{"slug":"dsc-313","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-313","title":"Nisibis 59","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":"2026-11-15T00:59:21Z","cost_usd":0.001836},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-313","work_id":"dsc-313","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":415,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":12,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":4,"work_notes":4,"external_links":0,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-313","abstract":"Nisibis 59 is a madrāšā (teaching hymn) by Ephrem the Syrian, composed in Syriac in the mid-4th century, likely after the Persian cession of Nisibis in 363. The poem reflects on the city's loss and incorporates penitential themes. It survives in multiple manuscripts, the earliest from the 6th century, with fluid transmission and variant stanza orders. The text is presented without translation or commentary, limiting accessibility for non-Syriac readers. It was later used in East Syriac Rogation of the Ninevites and West Syriac Feast of the Church of Edessa liturgies.","historical_context":"Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE) composed Nisibis 59 in the mid-4th century, likely after the Roman-Persian treaty of 363 that ceded Nisibis to the Sasanian Empire. The poem belongs to the madrāšā genre, a didactic hymn form used in Syriac Christian communities. Ephrem was a deacon and theologian in Nisibis and later Edessa, writing in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic. The work reflects the trauma of Nisibis's loss and the community's penitential response. The Syriac text survives in manuscripts from the 6th century onward, with variations in stanza order and wording, indicating a fluid transmission. It was later incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles for the Rogation of the Ninevites and West Syriac hymnaries for the Feast of the Church of Edessa, showing its enduring liturgical use.","significance":"Nisibis 59 is significant as a late work of Ephrem, reflecting his response to historical trauma and his theological themes of penance and eschatology. It illustrates the fluid transmission of Syriac hymnody and its adaptation into later liturgical traditions. The poem's penitential focus connects it to broader Christian traditions of communal lament and the Harrowing of Hell motif.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 306","event":"Ephrem the Syrian born in Nisibis."},{"date":"363","event":"Nisibis ceded to Persia; likely terminus post quem for Nisibis 59."},{"date":"373","event":"Ephrem dies in Edessa."},{"date":"6th c.","event":"Earliest surviving manuscripts of Nisibis 59."},{"date":"Medieval","event":"Incorporation into East Syriac Rogation of the Ninevites and West Syriac Feast of the Church of Edessa."}],"relations":[{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian","relation":"author","key":"wikipedia:Ephrem the Syrian","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Nisibis","relation":"subject city","key":"wikipedia:Nisibis","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Madrāšā","relation":"genre","key":"wikipedia:Madrasha","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Rogation of the Ninevites","relation":"liturgical use","key":"wikipedia:Rogation of the Ninevites","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Feast of the Church of Edessa","relation":"liturgical use","key":"wikipedia:Church of Edessa","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The dating of Nisibis 59 relies on internal references to the loss of Nisibis in 363, but the exact year of composition is uncertain.","The earliest manuscripts date from the 6th century, leaving a gap of over a century from the original composition.","The fluid transmission with variant stanza orders and wording complicates establishing a definitive text.","The edition provides no translation or commentary, limiting interpretation for non-Syriac readers."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000482,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:23:10Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-313","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":12,"english_words":415,"source_letters":1315,"commentary_kinds":7},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Ephrem died in 373 CE; Nisibis 59 is among his later madrāšē, likely composed after the Persian cession of Nisibis in 363. The dating rests on internal references to the city’s loss.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text survives in multiple manuscripts, the earliest from the 6th century. Variants in stanza order and wording suggest a fluid transmission; the edition’s base manuscript is not specified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Nisibis 59 was incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles for the Rogation of the Ninevites, reflecting its penitential themes. It also appears in West Syriac hymnaries for the Feast of the Church of Edessa.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"This edition provides no translation or commentary; the Syriac text alone is presented. Readers without Syriac must rely on other resources for interpretation. Variant readings are not collated.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"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-313":{"label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܚ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܗܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܥܺܝܪܬܰܢ ܬܳܒܰܥ\nܬܰܘ ܢܶܫܡܰܥ ܨܰܥܪܶܗ ܘܢܶܚܕܶܐ ܕܚܰܕܺܝ ܒܨܰܥܪܰܢ\nܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܟ ܕܒܳܟ ܐܶܫܬܰܥܒܰܕܘ̱\nܐܳܦ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܬܚܶܬܝ̱ ܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܝܗ̇\nܢܶܬܬܠܽܘܢ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܶܐ ܬܰܩܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ\nܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܫܶܡܥܽܘܢ ܒܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܙܩܰܦܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ\nܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܫܶܬܩܰܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܨܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܙܒܰܢܝ̱\nܫܶܡܥܽܘܢ ܗܽܘܝܽܘ ܡܽܘܡܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܗܳܟܰܢ ܙܽܘܩܦܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱\nܐܶܠܽܘ ܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܠܛܽܘܢܺܝ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܳܐ ܡܰܟܪܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ\nܥܝܳܛܶܗ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܡܶܢ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ\nܨܰܥܪܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܰܢ ܠܳܐ ܐܶܡܪܶܬ ܪܰܒ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܦܽܘܡܝ̱\nܕܶܐܬܩܽܘܠ ܘܐܶܦܰܚܶܡ ܚܰܫܶܗ ܥܰܡ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܟ\nܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܟܽܘܪ̈ܣܰܘܳܢ ܡܼܰܬܩܰܢ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܥܣܰܪܬܶܗ\nܕܒܶܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܫܰܒ̈ܛܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܶܬܚܰܝܰܒ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ\nܚܶܒܠܳܐ ܕܡܳܓܶܢ ܬܶܬܠܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\nܕܰܬܠܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܚܒܳܠܳܐ ܒܝܰܩܺܝܪ ܗܰܘ ܬܰܠܡܺܝܕܳܟ\nܛܳܟ ܬܶܣܬܰܦܰܩ ܒܰܚܢܳܢܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ\nܘܰܬܦܽܘܫ ܒܳܗ̇ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕܳܝܟ ܥܰܡ ܫܰܡ̈ܳܫܰܝܟ\nܣܰܓܺܝ̈ܐܺܢ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܟ ܘܰܟܡܳܐ ܐܶܚܫܽܘܒ\nܗܳܐ ܣܳܟܳܐ ܕܟܽܠ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܟ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܰܝܟ\nܢܕܰܩܪܽܘܢܳܟ ܒܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ ܒܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܐܰܒܐܫܰܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ\nܢܶܬܥܰܕܠܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܕܰܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܠܟܳܐ ܐܺܝܬܺܝܬܰܢ\nܢܶܬܓܪܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܚܰܛ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܘܛܳܟ ܢܰܒܐܶܫ ܠܳܟ\nܠܽܘܚܳܡܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܢܳܩܳܐ ܕܗܳܝ ܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ\nܢܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܠܳܟ ܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܟܽܠ ܣ̈ܳܛܳܢܺܝܢ\nܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܗܘܺܝܬ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܗܳܪܟܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ\n܀܀܀","english":"Behold, his voice: Death from Satan is awake, seeking. Come, hear his cry and rejoice that he rejoices in the cry of the persecuted one. To you, praise from your flock who were enslaved by you. Both Death and Satan are beneath her feet. The wicked will be confounded, truly, and you, contrariwise. Contrariwise, for Simon, you crucified on a tree. Over all, Death was silent, who had demanded a price for him. Simon was a sign, that thus your crucifixion. If the envious were for my benefit, I would not be late. The counsel of Death is evil to me from Gehenna. The cry of the Lord I did not utter; it is great from my mouth. That I might fall and consider his pain with your street. Twelve thrones he established for his twelve, for among the twelve tribes you are the one who is condemned. The destruction of Magi will be hung for you, or Satan, whom destruction hung for him, that heavy one, your disciple. You will be struck in the face, that Gehenna, and you will remain in it alone with your deacons. Many are your curses, and how many I consider. Behold, the end of all your curses upon your members. And your reproach, wicked ones, in the fire that you burned them. They will be hung on you, that for nothing you brought them here. Sinners will be dragged on you, and you will be burned. Their struggle from the street of that Gehenna, and they will be for you a sign there, all the Satans, as you were for them here, one Satan.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase 'Behold, his voice' is ambiguous: the antecedent of 'his' is unclear, possibly Death or Satan, but the following lines suggest Death as the speaker.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Satan' (sāṭānā) is used here as a proper noun for the adversary, consistent with Syriac Christian usage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܗܶܝܢ ܫܶܬܩܰܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The line 'Death was silent' may echo the silence of death in the face of Christ's crucifixion, possibly alluding to the Harrowing of Hell tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܟܽܘܪ̈ܣܰܘܳܢ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'twelve thrones' likely alludes to the twelve apostles, a common motif in Syriac literature, contrasting with the twelve tribes of Israel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܗܳܦܟܳܐܺܝܬ","severity":"info","text":"The repetition of 'contrariwise' (hāp̄kāʾīṯ) marks a structural inversion, contrasting the fate of Simon (Peter) with that of Satan.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܩܪܽܘܢܳܟ ܒܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'your reproach, wicked ones' is syntactically ambiguous; it may be read as a vocative or as a genitive construction, affecting the interpretation of the addressee.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in the opening lines is ambiguous; the text may shift between Death and Satan as speakers.","The phrase 'your reproach, wicked ones' is syntactically ambiguous, possibly addressing the wicked or referring to their reproach."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܣܒܽܘܢ ܢܶܫܕܽܘܢܳܟ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܬܕܰܟܪܶܝܢ\nܕܰܠܡܳܪܗܽܘܢ ܒܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܠܥܽܘܡܩܳܐ ܫܕܰܐܽܘܗ̱ܝ\nܢܶܪܗܰܛ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܠܪܶܓܡܳܟ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܛܳܥܶܝܢ\nܕܒܳܟ ܗܽܘ ܪܗܶܛ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܦܰܩܪܳܐ ܠܡܶܪܓܰܡ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ\nܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܺܝܢ ܪܰܘܩܳܐ ܕܚܶܡܬܳܐ\nܕܒܳܟ ܪܰܩܘ ܠܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܒܪܽܘܩܶܗ ܦܬܰܚ ܣܰܡܝܳܐ\nܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܠܳܟ ܠܶܫܳܢ ܐܳܦ ܟܽܠ ܠܽܘܛܳܢ\nܕܒܳܟ ܓܰܕܶܦܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܦܬܰܚ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܶܐ ܣܟܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ\nܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܬܳܒܰܥ ܠܥܰܠܺܝܒܽܘܬܰܢ ܟܰܕ ܫܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ\nܘܰܓܪܺܝ ܒܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܢܦܰܠ ܒܶܗ\nܢܝܰܒܶܒ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܒܽܐܘܫ̈ܰܥܢܶܐ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܓܶܕܥܽܘܢ\nܕܟܰܕ ܗܽܘ ܡܝܰܒܶܒ ܪܕ̈ܽܘܦܶܐ ܢܦܰܠܘ̱ ܒܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ","english":"Awake, O ones, take up stones and cast them, while you remember that for your Lord, from the height to the depth you cast him. And every man runs to your stoning, while not erring, that in you runs the people, the flesh, to stone the son. For you, evil one, from every mouth, spittle of wrath, that in you they spat upon him whose spittle opened the blind. For you, evil one, from you to the tongue, and every curse, that in you they blasphemed against him who opened the mouths of the mute. Blessed is he who pursues your victory while silent, and runs in him through death to the evil one who fell in him. He wails, my brothers, in the sounds of the afflicted, in the likeness of your cutting, that while he wails, the persecuted fell upon one another.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening imperative 'Awake, O ones' addresses the community, likely the faithful or martyrs, calling them to action against the 'evil one' (Satan).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܒܳܟ ܪܰܩܘ ܠܶܗ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܒܪܽܘܩܶܗ ܦܬܰܚ ܣܰܡܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'they spat upon him whose spittle opened the blind' alludes to Jesus healing a blind man with spittle, a tradition not canonical but found in early Christian apocrypha (e.g., Acts of Thomas).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܒܳܟ ܓܰܕܶܦܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܦܬܰܚ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܶܐ ܣܟܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'blasphemy against him who opened the mouths of the mute' echoes Ephrem's typology of Christ healing speechlessness, a motif in his hymns on Christ's miracles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-313","label":"source edition: Nisibis 59","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/313"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܳܟ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ... ܕܒܳܟ","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a repetitive anaphora ('For you, evil one... that in you...') to structure a series of accusations against Satan, building rhetorical intensity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܓܪܺܝ ܒܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܢܦܰܠ ܒܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The image of Death running through the evil one and falling parallels the earlier passage where Death and Satan are beneath the feet of the persecuted, reinforcing the theme of cosmic reversal.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܝܰܒܶܒ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܒܽܐܘܫ̈ܰܥܢܶܐ ܒܰܕܡܽܘܬ ܓܶܕܥܽܘܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'in the likeness of your cutting' is ambiguous: 'cutting' may refer to circumcision, martyrdom, or a ritual mutilation; the Syriac allows multiple interpretations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the son' (ܠܰܒܪܳܐ) in line 4 is ambiguous: it could refer to Christ, a martyr, or a generic figure; the context of stoning suggests Stephen or Christ.","The phrase 'your cutting' (ܓܶܕܥܽܘܢ) is unclear: it may denote circumcision, a wound, or a symbolic division; the reading taken is as a physical or ritual cutting."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}