{"slug":"dsc-315","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-315","title":"Nisibis 61","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":0.002338},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-315","work_id":"dsc-315","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"},"stats":{"passages":3,"english_words":598,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":17,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":6,"work_notes":4,"external_links":4,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-315","abstract":"This madrāšâ (teaching hymn) attributed to Ephrem the Syrian was composed in Nisibis during the mid-4th century, likely between 350 and 363. It survives in a single sixth-century Syriac manuscript (BL Add. 14,571) and shows signs of scribal reordering. The poem dramatizes a lament by Death, employing prosopopoeia and typological allusions to Genesis and Exodus. Later incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical cycle for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, it was repurposed as a doctrinal hymn. The edition follows the manuscript order without emendation and does not record variant readings from later excerpt manuscripts.","historical_context":"Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373) composed this madrāšâ in Nisibis during the final decade before the city’s cession to the Sasanian Empire in 363. The work reflects the Syriac-speaking Christian community’s experience of repeated sieges and political upheaval. The madrāšâ genre, a strophic hymn with refrains, was used for catechetical and liturgical instruction. The text survives in a single sixth-century manuscript (BL Add. 14,571), indicating a narrow transmission. Its later inclusion in the East Syriac liturgical cycle for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers shows its adaptation from a local occasional composition to a broader doctrinal hymn. The manuscript’s reordering and lack of full collation with later excerpt witnesses caution against assuming the original sequence or textual stability.","significance":"This madrāšâ exemplifies Ephrem’s use of dramatic personification and typological exegesis to address theological themes such as death, sin, and redemption. Its later liturgical reuse demonstrates how early Syriac poetry was adapted for doctrinal purposes in the East Syriac tradition. The work also provides insight into the Nisibene Christian community’s response to political crisis.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 306–373","event":"Life of Ephrem the Syrian"},{"date":"c. 350–363","event":"Composition of the madrāšâ in Nisibis"},{"date":"363","event":"Cession of Nisibis to the Sasanian Empire"},{"date":"6th c.","event":"Earliest surviving manuscript (BL Add. 14,571) copied"},{"date":"Later liturgical use","event":"Incorporation into East Syriac Feast of the Nicene Fathers"}],"relations":[{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith","relation":"Similar use of prosopopoeia and typology in madrashe","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Paradise","relation":"Shared themes of death and redemption","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Syriac madrāšâ genre","relation":"Exemplifies the strophic hymn form with refrains","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"East Syriac liturgical cycle","relation":"Later repurposed for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Nisibene Christian community","relation":"Reflects local experience of sieges and political change","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Ephrem the Syrian","label":"Ephrem the Syrian","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephrem_the_Syrian","reason":"Biographical context for the author"},{"key":"wikipedia:Nisibis","label":"Nisibis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nusaybin","reason":"Historical setting of composition"},{"key":"wikipedia:Madrasha","label":"Madrasha","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrasa","reason":"Genre of the work"},{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"DSC 315","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315","reason":"Edition of the Syriac text"}],"cautions":["The dating to 350–363 is based on internal references and the manuscript colophon, but the evidence is circumstantial.","The single sixth-century manuscript shows signs of scribal reordering; the original sequence is uncertain.","Variant readings from later excerpt manuscripts have not been collated, so the textual tradition is incompletely known.","Attribution to Ephrem is traditional but not definitively proven; the work may be pseudepigraphic."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000471,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:26:11Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-315","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":3,"translated":3,"commentary_passages":3,"commentary_units":17,"english_words":598,"source_letters":2049,"commentary_kinds":7},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The madrāšâ is traditionally assigned to Ephrem’s final decade in Nisibis (c. 350–363). The dating rests on internal references to the city’s sieges and on the colophon of the earliest manuscript witness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text survives in a single sixth-century manuscript (BL Add. 14,571). Several stanzas show signs of scribal reordering; the present edition follows the manuscript order without emendation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This madrāšâ was incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical cycle for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, indicating its later use as a doctrinal hymn rather than a purely occasional composition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not record variant readings from the few later manuscripts that contain excerpts of this madrāšâ. A full collation of those witnesses remains a desideratum.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"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-315":{"label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܝ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܒܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܢܶܫܡܰܥ ܐܳܘ ܚܰܒܺܝ̈ܒܰܝ\nܕܰܡܩܰܛܪܶܓ ܠܰܢ ܥܰܠ ܒܟܝܳܢ ܘܥܰܠ ܝ̈ܺܠܠܳܬܰܢ\nܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬܬ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܐܳܕܳܡ\nܘܶܐܫܟܰܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܘܳܐܦ ܒܶܗ ܠܝ̈ܰܠܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ\nܘܰܒܙܶܕܩܳܐ ܐܰܟܒܰܪ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܕܰܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܕܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܕܶܡ̈ܥܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܳܢܶܐ\nܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܩ̈ܳܛܽܘܠܶܐ\nܩܳܛܠܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܠܰܚ̈ܕܳܕܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱\nܥܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܩܰܕܡܶܗ ܣܰܝܦܳܐ\nܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܓܳܥܶܐ ܕܡܳܐ ܕܰܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܶܐ\nܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܓܳܥܶܝܢ ܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܕܰܐܠܺܝܨܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ\nܢܶܟܦܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܚܒܳܠܳܐ ܕܚܽܘܢܩ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܥܰܠܝ̱ ܦܳܣܩܺܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܫܰܦܠܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱\nܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܘܰܩܛܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܥܰܠܘ̱ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ\nܥܰܘܠܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܫܬܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܒܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ\nܒܢܰܝ̈ܟܽܘܢ ܠܫܺܐܕ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܰܚܬܽܘܢ ܐܳܘ ܫܺܐܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ\n܀܀܀","english":"O the son of his voice! In the lamentation for Death, hear, O my beloved ones, who contend against me concerning weeping and concerning my wailings, O congregation: to you is the glory, for you descended after Adam and found Adam, and in him also his children, the children of Adam. And rightly did he say, \"Your slain are without mercy, and behold, your tears are like mercies.\" You have made me like a murderer or like slayers; you yourselves kill one another without me, until Death desires that the sword come before him. For he saw upon what the slain cry out; upon you cry out the strangled who were oppressed. And I was bent over by the destruction of your necks; upon me they cut also the lowliness that is without me—the strangled and the slain, as if upon her, upon Sheol. Your iniquities are cast forth as in Egypt; in your midst, to the demons of your sin or to the demons of the abyss.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'son of his voice' is a Syriac idiom for 'echo' or 'resonance', here personified as an addressee in the lament.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܳܕܳܡ","severity":"info","text":"The descent after Adam and finding of Adam and his children alludes to Christ's harrowing of hell, a typological reading of Genesis 3 and 1 Corinthians 15:22.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܟܝܳܢ","severity":"info","text":"The lamentation for Death is a prosopopoeia where Death speaks, a common device in Ephrem's madrashe to dramatize theological arguments.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܡܶܨܪܶܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to iniquities cast forth as in Egypt evokes the plagues of Exodus or the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, a typological parallel for divine judgment.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The address to the 'congregation' (ʿedtā) marks a shift from direct apostrophe to a collective audience, framing the preceding lament as a public teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܺܐܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The final word 'demons of the abyss' is textually uncertain; the Syriac may be corrupt or a variant reading, as the parallel 'demons of your sin' suggests a deliberate contrast.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker (Death or a personified Lament) is not explicit; the reading takes Death as speaker based on the opening 'lamentation for Death'.","The phrase 'son of his voice' could be a literal echo or a metaphor for a disciple; the reading adopts the idiomatic 'echo'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܥܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܥܰܡ ܒܰܫ̈ܠܰܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܫܰܪܚܰܢܝ̱ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ\nܥܰܕ ܒܥܳܐ ܕܶܐܓܰܪ ܪܽܘܚܝ̱ ܕܰܢܡܽܘܬ ܐܳܕܳܡ\nܩܕܳܡ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܝ̱ ܫܠܰܛܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܥܰܠ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܥܰܩܪܶܗ ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܒܣܰܝܦܶܗ ܠܬܰܪܥܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ\nܐܰܚܺܝܕ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܰܩܕܳܡ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܩܕܳܡ ܦܰܬܚܶܗ\nܥܡܰܠ ܕܪܺܝܫܳܗ̇ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱\nܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܰܕܪܰܫܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ ܗܳܐ ܪܳܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ\nܬܫܰܥܡܳܐܐ ܫ̈ܢܺܝܢ ܝܶܬܒܰܬ ܩܰܘܝܰܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܰܢܡܽܘܬ\nܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܫܰܒܩܶܗ ܠܰܐܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ\nܓܰܝ̈ܳܣܶܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܐܽܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܳܐ ܒܺܝܫ̈ܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܝ̱\nܐܶܢܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܥܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܠܰܡܩܰܛܳܠܽܘ\nܗܳܐ ܚܪ̈ܺܝܒܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܩܛܺܝ̈ܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܒܽܐܘܪ̈ܚܳܬܳܐ ܘܰܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܣܟܝ̈ܟܘܢ\nܐܶܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܶܪܕܶܬ ܥܰܠ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܠܰܡ ܘܩܰܛܠܬܶܗ\nܡܰܢܽܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܝܰܗܽܘ\nܘܶܐܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܒܰܪ̣ܬ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܚܢܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܩ̈ܛܺܝܠܶܐ ܘܚܰܪ̈ܺܝܒܶܐ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ\n܀܀܀","english":"While Death desires to taste your corpses, Cain cries out, “My firstborn son, by the blood of Abel!” While he desires to rent my soul, which is like Adam’s, before my tyranny, your tyrant over your bodies, Cain cries out with his sword at the gate of Sheol. For he was holding it, and before the sacrifice, before its opening, the labor of its head, the way of Sheol, from me alone. For on the path you taught me, behold, Abel runs. Seven hundred years sat, waited for Adam, who is like me. Cain, moreover, does not leave even a day for his brother. Robbers on the evil ways fled from me. Abel sleeps, Abel, and you wake to kill him. Behold, your ruins in tombs and your slain on the roads, and your strangled on your crosses. If Abel rebelled against my Lord, why did he kill him? Why does the killer flee from these? says Yahqo. And if Abel, Death, who is the daughter of your destined ones, the strangled, the slain, and the ruins, why does the killer flee?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܥܰܡ ܒܰܫ̈ܠܰܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The opening clause presents Death as desiring to taste the corpses of the addressees, a personification that frames the ensuing dialogue between Cain and Death.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܳܐܶܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"Cain (Qayin) is the speaker here, addressing Death. The Syriac form ܩܳܐܶܝܢ reflects the biblical name, and his cry about 'the blood of Abel' alludes to Genesis 4.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'by the blood of Abel' echoes Genesis 4:10–11 (Peshitta), where Abel's blood cries out. Ephrem here reworks the motif into a dramatic confrontation with Death.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܰܪܚܰܢܝ̱ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ","severity":"info","text":"Cain calls Abel 'my firstborn son' (ܫܰܪܚܰܢܝ̱ ܩܰܕܡܳܐܺܝܬ), a paradoxical inversion of their fraternal relationship. This may reflect Ephrem's typological reading of Cain as a figure of Death's tyranny.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܫܰܒܩܶܗ ܠܰܐܚܽܘܗ̱ܝ","severity":"info","text":"The line 'Cain does not leave even a day for his brother' contrasts with the earlier mention of Adam waiting seven hundred years, highlighting Cain's relentless enmity and structuring the passage around temporal opposition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܰܗܽܘ","severity":"caution","text":"The name 'Yahqo' (ܝܰܗܽܘ) is obscure; it may be a variant or corruption of a biblical or apocryphal figure. The text here attributes a speech to him, but the identity is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Yahqo' (ܝܰܗܽܘ) is unclear; it may be a scribal error or a reference to an otherwise unknown figure.","The phrase 'the daughter of your destined ones' (ܒܰܪ̣ܬ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ) is syntactically ambiguous; it may personify Death as a female offspring of the addressees' fated ones."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܰܣܩܺܝܪ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ\nܡܰܘܬܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܰܥܕܺܝܠ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ\nܨܶܒܝܳܢܟܽܘܢ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܘܳܐܦ ܩܳܛܽܘܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ\nܘܡܶܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܡܶܢ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ\nܣܰܡܳܐ ܕܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܫܩܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ\nܟܡܳܐ ܡ̈ܰܘܬܶܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱\nܢܶܟ̈ܠܶܐ ܟܡܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܦ̈ܰܚܶܐ ܣܰܝܦܳܐ ܘܣܰܡܳܐ\nܟܡܳܐ ܡܰܘ̈ܬܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܟܽܘܢ ܘܒܳܟܽܘܢ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܬܝܰܠܕܺܝܢ\nܕܰܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܒܶܝܬ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ\nܗܰܘ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܒܰܐܓܪܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܰܓܳܢ\nܚܙܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ ܘܬܶܗܪܶܬ ܒܶܗ ܕܰܪܗܶܛ ܩܕܳܡܰܢܝ̱\nܟܡܳܐ ܩ̈ܳܛܠܺܝܢ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܫܽܘܚܕܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ\nܢܶܟܦܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܶܬܕܰܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ\nܚܕܳܐ ܫܠܰܕܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ\nܒܒ̈ܳܬܶܐ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܘܰܒܫܽܘ̈ܩܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܪܩܽܘܕܬܳܐ\nܥܕܰܡܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܬܰܪ̈ܥܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܥܘܶܝܢ ܥܠܰܝ\nܥܘܰܘ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܘܠܺܝ ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ\nܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܬܰܥܘܶܐ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܘ ܩ̈ܳܛܽܘܠܶܐ\nܒܣܶܪܩܳܐ ܢܶܓܕܳܐ ܘܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܘܳܐܦ ܒܪܶܓܡܳܐ\nܡܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ܢܳܫܳܐ ܘܰܚܬܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ\nܢܳܟܶܦ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܪܳܚܡܳܢ ܐܳܦ ܡܝܰܩܰܪ\nܒܺܐܝܩܳܪܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ\nܥܰܠ ܥܰܪ̈ܣܳܬܳܐ ܡܫܰܕܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܟܰܪܝܶܗ\nܘܢܺܝܚܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܰܕܡܶܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܫܢܰܬ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ","english":"Satan, you slay one another, and the evil one is hired.  \nDeaths, you slay one another, and Death is still.  \nYour desire for you is Satan, and it is also a murderer.  \nFrom Death and from Satan, every man receives.  \nThe poison of Death, you again give to one another to drink.  \nHow many deaths you have, apart from me!  \nSnares, hidden nets, sword and poison—  \nhow many deaths from you and in you are born!  \nThe judge within the house of judgment is Death for both.  \nHe kills by secret wages, and man is deceived.  \nI saw the market and was amazed at it, that it runs before me.  \nHow many killers does the market kill, and no man perceives!  \nI thought that man is conducted in a simple manner.  \nOne corpse, if it be of a man, every man perceives.  \nIn houses, weeping, and in streets, also in the dancing-place,  \nuntil upon the gates of Sheol they cry out against me.  \nCry out against yourselves, that how many you err, and me you err!  \nSheol, then, will cry out against you, or the murderers.  \nIn vain, thread and stone and also a sling—  \nyou put to death the living, and you are insolent.  \nMan is bent from you, also a friend, also a kinsman.  \nFor in honor of a man, to your future ones,  \nupon bridal beds, man entices the wife of his friend,  \nand sweetly puts him to sleep at the hour of the banquet.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܚܕ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܰܣܩܺܝܪ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line addresses Satan and Death as agents of mutual destruction, a rhetorical device common in Ephrem's poetry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܫܝܽܘܠ","severity":"info","text":"Sheol (ܫܝܽܘܠ) is the underworld in Syriac tradition, often personified as a gatekeeper of the dead.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܒܶܝܬ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'house of judgment' (ܒܶܝܬ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ) evokes the imagery of a courtroom where Death presides, reflecting Syriac moral allegory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܡܳܐ ܡ̈ܰܘܬܶܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܠܥܳܕܝ̱","severity":"info","text":"The refrain 'how many deaths you have apart from me' parallels earlier passages in Nisibis 61 where Death boasts of its power over humanity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܰܣܩܺܝܪ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the evil one is hired' (ܘܰܣܩܺܝܪ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to Satan as a hired agent or to a general evil force.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-315","label":"source edition: Nisibis 61","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/315"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the evil one' (ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ) in line 1 is unclear—could be Satan or a generic evil entity.","The phrase 'you err me' (ܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܺܝ) in line 17 is ambiguous: it may mean 'you mistake me' or 'you lead me astray'."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}