܝܠ ܘܢܰܚܼܡܳܗܿ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܡܺܝܼܬܰܬ ܚܰܘܳܐ ܘܣܰܥܼܪܳܗܿ ܒܽܘܟ݂ܪܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ\nܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܪܳܚܶܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬ݂ܐ ܩܪܳܗܿ ܬܶܣܓ݂ܘܕܝ ܠܶܗ\nܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܕܰܐܚܼܺܝ ܒܟܰܦܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܣܢܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܠܚܰܘܳܐ ܒܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܩܪܳܐ ܠܗ̇ ܬܶܬܚܰܕܶܐ ܒܶܗ\nܒܗܿܰܘ ܒܰܪ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܼܶܬ ܣܰܥܪܳܗܿ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ\nܒܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܙܶܐ ܕܡܼܶܟ ܗܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܫܡܼܰܥܬܽܘܢ\nܘܚܰܕܪܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܢܩܰܪܒܽܘܢ ܠܶܗ ܓܶܠܝ̈ܳܢܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܐ ܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ\nܕܰܢܚܼܰܘܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܕܒܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ ܠܟ݂ܽܠ ܕܰܣܢܺܝܩܺܝܢ\nܘܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܬܪܶܝܢ ܥܰܠ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܬ̣ܰܚ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܶܗ\nܕܰܢܒܼܰܕܶܩ ܠܶܗ ܟܡܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܥܰܠܶܐ ܠܪܺܝܫܳܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ\nܥܠܰܠܬ݂ܗܿ ܕܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܒܟ̈ܰܦܶܐ ܣܶܓ݂ܕܰܬ݀ ܠܗ̇ܰܘ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐ\nܕܰܡܛܰܝܰܒ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܢܦܰܪܢܶܣ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܠܰܟܢܰܘ̈ܳܬ݂ܗ\nܙܩܼܰܦ ܗܘܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܟܰܦܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܕܰܢܚܼܰܘܶܐ ܒܳܗܿ\nܕܶܐܠܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܒܳܗܿ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ ܠܕܰܣܢܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܣܚܰܦ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܐ ܠܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܝ̈ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܘܰܠܗ̇ܳܝ ܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܒܥܽܘܫܢܳܐ ܐܰܩܺܝܼܡ ܒܶܝܬ ܚܰܒܪ̈ܳܬ݂ܗܿ\nܒܳܗܿ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܐܺܝܬ ܗܘܳܐ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ ܘܰܒܐ̱ܚܪܺܬ݂ܐ ܠܳܐ\nܘܥܰܠ ܕܰܣܢܺܝ̈ܩܳܢ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܣܳܓ݂ܕ̈ܳܢ ܗ̱ܘ̈ܰܝ ܠܳܗ̇\nܒܟܰܦܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܦܰܓ݂ܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܨܳܪ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ\nܕܰܣܒܼܰܥܘ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܥܰܡܡ̈ܶܐ ܕܝܰܐܝܺܒܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ\nܐܶܢܿܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܕܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܘܡܰܢ ܕܳܐܟ݂ܠ ܠܺܝ\nܬܽܘܒ ܠܳܐ ܟܿܳܦܶܢ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܝ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ ܠܰܕܫܳܘܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ","english":"Eve and Adam were rejoicing in that son of life, for Rachel's dream was fulfilled because of Joseph. Eve died and her hair was shorn in the house of the departed. A dream called to Rachel from the house of the dead: \"Bow down to Joseph, who with his palms fed his brothers who were famished.\" Truth called to Eve in verity: \"Be united with that son of life who let down her hair in the house of the departed.\" With these mysteries Joseph was sleeping, as you have heard, and around him were dreams that approached him with their revelations. The first dream made his brothers' hands serve him, to show him that through his hands there was satiety for all who were famished. And now the second dream extended his authority over the luminaries, to show him how he would be exalted to the summit. The earth's occasion bowed down with palms to that wise one who was good; he spread out his palms beautifully. A dream set up Joseph's palm to show in it that there is no God, nor in it is there satiety for those who were famished. The revelation overwhelmed all the palms of Joseph's brothers, and his own he set in confusion among her companions. For in it alone was there satiety, and in the other not. And over all the famished ones, these were bowing down to her. In Joseph's palm, the body of the Lord was depicted as a revelation, so that all the peoples who were hostile to him were sated from it. \"Come, come, give me the bread of life, and when I eat, I will not hunger again, for there is in me satiety for those who are like me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac word ḥelmā (dream) appears repeatedly, linking Joseph’s prophetic dreams to the typological framework of the homily.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܪ ܚܰܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase bar ḥayyā (son of life) echoes the title of Christ, drawing on Johannine and early Syriac Christological language.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܪܳܚܶܝܠ","severity":"info","text":"Rachel’s dream is not in the biblical Joseph story; Jacob of Serugh here invents or adapts a tradition to prefigure the resurrection.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated motif of Joseph’s palms (kappē) feeding the famished parallels the eucharistic hands of Christ, a common typology in Syriac homiletics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܐ ... ܕܰܬܪܶܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The passage explicitly marks two dreams (first and second), structuring Joseph’s visionary ascent from feeding his brothers to cosmic authority.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܰܓ݂ܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܥ","severity":"info","text":"The body of the Lord (pagreh d-Māraʿ) depicted in Joseph’s palm reflects a eucharistic interpretation common in Syriac liturgical reception.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'that son of life' (bar ḥayyā) is ambiguous: it may refer to Joseph typologically or directly to Christ; the reading taken is Christological.","The phrase 'her hair was shorn' (saʿrāh) for Eve is obscure; it may symbolize mourning or a ritual act, but the exact referent is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"ܗܳܢܳܐ ܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܢܚܼܶܬ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܠܥܰܡܡ̈ܶܐ ܟܰܦ̈ܢܶܐ\nܘܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ ܒܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܒܶܗ\nܠܽܘܩܒܰܠ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܟܰܦܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܶܙܕܰܩܦܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ݂\nܕܰܬܚܰܘܶܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܘ ܠܚܰܡܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܶܗ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ\nܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܨܶܒܥܳܐ ܪܶܡܙܰܬ݀ ܟܰܦܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܐܶܙܕܰܩܦܰܬ݀\nܕܰܠܥܶܠ ܐܺܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܿܰܘ ܬܽܘܪܣܳܝܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܶܗ ܣܰܒܥܳܐ\nܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܚܶܠܡܰܘ̈ܗܝ ܥܠ ܚܰܕ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܐܶܣܬܰܝܰܟܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܕܡܶܛܽܠ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܒܫܽܘܚܠܳܦܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ\nܫܩܼܰܠ ܗܘܳܐ ܥܽܘܡܩܳܐ ܥܠܰܠܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܰܢܩܰܪܶܒ ܠܶܗ\nܘܰܒܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܣܓܼܶܕ ܠܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܬܟܰܫܰܦ\nܐܺܝܬ݂ܰܝ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܙܰܠܺܝܩ̈ܶܐ ܘܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܰܣܓܼܶܕ ܐܳܦ ܗܽܘܼ ܠܨܽܘܪܬܳܐ ܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܒܗܿܰܘ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܐܶܠܽܘ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܨܽܘܪܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܠܒܼܶܫ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܠܰܘ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܘܥܽܘܡܩܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕ ܗܘܳܐ\nܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܕܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܬܶܣܓ݂ܘܕܝ ܟܽܠ ܒܪܽܘܟ ܐܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬܺܝܼܒ\nܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܢܶܫܬܰܡܥܽܘܢ\nܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܘܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܒܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܣܳܓܕ̈ܳܢ ܗܘ̈ܰܝ ܠܶܗ\nܕܐ̱ܪܳܙܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܰܪܟܶܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܢܶܫܼܬܰܡܥܽܘܢ ܠܶܗ\nܩܕܳܡ ܬܰܫܘܺܝܬ݂ܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܟܰܦܰܦ ܗܘܼܳܐ\nܘܡܰܪܟܶܢ ܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܘܣܿܳܓܕܺܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ\nܒܩܰܒܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܓܶܕܫܰܬ ܗܳܕܶܐ ܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܕܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܢܼܰܚ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ\nܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܠܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܬܶܫܘܺܝܬ݂ܗ ܦܠܰܓ݂ܘ ܐܺܝܩܳܪܳܐ\nܘܰܒܓ݂ܰܘ ܩܰܒܪܶܗ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܠܡܳܪܰܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܝܰܩܰܪܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܕܡܼܶܟ ܗ̱ܘܼܳܐ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܘܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܒܚܶܠܡܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܳܐ ܗܿܳܘܶܐ","english":"This bread came down from the height to the hungry peoples, and there is no satiety in any other bread except in it. Opposite the height, Joseph's hand was stretched out, to show that there is bread in which there is life, just as his hand pointed when it was stretched out, that above is that table in which there is satiety. Both of his dreams were resolved upon one mystery, because of which they worshipped him in their changes. The depth took the cause of the earth that it offered to him, and at the heads of the hungry, it worshipped him while entreating. There is height, all the shining ones and their lights, and it also worshipped the image that it saw in that beautiful one. For if the image of the son had not clothed Joseph, the shining ones and the height and the depth would not have worshipped him. In the name of Jesus, all your creation worships, as it is written, that which is in heaven and that which is in earth is subject to him. Heaven and earth, in dreams, were worshippers of Joseph, so that the mystery of the son might incline them to be subject to him. Before Joseph's table, the sun was bent, and the moon bowed, and they worshipped him as in a mystery. In the tomb of the Lord, this truly happened, that the great light that shone at his death among the departed. Dreams divided honor for Joseph over his table, and within his tomb, the watchers again honored the Lord, for the servant was asleep and saw in his dream that he was the Lord.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܰܚܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'bread' that came down from the height is identified with the Eucharistic bread, which alone provides satiety, contrasting with ordinary bread.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܪܰܘܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'height' (Syriac ܪܰܘܡܳܐ) is a key Christological symbol in Jacob's typology, often representing the divine realm or the heavenly altar.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܢܶܫܬܰܡܥܽܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase echoes the language of Christ's universal dominion, possibly alluding to Matthew 28:18 or similar New Testament passages on the subjection of heaven and earth to Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܩܰܒܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the 'tomb of the Lord' and the 'great light' at his death alludes to the tradition of the Holy Sepulchre and the miraculous light reported at Christ's burial, a common motif in Syriac homiletics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The dreams of Joseph are paralleled with the dreams of the watchers in the tomb, creating a typological link between Joseph's prophetic dreams and the veneration of Christ by angelic beings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܶܣܓ݂ܘܕܝ","severity":"caution","text":"The verb 'worships' (ܬܶܣܓ݂ܘܕܝ) is in the feminine singular imperative, addressed to 'all your creation' (ܟܽܠ ܒܪܽܘܟ), which may be a textual corruption or a rhetorical shift; the syntax is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'beautiful one' (ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to Joseph or to Christ, as the text shifts between typological layers.","The phrase 'in the name of Jesus' (ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܕܝܶܫܽܘܥ) could be a later interpolation or a deliberate invocation by Jacob."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"ܡܺܝܼܬ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܘܓܶܢܣܳܐ ܕܥܰܒܕ̈ܶܐ ܒܡܰܘܬܶܗ ܚܰܪܰܪ\nܠܡܿܰܢܽܘܼ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܣܓ݂ܶܕ ܠܶܗ ܒܫܶܢܬܳܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܠܗܳܢܳܐ\nܕܨܽܘܪܬܶܗ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܙܝܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܥܰܠ ܦܰܐܝܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ\nܠܟܰܦܳܐ ܕܡܿܰܢܽܘ ܣܓ݂ܶܕ ܠܶܗ ܟܰܦ̈ܶܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܠܕܺܝܠܶܗ\nܕܰܪܫܺܝܼܡ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܒܳܗܿ ܠܰܚܡܶܗ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ\nܕܡܼܶܟ ܟܺܝܬ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܘܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܬܪܶܝܢ\nܘܡܶܢ ܕܶܐܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܨܒܼܳܐ ܕܰܢܟ̣ܘܼܡ ܥܰܠ ܬܶܫܥܺܝܬ݂ܗ\nܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܕܠܶܠܝܳܐ ܓܠܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܺܐܝܡܳܡܳܐ ܠܥܺܝܢ ܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܶܐܐ\nܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܚܠܶܗ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܛܳܪܶܐ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܒܶܗ\nܡܰܠܶܠ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܒܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܘܝܼܰܗܒ ܠܶܗ ܥܽܘܫܢܳܐ\nܕܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܓܰܠـ̈ܠܶܐ ܡܳܐ ܕܛܳܪܶܝܢ ܒܶܗ ܠܳܐ ܢܰܐܟܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܫܩܼܰܠ ܬܽܘܟ݂ܠܳܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܫܰܪܺܝܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܶܗ\nܘܩܳܡ ܢܶܫܬܰܥܶܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܕܽܘܘܳܕܳܐ\nܬܰܘ ܠܰܡ ܘܰܫܡܰܥܘ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܕܰܚܙܺܝܿܬ\nܕܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܣܿܳܓ݂ܕܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܺܝ\nܟܰܘܟ̈ܒܶܐ ܚܕܰܥܣܰܪ ܟܰܦܼܘ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܶܐܫܼܬܰܥܒܰܕܘ ܠܺܝ\nܘܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܩܕܳܡܰܝ ܐܰܪܟܶܢܘ ܙܰܠܺܝ̈ܩܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܝܿܳܕܰܥ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܘܰܠܦܽܘܫܳܩܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܘܕܰܢܩܰܦܰܚ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܬ݂ܦܰܪܰܣ ܗܘܼܳܐ\nܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܺܐܼܡܰܪ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܪܺܝܫܟ݂ܽܘܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ\nܠܳܐ ܢܰܥܺܝܩܟ݂ܘܢ ܗܰܘ ܡܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܥܶܠܳܝܳܐ\nܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܚܣܺܝܼܡ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܚܽܘܒܶܗ ܕܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܕܳܐܦ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܒܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܝܰܩܪܰܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܫܬܰܥܺܝܿܬ\nܐܳܦ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܡܟ݂ܘܢ ܐܰܪܟܶܢ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܣܓ݂ܘܕ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܺܝ\nܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ","english":"The Lord died, and the race of slaves was freed by his death. The sun bowed to him at the hour, but not to that which was of the image of the Son that was seen on his face. The rock to which Manoah bowed, it was not to the rock itself, but to that which was inscribed on it, the living bread of the Son of God. Joseph slept and saw this dream of the two, and when he awoke, he did not wish to conceal his story. The mystery of the night he revealed by day, to many who labored, and he was not afraid of the loss that would befall him from the brothers. The dream spoke with him at the hour and gave him assurance that all the waves that would come upon him would not drown him. He took confidence from the revelation that was true for him, and he arose to recount the dream he saw, without fear. Come, hear this other dream that I saw: that the sun and the moon, along with the stars, were bowing to me; eleven stars bowed their heads and submitted to me; and the sun and the moon bent their rays before me. Joseph knew the dream and its interpretation, and that the loss that his brothers would suffer was being divided, as if to say, \"From God, your head is a tree; do not grieve over what is from above.\" To what end is the tree hidden in the love of Jacob from you? For God also, in the dream, honored me as I have recounted; even he, along with you, bent the dream that was bowing to me. To what end is the loss in something that is from God?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܺܝܼܬ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܳܪܰܥ","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase 'The Lord died' refers to Christ's death, which Jacob interprets as freeing the 'race of slaves' (humanity). This is a typological reading of Joseph's story.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܟܰܦܳܐ ܕܡܿܰܢܽܘ ܣܓ݂ܶܕ ܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Manoah bowing to a rock alludes to Judges 13:19-20, where Manoah offers a sacrifice on a rock. Jacob reinterprets this as worship of the 'living bread' (Eucharist) inscribed on it.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܰܚܡܶܗ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"'Living bread of the Son of God' is a Eucharistic term, identifying the bread as the body of Christ. This aligns with Syriac liturgical theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܡܶܢ ܕܶܐܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from typological interpretation to direct narration of Joseph's dream, marked by 'when he awoke'. This transition is typical of Jacob's homiletic style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܢܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"Joseph's dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing to him parallels Genesis 37:9, where the celestial bodies bow to Joseph, symbolizing his future authority over Egypt.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܒܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܺܐܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The final rhetorical question 'To what end is the loss in something that is from God?' is ambiguous: it may refer to the brothers' loss of Joseph or to the divine plan. The Syriac allows both readings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the loss that his brothers would suffer' could refer to their future famine or their loss of Joseph. The text does not specify.","The identity of 'the tree hidden in the love of Jacob' is unclear; it may be a metaphor for Joseph or for divine providence."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"ܕܗܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ ܣܓ݂ܕܘ ܠܺܝ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ\nܘܟܰܘܟ̈ܒܶܐ ܝܰܩܪܽܘܢܝ̱ ܘܰܠܡܽܘܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܐ̱ܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ\nܒܗܿܳܝ ܬܶܫܥܺܝܬ݂ܐ ܕܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܕܰܬܢܳܐ ܐܰܟܼܶܣ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܡܶܢ ܝܰܬܺܝܪܽܘ ܗܳܪܶܝܢ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܕܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ\nܓܠܼܳܐ ܩܽܘܼܕܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܗܿܳܝ ܕܰܥܬܺܝܕܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ\nܕܰܢܒܿܰܛܶܠ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܝܕܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܐܰܝܟ ܠܳܐ ܝܿܳܕܰܥ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܠܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܝܿܳܕܰܥ ܗܘܼܳܐ\nܕܡܳܐ ܕܺܝܕܰܥܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܢܶܫܼܠܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܠܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ\nܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܕܠܺܠܝܳܐ ܣܼܕܰܪ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܠܶܗ ܘܰܠܗܽܘܢ\nܕܰܡܦܰܨܝܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܣ̈ܳܡܶܐ\nܩܪܳܐ ܠܓܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܩܽܘܡ ܒܰܐܦܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܝܿܳܢܳܐ\nܘܰܢܫܰܥܒܶܕ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܣܰܩܽܘܪ̈ܬ݂ܢܶܐ ܕܣܿܳܢܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܚܶܙܘ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܓ݂ܘ ܫܶܢܬ݂ܳܐ ܬܢܳܐ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܫܳܛܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܐܳܦ ܠܶܗ ܘܰܠܚܶܙܘ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ\nܐܰܫܬܰܥܺܝ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܩܕܳܡ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܘܦܰܫܼܶܩ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܟܰܕ ܡܿܰܫܰܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܿܰܘܕܰܥ ܗܘܼܳܐ\nܟܳܐܶܐ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܪܳܡܿܶܙ ܠܶܗ ܢܟܰܣܶܐ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ\nܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܥܼܫܰܢ ܠܶܗ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܦܽܘܫܳܩܳܐ\nܡܶܐܬ݂ܳܐ ܢܺܐܼܬ݂ܶܐ ܐܶܢܿܳܐ ܘܶܐܡܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܳܐܡܿܰܪ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܘܥܰܡܰܢ ܐܰܚܰܝ̈ܟ ܐܳܦ ܢܶܣܓ݂ܘܕ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܣܬܰܒܪܳܐ ܠܳܟ݂\nܟܐܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܟܰܕ ܢܿܳܛܰܪ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܕܰܢܪܰܚܺܝ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܐܚ̈ܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܥܶܕܳܢܳܐ\nܦܰܫܼܶܩ ܚܶܠܡܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܳܐ ܡܰܫܰܪ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܦܽܘܪܣܳܐ\nܥܰܕ ܡܿܳܛܶܐ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܕܶܬܕܢܰܚܝ ܗܿܳܝ ܕܰܥܬܺܝܕܳܐ\nܛܢܼܰܘ ܒܶܗ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܘܰܡܠܰܘ ܚܶܡܬ݂ܐ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ","english":"The sun and the moon, he said, bowed to me, not to them. And the stars honored me, and to them he said, \"You yourselves, you stand and serve me.\" In that story of the dream of the father, he hid from them. But they became more enraged with him, for the head of the dream was manifest before them, that which was destined from God, that the jealousy over him from their side would be abolished. As if he did not know, he spoke to the dream, though he knew what they knew; they ceased from their desire. The dreams of the night the wise one arranged between himself and them, so that they might be interpreters for him of the jealousies. He called the revelation that stood on his face, as one who knows, and he enslaved the secrets that served him. These visions that were within the hour, the father placed before them, and they deceived both him and the visions from God. The dream conversed with his father and before his brothers, and Jacob interpreted, as he began but did not reveal. He was perplexed by it as he hinted to him, and he concealed the mystery, so that the anger of his brothers from the interpretation would not be stirred up. \"A mother and a father will come, as you say, and with your brothers they will also bow to you; it is plausible for you.\" Jacob was perplexed by it as he kept all his words, for he loved the jealousy of the brothers, full of envy. He interpreted the dream as if he did not begin because of the portion, until the time came when that which was destined would be fulfilled. His brothers erred in it and filled with wrath over him because of the jealousy.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܗܳܐ ܠܰܡ ܫܶܡܫܳܐ ܘܣܰܗܪܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The sun and moon bowing to Joseph is a typological inversion: the cosmic bodies, often symbols of pagan worship, now serve the patriarch who prefigures Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥsāmā (jealousy/envy) recurs as a key motif; here it denotes the brothers' resentment, which Jacob's dream-interpretation aims to defuse.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܦܰܫܼܶܩ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ","severity":"info","text":"Jacob's perplexed interpretation echoes Genesis 37:5-11, where Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers' jealousy, though the dream content is Jacob of Serugh's expansion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܡܦܰܨܝܳܢ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'interpreters' (mpaṣṣyāne) reflect the late antique practice of professional dream-interpreters; Jacob of Serugh casts Joseph as a wise figure who manipulates this role.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܫܳܛܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܐܳܦ ܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The line 'they deceived both him and the visions from God' marks a narrative pivot: the brothers' deception leads to their wrath, advancing the plot toward Joseph's sale.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܶܐܡܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܳܐܡܿܰܪ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'a mother and a father will come' is obscure; it may refer to Jacob and Rachel as types of Christ and Mary, but the syntax is ambiguous and the referent uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the mother and father' in Jacob's speech is unclear; possibly typological (Jacob/Rachel as Christ/Mary) but not explicit.","The phrase 'he called the revelation that stood on his face' may refer to Joseph's own prophetic insight or to a literal vision; the Syriac is ambiguous."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"ܘܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܢܿܳܛܰܪ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܟܺܝܡܳܐ\nܡܢܰܓܶܕ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܫܽܘܦܪܶܗ ܕܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܡܳܐ ܕܚܿܳܙܶܝܢ ܠܶܗ\nܘܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܡܿܰܘܣܶܦ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܕܬܽܘܒ ܢܶܣܢܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܐܰܘܣܼܶܦܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܚܶܠܡ̈ܶܐ ܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܕܰܚܼܙܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܕܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܐܰܡܼܠܶܟ ܩܪܳܒܳܐ ܐܶܬܬܥܺܝܪ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ\nܛܢܳܢܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܪܳܕܶܐ ܗܘܼܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ\nܘܗܼܶܢܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܫܬܰܢܩܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܒܟ݂ܠ ܥܶܕܳܢܺܝ̈ܢ\nܒܶܗ ܒܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܗܽܘܼ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܰܕܟܺܐܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܕܰܐܝܿܢܳܐ ܕܚܿܳܣܶܡ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܿܳܠܰܥ ܐܳܦ ܡܶܫܬܰܢܰܩ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܠܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܝܿܳܕܰܥ ܢܰܐܒܶܫ ܣܰܓܺܝܳܐܺܝܬ݂\nܘܢܰܣܓܶܐ ܢܶܓ݂̈ܕܶܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܩܳܢܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܥܶܡ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܐ\nܗܳܐ ܩܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܠܩܰܢܳܝܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܟܺܐܒܳܐ ܡܿܰܘܠܶܕ\nܘܣܺܝܡܬܳܐ ܕܪܽܘܓ݂ܙܳܐ ܕܡܰܠܝܳܐ ܒܺܝܫܬܳܐ ܠܰܕܣܿܳܐܶܡ ܠܳܗ̇\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܒܳܟ ܘܗܳܐ ܪܳܕܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܩܢܼܰܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܫܳܘܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗܽܘ ܕܬܶܒܼܠܰܥ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܪܚܼܶܡܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܿܳܣܶܡ ܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܶܪܫܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܠܡܽܘܢ ܚܿܳܣܶܡ\nܒܶܗ ܗܽܘܼ ܢܶܓ݂ܕܶܗ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܰܡܫܺܝܼܡ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܫܰܒ̈ܛܶܐ\nܐܰܝܿܢܳܐ ܕܒܿܳܥܶܐ ܕܢܼܶܩܢܶܐ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܘܢܶܥܼܡܰܪ ܥܰܡܶܗ\nܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܫܿܳܘܶܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܕܢܶܡܼܚܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ\nܐܰܝܿܢܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܶܗ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܒܺܝܼܫ ܗܽܘܼ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܘܝܳܐ\nܠܗܳܕܶܐ ܫܿܳܘܶܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܒܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܢܶܗܼܘܶܐ ܝܿܳܩܶܕ\nܙܳܕܶܩ ܗܽܘܼ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܟܳܪܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܬ݂ܺܝܒ\nܕܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܐܪܥܶܗ ܗܽܘܼ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ ܢܶܐܼܟܽܘܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܺܝܪ ܡܰܢ ܛܳܥܶܡ ܠܶܗ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܶܗ\nܢܨܰܒܼ ܐܺܝܠܳܢܳܐ ܢܶܐܟܽܘܠ ܦܺܐܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܪܺܝܪܺܝܢ","english":"And his father kept all his words like a wise man. He was recounting to them the beauty of Joseph when they saw him. And every day he was adding grief to them, so that again they would increase his dreams of anger, which he saw, because without considering battle, he stirred up against the handsome one. Every day jealousy was driving them because of Joseph, and they were being consumed and choked at all times. In jealousy there is something that is purity itself, that which is jealous becomes consumed and also choked. Jealousy knows its own and dries up greatly, and it multiplies cords for the one who stands against it with emptiness. Behold, the small one that at its ends produces grief, and a treasure of anger that is filled with evil for the one who stores it. Jealousy is in you, and behold, it drives you over his smallness. You are worthy to swallow him up because of his belovedness. For the one who is jealous, his limbs do not live, because of the one who is jealous. In him is the cord of jealousy, which is set better than the tribes. The one who seeks to swallow a snake and dwell with it, to what is he equal, except that the snake alone will bite him? The one in whom there is jealousy is worse than a snake. To this he is equal, that in jealousy he will burn. It was fitting for the farmer, for as it is written, the fruits of his land he first ate before them. Bitter jealousy tastes it, but its lord, the tree, is vexed and eats its fruits when they are bitter.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage develops a sustained allegory of jealousy (ḥsāmā) as a self-consuming force, using paradox (jealousy as 'purity itself') and vivid imagery (drying up, choking, burning).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"ḥsāmā (jealousy/envy) is a key term in Jacob's moral psychology, often personified as an active agent that destroys its possessor. The root ḥ-s-m also appears in Syriac biblical exegesis for the sin of the brothers.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܐܪܥܶܗ ܗܽܘܼ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ ܢܶܐܼܟܽܘܠ","severity":"info","text":"The farmer who first eats his own fruit alludes to a proverbial or scriptural motif (cf. Prov 27:27?); the exact source is unclear, but Jacob uses it to illustrate jealousy's self-destructive nature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܚܶܘܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of the jealous person to one who swallows a snake (ḥewyā) draws on a common Near Eastern trope: the snake represents poison that turns inward. Jacob amplifies this by saying jealousy is worse than the snake itself.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the brothers' psychological portrait: from recounting Joseph's beauty (line 1) to a generalizing moral on jealousy (lines 5–14), ending with a parabolic image of the farmer.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܕܟܺܐܢܽܘܬ݂ܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'purity itself' (dakkyāṯā) applied to jealousy is paradoxical; the Syriac may be ironic or reflect a textual corruption. The sense is that jealousy masquerades as righteous indignation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'purity itself' (dakkyāṯā) in connection with jealousy is ambiguous: it may be ironic, or a scribal error for a word like 'bitterness' (marrīrūṯā).","The farmer analogy (lines 13–14) is elliptical; it is unclear whether the farmer represents the jealous person or a contrasting figure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܒܶܗ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܢܶܓ݂ܕܶܗ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܐܺܝܬ݂ܘܗ̱ܝ\nܠܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܒܰܥܝܳܐ ܡܚܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܬ݂ܳܐ ܕܬܶܬܩܰܪܰܒ ܠܶܗ\nܟܰܕ ܠܰܘ ܟܺܐܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܟܐܺܝܢ ܕܰܡܢܰܓܶܕ ܠܰܕܩܳܢܶܐ ܠܶܗ\nܠܰܘ ܠܰܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܠܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܡܿܳܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܝܽܘܡ\nܢܶܥܪܽܘܩ ܡܳܕܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܩܶܢܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܟܽܠܶܗ ܢܶܓܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܒܚܽܘܒܶܗ ܛܪܰܕ ܠܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܰܪܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ\nܫܠܶܡ ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ","english":"The one in whom there is a deficiency, his own deficiency is from him,\nnot requiring another proof to be brought near to him,\nwhile he is not sad, he is saddened who magnifies those who are before him,\nnot for others but for his own, he strikes every day.\nFlee, O how, from the smallness of the whole vein that he was,\nblessed is he who by his love drove out deficiency from the true ones.\nThe first memra on Joseph is complete.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"the one in whom there is a deficiency, his own deficiency is from him","severity":"info","text":"The opening line presents a paradox: a person's lack originates from within, not from external causes. This reflects Jacob's introspective moral psychology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܣܳܡܳܐ (ḥsāmā)","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥsāmā means 'deficiency' or 'lack', often with moral or spiritual connotations. Here it denotes an inner flaw that the envious brothers project onto Joseph.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"blessed is he who by his love drove out deficiency from the true ones","severity":"info","text":"This echoes the beatitude form of the Psalms and the New Testament, and may allude to Joseph's role as a type of Christ who purifies the faithful through love.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"The first memra on Joseph is complete","severity":"info","text":"This colophon marks the end of the first homily (memra) in Jacob of Serugh's cycle on Joseph, indicating a clear structural division in the work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Flee, O how, from the smallness of the whole vein that he was","severity":"caution","text":"This line is syntactically obscure; 'vein' (ܥܶܪܩܘܩ) may be a metaphor for a source of envy or a character flaw. The reading is tentative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-26","label":"source edition: On Joseph (Memra 1)","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/26"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Flee, O how' (ܥܶܪܩܘܩ ܡܳܕܝܢ) is ambiguous; it may be an interjection or a corrupt reading. The translation 'vein' for ܥܶܪܩܘܩ is uncertain; it could also mean 'root' or 'source'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}