{"slug":"dsc-310","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-310","title":"Nisibis 56","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":0.001937},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-310","work_id":"dsc-310","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":488,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":12,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":5,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"dsc-310","abstract":"Nisibis 56 is a madrāšâ (metrical teaching) by Ephrem the Syrian, composed in 7–8 syllable couplets. It belongs to his first Nisibene cycle (c. 350–363), likely before Nisibis was ceded to Persia in 363. The Syriac text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript with lacunae and scribal corrections in stanzas 4–7. Later incorporated into the West Syriac Fenqitho for the feast of the Nicene Fathers, it reflects Ephrem's catechetical and polemical style, addressing themes of creation ex nihilo, martyrdom under Shapur II, and rhetorical attacks on death and evil.","historical_context":"Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373) composed the Nisibene madrāšê while serving as a deacon and teacher in Nisibis, a city on the Roman-Persian frontier. The first Nisibene cycle dates from c. 350 to 363, a period of Sasanian persecution under Shapur II and Roman military pressure. Nisibis was ceded to Persia in 363 after Emperor Jovian's treaty, a traumatic event that shaped Ephrem's later move to Edessa. The madrāšâ form, with its couplet meter, was used for catechetical and polemical instruction in Syriac-speaking Christian communities. The text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript, with variant traditions not collated in the edition; Beck's CSCO apparatus provides stemmatic details. Its later inclusion in the West Syriac Fenqitho for the feast of the Nicene Fathers shows ongoing liturgical use.","significance":"Nisibis 56 exemplifies Ephrem's poetic theology, blending exegesis, polemic, and pastoral care. It illuminates 4th-century Syriac Christianity's response to persecution and doctrinal formation, and its later liturgical use demonstrates the enduring authority of Ephrem's madrāšê in West Syriac tradition.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 306","event":"Ephrem the Syrian born in Nisibis."},{"date":"c. 350–363","event":"Composition of the first Nisibene cycle, including Nisibis 56."},{"date":"363","event":"Nisibis ceded to Persia; Ephrem moves to Edessa."},{"date":"373","event":"Ephrem dies in Edessa."},{"date":"6th century","event":"Earliest surviving manuscript of Nisibis 56 copied."},{"date":"undated","event":"Incorporation into West Syriac Fenqitho for feast of Nicene Fathers."}],"relations":[{"work":"Hymns on Faith","relation":"Parallels the paradox that 'persecutors were heralds' (cf. HdF 5).","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"2 Maccabees 7:28","relation":"Echoes ex nihilo creation doctrine.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Beck's CSCO edition","relation":"Provides stemmatic details for variant manuscript traditions.","key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"},{"work":"Fenqitho (West Syriac festal hymnary)","relation":"Later liturgical use for feast of Nicene Fathers.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The exact date of composition within the first Nisibene cycle (c. 350–363) is uncertain.","The text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript with lacunae and scribal corrections in stanzas 4–7.","The edition does not collate the two known variant manuscript traditions; consult Beck's CSCO apparatus for stemmatic details."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00048,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:19:45Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-310","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":12,"english_words":488,"source_letters":1654,"commentary_kinds":7},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The madrāšâ (metrical teaching) is composed in 7–8 syllable couplets, a standard Ephremic form for catechetical and polemical instruction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Nisibis 56 belongs to Ephrem’s first Nisibene cycle (c. 350–363), likely composed before the city’s cession to Persia in 363.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript; lacunae and scribal corrections in stanzas 4–7 obscure the original reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This madrāšâ was incorporated into the West Syriac Fenqitho (festal hymnary) for the feast of the Nicene Fathers, indicating later liturgical use.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not collate the two known variant manuscript traditions; readers should consult Beck’s CSCO apparatus for stemmatic details.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"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: 2 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-310":{"label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܥܰܡ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܓܽܘܢܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ\nܒܠܳܡܳܐ ܡܰܨܝܳܐ ܕܬܰܪܡܶܐ ܒܳܟ ܐܶܢ ܫܳܦܰܪ ܠܳܗ̇\nܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ : ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܙܳܟܽܘܬܳܟ ܐܶܬܚܰܝܰܠܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ\nܘܰܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܐܰܡܣܰܪܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ ܐܳܦ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ\nܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܗܳܐ ܦܰܪܣܺܝܘ ܕܰܡܚܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܕܟܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܽܘܬܶܟܝ̱\nܢܽܘܪܳܟ ܒܩܶܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܪܳܓܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝܕ̈ܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܛܽܘܠܩܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ\n܀܀܀ ܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܟܪܶܙ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܽܘܬܶܟܝ̱\nܐܳܦ ܗܽܘ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܕܟܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܶܟܝ̱\nܐܶܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܰܠܩܽܘܒܠܶܟܝ̱ ܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܚܽܘܠܳܦܰܝܟܝ̱\nܗܳܕܶܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܪܳܕ̈ܽܘܦܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ ܟܳܪ̈ܽܘܙܶܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܪܰܒܰܝܬܳܐ\nܢܳܛܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܓܰܙܰܝ̈ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܥܰܕ ܡܶܐܬܺܝܬܳܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܛܳܒ ܟܳܦܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܠܰܘ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܗܳܢܳܐ ܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܨܶܢܥܬܳܐ ܕܰܡܟܰܢܰܫ ܠܺܝ\nܛܰܒܥܳܟ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܕܙܺܐܦܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܕܒܶܝܬ ܣܺܝ̈ܡܳܬܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܩܰܒܰܠ\nܛܰܒܥܳܐ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐ ܛܳܒܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ\nܗܳܐ ܬܰܓܳܪ̈ܰܝ ܒܰܒܪܺܝܬܳܐ ܬܽܘܟܳܐ ܡܰܝܬܶܝܢ\nܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܒܪܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ\nܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܬ ܡܶܢ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܥܰܘܠܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ\nܣܟܺܝܪ ܘܰܣܛܺܝܡ ܦܽܘܡܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܡܰܪܳܚ\nܕܦܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܨܶܝܕ ܒܳܪܽܘܝܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܬܩܰܪܰܒ\nܠܺܝ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܐܡܪܰܚ ܘܺܐܡܰܪ\nܠܶܫܳܢܳܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܥܰܒܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܬܚܶܝܬ ܩܶܢܛܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\n܀܀܀","english":"The son of his voice  \nWith freedom you have a wicked contest.  \nWhy does the one who casts at you wait, if it pleases her?  \nThe contest: praise for your victory was strengthened, sin,  \nAnd by your fervor sin was handed over, even over death.  \nLook again, they have spread out the weak; look,  \nDeath reminded the wicked one of your heroism.  \nYour mountain in your nest, or death, and you did not perceive.  \nThe faith of the martyrs is your destruction.  \n\nBehold, death and the wicked one proclaimed your heroism.  \nEven the wicked one remembered your faith.  \nIf then those who were against you became your substitutes,  \nThis is great: that persecutors were heralds.  \nWhere does one confess, or the wicked one, that like a great one  \nHe guards the treasures of the king until the coming?  \nWhere does death well deny that he is not of God?  \nThis treasure of the little one that troubles me:  \nYour stamp shows that he is a liar or a fool,  \nWho is not received in the treasuries of God.  \nA new stamp he stamps, or one in the likeness of a king.  \nBehold, the merchants of creation bring profit.  \nGod created everything from nothing,  \nAnd creation from nothing is a great wrong.  \nShut and stop your mouth, wicked one, how much you boast,  \nFor your fervor is aimed at the Creator; behold, it approaches.  \nTo me death is sovereign; to me who boasts and says,  \nTo your garment, your servant is he who is under the gnat.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'son of his voice' likely refers to an echo or a personified response, possibly a rhetorical device in Ephrem's polemic against death and evil.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܒܪܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܡܶܕܶܡ","severity":"info","text":"This line echoes the ex nihilo creation doctrine (cf. 2 Maccabees 7:28 or patristic tradition), emphasizing God's creation from nothing, a key theme in Ephrem's theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝܕ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'faith of the martyrs' reflects the context of persecution under Shapur II, when Christians in the Sasanian Empire faced martyrdom; Ephrem often uses martyrdom as a polemical tool against death.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"܀܀܀","severity":"info","text":"The triple asterisks mark stanza divisions, typical of Ephrem's madrāšê, indicating a shift in rhetorical address from death to the wicked one.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܛܰܒܥܳܟ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܕܙܺܐܦܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'your stamp shows that he is a liar or a fool' is ambiguous: the referent of 'he' could be death, the wicked one, or a generic opponent; the Syriac allows multiple interpretations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܪܳܕ̈ܽܘܦܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ ܟܳܪ̈ܽܘܙܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The paradox that 'persecutors were heralds' parallels Ephrem's Hymns on Faith (e.g., HdF 5), where suffering proclaims truth; it inverts the expected role of oppressors.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the son of his voice' is unclear; it may be a personification of echo or a rhetorical opponent.","The referent of 'he' in the stamp passage is ambiguous between death and the wicked one.","The phrase 'your mountain in your nest' is obscure; possibly a metaphor for pride or false security."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܦܰܚܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܒܰܝܢܳܬܰܢ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܦܰܩܪܳܐܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܡܳܪܳܟ ܗܳܐ ܣܳܒܶܟ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܶܬܦܰܠܰܓܬ ܥܰܠ ܫܰܘܝܽܘܬܰܢ\nܗܘܺܝ ܠܺܝ ܚܰܒܪܳܐ ܘܗܰܕܳܡܳܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܐܰܡܠܶܟܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ\nܬܳܐ ܢܶܫܡܽܘܛ ܙܰܘܓܳܐ ܕܣܰܝ̈ܦܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܒܟܶܣܝܳܐ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܒܓܶܠܝܳܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܓܰܡܰܪܢܳܗ̇\nܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܘܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ ܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܬܰܪ̈ܬܶܝܢ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܢ\nܕܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܠܰܡ ܕܶܐܬܦܰܠܰܓܬܽܘܢ ܐܶܬܛܰܠܰܩܬܽܘܢ\nܚܙܰܘ ܡܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܕܶܐܢ ܐܶܬܒܰܕܰܪܘ ܘܐܳܦ ܐܶܫܬܰܦܰܠܘ̱\nܘܶܐܢ ܐܶܬܟܰܢܰܫܘ̱ ܐܶܬܥܰܫܰܢܘ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܳܐܦ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ\nܐܶܬܦܰܠܰܓܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܘܦܺܝܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܠܳܫ̈ܶܐ\nܘܶܐܬܡܰܙܰܓܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܡܠܶܟܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܣܺܝ̈ܢܶܐ\nܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܶܐ ܢܳܣܶܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܠܟܽܘܪܳܐ\nܘܥܳܒܶܕ ܚܰܕ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܙܳܟܶܐ\nܒܶܗ ܚܶܟܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܘܨܶܢܥ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܘܥܽܘܫܢܳܐ\nܡܶܢ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܫܬܺܝܢ ܐܰܡܺܝܢ ܪܰܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܣܰܓܝ\nܐܶܬܪܰܥܰܘ ܢܶܟܢܽܘܫ ܢܺܐܙܰܠ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܓܒܳܐ\nܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܳܐܘܶܐ ܠܰܝܬ ܦܪܽܘܣ ܕܰܢܚܽܘܒ ܡܶܢ ܡܬܽܘܡ\nܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܡܰܠܶܠܘ̱ ܙܺܝ̈ܥܶܐ ܘܟܰܢܶܫܘ̱ ܘܶܐܬܰܘ\n܀܀܀ ܝܰܘܡܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܟܢܽܘܫ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܨܶܝܕ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ\nܒܰܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܠܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܶܣܓܽܘܕ ܟܰܕ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ\nܒܫܺܝܦܽܘܪܳܟ ܠܰܒܪܳܟ ܐܰܘܕܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܐܶܬܚܰܣܶܐ","english":"A snare then, or a net, is your petition?  \nFor in your Lord, behold, you are weaving a garment of flesh.  \nDeath, why were you divided over your equality?  \nBe a companion to me, a limb, and behold, I will counsel you, sin.  \nCome, let us draw the pair of swords against your enmity.  \nI in secret and you in the open, and behold, she is consumed.  \nSin and the underworld gave the king both to the two.  \nWhether you were divided or scattered,  \nSee the waters: whether they were dispersed and also humbled,  \nOr whether they were troubled and shaken, like you also.  \nYou were divided, you were added to, like weaklings,  \nAnd you were mixed, you were counseled, like the prudent.  \nDebt to many spreads like a fever,  \nAnd makes one great body that conquers all.  \nIn it are wisdoms and cries, strength and perversity.  \nFrom the image that was drunk, the master is very great.  \nThey were roused to pervert; go against that which is chosen.  \nAs much as it is fitting, there is no limit to the debt from the abyss.  \nThese spoke, the agitated, and they were troubled and came.  \n\nYour day, my Lord, to pervert, turn to the hunt of Gehenna.  \nBy your righteousness, my Lord, I bow to you, when I am restrained.  \nBy your beauty, to your son, a guide, when he is hidden.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܰܚܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܒܰܝܢܳܬܰܢ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line presents a rhetorical question equating the addressee's petition with a snare or net, likely continuing the polemic against sin or death from the previous passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ (sāṭā) means 'net' or 'mesh,' used here metaphorically for entrapment, consistent with Ephrem's imagery of spiritual conflict.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܡܳܪܳܟ ܗܳܐ ܣܳܒܶܟ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in your Lord, behold, you are weaving a garment of flesh' echoes Pauline language of the body as a garment (cf. 2 Cor 5:3) and may allude to Christ's incarnation or the believer's spiritual armor.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܰܘܝܽܘܬܰܢ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'equality' (ܫܰܘܝܽܘܬܰܢ) may reflect Ephrem's anti-Manichaean polemic, rejecting dualistic notions of equal cosmic forces of good and evil.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-310","label":"source edition: Nisibis 56","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/310"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܰܘܡܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܢܶܟܢܽܘܫ","severity":"info","text":"The final lines shift to a direct address to 'my Lord' (ܡܳܪܝ̱), marking a doxological conclusion that contrasts with the preceding combative dialogue, typical of Ephrem's madrāšê.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܶܐܬܰܘ","severity":"caution","text":"The final word of the penultimate line (ܘܶܐܬܰܘ) is ambiguous; it may be a scribal error or a rare verb form. The translation 'came' is conjectural.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the addressee shifts between sin, death, and possibly a personified vice; the final doxology addresses 'my Lord' (Christ).","The phrase 'your day' (ܝܰܘܡܳܟ) in the final section may refer to a liturgical feast or eschatological judgment."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}