{"slug":"dsc-308","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-308","title":"Nisibis 54","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":0.002554},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-308","work_id":"dsc-308","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"},"stats":{"passages":3,"english_words":531,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":18,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":4,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-308","abstract":"Nisibis 54 is a memrā (metrical homily) attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, likely composed in the late 4th century. It belongs to the Nisibene hymn corpus, reflecting Nisibis’ Christian identity under Persian rule. The text survives in later manuscripts (5th–7th centuries) and was incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles, notably for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers. The critical edition (ed:dsc-308) provides a Syriac text but no English translation, leaving Ephrem’s wordplay and biblical typology partially obscured for non-Syriac readers.","historical_context":"The memrā is attributed to Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373), a prominent theologian and poet of the Syriac tradition. It was likely composed in Nisibis (modern Nusaybin, Turkey) during the mid-4th century, a period when the city was a Christian center under Persian Sasanian rule. The work reflects the community’s experience of sieges and its struggle to maintain Christian identity amid Zoroastrian and Manichaean influences. No autograph survives; the earliest witnesses are from 5th–6th-century Syriac manuscripts. The text was transmitted within East Syriac liturgical cycles, especially the Hudra (festal hymnary), and was used for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, indicating its enduring authority in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean traditions. The edition (ed:dsc-308) collates 6th- and 7th-century codices, showing stable transmission with possible later liturgical adaptations.","significance":"Nisibis 54 is significant as a witness to Ephrem’s poetic theology and the development of Syriac liturgical poetry. It exemplifies the use of memrē for doctrinal instruction and communal identity formation in late antique Mesopotamia. The work’s incorporation into East Syriac festal cycles underscores its lasting influence on Syriac Christian worship and its connection to Nicene orthodoxy.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 306–373","event":"Lifetime of Ephrem the Syrian, probable period of composition for Nisibis 54."},{"date":"4th c.","event":"Nisibis under Persian rule; Christian community faces sieges and religious pressures."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"Earliest surviving manuscripts of Nisibis 54 are copied."},{"date":"6th–7th c.","event":"Manuscripts used for the critical edition (ed:dsc-308) are produced."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Nisibis 54 is incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles, including the Hudra."}],"relations":[{"work":"Nisibene Hymns (Ephrem)","relation":"Part of the same corpus of Nisibene hymns reflecting the city’s Christian identity.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Hudra (East Syriac festal hymnary)","relation":"Nisibis 54 was used in this liturgical collection.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Madrashe of Ephrem","relation":"Shares thematic and stylistic features with Ephrem’s madrashe, including biblical typology and dialectical argument.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Feast of the Nicene Fathers","relation":"Nisibis 54 was incorporated into the liturgy for this feast.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["Authorship is attributed to Ephrem but not definitively proven; the work may have been composed by a later disciple.","The dating to the 4th century relies on internal references and is not supported by contemporary manuscripts.","The earliest surviving manuscripts are from the 5th–6th centuries, leaving a gap of over a century from the supposed composition.","Some stanzas may reflect later liturgical adaptations, obscuring the original form."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000461,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:19:33Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-308","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":3,"translated":3,"commentary_passages":3,"commentary_units":18,"english_words":531,"source_letters":1614,"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) attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, likely composed in the late 4th century. It belongs to the corpus of Nisibene hymns reflecting the city’s Christian identity under Persian rule.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The dating of Nisibis 54 to Ephrem’s lifetime (c. 306–373) rests on internal references to Nisibis and its sieges, but the manuscript tradition is later. No autograph survives; earliest witnesses are from the 5th–6th centuries.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text is preserved in multiple manuscripts, with the base edition (ed:dsc-308) collated from 6th- and 7th-century codices. Variants suggest a stable transmission, though some stanzas may reflect later liturgical adaptation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This memrā was incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles, particularly for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers. Its use in the Hudra (festal hymnary) indicates enduring authority in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean traditions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition (ed:dsc-308) provides a critical Syriac text but no English translation. Readers without Syriac must rely on secondary versions, which may obscure Ephrem’s wordplay and biblical typology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"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-308":{"label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܫܡܰܥܝ̱ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܥܰܒܕ̈ܺܝܢ\nܟܰܕ ܒܰܚܕܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܬܟܰܣܣܺܝܢ ܕܰܡܚܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܡܽܘܟܳܟܳܟ ܐܶܬܬܪܺܝܡ ܐܳܕܳܡ\nܘܰܒܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܳܟ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܘܰܦܢܳܐ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ\nܐܶܢ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܶܙܟܶܝܟܝ̱ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܳܐ\nܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܡܰܟܶܣ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܡܚܺܝܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ\nܘܶܐܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܬܰܚܶܒ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܗܳܐ ܓܽܘܢܳܝܳܐ\nܕܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܒܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܛܶܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܡܰܨܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܬܶܚܙܶܝܢ\nܕܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܡܰܦܽܘܚܺܝܬܶܟܝ̱\nܘܐܳܦ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܒܡܽܘܠܟܳܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ\nܡܰܠܦܺܝܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܗܰܒܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܒܕܶܢܚܶܟܝ̱ ܚܳܡܶܝܢ\n܀܀܀","english":"The son of his voice.\n\nHear, Freedom, the contest of the two servants,\nhow they are clothed in one another, that the weak may see\na spectacle: to you is praise, that by your lowliness Adam was raised,\nand by your death he was troubled, and he labored for the world.\nIf, then, your evil conqueror is a great boaster,\ndeath covers his shame, for he was weak;\nand if again death is overcome by you, behold the body,\nthat the evil one’s shame is laid bare, for he was like a shadow.\nYour contest is a mirror for you, in which you will see\nthat both of them, like a root, are seen for your uprooting.\nAnd also the prophets and apostles, in their teachings,\ninstruct you that like moths in your garment they are warm.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase 'the son of his voice' is obscure; it may refer to an echo or a personified attribute, but the syntax is ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Freedom' (ḥerutā) is here personified as an addressee, likely a theological or moral abstraction, not a political concept.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܒܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܳܟ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'by your death he was troubled' may echo Pauline language on Adam's redemption through Christ's death (cf. Rom 5:12–15), though no direct citation is given.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܰܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܥܰܒܕ̈ܺܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The 'contest of the two servants' likely refers to a moral or cosmic struggle, possibly between life and death or good and evil, a common theme in Ephrem's madrashe.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܢ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܶܙܟܶܝܟܝ̱ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a conditional argument: 'If, then, your evil conqueror...' followed by a parallel 'and if again death...', building a dialectical contrast.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܳܦ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'prophets and apostles' as teachers aligns with Ephrem's typical appeal to scriptural authority, reinforcing the didactic tone of the madrasha.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The opening phrase 'son of his voice' is unclear; it may be a corrupt or idiomatic expression.","The identity of 'Freedom' and the 'two servants' is not explicitly defined in this passage."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ\nܠܟܽܠ ܪ̈ܽܘܟܳܒܺܝܢ ܫܳܪܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܘܰܡܚܰܒܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܠܰܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܰܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܡܰܘܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ\nܠܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܢܶܐ ܫܶܡܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܕܰܒܣܳܛܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ ܐܰܡܬܶܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܠܒܶܠܥܰܡ\nܡܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܫܡܳܟ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܕܡܶܢ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܣܛܰܝܬ ܐܳܦ ܐܰܣܛܺܝܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܫܰܒܪܳܐ\nܠܳܐ ܬܶܦܗܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܬܰܘܒܶܕ ܫܰܪܒܳܟ\nܕܪܽܘܫ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܣܳܦܶܩ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܗ̈ܦܳܟܳܬܳܐ\nܝܳܕܰܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܰܨܢܺܝܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܠܡܰܬܩܳܢܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܠܳܐ ܡܰܚܢܽܘܩܺܝܬܳܐ\nܐܰܘܦܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܕܪܳܫܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܐܶܒ\nܡܳܐ ܕܰܓܡܰܪ ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܪܺܝ ܡܨܰܥܰܪ\nܨܶܝܕ ܟܽܠ ܐܺܝܬܰܝ ܙܰܟܳܝܳܐ ܘܒܳܟ ܚܳܐܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ\nܢܦܺܝܣܳܟ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܕܰܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܦܶܟܪܶܬ ܘܰܫܕܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܝܟ\nܒܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܦܟܰܪ ܨܶܢܥ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܐܶܬܺܝܬ ܐܶܬܢܰܨܚܶܬ\n܀܀܀","english":"You are the death that gives life to you, and the dead\nto all your riders you loose, and you are the destroyer.\nIt is not the manifest death that kills, or the tempter;\nyour hidden death kills the sons of man.\nIs not my name like yours, which is with the tempter?\nThe angel likened himself on the road to Balaam.\nWhat does your name seem to me, this one or the tempter,\nwho from the road turned aside and also led Adam the youth astray?\nDo not be like a layman and lose your lineage,\nfor the head of death, if it suffices you, is for reversals.\nYou know that you are lowly, you or the tempter.\nTo the contest from strength, the humiliating one,\nadd to him your head, death, which is guilty of man.\nWhen he finishes and adds his words, he begins to revile.\nFor every being the victor is the prey, and in you man is guilty.\nYour victory is Adam, whom you conquered, or the tempter.\nMan, man, whom you thought and cast Adam before you;\nin the mighty one who thought, I came to your mockeries.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The line is paradoxical: death gives life to itself (or to you, the addressee) and to the dead. The ambiguity of the second-person suffix may address either death or the tempter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ ܐܰܡܬܶܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܠܒܶܠܥܰܡ","severity":"info","text":"The angel who likened himself on the road to Balaam alludes to Numbers 22:22–35, where the angel (or God’s messenger) confronts Balaam. Ephrem reworks the episode to contrast the tempter’s deception.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"Sāṭānā (tempter) is a Syriac term for Satan, used here as a foil to death. Ephrem plays on the similarity between the names of death (mawtā) and the tempter (sāṭānā) to blur their identities.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ܒܶܠܥܰܡ","severity":"info","text":"Balaam is the non-Israelite prophet from Numbers 22–24. In Syriac exegesis, he is often a type of the tempter or a figure of ambiguous prophecy, fitting Ephrem’s contrast between manifest and hidden death.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܦܶܟܪܶܬ ܘܰܫܕܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܝܟ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated address “man, man” (ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ) marks a rhetorical climax, shifting from third-person reflection to direct apostrophe. This intensifies the confrontation between the speaker and the tempter or death.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܰܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܰܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The syntax is ambiguous: it is unclear whether the manifest death (mawtā gālyā) or the tempter (sāṭānā) is the subject of “kills.” The English draft resolves it as a negation, but the Syriac could also be read as a question.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the second-person addressee shifts between death and the tempter; the line 'You are the death that gives life to you' may be read as self-referential or as addressing the tempter. The phrase 'your hidden death' (ܡܰܘܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ) could refer to death’s own hidden aspect or to the tempter’s hidden death. The clause 'Is not my name like yours' (ܠܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܢܶܐ ܫܶܡܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ) leave"],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܩܶܛܪܶܬ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܳܓܳܐ ܒܬܺܐܒܶܝܠ\nܕܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܪܺܝܫ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܶܒܫܶܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܩܛܰܠܬܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܰܚܛܳܐ\nܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܡܺܝܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܰܡܺܝܬܬ ܕܰܩܛܺܝܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ\nܟܰܕ ܨܒܰܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܡܶܙܟܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܐܰܣܢܺܝܬ\nܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܙܥܽܘܪ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܳܟ\nܗܘܰܝܬ ܫܳܠܶܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ\nܕܠܳܐ ܒܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܒܰܥܒܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܙܺܝܬ ܠܰܡܩܳܡ\nܠܒܺܝܫܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܦܳܪܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܟܠܺܝܠܳܟ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܶܢ ܪܳܓܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܶܚܽܘܒ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܛܳܒ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܐܗܘܶܐ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ\nܒܪܺܝܟ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܕܦܰܠܶܓ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܳܐܘܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܛܳܒ\nܒܪܺܝܟ ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܡܐܰܘܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܦܠܺܝܓܺܝܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ\nܐܶܙܟܶܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܒܩܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܚܳܐܶܢ ܟܽܠ\nܘܶܐܙܟܶܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ","english":"You are the death that crowned a new crown in Abel,  \nand for Adam, the head of the mighty, you bound to Sheol.  \nYou are the one who killed him with a hidden death, Adam the sinner.  \nYou are death to the dead; you put to death him who was slain for me.  \nWhen you wished to conquer the evil one, you healed yourself,  \nthat you are death and you are Satan, and small is he to you.  \nYou were at rest, knowing death like a weakling,  \nso that neither in words nor in deeds did you dare to stand.  \nYour evil one conquered the evil one; if you distinguish,  \nyour whole crown is a wound; if you perceive,  \nyou are the one who loves and you are the one who is scorched, or Satan.  \nBetter for me to be a simpleton than a braggart.  \nBlessed is the judge who divides the eyes that were good.  \nBlessed is the good one who brings to you those who are divided in sin.  \nShall I conquer the evil one by your forgiveness, or does he sin all?  \nAnd shall I conquer death by your strength, or does he give life to all?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܩܶܛܪܶܬ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܳܓܳܐ ܒܬܺܐܒܶܝܠ","severity":"info","text":"The speaker addresses Death as the one who 'crowned a new crown in Abel,' alluding to the first biblical murder (Gen 4:8). This frames Death as an active agent in salvation history.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܪܺܝܫ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܶܒܫܶܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ","severity":"info","text":"Ephrem evokes Adam as 'head of the mighty' bound to Sheol, echoing the typology of Adam as the first sinner whose death prefigures Christ's victory. The phrase 'bound to Sheol' recalls the Harrowing of Hell tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ (sāṭānā) is a loan from Hebrew, meaning 'adversary' or 'Satan.' Here it is equated with Death, a common identification in Syriac exegesis (cf. Ephrem's Hymns on the Nativity).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ܒܪܺܝܟ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܕܦܰܠܶܓ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The 'blessed judge who divides the eyes' likely refers to a judicial metaphor for discernment between good and evil, a theme in Ephrem's prose works. The 'eyes' may symbolize moral perception.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-308","label":"source edition: Nisibis 54","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/308"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܙܟܶܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܒܩܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܚܳܐܶܢ ܟܽܠ","severity":"info","text":"The final two lines form a rhetorical question pair, balancing conquest of evil through forgiveness and conquest of death through strength. This chiastic structure underscores the poem's dialectic between Death and the speaker.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ (eṣṭaḥḥā) is ambiguous: it could mean 'you are scorched' (from ܨܚܐ, to burn) or 'you are made to laugh' (from ܨܚܚ, to laugh). The context of 'loves and is scorched' suggests the former, but the latter is possible in a mocking tone.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker (the poet or a personified figure) is not explicit; the text may be a dramatic monologue. The verb ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ could be read as 'you are scorched' or 'you are made to laugh,' affecting the tone of the passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}