{"slug":"dsc-307","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-307","title":"Nisibis 53","author":"Ephrem the Syrian","genre":"other","date":"mid-4th century","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:20Z","cost_usd":0.00241},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-307","work_id":"dsc-307","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"},"stats":{"passages":3,"english_words":597,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":18,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":5,"work_notes":5,"external_links":1,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"dsc-307","abstract":"Nisibis 53 is a memrā (metrical homily) by Ephrem the Syrian, composed in 12-syllable meter as part of his Nisibene cycle. The poem addresses the siege of Nisibis by the Persian king Shapur II and expresses Christian hope through biblical typology and contemporary historical reference. It features a dramatic debate between Death and a speaker, where Death claims victory but is ultimately undermined by the living who conquer it. The Syriac term zākūṯā ('victory') is central to the theme of contest and triumph. The work survives in a single 6th- or 7th-century manuscript (BL Add. 14,571), with variant readings in later liturgical excerpts indicating complex transmission.","historical_context":"The memrā was composed between 350 and 363 CE, during or shortly after the Persian sieges of Nisibis under Shapur II. Ephrem lived in Nisibis until its cession to Persia in 363, after which he moved to Edessa. The work reflects the Syriac-speaking Christian community's experience of siege and survival, blending biblical typology (e.g., Noah, Jonah) with contemporary events. The text survives in a single 6th- or 7th-century manuscript (BL Add. 14,571), with later liturgical excerpts in West Syriac books for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, suggesting it was read as a dogmatic witness. No critical edition collates all witnesses; the 10th-century Mosul manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) and 19th-century Beirut print contain variants that could affect readings of damaged lines 45–60.","significance":"Nisibis 53 exemplifies Ephrem's use of dramatic personification and debate poetry, a hallmark of Syriac rhetorical tradition. Its treatment of death as a shadow (ṭelālā) echoes earlier Syriac literature like the Odes of Solomon. The work provides insight into 4th-century Christian responses to imperial persecution and siege, and its liturgical use underscores its doctrinal importance in West Syriac tradition.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 309–379 CE","event":"Life of Ephrem the Syrian"},{"date":"350–363 CE","event":"Composition of Nisibis 53 during or after Persian sieges of Nisibis"},{"date":"363 CE","event":"Nisibis ceded to Persia; Ephrem moves to Edessa"},{"date":"6th–7th century","event":"Earliest surviving manuscript (BL Add. 14,571) copied"},{"date":"10th century","event":"Mosul manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) produced"},{"date":"19th century","event":"Beirut print of the work published"}],"relations":[{"work":"Odes of Solomon","relation":"Shares motif of death as insubstantial shadow","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ephrem's Nisibene hymns","relation":"Part of the same cycle; similar meter and themes","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ephrem's madrāšê","relation":"Dialogic structure typical of Ephrem's madrāšê","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"West Syriac liturgical books for Feast of the Nicene Fathers","relation":"Excerpts used liturgically, indicating dogmatic reading","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"DSC 307","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307","reason":"Source for the translation and commentary"}],"cautions":["Date of composition is inferred from internal references to Shapur II and the city's survival, not from manuscript colophons.","The work survives in a single early manuscript; variant readings in later liturgical excerpts suggest a complex transmission but no critical edition of all witnesses exists.","The present edition does not collate the 10th-century Mosul manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) nor the 19th-century Beirut print; variants could affect readings of lines 45–60, where the base manuscript is damaged.","Ambiguous pronominal references in the Syriac text may obscure the identity of the interlocutor in the debate."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000533,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:23:32Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-307","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":3,"translated":3,"commentary_passages":3,"commentary_units":18,"english_words":597,"source_letters":1867,"commentary_kinds":7},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is a memrā (metrical homily) in 12-syllable meter, typical of Ephrem’s Nisibene cycle. It treats the city’s siege and Christian hope, blending biblical typology with contemporary historical reference.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Composed likely between 350 and 363 CE, during or shortly after the Persian sieges of Nisibis. The dating rests on internal references to Shapur II and the city’s survival, not on external manuscript colophons.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text survives in a single 6th- or 7th-century manuscript (BL Add. 14,571). Variant readings in later liturgical excerpts suggest a complex transmission, but no critical edition of all witnesses exists.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Excerpts appear in West Syriac liturgical books for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, indicating the memrā was read as a dogmatic witness. This use may have influenced the selection of manuscript copies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The present edition does not collate the 10th-century Mosul manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) nor the 19th-century Beirut print. Variants from these could affect readings of lines 45–60, where the base manuscript is damaged.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 3 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":3},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-307":{"label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܒ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܬܰܘ ܢܶܫܡܰܥ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܬܟܰܬܫܺܝܢ ܥܰܠ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܳܐ\nܚܰܝܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܙܟܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܡܬܽܘܡ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܙܳܟܶܝܢ\nܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܳܡܶܪ ܠܶܗ ܠܚܰܪܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܝ̱\nܕܡܰܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܰܚܺܝܕ ܫܽܘܠܳܡܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܙܰܟܳܝܳܐ\nܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܶܢ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܕܰܬܡܺܝܬܺܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܟܰܕ ܚܰܝ ܒܰܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܳܬܳܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܚܳܙܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܛܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܘܒܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ\nܙܰܕ̈ܺܝܩܶܐ ܕܒܰܣܪܽܘܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܠܳܐ ܒܰܣܪܽܘܢܝ̱\nܗܳܕܶܐ ܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܫܶܢܰܬ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ\nܠܳܐ ܬܶܣܒܰܪ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܛܶܠܳܠܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܙܟܰܐܽܘܟ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܙܳܟܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ\nܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܶܝܢ ܠܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܙܟܰܐܽܘܟ ܗܳܐ ܙܳܟܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ\n܀܀܀","english":"By his own voice\n\nCome, hear how he contends concerning victory:\n\nThe guilty who have not conquered, from the beginning they neither conquer.\n\nDeath, the evil one, says to him: \"That end is my victory.\"\n\nIt is death that holds the conclusion, like a victor.\n\nDeath, the true one, has shown: if you can come\n\nand cause the living one to die while he lives among the living,\n\nthe one who has died—behold, he sees the one who lives, both good and evil.\n\nThe righteous, in whose flesh evil has not corrupted me,\n\nthis death of the body is a time of sacrifice.\n\nDo not think, Death, that you are death; you are like a shadow.\n\nEvil one, those who have conquered you are sad, and they also conquer you.\n\nBut you, for those who have conquered you, behold, the living one conquers.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage presents a paradoxical debate between Death and a speaker, where Death claims victory but is ultimately undermined by the living who conquer it.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܳܟܽܘܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܙܳܟܽܘܬܳܐ (zākūṯā) means 'victory' and is central to the poem's theme of contest and triumph over death.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Ephrem's Nisibene hymns often engage in dramatic personification, here of Death as a disputant, reflecting Syriac rhetorical traditions of debate poetry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of Death as a shadow (ܛܶܠܳܠܳܐ) echoes earlier Syriac literature, such as in the Odes of Solomon, where death is depicted as insubstantial.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The poem shifts between direct speech of Death and a counter-voice, creating a dialogic structure typical of Ephrem's madrāšê.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains ambiguous pronominal references (e.g., ܠܶܗ, ܠܳܟ) that may obscure the identity of the interlocutor; the English draft interprets Death as the addressee.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in lines 1-2 is unclear; it may be the poet or a personified figure. The pronoun ܠܶܗ (to him) in line 4 could refer to Death or another entity."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܐܳܦ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܡܡܺܝܬ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܘ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܗ̱ܝ\nܒܥܶܠܰܬ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܙܟܺܝܬ ܐܶܫܬܺܝܘ ܟܳܣܳܐ\nܗܳܐ ܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܰܠܝܳܐ ܣܕ̈ܽܘܡܳܝܶܐ ܘܳܐܬܽܘܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ\nܘܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܛܰܘܦܳܢܳܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܰܐܟܘܳܬܝ̱\nܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܩܛܺܝܠܺܝܢ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܚܰܛܺܝܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܢܣܽܘܦܽܘܢ\nܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܒܬܰܘܳܢܳܐ ܙܟܳܟ ܘܰܒܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܘܰܐܪܡܺܝܬܶܗ\nܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܰܪܣܳܣ ܕܡܳܐ\nܙܟܳܟ ܒܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ ܘܥܰܠ ܟܺܐܦܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܕܰܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܕܚܶܠ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܡܶܢ ܩܕܳܡ ܐܺܝܙܒܶܝܠ ܥܪܰܩ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܒܺܝ ܕܶܚܠܬܶܗ\nܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ ܕܰܟܠܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܥܶܛܪܳܐ ܕܒܶܣ̈ܡܶܐ\nܩܰܕ̈ܶܫܐ ܕܕܰܗܒܳܐ ܝܶܗܒܶܬ ܠܶܗ ܘܰܚܫܰܠ ܥܶܓܠܳܐ\nܠܰܐܓܽܘܢܳܐ ܢܚܶܬܬ ܥܰܡ ܐܺܝܽܘܒ ܘܰܙܟܳܟ ܘܰܣܠܶܩ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܟܶܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ\nܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܕܰܟܠܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܒܣܰܩܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܢܳܐ\nܥܰܠ ܐܶܓܳܪܳܐ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܙܟܳܐ ܠܓܽܘܠܝܰܕ\nܝܰܗܽܘ ܕܰܥܩܰܪ ܒܶܝܬ ܒܰܥܠܳܐ ܗܰܝܟܰܠ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ\nܕܢܶܥܩܽܘܪ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܟܰܚ ܒܺܝܪܰܬ ܡܰܠܟܽܘܬܝ̱\nܫܠܶܝܡܽܘ̇ܢ ܕܰܐܥܕܺܝ ܡܶܢ ܦܽܘܡܳܟ ܛܰܠܝܳܐ ܒܕܺܝܢܳܐ\nܦܳܥܠܳܐ ܥܒܰܕܬܶܗ ܒܣܰܝܒܽܘܬܶܗ ܠܰܥܠܰܘ̈ܳܬܐ\nܫܡܽܘ̇ܐܶܝܠ ܕܰܒܕܰܗܒܳܐ ܒܰܣܪܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܙܰܟܳܝܳܐ ܙܟܳܐ ܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ\nܫܶܡܫܽܘ̇ܢ ܕܰܒܓܽܘܪܝܳܐ ܕܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܒܰܣܪܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ\nܒܕܰܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܡܳܐܢܳܐ ܕܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܒܪܰܚܝܳܐ ܟܕܰܢܬܶܗ\nܝܽܘܫܺܝܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬܶܗ ܫܛܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ\nܠܺܝ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܒܣܰܝܒܽܘܬܶܗ ܐܶܫܟܰܚ ܚܰܣܢܰܢܝ̱\nܚܶܙܰܩܝܳܐ ܚܰܣܢܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܙܟܳܐ ܠܩܶܨܳܐ","english":"Also the defeated ones whom you kill are not yours.  \nThe cause of Adam, whom you conquered, drank the cup.  \nBehold, the full Sheol of Sodomites and Assyrians,  \nand the mighty ones in the flood made known that they are like me.  \nAll of them, or death, are they my slain?  \nI see, I see that I have sinned; I see them as they have ended.  \nJoseph, whose conqueror conquered his victory, or Satan?  \nBy the sign he conquered, and in the grave he conquered and cast him down.  \nMoses, whose conqueror, or death, by the rod of what?  \nHe conquered in Egypt, and upon the rock they made known his victory.  \nElijah, who feared not you, or Satan?  \nFrom before Jezebel he fled, because of his fear of me.  \nAhaz, who vanquished you, or death, with the crown of perfumes?  \nThe holy ones of gold he gave to him, and the calf hastened.  \nTo the agonistes he descended with Job, and he conquered and ascended.  \nI see then, after he conquered, where is his victory?  \nDavid, who vanquished him with his sack, that death?  \nUpon the roof he conquered that one who conquered Goliath.  \nJehu, who uprooted the house of Baal, the evil temple,  \nthat he might uproot Sheol; he could not find the inheritance of my kingdom.  \nSolomon, who removed from your mouth the child by the decree.  \nThe worker did his work in his old age for the heights.  \nSamuel, who with gold your flesh, or Satan?  \nI see his victory, that victorious one conquered the victory of the demon.  \nSamson, who in Gaza, of the lion your flesh, death?  \nWith a simple jawbone of an ass, in the mill he ground his knowledge.  \nJoshua, from his childhood, the evil one cast down.  \nTo me then, even in his old age, he could not find my weakness.  \nHezekiah, your weakness, death, who conquered the end.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܫܝܽܘܠ","severity":"info","text":"šyōl (Sheol) is the Syriac term for the underworld, here personified as a full receptacle of the damned, including Sodomites and Assyrians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܳܦ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܡܡܺܝܬ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܘ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܗ̱ܝ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line echoes a theme from the Book of Job (e.g., Job 1–2) where death claims victory over the righteous, but here the speaker denies death's ownership of the defeated.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Elijah's flight from Jezebel (1 Kings 19) is reinterpreted as fear of death, not of the queen, subverting the biblical narrative to serve the poem's argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܰܘܣܶܦ","severity":"info","text":"Joseph's victory over Satan in the grave parallels the earlier mention of Adam's cup, linking patriarchal figures as types of Christ's resurrection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܟܶܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated rhetorical question 'I see then, after he conquered, where is his victory?' marks a structural refrain, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of earthly triumph over death.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The name 'Ahaz' (ܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ) is uncertain; the text may be corrupt or refer to a different figure, as Ahaz is not typically associated with a crown of perfumes or golden holy ones.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Ahaz' (ܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ) is unclear; it may be a textual corruption or a reference to an otherwise unknown tradition.","The phrase 'the full Sheol of Sodomites and Assyrians' may conflate historical enemies with eschatological categories."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܕܰܘܶܕܬܶܗ ܕܰܫܒܰܩ ܬܶܗܪܳܐ ܘܚܰܘܺܝ ܓܰܙܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ\nܝܽܘ̇ܚܰܢܳܢ ܕܰܙܟܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܘܚܰܣܺܝ ܘܰܐܥܡܶܕ\nܐܰܕܥܶܟܬܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܕܠܳܟ ܦܰܪܣܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܫܶܡܥܽܘ̇ܢ ܙܟܳܟ ܕܰܐܚܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܛܽܘܒܳܢܺܝܬܳܐ\nܒܰܐܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܙܟܳܟ ܘܰܒܝܰܕ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܙܟܰܝܬ ܘܰܐܟܦܰܪܬܶܗ\nܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܘܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܐܰܟܚܰܕ ܠܳܛܽܘܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ\nܕܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܥܽܘܩܣܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ\nܠܡܳܪܳܟ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܚܒܰܫܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܠܺܝܛܳܐ\n܀܀܀ ܣܢܳܟ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܫܰܠܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ\nܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܚܰܒܫܶܗ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ\nܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܩܪܰܝܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܐܰܚܛܝܰܬ\nܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܢܟܰܠ ܕܰܒܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܨܰܥܰܪ ܡܳܪܶܗ\nܚܪܶܡ ܦܽܘܡܳܟ ܗܰܘ ܕܶܐܡܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܕܦܶܠ ܘܰܣܓܽܘܕ ܠܺܝ","english":"David left the river and showed his treasures.  \nJoktan conquered the evil one and was silent and baptized.  \nHe made known to that lamp which was spreading for you.  \nShimeon conquered, who brought the dove.  \nWith a woman you conquered, and through a woman you conquered and denied him.  \nApostles and prophets together curse you, Death.  \nWhere is the victory of Death and the strength of Sheol?  \nTo your lord in Sheol, his captives, the cursed servant.  \n*** End: God, also the living, peace to your soul.  \nHis will is that which revives all his captives in Sheol.  \nYou are the one who called her to this that sinned against Adam.  \nThe wrath of the one who ate in the desert rebuked his lord.  \nCurse your mouth, that which said to him, \"Fall and worship me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܘܶܕܬܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac verb ܕܰܘܶܕ (dawwed) is the pael perfect of ܕܘܕ, meaning 'to cast, throw' or 'to leave behind'. Here it is used with the object ܬܶܗܪܳܐ (the river), likely alluding to David's crossing of the Jordan or a similar watercourse.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܽܘ̇ܚܰܢܳܥ","severity":"info","text":"Joktan (Yokṭan) is a figure from Genesis 10:25, son of Eber and ancestor of several Arabian tribes. His mention here, conquering 'the evil one' and being baptized, is not biblical but reflects a later exegetical or legendary tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܶܡܥܽܘ̇ܥ","severity":"info","text":"Shimeon (Šimʿon) is likely Simon Peter, who 'brought the dove'—a reference to the Holy Spirit. The dove is a common symbol for the Spirit in Syriac tradition, especially in baptismal contexts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܘܰܥܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The pairing of 'apostles and prophets' cursing Death echoes a common Syriac liturgical and poetic motif, found also in Ephrem's hymns, where the righteous collectively condemn Death as a defeated foe.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܥܳܟ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܐ̱ܥܳܫܳܐ ܫܰܠܳܐ ܥܰܦܫܳܟ","severity":"info","text":"The line 'End: God, also the living, peace to your soul' appears to be a scribal colophon or doxology, marking a break in the text. It may indicate the end of a section or a pause for prayer.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܥܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܥܟܰܠ ܕܰܒܕܰܒܪܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the wrath of the one who ate in the desert' is ambiguous: it may refer to Adam (eating the forbidden fruit) or to a figure like Esau or a desert ascetic. The referent is not clear from the immediate context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-307","label":"source edition: Nisibis 53","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/307"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the one who ate in the desert' is uncertain; it could be Adam, Esau, or a symbolic figure.","The doxology 'End: God, also the living, peace to your soul' may be a scribal addition, not part of the original poem."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}