{"slug":"dsc-515","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-515","title":"Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","title_source":"Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","author":"Barlaha","genre":"letter","date":"6th century","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T05:27:49Z","cost_usd":0.016368},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-515","work_id":"dsc-515","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"},"stats":{"passages":26,"english_words":7818,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":19306,"commentary_units":151,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":57,"work_notes":4,"external_links":3,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-515","abstract":"The Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms is a Syriac epistolary work attributed to an otherwise unknown author, Barlaha. It describes the translation of the Psalms into Syriac, likely from a Greek Vorlage, and references a prior translation by Athanasius of Alexandria and a ten-quire codex by a figure named Proameius. The letter survives in a single manuscript witness, with no critical apparatus, and its limited reception suggests circulation within a small scholarly or monastic circle. The text contains lacunae and partial reconstructions, and its dating remains uncertain, possibly belonging to the late antique or early Islamic period.","historical_context":"The letter is set within the Syriac Christian tradition, likely originating from a monastic milieu in the late antique or early Islamic period (possibly 6th–7th century). The sender, Barlaha, writes from the monastery of Mar Elisha in Beth Bishoi, while the recipient, Mar Simeon, is the superior of Beth Liqatius monastery on the Black Mountain (Ṭūrā ʾUkāmā), a known Syriac monastic centre. The work reflects ongoing efforts to produce Syriac translations of biblical texts, often from Greek, and engages with earlier translation traditions attributed to Athanasius of Alexandria and the otherwise unattested Proameius. The sparse manuscript transmission and lack of citation in later Syriac sources indicate limited circulation, possibly within a confined scholarly or ascetic network. The edition's lack of critical apparatus hinders assessment of scribal errors or emendations.","significance":"The letter provides rare evidence of Syriac translation practices and the transmission of the Psalms in late antique Christianity. It attests to a lost translation tradition associated with Athanasius and an otherwise unknown figure, Proameius, and highlights the role of monastic networks in textual production. Its survival in a single witness underscores the fragility of such works and the need for careful textual criticism.","timeline":[{"date":"4th c.","event":"Athanasius of Alexandria (d. 373) is named as author of a prior translation of the Psalms, possibly a lost Syriac version."},{"date":"6th–7th c. (uncertain)","event":"Barlaha writes the letter to Simeon, describing a new translation of the Psalms from Greek into Syriac."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Proameius produces a ten-quire codex of a prior translation of the Psalms, otherwise unattested."},{"date":"Undated","event":"The letter is copied in a single manuscript witness, with lacunae and partial reconstructions."},{"date":"Modern","event":"The edition is published without critical apparatus, limiting assessment of textual variants."}],"relations":[{"work":"Psalms (Syriac versions)","relation":"The letter describes a new translation of the Psalms into Syriac, likely from Greek.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Athanasius of Alexandria (works)","relation":"Athanasius is cited as author of a preceding translation of the Psalms, possibly a lost Syriac version.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Proameius (lost work)","relation":"Proameius is cited as source of a prior translation of the Psalms in a ten-quire codex, otherwise unattested.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Syriac Christianity","label":"Syriac Christianity","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Christianity","reason":"Provides background on the Syriac Christian tradition and monastic centres mentioned in the letter."},{"key":"wikipedia:Psalms","label":"Psalms","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms","reason":"Context for the biblical text being translated."},{"key":"wikipedia:Athanasius of Alexandria","label":"Athanasius of Alexandria","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria","reason":"Key figure cited in the letter as a translator of the Psalms."}],"cautions":["The date of the letter is uncertain; it may belong to the late antique or early Islamic period (6th–7th century).","The author Barlaha is otherwise unknown, and the recipient Simeon is not securely identified.","The work survives in a single manuscript witness with lacunae and partial reconstructions.","The edition lacks a critical apparatus, so scribal errors or emendations cannot be assessed.","The figure Proameius and his ten-quire codex are otherwise unattested."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000452,"generated":"2026-11-15T03:37:50Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Digital Syriac Corpus text","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org work record","url":"http://syriaca.org/work/9003"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org author record","url":"http://syriaca.org/person/45"}],"checks":{"work":"dsc-515","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":26,"translated":26,"commentary_passages":26,"commentary_units":151,"english_words":7818,"source_letters":19799,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter is attributed to Barlaha, a figure otherwise unknown. No external evidence securely dates the work; it may belong to the late antique or early Islamic period.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter describes the translation of the Psalms into Syriac, possibly from a Greek Vorlage. The manuscript tradition is sparse, with the present edition based on a single witness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter is not cited in later Syriac liturgical or exegetical sources. Its limited reception suggests it circulated only within a small scholarly or monastic circle.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not provide a critical apparatus or collation of variant readings. The reader cannot assess the manuscript's scribal errors or emendations from this edition alone.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily 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: letter in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 26 narrative."},{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","text":"1 scriptural phrase match(es) noted: Psalm 23:1."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":26},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-515":{"label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܐܓܪܬܐ ܡܚܦܛܢܝܬܐ ܕܦܘܫܩܗ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܦܘܫܩܐ\nܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܫܢܐ ܝܘܢܝܐ ܠܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ♱ ܠܪܚܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ\nܫܡܥܘܢ ܕܕܝܪܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܠܝܩܢܝܘܣ ܕܒܛܘܪܐ ܐܘܟܡܐ ܒܪܠܗܐ ܚܛܝܐ\nܘܒܨܝܪܐ ܕܚܒܝܫ ܒܣܝܓܬܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܠܝܫܥ ܕܡܪܢ ܒܬ .ܒܝܫܘܥ\nܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܥܠܡܐ ܘܣܒܪܐ ܕܡܝܬܵܐ ܘܕܚܝܵܐ ܫܠܡ ܀ ܠܘܩܕܡ ܡܪܝ\nܫܠܡܟ ܫܐܠܝܢܢ .ܘܡܦܝܣܝܢܢ ܠܟ ܕܬܨܠܐ ܥܠ ܡܚܝܠܘܬܢ ܕܢܬ... ܡܢ ܥܠܡܐ ܘܡܢ ܢܣܝܘܢܘܵܗܝ ܕܒܝܫܐ .ܘܐܦ ܚܢܢ ܡܪܝ ܐܝܟ ܚܝܡ..... ܕܒܨܝܪܘܬܢ ܡܨܠܝܢܢ ܥܠܝܟ ܘܥܠ ܕܟܠ ܕܥܡܟ .ܘܥܠ ܟܠ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܟ . ܕܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܪܚܡ ܐܢܫܐ ܕܒܜܝܠ ܠܗ ܥܠ ܚܝܵܐ ܕܓܒܝܠܬܗ .ܗܘ\nܢܬܠܟܘܢ ܒܪܵܚܡܐ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ ܘܢܦܨܝܟܘܢ ܡܢ ܥܠܡܐ ܒܝܫܐ ܘܡܢ\nܢܣܝܘܢܵܘܗܝ ܕܒܥܠܕܒܒܐ ܘܢܫܘܝܟܘܢ ܠܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܘܠܚܢܢܐ ܒܗ̇ܝ ܫܥܬܐ\nܕܡܬܒܥܝܢ ܪܵܚܡܐ ܐܝܢ ܘܐܡܝܢ ♱ ܡܘܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܠܚܘܒܟ ܕܐܬܐ\nܪܚܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܪܝ ܫܡܫܐ ܕܡܝܢܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܢ ܥܠ ܚܘܒܟܘܢ ܘܥܠ\nܜܢܢܟܘܢ ܕܚܠܦ ܕܚܠܬ ܐܠܗܐ .ܘܐܘܕܝܢܢ ܠܡܪܢ ܥܠ ܐܦܝܵܟܘܢ ܕܗܘ\nܒܪܵܚܡܘܗܝ ܢܫܠܡ ܥܡܟܘܢ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܚܪܬܐ ܐܝܢ ܘܐܡܝܢ\nܬܘܒ ܕܝܢ ܡܘܕܥܝܢܢ ܠܚܘܒܟܘܢ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܟܘܪܣܐ\nܕܥܣܪܐ ܛܪ̈ܦܝܢ ܡܢ ܡܵܠܐ ܕܦܪܘܐܡܝܘܢ ܕܩܕܡ ܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ.. ܕܜܘܒܬܢܐ ܐܬܢܘܣܝܘܣ .ܦܜܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܐܠܟܣܢܕܪܝܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܘܫܩܠܢܢ\nܢܨܚܢܗ ܘܡܬܚܢܓܝܢܢ ܗܫܐ ܠܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܦܬܓܡܵܘܗܝ ܐܠܐ ܡܜܠ\nܡܪܢ .ܐܢ ܦܫܝܩ ܠܟܘܢ ܘܚܕ ܢܒܝܐ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܗܘܐ ܐܘ ܬܪܝܢ ܥܕ..ܠ\nܘܦܫܩܝܗܝ .ܟܕ ܡܬܕܟܪ ܐܢܬ ܡܠܘܵܗܝ ܕܡܪܢ ܕܐܡܪ ܕܡܢܘ .... ܡܗܝܡܢܐ ܘܚܟܝܡܐ .","english":"An earnest letter concerning the translation of this book, which is the translation of the Psalms from the Greek language into the Syriac language. To the beloved of God, the superior, Mar Simeon, of the monastery of Beth Liqatius on the Black Mountain, Barlaha, a sinner and the least of those confined in the great monastery of Mar Elisha, which is in Beth Bishoi, the light of the world and the hope of the dead and the living, sends greetings. First, my lord, I ask after your health and entreat you to pray for my weakness, which is... from the world and from the snares of the Evil One. And also, my lord, as... in your humility, you pray for me and for all who are with you, and for all that is yours, that the Lord God may have mercy on the souls of those who trust in him over the life of his creation. May he cause you to walk in mercy before him, and may he deliver you from the evil world and from the snares of the enemy, and may he join you to mercy and to life at that hour when mercy is needed, now and always. I make known, moreover, to your love that the beloved of God, my lord the deacon of the church of Miusa, came and spoke to me about your love and about your zeal for the sake of the fear of God. And I confess to my lord concerning your face, that he, in his mercy, has completed with you his grace until the end, now and always. Again, moreover, I make known to your love that there was upon it a codex of ten quires from the translation of Proameius which preceded the translation of the Psalms... of the blessed Athanasius, Patriarch of Great Alexandria, and I took its copy and I am now occupied with the translation of its words, except for my lord. If it is easy for you and one scribe alone, or two, up to... and translate it, while you recall the words of my lord who said that from... the faithful and the wise.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܝܬ ܠܝܩܥܛܝܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Beth Liqatius is a monastery on the Black Mountain (Ṭūrā ʾUkāmā), a known Syriac monastic centre. The recipient Mar Simeon is its superior.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܠܝܫܥ","severity":"info","text":"The monastery of Mar Elisha, in Beth Bishoi, is the sender’s location. Barlaha describes himself as a sinner and the least confined there.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܘܫܩܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'translation of the Psalms' indicates the work is a Syriac version from Greek, not a commentary. The term ܦܘܫܩܐ (puššāqā) can mean 'translation' or 'interpretation'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܪܘܐܡܝܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Proameius (likely a Syriac rendering of a Greek name) is cited as the source of a prior translation of the Psalms in a ten-quire codex. This is otherwise unattested.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܬܢܘܣܝܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria (d. 373), is named as the author of a preceding translation of the Psalms. This may refer to a lost Syriac version associated with his name.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܢ... ܥܠܡܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has lacunae (marked by ellipses in the edition). The phrase 'from the world and from the snares of the Evil One' is partially reconstructed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Proameius' is uncertain; it may be a corruption or a rare name. The exact number of scribes requested is lost in a lacuna."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܕܢܩܝܡܝܘܗܝ ܡܪܗ ܥܠ ܒܝܬܗ ܕܢܬܠ\nܦܪܵܣܐ ܠܥܒܕܵܘܗܝ ܒܙܒܢܗ ܬܘܒ ܗܠܝܢ ܟܟܪܵܐ ܕܦܓܥ ܡܪܐ ܕܒܝܬܐ\nܕܥܒܕܵܘܗܝ ܕܢܚܘܘܢ ܝܘܬܪ̈ܢܗܝܢ .ܘܬܘܒ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܐܡܪ ܡܪܢ ܠܫܡܟܘܢ\nܕܪܥܝ ܠܝ ܥܪ̈ܒܝ ܘܐܡܪ̈ܝ ܘܢܩܘܵܬܝ .ܘܬܘܒ ܛܘܒܘܗ ܠܥ... ܕܡܫܬܒܚ ܫܡܐ ܕܡܪܗ ܡܛܠܬܗ. ܘܬܘܒ ܕܐܢܬܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܢܘܗܪܗ\nܕܥܠܡܐ ܘܡܠܚܗܿ ܕܐܪܥܐ .ܘܬܘܒ ܕܟܡܐ ܕܥܒܕܬܘܢ ܠܚܕ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ\nܙܥܘܪܵܐ ܠܝ ܥܒܕܬܘܢ ܘܬܘܒ ܕܐܣܘܪܘ ܣܝܦܝܵܟܘܢ ܘܥܒܪܘ ܩܕܡ\nܐܚܝܟܵܘܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܢܐܪܬܘܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܝܗܒ ܠܗܘܢ\nܕܥܡܡܵܐ .ܠܡܬܗܦܟܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܕ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܕܗܘܢܐ ܒܬܪ ܗܕܐ ܠܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܠܐܝܩܪ̈ܐ\nܕܠܚܪܬܐ ܗܘܝܢ ܠܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܠܥܠ ܠܪܗܜܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܡܬܚܒܠܢܘܬܐ ܕܦܓܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ\nܘܦܫܝܜܐܝܬ ܚܕܐ ܙܒܢ .ܟܠܡܕܡ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܕܠܘܬ ܝܘܬܪܢܐ ܘܦܘܪܩܢܐ ܠܚܡ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܦܓܥܝܢ . ܗܢܐ ܓܠܝܐܝܬ ܘܠܐ ܡܬܜܥܝܢܐܝܬ ܘܐܝܟ ܕܡܢ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܕܬܐܡܪ ܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܢܝܫܐ ܕܩܕܝܫܐ\nܒܣܝܠܝܘܣ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܩܣܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܐܡܝܪ ܠܗ ܥܠ ܬܵܠܬܐ ܦܬܓܵܡܐ ܩܕܵܡܝܐ\nܕܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܥܘܵܠܐ ܠܐ ܗܠܟ .ܟܠ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܒܪܘܚܐ ܗܘ ܕܩܘܕܫܐ ܘܡܥܕܪܢܐ\nܗܘ ܠܗܕܐ ܐܬܟܬܒ ܡܢ ܡܚܦܜܢܘܬܐ ܕܪܘܚܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ .ܕܐܝܟ ܕܡܢ ܒܝܬ ܐܣܝܘܬܐ ܕܓܘܐ ܟܠܗܘܢ\nܒܢܝܢܫܵܐ ܚܘܠܡܢܐ ܠܚܫܐ ܕܚܜܗܝܵܗܘܢ .ܡܢ ܟܬܒܵܐ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܢܫܬܟܚܘܢ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܓܝܪ\nܐܣܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܢܗܘܢ ܟܐܒܵܐ ܕܚܜܗܵܐ ܡܢܢ ܡܢܝܚܐ ܡܪܕܘܬܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܕܡܢ ܢܒܝܵܐ ܡܬܪܕܝܢܢ .","english":"...the Lord established over his house, spreading out for his servants at his time. Again, these are the words of the Lord to your names: \"He who tends my sheep, my lambs, and my turtledoves.\" And again, blessed is he who glorifies the name of his Lord because of him. And again, that you have come, you have seen the light of the world and its salt of the earth. And again, as much as you have done for one of these little ones, you have done for me. And again, they girded their swords and crossed before your brothers until you reached the land that the Lord God gave to the people. For the conversion that occurred through the faith that came after this to Israel, to the honors that at the end will be for the saints, to the city above, to the spirit that is with the corruption of bodies that are with the earth, and simply one time. Everything that is for the sake of benefit and salvation is fitting for these who encounter it. Now, clearly and unambiguously, and as with the Holy Spirit that says, there is a feast of the saints, Basil, bishop of Caesarea, in the discourse that is said to him concerning the three first words: \"Blessed is the man who does not walk the path of iniquity.\" Every book that is by the Spirit of holiness and is a helper was written for this with the zeal of the Spirit of God. For just as in a house of healing within, all seek health for the pain of their sins. With the holy book, you will truly find healing for the pain of sin through Christ. Therefore, discipline that is with the rod is disciplined.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text is heavily corrupted, with many sequences of letters that do not form coherent words. The English draft attempts to reconstruct a sense, but the underlying Syriac is often unintelligible.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܪܥܝ ܠܝ ܥܪ̈ܒܝ ܘܐܡܪ̈ܝ ܘܢܩܘܵܬܝ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'He who tends my sheep, my lambs, and my turtledoves' echoes pastoral imagery from the Psalms and the New Testament, but no single verse is directly quoted.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܣܝܠܝܘܣ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܩܣܪܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379) is cited as the author of a discourse on the first three words of a psalm, likely Psalm 1:1. This reflects the reception of Basil's homilies in Syriac monastic circles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains numerous scribal errors, including repeated letters and nonsensical sequences (e.g., ܕܢܩܝܡܝܘܗܝ, ܕܢܬܠ). The English draft is a speculative reconstruction and should be used with caution.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative section within the letter, where Barlaha strings together a series of scriptural allusions and patristic references to support his translation work.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text is too corrupt to determine the exact wording or meaning of many phrases; the English draft is a best guess.","The reference to 'the three first words' likely points to Psalm 1:1, but the specific discourse of Basil is not identified."],"confidence":"low","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܡܕܡ ܗܝ ܐܚܪܝܢ ܘܬܫܥܝܵܬܐ ܕܟܘܵܘܢܐ ܕܡܢ ܕܝܢܵܐ ܘܡܢ ܣܦܪ ܡܠܟܵܐ ܐܣܟܡܐ ܐܢܝܵܢ ܐܚܪܢܐ\nܘܙܘܗܪܐ ܕܡܢ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܜܟܣܐ ܗܘ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܘܡܵܬܠܐ ܘܦܵܠܐܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܚܟܡܬ ܫܠܡܘܢ ܕܡܘܬܐ\nܐܢܵܝܢ ܐܚܪܬܐ ܘܟܕ ܕܚܠܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܪܫܝܡܐ ܒܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܟܠ ܦܘܪ̈ܫܢܝܢ .ܐܠܐ ܬܫܥܵܝܬܗܘܢ\nܦܪܵܫܝܢ ܐܢܝܵܢ ܡܢ ܚܕܵܕܐ ܒܟܬܒܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܥܘܕܪܢܐ ܕܡܢ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܟܬܒܵܐ\nܡܟܢܫ ܒܗ ܘܜܥܡܐ ܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܪܫܝܡ ܒܗ. ܡܬܢܒܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܥܬܝܕܵܢ ܘܡܫܬܥܐ ܐܦ\nܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܗ̈ܘܝ. ܘܐܬܒܪܝ. ܘܫܟܝܚ ܒܗ ܚܝܠܗ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ ܙܕܝܩܐܝܬ. ܘܐܣܝܢܝܢ ܒܗ\nܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܩܕܵܡܝܐ ܟܐܢܐܝܬ ܘܣܟܐ ܒܝܬ ܐܣܢܐ ܗܘ ܕܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܕܜܒܵܬܐ ܕܫܟܝܚܝܢ\nܡܢܗ ܥܘܕܪܵܢܐ .ܠܐܝܢܐ ܕܒܜܝܠ ܠܗ ܕܢܩܪܒ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܚܫܵܘܗܝ ܒܒܥܬܗ ܡܬܐܣܝܢ ܒܗ\nܓܝܪ ܐܦ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܥܬܩܢܢ ܒܗܘܢ ܚܒܪ̈ܬܐ ܕܚܛܗ̈ܐ. ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܪ̈ܘܐܝܢ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܚܘܵܬܐ\nܕܒܘܝܨܪܵܐ ܡܬܚܠܡܝܢ ܡܢܗ .ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܕܠܐ ܢܟܝܢܐ ܒܙܕܝܩܘܬܗܘܢ ܡܬܢܜܪܝܢ\nܒܙܘܗܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܣܒܐ ܡܕܟܝܢܐ ܗܘ ܕܚܫܵܐ ܕܥܘܠܐ .ܟܠ ܟܡܐ ܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܟܬܡܝܢ ܒܢܦܫܵܬܐ\nܕܩܢܵܚܗܘܢ ܘܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܐܢܫ ܕܢܥܕܪ ܢܦܫܗ ܡܢ ܒܘܝܐܐ ܕܩܠܐ ܟܐܢܐ ܘܒܣܝܡܐ .ܒܝܕ\nܚܘܫܒܐ ܕܪܓܬܐ ܙܗܝܬܐ .ܡܜܠ ܕܝܢ ܕܚܙܬ ܪܘܚܐ ܕܩܘܕܫܐ ܕܥܜܠܐܝܬ ܡܬܩܪܒ ܓܢܣܐ\nܕܒܢܝܢܵܫܐ ܠܬܩܢܘܬܐ ܘܡܜܠ ܕܢܬܒܐ ܗܝ ܒܗܘܢ ܒܥܠܡܐ ܪܓܬܐ ܕܒܣܝܢܵܐ ܡܢ ܩܵܠܐ ܡܫܟܪ̈ܐ\nܕܢܐܬܘܢ ܨܝܕ ܕܘܒܪܐ ܬܪܝܨܐ ܢܣܒܬ ܒܫܡ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܩܵܠܐ ܘܪ̈ܟܢܐ ܦܐܝܵܐ ܘܚܠܛܬ\nܐܢܘܢ ܒܦܘܩܕܢܵܐ ܕܚܝܵܐ.","english":"Something else: the histories of the stars, from the law of the house and from the book of the king, another order and another warning from the law, another type, and a parable and a division from the wisdom of Solomon of the same kind, another likeness. And when the fear of God is inscribed in all of them in all their distinctions, yet their narrative is distinct from one another in the book of the holy Psalter, which is a help from all the books. It is mixed in it, and the taste of all of them is inscribed in it. For it is filled with what is past and also narrates what is to come. And it is created and found in it the power of the law righteously, and in it are healed the deeds of the ancients faithfully, and the purpose of the house of healing is that of the teaching of the good things that are found from it as a help. For whoever has recourse to it, that he may bring his afflictions to his petition, is healed by it. For also those who have transgressed in it are companions of sins, and those who are beginners in it are healed from the marks of the furnace, and those who are without stain in their righteousness are enriched by its warnings. And the pure old man is the affliction of iniquity. However much they are sealed in the souls of their cry, and a man could help himself from the lamentation of a faithful and sweet voice, by the thought of a shining desire. Because the spirit of holiness saw that it quickly approaches the body of the evil one for correction, and because it is written in them in the world the desire of the sweet one with the enticing voice that came for the sake of right conduct, it took in the name of the holy psalms a voice and beautiful melodies and mixed them with the commandment of life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative section of the letter, shifting from direct address to a broader description of the Psalter's contents and functions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܫܥܵܝܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܬܫܥܵܝܬܐ (tašʿīṯā) means 'history' or 'narrative', here referring to the stories or accounts contained in the Psalter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'holy Psalter' (ܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ) refers to the Book of Psalms, which Barlaha describes as a help encompassing all other scriptures.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'histories of the stars' and 'book of the king' likely alludes to astrological and royal wisdom traditions, possibly from the Wisdom of Solomon or other deuterocanonical works.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha's description of the Psalter as a healing text for sins and afflictions reflects a common Syriac monastic reception of the Psalms as therapeutic and didactic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains several ambiguous phrases, such as 'the pure old man is the affliction of iniquity', which may be corrupt or require emendation for clarity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the pure old man is the affliction of iniquity' is obscure; it may be a textual corruption or a metaphorical expression not fully recoverable.","The reference to 'histories of the stars' could be interpreted as astrological or astronomical, but the exact source is unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܢܝܚܐܝܬ ܘܒܣܝܡܐܝܬ ܡܫܡܥܬܐ ܕܐܢܫܘܬܢ܆ ܥܘܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܡܢ\nܡܠܐ ܕܒܗܘܢ ܟܕ ܪܓܝܓܐ ܬܩܒܠ ܐܝܟ ܟܡܐ ܕܥܒܕܝܢ ܐܦ ܐܣܘܵܬܐ ܚܟܝܡܵܐ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܨܒܝܢ\nܕܢ..ܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܣܡܡܵܢܐ ܩܫܝܵܐ ܠܥܘܕܪܢܗܘܢ ܕܒܕܒܫܐ ܚܠܛܝܢ .......................... ܐܣܝܘܬܗܘܢ ܒܟܣܐ ܒܣܡܐ ܚܪܝܦܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܒܗܕܐ ܕܡܘܬܐ ܐܬܪܟܒܘ ܠܢ ܦܘܩܕܵܢܐ ܒܩܵܠܐ\nܦܐܝܵܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ .ܒܒܛܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ .ܕܐܘ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܛܠܝܘܬܐ ܢܩܝܦܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܡܫܘܚܬܗܿ ܆ܐܘ\nܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܒܪܥܝܢܗܘܢ ܛܠܝܢ ܡܢ ܛܥܡܐ ܡܝܬܪܐ܆ ܬܚܠܕ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܠܬܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܝܕ ܙܘܡܪ̈ܐ\n..........ܕܢܦܫܬܗܵܘܢ ܡܠܬ ܫܠܝܚܐ ܓܝܪ ܘܡܠܬ ܢܒܝܐ ܕܠܝܠܐܝܬ ܡܬܠܒܟܐ ܒܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܕܣܓܝܵܐܐ\nܕܐܝܬ ܝܘܡܢ ܒܣܝܢܐ ܥܠܝܗܝܢ ܡܢ ܫܚܝܡܘܬܗܝܢ ܡܵܠܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܡܛܠ ܩܠܐ\nܕܟܕܝܢ ܒܗܝܢ ܐܢܫ ܒܥܘܗܕܢܗ ܩܒܥ ܠܗܝܢ ܪܓܝܓܐܝܬ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܦ ܒܒܵܬܐ ܦܫܝܩ . ܕܢܙܕܡܪ̈ܢ ܘܒܫܘܩܵܐ ܕܢܬܬܢܝܵܢ ܘܒܐܘܪ̈ܚܬܐ ܕܢܬܐܡܪ̈ܢ ܒܩܵܠܐ ܕܢܟܦܘܬܐ .ܗܟܢܐ ܕܐܢ ܐܝܬ\nܐܢܫ ܕܐܝܟ ܚܡܬܐ ܕܚܝܘܬܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܚܡܬܗ .ܒܪܫܥܬܗ ܕܡܫܪܐ ܕܢܙܡܪ .ܐܘ ܕܢܦܠ\nܒܐܕܢܘܗ̈ܝ ܙܘܡܪܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ܆ ܒܗ ܒܗܢܐ ܩܠܐ ܒܣܝܡܐ܆ ܡܦܝܣ ܠܚܡܬܗ ܕܬܫܢܐ. ܘܠܗ̇ܝ ܩܫܝܘܬܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ ܕܠܝܠܐܝܬ ܡܕܡܟ ܠܗܿ ܒܗ..","english":"as it were sweetly and gently the hearing of men, the helps of the word that is in them, when a melody is received, as much as they do, also the wise tones to those who wish that they... a hard drug for their help, which they mix with honey... their healing in a sweet sharp medicine, thus in this manner they were composed for you, the command in a beautiful voice of the Psalms. In the idleness of God, or those of childhood are bound to its measure, or those whose minds are childish from a superior taste, the divine word will be changed in them through songs... of their own selves, for the word of the apostle and the word of the prophet, which is nightly adorned in the memory of many, that there is a day in a simple manner over them from their humility, but the words of the Psalms because of the voice that is weary in them, a man in his memory fixes them melodiously, as also in the house simple, that the singers and in the street that are recited and in the roads that are said in a voice of humility, thus if there is a man whose anger is like the anger of a beast, in his wickedness he begins to sing, or falls into the hands of others with a song, in this same sweet voice he appeases his anger so that it subsides, and to that hardness of soul which nightly sleeps in it...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܒܛܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in the idleness of God' is obscure; it may reflect a scribal error or a rare idiom for divine leisure or inactivity, but the sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܙܘܡܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'zomrē' (songs) is a key lexical item in Syriac psalmody, often denoting liturgical chants; here it is linked to the therapeutic effect of the Psalms on anger.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܐܣܘܵܬܐ ܚܟܝܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'wise tones' (aswātā ḥakīmā) reflect a Hellenistic musical theory, common in Syriac monastic literature, where music is seen as a moral and therapeutic tool.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܣܝܘܬܗܘܢ ܒܟܣܐ ܒܣܡܐ ܚܪܝܦܐ","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of healing with a sharp medicine mixed with honey parallels Ephrem's Hymns on Faith (e.g., Hymn 1), where bitter truth is sweetened for the hearer.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܘܩܕܵܢܐ ܒܩܵܠܐ ܦܐܝܵܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks a structural shift from a list of scriptural genres to a direct address about the Psalms' composition, introduced by 'thus in this manner they were composed for you'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܢ..ܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܣܡܡܵܢܐ ܩܫܝܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text is corrupt here (lacunae marked by dots); the phrase 'a hard drug' is conjectural, and the surrounding syntax is broken, making the exact sense uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'in the idleness of God' is ambiguous; it may be a scribal error or a rare theological idiom.","The lacunae in the Syriac text obscure the precise meaning of the drug metaphor.","The referent of 'their own selves' (ܕܢܦܫܬܗܵܘܢ) is unclear—possibly the singers or the words."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܥܠܬ ܫܝܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ\nܕܢܦܫܵܬܐ ܘܡܘܗܒܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܫܠܡܐ .ܘܡܒܗܵܠܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܬܪ̈ܥܝܬܐ ܡܐ ܕܫܓܝܫܵܢ ܘܕܠܝܚܵܢ\nܒܗܿܐܢܐ ܡܪܥܕܐܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܢܦܫܐ ܕܫܪܟܐ ܠܚܡܬܐ ܡܢ ܥܩܬܐ ܡܪܕܘܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܪܕܝܢ\nܐܢ ܡܝܬܝܢ ܥܠ ܒܠܗܘܢ ܡܢܐ ܡܙܡܪܝܢ ܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܓܝܪ ܡܟܢܫܢܵܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܪܚܡܬܐ ܘܡܩܪ̈ܒܢܐ\nܐܢܘܢ ܕܪ̈ܚܝܩܐ ܘܐܘܝܘܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܦܠܝܓܵܐ ܘܡܫܝܢܢܵܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܒܥܠܕܒܒܘܬܐ ܡܢܘ ܓܝܪ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܟܚܕ\nܕܢܗܘܐ ܠܗ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܐ .ܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܕܫܡܪ ܩܠܗ ܒܡܠܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܐܡܪ\nܕܪܚܡ ܥܠܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܟ ܜܝܒܘܬܟ .ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܬܪܟܢ .ܪܒܘܬܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܜܒܵܬܐ ܕܐܝܬ̄ܘ\nܚܘܒܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ ܒܝܕ ܙܘܡܪܐ ܗܘܝܐ .ܐܬܦܪܢܣ ܠܢ .ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܣܓܵܝܐܐ ܚܕ ܢܗܘܢ ܒܬܫܵܒܚܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ\nܘܡܢ ܥܡܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ .ܚܕ ܟܢܫܐ ܢܫܬܟܚ ܒܙܘܡܪܐ ܕܫܠܡܘܬܐ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܓܝܪ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܪ̈ܕܘܦܐ ܐܢܘܢ\nܕܫܐܕܵܐ ܘܐܝܟ ܕܡܢ ܐܣܟܡܐ ܕܡܠܐܟܵܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܥܘܕܪܢܐ ܕܡܢܗܘܢ ܨܐܕܝܢ ܙܝܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܠܐ ܩܢܛܐ\nܡܢ ܠܝܠܘܵܬܐ ܕܚܠܬܐ ...ܚܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܗܘܓܝܗܘܢ ܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܥܡܵܠܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܝܡܡܐ ܒܫܠܝܗ ܕܠܠܝܐ ܕܛܠܝܘܬܐ\nܓܝܪ ܡܙܗܪܵܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܗܕܣܗܿ ܕܒܗܘܢ .ܕܥܠܝܡܘܬܐ ܡܜܟܣܵܢܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܚܫܐ ܕܡܢ ܬܢܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܣܝܒܘܬܐ\nܒܘܣܡܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܦܘܪܓܝܐ ܡܟܕܪܢܐ .ܘܕܢܫܵܐ ܬܨܒܝܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܡܬܒܥܝܐ ܒܪܢܝܐ ܜܒܐ ܕܒܗܘܢ ܘܚܘܪܒܐ\nܘܨܕܝܗ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܫܬܝܢ ܡܢ ܫܡܥܗܘܢ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܫܘܵܩܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܙܕܗܝܢ ܒܗܘܵܠܠܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘ\nܘܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܫܘܪܝܐ ܕܥܢܝܢܐ ܜܒܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܬܩܪܒܝܢ ܠܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܬܪܒܝܬܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ....","english":"The Psalms, therefore, are the cause of the help of the souls and the gift of peace, and the cause of the calming of the thoughts when they are disturbed and troubled. For they are the trembling of the soul of the rest of the passions, from the anger and the wrath and the rebellion of those who are not subdued, even if they come upon their mind when they sing a psalm. For the psalm is the subduer of love and the bringer together of those who are far apart, and the union of what is divided, and the reconciler of enmities. For who is not aware that he has an enemy? After he has heard his voice in the word of God in a holy psalm and says, \"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your grace,\" along with the rest that follows after? For the multitude of the good things that exist are a true debt through the melody that occurs. It was opened to you, as many as one were in the praise of the psalm and with many peoples, one charm was found in the melody of the Psalms. For the Psalms are truly pursuers of the demon, and as with the form of an angel, they are the help of those who pursue the armor of those who are not cut off, with the nights of fear... they are in their meditation, after the labor of the day, in the quiet of the night of youth. For they are the warning in the instruction that is in them, the covering of youth, the covering in the pain of their error of old age, the comfort in the continuous festival, and the good desire that is sought in the good intention that is in them, and the desert and the drought in them are quenched with their holy hearing, and the market in them is adorned with the splendor of God, and they are the beginning of the good work of those who approach the teaching of God and the education of those who...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term mazmūrē (ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ) is a loan from Hebrew mizmôr, used in the Peshitta for the biblical Psalms. Barlaha employs it generically for the Psalter as a whole.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܪܚܡ ܥܠܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܟ ܜܝܒܘܬܟ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your grace” echoes Psalm 51:1 (LXX 50:1) and similar penitential verses, though it is not a direct citation of any single Peshitta verse.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܘܡܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term zūmārā (ܙܘܡܪܐ) denotes both melody and the act of singing. Barlaha’s emphasis on the therapeutic and unifying power of psalmody reflects a widespread Syriac ascetical tradition, seen also in the works of Ephrem and Isaac of Nineveh.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܗܟܝܠ","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with ܗܟܝܠ (“therefore”), marking a logical conclusion from the preceding analogy of medicine mixed with honey. The following series of predicates (cause, gift, calming) forms a rhetorical chain typical of Syriac epistolary exhortation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܢ ܠܝܠܘܵܬܐ ܕܚܠܬܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase “with the nights of fear” is followed by a lacuna in the manuscript (indicated by ellipsis in the edition). The sense of the following clause is uncertain; the translation “they are in their meditation” is a plausible reconstruction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܓܝܪ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܪ̈ܕܘܦܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܫܐܕܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The claim that the Psalms are “pursuers of the demon” parallels a common motif in Syriac monastic literature, where psalmody is a weapon against demonic forces (cf. the Life of Antony and the writings of John of Apamea).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna after ܕܚܠܬܐ leaves the exact content of the nightly meditation unclear; the translation assumes a continuation of the theme of protection.","The phrase ܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܥܡܵܠܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܝܡܡܐ could be read as either “after the labor of the day” or “after the labor that is of the day”; the sense is not materially affected."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ܦܐܪܝܢ\nܒܦܘܠܚܢܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܘܫܪܝܪܘܬܗܘܢ ܕܓܡܝܪ̈ܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܬܩܝܡܐ ܘܣܟܗܿ ܘܡܠܬܗܿ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܘܩܠܗܿ\nܗܢܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܟܕ ܪܥܡܝܢ ܒܒܢܵܝܗܿ .ܗܕܪܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܘܒܘܣܡܐ ܕܥܐܕܵܝܢ ܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܒܩܠܝܗܵܘܢ ܘܕܪܒܐ\nܡܢ ܟܠ܀ ܡܬܩܢܢܵܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܥܩܬܐ ܕܡܜܠ ܐܠܗܐ .ܒܡܢ ܕܠܒܫ ܚܫܐ ܕܡܢ ܡܠܝܗܵܘܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܡܐ ܚܫܝܢ\nܡܙܝܥܝܢ ܠܢܦܫܐ ܕܙܡܪܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܒܡܕܥܗܿ ܕܐܦ ܡܢ ܠܒܐ ܕܟܐܦܐ ܢܝܬܘܢ ܕܡܟܵܐ ܒܚܙܬܗ ܕܡܘܬܐ\nܐܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܥܒܕܗܘܢ ܕܡܠܐܟܵܐ ܘܕܘܒܪܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܫܡܝܢܐ ܒܐܢܫܐ ܕܫܠܡܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܟܕ ܡܙܡܪܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ\nܚ..ܘܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܪܘܚܢܝܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܡܪ ܡܬܢܒܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܨܠܘܬܝ ܠܡ ܐܝܟ ܥܜܪܐ ܩܕܡܝܟ .ܐܘ ܠܗܕܐ\nܚܟܡܬ ܒܜܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܗܢܐ ܡܪܐ ܡܐܦܢܐ ܕܟܕ ܡܙܡܪܝܢܢ ܡܠܘܵܗܝ ܥܘܕܪܢܝܢ ܕܢܐܠܦ ܬܩܢ ܠܢ ܒܗܝܢ\nܠܚܝܝܵܢ. ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܒܢܦܫܵܬܢ܆ ܢܬܫܬܡ ܐܬܦܪܣ. ܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܩܛܝܪܐ܆ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚܐ ܕܢܩܘܐ\nܒܝܕܥܬܢ ܕܠܐ ܪܚܡܬܐ ܡܓܪܓܢܝܬܐ ܕܨܐܕܘܗܝ ܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܦܐܝܘܬܐ ܕܚܘܒܐ ܕܙܘܡܪܐ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ\nܡܣܬܪܟ ܒܡܕܥܢ ܕܢܗܘܐ ܠܒܢܝܢܐ ܕܢܦܫܵܬܢ ܡܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܠܐ ܐܝܬ ܠܟ ܕܬܐܠܦ ܡܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܒܫܪ̈ܒܝܗܘܢ\nܐܢ ܓܢܒܪܘܬܐ ܕܦܐܝܐ ܒܚܠܝܨܘܬܐ ܕܜܒܵܬܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܝܠܦ ܐܝܬ ܘܐܢ ܒܜܝܠܘܬܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ\nܫܡܥ ܐܝܬ .ܘܐܢ ܙܗܝܪܘܬܐ ܒܣܘܓܐܐ ܕܢܜܝܪܘܬܗܿ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܬ .ܘܐܢ ܓܡܝܪܘܬܐ ܕܬܪܥܝܬܐ\nܕܡܕܪܫܐ ܒܜܟܡܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܒܗܘܢ ......ܘܐܢ ܕܐܝܟܢܐ ܐܢܫ ܢܚܒ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܡܙܓܐ ܘܐܢ ...... ܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀܀ ܕܬܝܒܘܬܐ ܫܪܝܪܬܐ ܗܢܘ ܡ..ܝܢ ܘܐܢ ܕܚܠܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܝܟܢܐ ܗܝ ܒܗܘܢ .","english":"...in the work of righteousness and the truth of the perfect ones, they are established, and the limit and the word of the Church and its voice are they, when they resound in its prayer. They are, indeed, the adornment and the delight of the feasts, the psalm with its tones and the order from all. They are the foundation of the knowledge of God, in that they clothe the sense of the word from its utterances. For thus, when they are felt, they move the soul of the singer in its mind, so that even from the heart of stone the thought of death is brought forth. They are, indeed, the works of the angel and the heavenly conduct in the fire of those who are perfected, when they sing them. They are a spiritual sweetness, as it is said, \"The followers of my prayer are not like a cloud before you.\" Or to this wisdom in the power of this Lord, the manifestation that when they sing, his words help them, so that he may teach you to establish yourself in them for life. As for the souls, it will be completed and spread. For the teaching of the bond cannot endure in your knowledge without the love that draws it. The teaching, indeed, which from the beauty of the love of the singer especially is woven in the mind, so that it becomes a petition of the souls. For what do you not have to learn from the Psalms in their branches? Either the manliness of the beautiful in the strength of the good from them is learned, or in the power of righteousness from them is heard, or vigilance in the abundance of its watchfulness is found in them, or the perfection of the intention of the school in the wisdom of God is in them... or how a man loves God is mixed in them, and... of true repentance is he... and of the fear of God, how it is in them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܐܪܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܦܐܪܝܥ (pāʿrīʿ) likely means 'adornment' or 'glory', here applied to the Psalms as liturgical ornaments.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܬܥܒܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܨܠܘܬܝ ܠܡ ܐܝܟ ܥܢܪܐ ܩܕܡܝܟ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the followers of my prayer are not like a cloud before you' may echo Psalm 18:10 or a similar verse, but the exact source is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܩܛܝܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'bond' (ܩܛܝܪܐ, qaṭīrā) likely refers to the covenant or ascetic discipline binding the monastic community, a common theme in Syriac letters.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the Psalms' spiritual efficacy, moving from their calming effect to their role in teaching virtue and divine love.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains lacunae and uncertain readings, especially near the end (e.g., ܚ..ܘܬܐ, ܡ..ܝܥ), making the precise sense of 'spiritual sweetness' and 'repentance' unclear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the followers of my prayer' may be a biblical allusion or a liturgical formula; the exact referent is uncertain.","The lacunae in the Syriac obscure the final clauses about repentance and fear of God."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ܓܠܝܐ ܘܐܢ ܡܫܘܚܬܐ ܕܡܣܝܒܪܢܘܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܐܢܫ ܕܐܡܪ ܕܟܠܗܝܢ ܜܒܵܬܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܐܣܝܵܢܢ .ܘܐܢ ܕܐܠܗܐ\nܕܠܐ ܢܬܚܠܦ ܒܡܕܡ ܗܢܘܢ ܩܥܝܢ .ܘܐܢ ܕܬܘܟܠܢܐ ܕܪܒ ܡܢ ܕܝܠܗ ܠܝܬ ܗܢܘܢ ܡܦܝܣܝܢ ܒ\nܒܫܘܦܪܗܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܓܡܝܪܬܐ ܕܥܠܝܗܿ ܘܥܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ\nܕܡܬܚܙܐ ܒܒܣܪ ܘܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܥܠ....ܩܕܡܐܝܝܢ ܡܵܠܐ ܕܥܠܘܗܝ ܘܠܘܚܡܐ ܘܕܝܢܐ\nܕܥܬܝܕ ܒܗܘܢ ܩܫܝܐܝܬ ܪܫܝܡ ܘܣܒܪܐ ܕܩܝܡܬܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܠܒܝܒܐܝܬ ܡܟܬܒ ܘܕܚܠܬܐ\nܕܬܫܢܝܩܐ ܕܩܝܡ ܗܢܘܢ ܒܟܐܢܘܬܐ ܡܦܫܩܝܢ ܘܡܘܠܟܢܵܐ ܕܚܝܵܐ ܕܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܡܬܕܪܟܝܢ\nܘܓܠܝܢܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܐܙܐ ܫܒܝܚܵܐ ܒܗܘܢ ܝܕܝܥܝܢ ܘܟܠ ܝܘܬܪ̈ܢܝܢ ܠܟܠܗ ܓܢܣܐ ܕܒܢܝܢܫܵܐ ܒܗ ܒܗܢܐ ܟܬܒܐ\nܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܜܡܝܪܝܢ .ܐܝܟ ܕܢܗܘܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܠܟܠܢܫ ܒܝܬ ܓܙܐ ܫܒܝܚܐ ܕܥܘܬܪܐ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܡܣܟܢ\nܒܣܝܡܵܬܐ ܪܘܪ̈ܒܬܐ ܕܒܗ ܗܝ ܕܚܠܦ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܘܪ̈ܓܢܐ ܕܡܘܣܝܩܐ ܕܡܬܐܡܪܝܢ ܕܙܡܪܐ ܣܒܪ ܐܢܐ\nܕܡܜܠ ܗܕܐ ܪܟܒ ܢܒܝܐ ܘܚܘܝܢ ܙܘܡܪܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܒܡܵܠܘܗܝ ܒܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܒܗ ܢܩܫܐ\nܗܘܬ ܥܠܬܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܚܪܬܐ ܕܢܬܠܘܢ ܩܠܐ ܒܟܠ ܩܝܢܵܢ܆ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܘܪ̈ܓܢܐ ܕܡܘܣܝܩܐ ܠܝܬܝܗܿ ܒܐܡܝܢ\nܕܙܡܪܝܢ ܒܗܘܢ ܐܠܐ ܗܕܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܗܘܝܐ ܫܘܪܝܐ ܠܩܠܗܘܢ ܠܒܪ ܡܢ ܩܝܬܪܐ ܘܟܢܪܐ ܕܒܝܕ ܢܩܘܫܐ\nܡܢ ܠܬܚܬ ܒܗܝܢ .ܝܗܒ ܩܠܐ ܢܚܫܐ ܡܢ ܡܢܵܐ ܥܠܬܐ ܕܝܢ ܕ..ܪܗ ܕܢܒܝܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܢ ܠܟܠ\nܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܗܘܬ ܐܝܟܐ ܕܪܚܡܬܗ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܗܘܬ ܒܪܘܟܒܐ ܓܝܪ ܕ..ܡܙܐ ܕܒܢܩܫܬܐ ܬܩܢ ܠܢ ܙܡܪܐ\nܕܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܠܦܘܪܩܢܢ ܕܚܢܢ ܒܬܪ ܗܝ ܒܥܬܐ ܥܠܝܬܐ ܢܪܗܜ ܡܢ ܕܘܪܫܐ ܕܩܵܠܐ ܩܕܵܝܡܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܬܪ\nܪܓܬܐ ܕܩܝܢܵܬܐ ܨܝܕ ܚܫܘܵܗܝ ܕܦܓܪܐ ܢܬܬܚܬܐ ܆ܒܫܘܚܜܐ ܕܡܫܡܥܬܢ ܕܡܪܦܝܐ ܚܝܠܐ ܡܪܡܪܐ ....","english":"...manifest and the measure of patience, as one who says that all goods are in them, a remedy. And that of God, which is unchangeable in anything, they are a cry. And that of trust, which has no equal, they are persuaders.\n\nFor by the beauty of the Psalms, the complete Word of divinity concerning her and concerning Christ, who is seen in the flesh and is God over..., is found. The fullness of him, and the bread and the judgment that is destined in them are harshly inscribed, and the hope of the resurrection is in them bravely written, and the fear of the affliction that stands in them they interpret with lamentation, and the kingdoms of the life of glory are in them attained, and the revelations of the glorious mysteries are in them known, and all the benefits for the whole race of humanity are in this book of the Psalms hidden. As if it were for everyone a glorious treasury of inexhaustible wealth.\n\nThe great treasures that are in it are those that surpass all the instruments of music that are spoken of. For the art of music, because of this, the prophet composed and showed holy song in his words with the holy spirit, which is from above. In it, the plectrum was the cause. For there was another cause for the sound to be raised in every string. All the instruments of music do not have the sound that they produce in them, but this one that is from above is the beginning of their sound, apart from the cithara and the kithara, which by the plectrum from below in them gives a harsh sound. The cause, however, of the prophet of God is for all. It was where his love was. For in the composition of the psalm, the plectrum strikes the song of righteousness for the salvation of life. After that, the high prayer of the plectrum, with the discourse of the first sound, and not after the desire of the strings for the pleasure of the lower body. In the joy of the hearing of the weak, the harsh power...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Psalms are described as a 'glorious treasury of inexhaustible wealth' and as containing the complete Word of divinity, Christology, and eschatological themes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܥܩܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'plectrum' (ܥܩܫܐ) is used metaphorically for the instrument of divine inspiration in psalmody, contrasting with earthly musical instruments.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܐܘܪ̈ܓܢܐ ܕܡܘܣܝܩܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage contrasts the Psalms with musical instruments (cithara, kithara), reflecting Syriac liturgical practice where psalmody is seen as superior to instrumental music.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from praising the Psalms as a treasury to a technical discussion of musical causation, comparing divine inspiration to the plectrum's role.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܡܬܚܙܐ ܒܒܣܪ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Christ, who is seen in the flesh and is God' echoes incarnational theology common in Syriac exegesis of the Psalms, possibly referencing Christological readings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܥܠ....ܩܕܡܐܝܝܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna after 'God over...' (ܕܥܠ....ܩܕܡܐܝܝܢ), making the exact referent uncertain; the English draft supplies 'the fullness of him' as a conjectural reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna after 'God over...' leaves the object of the phrase unclear; the reading 'the fullness of him' is a plausible reconstruction but not certain.","The phrase 'the harsh power...' at the end is incomplete in the Syriac, breaking off mid-sentence."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ܘܠܗܠ ܕ..ܪ ܡܬܢܬܦܐ ܕܬܣܬܓܦ ܝܘܡܐܝܬ ܓܝܪ ܕܡܜܠ ܥܠܬ ܝܘܬܪܢܢ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܘܡܬܐ ܕܢܒܝܘܬܐ\nܒܙܘܡܪܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܥܡܝܩܐܝܬ ܘܚܟܝܡܐܝܬ ܐܬܚܘܝܬ ܠܢ ܒܐܣܟܝܡܐ ܕܬܘܩܢܗ ܕܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܕܐܝܟܢܐ\nܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܡܠܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܒܡܙܡܘܪܵܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܚܢܢ ܕܠܥܠ ܢܬܪܒܐ ܒܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܐܝܬ\nܠܗܘܢ ܒܜܝܠܘܬܐ ܥܠ ܬܘܩܢܐ ܕܢܦܫܵܬܗܘܢ ܐܘܪܚܗܘܢ ܕܒܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܠܝܠܐܝܬ ܥܠ ܐܦܵܝ ܚܝܝܵܗܘܢ\nܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܠܥܠ ܥܒܕܝܢ ܠܗܿ ܀ ܕܐܘܣܒܝܘܣ ܕܦܡܦܠܘܠܘܣ ܫܪܒܐ ܕܥܠ ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܡܘܕܥ\nܒܗ ܕܡܢܐ ܚܝܠܐ ܜܥܝܢ ܟܠ ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܘܡܢܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܢܝܫܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ\nܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܐܚܝܕ܆ ܒܬܪ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ. ܘܐܪ.. ܒܬܪ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ܆ ܟܬܒܐ ܡܠܦܢܝܐ\nܗܢܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܟܕ ܗܟܝܠ ܒܬܪ ܫܘܠܡܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܕܝܫܘܥ ܘܒܬܪ ܕܵܝܢܐ ܗܕܐ ܕܘܝܕ ܐܝܟ ܡܢ\nܕܐܫܬܘܝ ܕܗܘ ܘܗܢܐ ܐܒܐ ܕܦܪܘܩܐ ܙܢܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܗܢܐ ܕ..ܪܐ .....ܐܫܠܡ ܠܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܕܒܐܝܕܵܘܗܝ\nܡܚܘܐ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܣܝܡ ܢܡܘܣܵܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܡܘܫܐ ܕܡܜܠ ܕ..ܝܵܐ ܙܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܚܕܬܐ ܕܦܘܠܚܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܒܝܕ\nܬܫܒܚܵܬܐ ܘܡܙܥܩܵܢܘܬܐ ܡܥܠ ܘܐܚܪ̈ܢܝܬܐ ܕܝܢ ܣܓܝܵܐܬܐ ܕܡܟܠܝܢ ܡܢ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܚܝܕ ܟܠܗܿ\nܦܪܓܡܐܜܝܐ ܡܠܦ ܐ̄ ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܥܘܵܠܐ ܠܐ ܗܠܟ ܀ ܚܘܦܛܐ ܘܕܚܠܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܡܠܦ ܐܝ..","english":"...and to this of... is concerned, that it might be revealed daily, for the cause of advantage is its own, and the time of patience. In the Psalter, as I have shown you deeply and wisely, in the schema of the truth of the Gospel, as that which is above is the Word of God, which in the Psalm is thus: that which is above is not increased in God. For those who have power over the truth of their own souls, their path in the Psalms is nightly upon the face of their lives, in these which above they do to it. Of Eusebius of Pamphilus, the treatise on the Psalm which makes known in it what power each Psalm possesses, and what is the beginning of the book of Psalms itself. A new teaching is held, after the Law of Moses. And... after the books of Moses, this is a didactic book. When, therefore, after the completion of Moses, of Joshua, and after this of David, as when it was established that he and this father of the Savior, a new small... this... he delivered to the Hebrews, which in his hands shows what these placed the Law with Moses, because of... a small new... of the service of God by means of praises and supplications and other things, many of which are prevented from the Law of Moses, the whole commercial teaching. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the path of iniquity. Zeal and fear of God, and teaches...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܣܟܝܡܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek loanword schema (ἐσχῆμα) here denotes the outward form or arrangement of the Gospel’s truth, a technical term in patristic exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܐܘܣܒܝܘܣ ܕܦܡܦܠܘܠܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–340) wrote a lost treatise on the Psalms; Barlaha likely refers to this work as an authority for the structure and power of each psalm.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܬܪ ܥܡܘܣܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The passage positions the Psalter as a didactic book following the Mosaic Law, aligning with a common patristic schema of salvation history: Law, Prophets, Writings.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܘܝܕ","severity":"info","text":"David is identified as the father of the Savior (Christ), a typological reading that echoes New Testament genealogies (e.g., Matt 1:1) and Syriac tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܠܗܠ ܕ..ܪ","severity":"caution","text":"The opening phrase is lacunose; the English draft supplies 'to this of... is concerned,' but the Syriac is too damaged for a secure reading.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܪܓܡܐܛܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek loanword pragmateia (πραγματεία) here means 'commercial teaching,' possibly a critique of mercenary or worldly approaches to Scripture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text is corrupt in several places (e.g., ܘܠܗܠ ܕ..ܪ, ܘܐܪ.., ܗܕܐ ܕ..ܪܐ), making the precise referent of 'this' uncertain; the reading follows the English draft's reconstruction.","The phrase 'new small... this... he delivered to the Hebrews' is fragmentary; the identity of the deliverer (David?) and the object delivered are unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ܡܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܠܩܘܒܠܐ ܒ̄ ܠܡܢܐ ܐܪܓܫܘ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܜܠ ܡܫܝܢܢܐ ܘܒܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕ ܓ̄\nܡܪܝܐ ܡܐ ܣܓܝܘ ܐܠܘܵܨܝ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܜܒܵܬܐ ܕܥܬܝܕܵܢ ܠܡܗܘܐ ܠܕܘܝܕ ܕܕ̄ ܟܕ ܩܪܝܬܟ ܥܢܝܬܢܝ\nܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܠܕܘܝܕ ܡܜܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܟܢܫ ܕܗ̄ ܡܠܵܝ ܨܘܬ ܡܪܝܐ ܘܐܣܬܟܠ ܒܗܓܝܝ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܡܢ ܦܪܨܘܦܐ\nܕܥܕܬܐ ܗ̄̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܒܪܘܓܙܟ ܬܟܣܢܝ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܙ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܝ ܒܟ ܣܒܪܬ ܦܪܘܩܝܢܝ\nܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܚ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܪܢ ܡܐ ܡܫܒܚ ܫܡܟ ܒܟܠܗܿ ܐܪܥܐ ܀ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܛ ܐܘܕܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܠܒܝ ܡܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܝܡܬܐ ܘܢܣܝܒܘܬܐ\nܕܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܘܒܘܜܠܐ ܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܥܠܕܵܒܒܐ ܕܝ̄ ܒܡܪܝܐ ܣܒܪܬܝ ܐܝܟܢ ܐܡܪܝܬܘܢ ܠܢܦܫܝ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ\nܕܥܠ ܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܗܘ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܡܬܟܬܫ ܕܝܐ̄ ܦܪܘܩ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܜܠ ܕܓܡܪ ܜܒܐ ܕܩܛܐܓܪܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܫܵܐ\nܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܜܠ ܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܝܒ̄ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܐܡܬܝ ܬܛܥܢܝ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܀ܩܘܡܐ ܕܒܥܠܕܵܒܒܐ\nܘܣܘܟܝܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܝܓ̄ ܐܡܪ ܥܘܠܐ ܒܠܒܗ ܕܠܝܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܒܛܐܓܪܝܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܫܐ ܘܣܘܟܝܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ\nܕܝܕ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܢܘ ܢܥܡܪ ܒܡܫܟܢܟ .ܦܘܢܝܐ ܡܫܡܠܝܐ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܝܗ̄ ܢܛܪܝܢܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܥܠܝܟ ܐܬܬܟܠܬ\nܓܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܘܩܝܡܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܝܘ̄ ܫܡܥ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܚܘܪ ܒܒܥܘܬܝ ܕܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܓܒܪܐ\nܡܫܡܠܝܐ ܕܟܠܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܚܠܦ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܛܠܬܗ ܥܬܝܕܝܢ ܕܢܬܦܪܩܘܢ ܕܝܙ̄ ܐܪܚܡܟ ܡܪܝܐ\nܚܝܠܝ ܘܬܘܟܠܢܝܢ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕ...ܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܕܣܘܠܩܐ ܕܝܚ̄ ܫܡܝܐ\nܡܫܬܥܝܢ ܫܘܒܚܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܀ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܐܠܗܝܬܐ ܕܝܛ̄ ܢܥܢܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܒܝܘܡܐ\nܕܐܘܠܨܢܐ܆ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܥܝܪܝܢ ܠܙܕܝܩܐ.......","english":"...that which is contrary, in the matter of the people's election concerning the Messiah and the creation of the people of the Lord, when the multitude of the election of the goodness that was to be for David, when I called you, I made you understand the election for David concerning these of the priest, the fullness of the voice of the Lord, and he perceived in my meditation the prayer from the person of the Church. O Lord, do not in your anger conceal the teaching of the confession. O Lord, my God, in you I hoped, my Saviour. The confession of David and the election of the people. O Lord, my Lord, how glorious is your name in all the earth! The election of the reading of the people. I confess to the Lord with all my heart: the death of the Messiah and the resurrection and the taking up of the kingdom and the destruction of all the enemies. In the Lord I hoped, as I said to myself, the praise concerning the victory of him who contends in God. Save, O Lord, because the good of the accusation of the evil is complete, and the election concerning the coming of the Messiah. Until when, O Lord, will you set up the world? The standing of the enemy and the expectation of the Messiah. The wicked one said in his heart that there is no God, because of the accusation of the evil and the expectation of the Messiah. O Lord, what dwells in the tabernacle? The complete answer in God. Preserve me, O God, because on you I relied, the election of the Church and the resurrection of the Messiah. Hear, O Lord, holy one, and look upon my request of the prayer of the perfect man of all the Messiah, for the sake of these for whom it is destined that they be saved. I will love you, O Lord, my strength and my trust, against the goodness of David and the election of... of the Messiah and of the ascension. The heavens are filled with the praise of God from the speech of divinity. The divine teaching. Remember, O Lord, on the day of distress, the prayer of these that awakens the righteous...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a dense sequence of psalm-like invocations and theological assertions, likely excerpted from a longer liturgical or exegetical section. The repeated phrases 'election of the people' and 'confession of David' suggest a patterned, antiphonal structure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܢܒܝܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܢܒܝܘܬܐ (gḇāyūṯā) is rendered 'election' in the draft, but can also mean 'choice' or 'selection'. In this context, it likely refers to divine election or the chosen people, a key concept in Syriac exegesis of the Psalms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝܐ ܡܪܢ ܡܐ ܡܫܒܚ ܫܡܟ ܒܟܠܗܿ ܐܪܥܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'O Lord, my Lord, how glorious is your name in all the earth' echoes Psalm 8:1 (Peshitta), a common doxological formula in Syriac psalmody. The invocation of 'Lord' and 'name' aligns with the Psalter's language.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'the death of the Messiah and the resurrection and the taking up of the kingdom' reflects early Syriac Christian typological reading of the Psalms, where Davidic kingship prefigures Christ's passion and eschatological victory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains several lacunae and uncertain readings (e.g., ܕ...ܝܬܐ, ܕܝܙ̄, ܕܝܚ̄). The English draft fills these with conjectural phrases like 'election of... of the Messiah', but the original is fragmentary, affecting the coherence of the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The repeated phrase 'election of the people' and 'confession of David' suggests this passage was used in a liturgical or catechetical setting, possibly as a model for prayer or as part of a commentary on the Psalter's Christological interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text is corrupt in several places (e.g., ܕ...ܝܬܐ, ܕܝܙ̄, ܕܝܚ̄), making it unclear whether the English draft's reconstructions are accurate. The term ܢܒܝܘܬܐ may be read as 'election' or 'choice', but its precise referent (divine election, liturgical selection, or textual variant) is ambiguous."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ܒܚܝܠܟ ܢܚܕܐ ܡܠܟܐ܆ ܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܥܕܪܝܢ\nܠܕܘܝܕ ܕܟܐ̄ ܐܠܗܝ ܐܠܗܝ ܠܡܢܐ ܫܒܩܬܢܝ ܕܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܚܫܵܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܐ ܕܟܒ̄\nܡܪܝܐ ܢܪܥܢܝ ܘܡܕܡ ܠܐ ܢܚܣܪ ܠܝ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܠܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܕܟܓ̄ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܗܝ ܐܪܥܐ\nܒܡܠܐܗ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܫܘܡܠܝܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܡܬܦܪܩܝܢ ܕܟܕ̄ ܠܘܬܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܢܦܫܝ ܐܪܝܡܬ\nܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܟܗ̄ ܕܘܢܝܢܝ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܜܠ ܕܐܢܐ ܒܬܡܝܡܘܬܝ ܗܠܟܬ ܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ\nܡܫܬܘܫܛ ܕܟܘ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܢܘܗܪܝ ܘܦܘܪܩܢܝ ܡܢ ܡܢ ܐܕܚܠ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܜܒܬܐ\nܕܟܙ̄ ܠܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬ ܐܠܗܝ ܠܐ ܬܫܬܘܩ ܡܢܝ ܒܥܘܬܐ ܥܡ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܟܚ̄ ܐܝܬܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܒܢܵܝ\nܕܟܪ̈ܐ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܪܡܙܢܝܬܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܟܛ̄ ܐܪܡܪܡܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܐܪܝܡܬܢܝ ܆ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ\nܥܡ ܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܠ̄ ܒܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܣܒܪܬ ܠܐ ܐܒܗܬ ܠܥܠܡ ܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܥܡ\nܬܟܫܦܬܐ ܕܠܐ̄ ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ ܕܐܫܬܒܩ ܠܗ ܥܘܠܗ .ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܒܝܕ ܡܫܝܚܐ\nܡܬܦܪܩܝܢ ܕܠܒ̄ ܫܒܚܗ ܙܕܵܝܩܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܦܘܩܕܢܐ ܕܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܫܘܒܚܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ\nܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܠܓ̄ ܐܒܪܟ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܒܟܠܙܒܢ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܠܕ̄ ܕܘܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܝܢܝ\nܘܐܬܟܬܫ ܥܡ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܬܟܬܫܝܢ ܥܡܝ ܬܟܫܦܬܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܐ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܛܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ\nܕܠܗ̄ ܡܬܚܫܒ ܥܘܠܐ ܪܘܫܥܐ ܒܠܒܗ ܡܟܣܢܘܬܐ ܕܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ\nܕܠܘ̄ ܠܐ ܬܚܣܡ ܒܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܕܘܒܪܐ ܕܕܚܠ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܕܠܙ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܒܪܘܓܙܟ\nܬܟܣܢܝ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܠܚ̄ ܐܡܪܬ ܕܐܜܪ ܪܘܚܝ ܘܠܐ ܐܚܛܐ ܒܠܫܢܝ ܒܥܘܬܐ\nܥܡ ܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܠܛ̄ ܡܣܒܪܘ ܣܒܪܬ ܒܡܪܝܐ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ\nܐܫܬܘܙܒ ܘܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܕܡ̄ ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ ܕܚܐܪ ܒܡܣܟܢܐ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܡܜܠ","english":"by your power and one king, the petition of these psalms that help\nDavid, for here, my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? The election of the suffering of the Messiah and the calling of the peoples, for\nthe Lord is my shepherd, and nothing is lacking to me, the teaching of the word of the new people, for the Lord is the land\nin its fullness, the election of the calling of the peoples and the completion of these psalms are saved, for with you, O Lord, I have raised myself,\nthe teaching of the confession, for David said, O Lord, because I have walked in my perfection, the petition of him who is in God\nis spread out, for O Lord, my light and my savior, from what, from what do I fear before grace and the petition of the good,\nfor to you, O Lord, I have called, my God, do not be silent from me, the petition with the election, for there is for the Lord a desire,\nthe elect, the election of the sign with the discourses of divinity, for I have exalted you, O Lord, who raised me, before grace\nwith the confession, for in you, O Lord, I have hoped, I have not despaired forever, the confession with\nthe supplications, for blessed is he who is left with iniquity, the election of these psalms that through the Messiah\nare saved, for the righteous one praised the Lord, the commandment of the discourses of praise with the discourses\nof divinity, for I bless the Lord at all times, the teaching of before grace, for David, O Lord, my judge,\nand he contended with those who contend with me, the supplications of the righteous and the election that is because of the Messiah,\nfor iniquity is considered, wickedness in his heart, the coverings of the wicked with the discourses of divinity,\nfor do not spare the wicked, the teaching of the conduct of the fear of God, for O Lord, not in your anger\ndo you cover the teaching of the confession, for I said, let my spirit fly and not sin with my tongue, the petition\nwith the confession, for I have proclaimed, I have hoped in the Lord, before grace, that one who is in God\nwas saved, and the memory of the church, for blessed is he who is free in the net, the election because of","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܒܝܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܢܒܝܘܬܐ (ʿbīyūṯā) is rendered 'election' in the draft, but in this context it likely carries the sense of 'chosenness' or 'preference', a key concept in Barlaha's exegetical framework.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܠܗܝ ܐܠܗܝ ܠܡܢܐ ܫܒܩܬܢܝ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'my God, my God, why have you abandoned me?' echoes Psalm 22:1 (LXX 21:2) and is a direct quotation of the opening of Psalm 22, a psalm of personal lament attributed to David.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝܐ ܢܪܥܢܝ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Lord is my shepherd' is a clear allusion to Psalm 23:1 (LXX 22:1), a well-known verse that establishes the pastoral imagery of divine care.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a dense catena of psalm incipits and phrases, interwoven with Barlaha's interpretive glosses. The repeated pattern of a psalm phrase followed by 'for' (ܕ) introduces a Christological or ecclesiological interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'the election of the suffering of the Messiah' reflects a typological reading of the Psalms common in Syriac exegesis, where Davidic laments are interpreted as prefiguring Christ's passion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains several ambiguous or possibly corrupt readings, such as ܢܚܕܐ ܡܠܟܐ (possibly 'one king' or a misreading) and the repeated ܡܢ ܡܢ ('from what, from what'), which may reflect textual disruption or a rhetorical device.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase ܢܚܕܐ ܡܠܟܐ could be read as 'one king' or as a corrupt form of a proper name or title; the draft takes it as 'one king'.","The repeated ܡܢ ܡܢ may be a scribal dittography or an intentional emphatic repetition; the draft renders it as 'from what, from what'.","The term ܢܒܝܘܬܐ is ambiguous between 'election' and 'chosenness'; the draft consistently uses 'election' but the sense may vary."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"scripture","severity":"info","ref":"Psalm 23:1","text":"The English carries the scriptural phrase “the lord is my shepherd”, which matches Psalm 23:1. The match is on the English draft; check the Coptic before quoting the verse."}]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܛܠ ܡܫܠܡܢܐ ܕܡܐ̄ ܐܝܟ ܐܝܠܐ ܕܓܥܐ ܥܠ ܦܨܝܕܐ ܕܡܝܵܐ ܬܟܫܦܬܐ ܕܢܒܝܵܐ\nܥܡ ܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܝܘܵܕܝܐ ܕܡܒ̄ ܕܘܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܝܢܝ ܘܬܒܥ ܬܒܥܬܝ ܬܟܫܦܬܐ\nܕܢܒܝܵܐ ܥܡ ܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܡܓ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܡܥܢܢ ܒܐܕܵܢܝܢ ܬܟܫܦܬܐ ܕܢܒܝܵܐ\nܥܡ ܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܡܕ̄ ܐܒܥܝ ܠܒܝ ܦܬܓܵܡܐ ܜܒܵܐ ܕܢܚܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ\nܕܡܗ̄ ܐܠܗܢ ܒܝܬ ܓܘܣܢ ܥܫܝܢܐ ܟܪܘܙܘܬܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܕܡܘ̄ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܘܫܘ ܟܦܐ . ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܡܙ̄ ܪܒ ܗܘ ܡܪܢ ܘܡܫܒܚ ܪܘܪܒܐܝܬ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ\nܚܠܦ ܥܕܬܐ ܘܣܬܘܪܝܐ ܕܪ̈ܕܘܦܐ ܕܡܚ̄ ܫܡܥܘ ܗܕܐ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܕܝܢܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ\nܕܡܛ̄ ܐܠܗ ܐܠܗܵܝܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܠܠ ܫܪܝܐ ܡܜܠ ܕܒܵܚܐ ܘܢܡܘܣܵܐ ܘܡܥܠܢܘܬܐ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܕܝܐܬܝܩܝ\nܚܕܬܐ ܕܢܢ̄ ܪܚܡ ܥܠܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܟ ܛܝܒܘܬܟ ܀","english":"the Messiah, and concerning the completion of the matter, like a tree that bends over the water, the supplication of the people with the consolation of the Jewish people. Psalm 42: David, my Lord, my God, and seek my request, the supplication of the people with the consolation of the Jewish people. Psalm 43: God, hear me in my members, the supplication of the people with the consolation of the Jewish people. Psalm 44: I ask my heart for a good word of the life of the Messiah, the kingdom. Psalm 45: God, in the house of the strong man, the proclamation of the apostle. Psalm 46: All of you, peoples, cast stones, the calling of the peoples. Psalm 47: Great is my Lord and glorified greatly, praise to God on behalf of the church and the hiding of the persecutors. Psalm 48: Hear this, all of you peoples, the teaching of the divine David. Psalm 49: God, my God, my Lord spoke, the beginning concerning the sacrifice and the law and the fulfillment of the law of the New Testament. Psalm 50: Love me, God, according to your grace.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the sequential listing of psalms with thematic headings, each introduced by a psalm number and a brief description of its content or application.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܒ̄ ܕܘܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܝܢܝ","severity":"info","text":"Psalm 42 is cited with the incipit 'David, my Lord, my God,' corresponding to the opening of the biblical Psalm 42 (LXX 41).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܓ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܡܥܢܢ ܒܐܕܵܢܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"Psalm 43 is cited with the incipit 'God, hear me in my members,' which echoes the language of Psalm 43 (LXX 42).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܕ̄ ܐܒܥܝ ܠܒܝ ܦܬܓܵܡܐ ܜܒܵܐ ܕܢܚܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ","severity":"info","text":"Psalm 44 is cited with the incipit 'I ask my heart for a good word of the life of the Messiah,' which is a Christian interpretation of the psalm.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܗ̄ ܐܠܗܢ ܒܝܬ ܓܘܣܢ ܥܫܝܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"Psalm 45 is cited with the incipit 'God, in the house of the strong man,' which may refer to the content of Psalm 45 (LXX 44).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡܘ̄ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܘܫܘ ܟܦܐ","severity":"info","text":"Psalm 46 is cited with the incipit 'All of you, peoples, cast stones,' which is a distinctive phrase not directly matching the biblical text, possibly a paraphrase or a liturgical adaptation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text contains several unclear or corrupt readings (e.g., 'ܕܡܒ̄', 'ܕܡܓ̄') that may represent abbreviated or damaged psalm numbers; the English draft supplies the numbers 42–50, but the exact correspondence to the biblical Psalter is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܢܐ̄ ܠܡܢܐ\nܡܫܬܒܗܪ ܐܢܬ ܒܒܝܫܬܐ ܓܢܒܪܐ ܡܟܣܢܘܬܐ ܕܙܢܐ ܒܝܫܐ ܘܫܘܠܡܐ ܕܝܠܗ ܕܢܒ̄ ܐܡܪ\nܥܘܠܐ ܒܠܒܗ ܕܠܝܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܓܠܝܢܐ ܦܪܘܩܝܐ ܘܓܗܝܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܐ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܢܓ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܫܡܟ\nܦܪܘܩܝܢܝ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܡܬܜܪܕ ܕܢܕ̄ ܨܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܨܠܘܬܝ ܘܠܐ ܬܗܡܐ ܡܢ\nܒܥܘܬܝ ܫܘܘܕܥܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܥܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܐܬܬܡܪܚܝ ܕܢܗ̄ ܪܚܡ ܥܠܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ\nܕܕܫܢܝ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܐ ܕܐܬܦܪܩ ܡܢ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܵܐ ܕܢܘ̄ ܪܚܡ ܥܠܝ\nܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܒܟ ܗܘ ܡܣܒܪܐ ܢܦܫܝ .ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܢܙ̄ ܐܝܢ\nܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܡܡܠܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ .ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܟܐܢܘܬ ܕܝܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܢܚ̄ ܦܨܢܝ ܡܢ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܵܝ\nܐܠܗܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܢܛ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܜܥܝܬܢ ܘܕܚܩܬܢ ܘܪܓܙܬ ܥܠܝܢ\nܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܣ̄ ܫܡܥ ܐܠܗܐ ܨܠܘܬܝ ܘܨܘܬ ܠܒܥܘܬܝ\nܒܥܘܬܐ ܥܡ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܣܐ̄ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܡܣܟܝܐ ܢܦܫܝ ܕܡܢܗ ܗܘ ܦܘܪܩܢܝ ܡ\nܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܡܐܣܝܢܝܬܐ ܕܣܐ̄̄ ܐܠܗܝ ܐܠܗܝ ܐܢܬ ܐܣܟܐ ܠܟ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܡܫܡܠܝܐ\nܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܕܣܓ̄ ܫܡܥ ܐܠܗܐ ܩܠܝ ܟܕ ܐܬܟܫܦ ܠܟ .ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܐܓܘܢܣܛܐ ܕܚܠ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܕܣܕ̄\nܠܟ ܝܐܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܨܗܝܘܢ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܟܪܘܙܘܬܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܐ ܕܣܗ̄ ܫܒܚܘ\nܠܐܠܗܐ ܟܠܗܿ ܐܪܥܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܟܪܘܙܘܬܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܕܣܘ̄ ܐܠܗܢ ܢܪܚܡ ܥܠܝܢ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ\nܘܟܪܘܙܘܬܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܕܣܙ̄ ܢܩܘܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܢܬܒܕܪܘܢ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܵܘܗܝ ܕܡܬܒܪܢܫܢܘܬܐ\nܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܐ ܣܚ̄ ܦܪܘܩܝܢܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܡܛܘ ܡܝܵܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܢܦܫܐ\nܢܝܫܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܣܛ ܐܠܗܐ ܦܨܢܝ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܥܘܕܪܢܝ ܒܬܪ ܬܟܫܦܬܐ","english":"the teaching of the confession of the one who is to the one who is\nboasts in evil, a man, the covering of the evil one, and the completion of his own, the servant said\niniquity in his heart, that there is no God, manifest, my Saviour, and the abyss of the one who is not divinity of the servant, God in your name\nmy Saviour, the prayer of him who is persecuted by God, the servant, hear God, my prayer, and do not be silent, the one who is\nmy request, the knowledge of these things concerning the Messiah, they were extended, the servant, have mercy on me, God, because\nthat I have been cast out of the head, before the grace of the righteous one who was saved, the one who is, from the enemy, the servant, have mercy on me\nGod, because in you is the hope of my soul. Before the grace and the calling of the peoples, the servant, where\ntruly righteousness speaks, you are. The teaching of the sincerity of the judgment of God, the servant, deliver me from my enemy\nGod, the calling of the peoples and the consolation of the Jewish people, the servant, God, you have erred and you have been deceived and you have been angry with me\nthe consolation of the Jewish people and the calling of the peoples, the servant, hear, God, my prayer, and listen to my request\nthe request with before the grace, the servant, to God, my soul is poor, from whom is my Saviour, the one who is\nthe teaching of the healing of the servant, my God, my God, you are, I have found you, before the grace of him who is perfect\nwho is in God, the servant, hear, God, my voice, when I beseech you. The teaching of the Augustine, fear God, the servant\nto you is fitting praise, God, in the thirst, the calling of the peoples and the preaching of the apostle, the servant, praise\nGod, all the earth, the calling of the peoples and the preaching of the apostle, the servant, God, have mercy on me, the calling of the peoples\nand the preaching of the apostle, the servant, arise, God, and all his enemies will be scattered, of the rebellion\nof the Messiah and the calling of the peoples, the servant, my Saviour, God, because the waters have reached the soul\nthe life of the Messiah and the consolation of the Jewish people, the servant, God, deliver me, my Lord, to my help after the beseechings","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the pattern of pairing psalm incipits with interpretive glosses, each introduced by the Syriac word ܕܢ (d-), here rendered as 'the servant' in the English draft. The sequence of glosses moves from confession and iniquity to supplication and consolation, mirroring the structure of the preceding passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܢ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac word ܕܢ (d-), consistently translated as 'the servant' in the English draft, is a possessive or relative particle. Its rendering as a noun here is likely a scribal or editorial error; it should probably be read as a marker of attribution or relation, e.g., 'of the one who' or 'which is'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Psalm 42","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'David, my Lord, my God, and seek my request' echoes Psalm 42 (LXX 41), a psalm of personal supplication. The gloss 'the supplication of the people with the consolation of the Jewish people' aligns with a Christian interpretive tradition that reads the psalm as a prayer for the Jewish people's consolation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'the teaching of the Augustine' (ܕܐܓܘܢܣܛܐ) indicates the influence of Augustine of Hippo on Syriac exegesis. This suggests that Barlaha's letter engages with Latin patristic traditions, possibly through translations or mediated by Syriac scholars.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The repeated phrase 'the calling of the peoples and the preaching of the apostle' reflects a liturgical or catechetical formula, likely used in Syriac Christian communities to frame psalmody as both universal (calling of the peoples) and apostolic (preaching of the apostle). This suggests the letter was used in a teaching context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft contains several opaque renderings, e.g., 'the one who is to the one who is' and 'the servant said', which likely misrepresent the Syriac syntax. The text may be corrupt or the translation provisional; readers should consult the Syriac for the intended sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the servant' (ܕܢ) is unclear; it may be a scribal error for a relative particle or a title for a biblical figure.","The phrase 'the teaching of the Augustine' could refer to a specific work by Augustine or a general Augustinian doctrine; the Syriac does not specify.","The sequence of psalm glosses is disjointed; the exact correspondence between each gloss and its psalm is not always clear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"ܕܙܕܵܝܩܐ ܘܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܥ̄ ܒܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܣܒܪܬ ܠܐ ܐܒܗܬ ܠܥܠܡ ܚܫܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܝܡܬܗ . ܕܥܐ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܗܒ ܕܝܢܟ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܥܒ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܜܒܐ\nܠܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܘܠܒ..ܪܝ ܠܒܐ ܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܚܝܠܘܬܐ ܐܢܫܝܬܐ ܥܠ ܟܗܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܪܫܝܥܐ .ܘܥܠ\nܢܓܝܪܘܬ ܪܘܚܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܥܓ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܡܢܐ ܛܥܝܬܢ ܠܥܠܡ ܩܕܝܡܘܬ ܡܡܠܠܘܬܐ ܕܚܒܝܫܘܬ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ\nܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܗܘܬ ܡܢ ܐܣܦܝܣܝܢܘܣ ܘܛܛܘܣ ܕܥܕ̄ ܐܘܕܝܢܢ ܠܟ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ\nܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܥܗܕܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܕܝܢܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ ܕܥܗ̄ ܝܕܝܥ ܒܝܗܘܕܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܬܒܥܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ\nܕܕܝܢܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܥܘ̄ ܒܩܠܝ ܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܩܪܝܬ ܘܫܡܥܢܝ ܡܛܠ ܡܓܪܬ ܪܘܚܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܘܗܝ\nܬܕܡܪ̈ܢܝܐ ܕܥܙ̄ ܥܡܝ ܨܘܬ ܢܡܘܣܝ ܘܐܬܜܦܝܣܘ ܦܘܪܫܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܠܘܬ ܥܕܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܥܒܪ\nܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܕܥܚ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܥܠܘ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܠܝܪܬܘܬܟ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܓܕܫ ܠܝܘܕܵܝܐ\nܒܝܘܡܵܝ ܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܘܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܡܩܒܝܵܐ ܕܥܛ̄ ܪܥܝܗ ܕܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܨܘܬ ܀","english":"of the righteous and of Christ himself. Know, O Lord, that I preached and was not ashamed of the suffering and resurrection of Christ. Know, O God, give your judgment to the king, the wickedness of the coming of Christ and the calling of the peoples that the good God did for Israel and for... the heart, the confession of the weakness of humanity over the weakness of the wicked, and over the strength of the spirit of God, that God rejoiced in the error forever, the beginning of the discourse of the captivity of the city of the Jews, which was with Aspisius and Titus, that I confess to you, O God, the discourse of the divinity of Christ and the reminder of the house of divine judgment, that it is known in Judah, the pursuit of God over the wicked, of the judgment of Christ, that I cried out to God, you called and I heard because of the strength of the spirit of God and his wonderful deeds, that he was with me, listen to my law and they were amazed at the division of Christ to the church because of the passing of the law of the first people, that God ascended over the peoples to your inheritance, the wickedness of Helias that happened to the Jews in the days of Antiochus and the history of the Maccabees, that the shepherd of Israel listened.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative sequence of psalm titles or thematic headings, each introduced by ܕܥ̄ (know) or similar imperatives, listing doctrinal and historical topics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܕܥ̄","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac imperative ܕܥ̄ (dəʿ) means 'know' and recurs as a structural marker, introducing each thematic unit in this list-like passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܣܦܝܣܝܢܘܣ ܘܛܛܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Aspisius and Titus are otherwise unattested figures; they may be local Jewish leaders or Roman officials involved in the siege of Jerusalem, but the reference remains obscure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܡܩܒܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'history of the Maccabees' likely refers to 1–2 Maccabees or a Syriac epitome, linking the psalm headings to the Maccabean revolt and the persecution under Antiochus IV.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܒ..ܪܝ","severity":"caution","text":"The text at ܠܒ..ܪܝ is partially illegible; the English draft reads 'for... the heart', but the Syriac may originally have read ܠܒܪܝ (labbaray, 'to the outer') or a similar form.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܕܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'the church' (ܥܕܬܐ) receiving a 'division of Christ' reflects early Syriac Christian exegesis that read Christological and ecclesiological meanings into the psalm headings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Aspisius and Titus is uncertain; they may be historical figures or symbolic names.","The lacuna ܠܒ..ܪܝ prevents full reconstruction of the phrase; the reading 'for the heart' is tentative.","The sequence of topics is not clearly narrative but a list of psalm headings; the structural classification as 'narrative' may be misleading."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"ܢܒܝܘܬܐ\nܕܚܒܝܫܘܬ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ܘܒܥܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܦ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܐܠܗܐ\nܡܥܫܢܢ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܓܕܫܝ ܠܥܡܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܕܦܐ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܩܡ ܒܟܢܫܐ\nܕܡܠܐܟܵܐ ܆ܡܟܣܢܘܬܐ ܕܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܡܜܠ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܦܒ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܢܘ ܕܕܡܐ\nܠܟ .ܒܥܘܬܐ ܚܠܦ ܥܡܐ ܕܚܫ ܥܩܵܬܐ ܆ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܛܠ ܫܘܠܡܐ ܕܒܥܠܕܵܒܒܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܦܓ̄\nܡܐܚܒܝܒܝܢ ܡܫܟܢܵܝܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܚܝܠܬܢܐ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܛܠ ܥܕܬܗ ܕܦܕ̄ ܨܒܝܬ\nܡܪܝܐ ܒܐܪܥܟ܆ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܡܜܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܥܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܐܬܦܪܩܘ ܒܐܝܕܵܘܗܝ ܕܦܗ̄ ܨܠܝ ܡܪܝܐ\nܐܕܢܟ ܘܥܝܢܝ܆ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܦܘ̄ ܫܬܐܣܵܘܗܝ ܒܜܘܪܗ ܩܕܝܫܐ\nܡܬܒܪܢܫܢܘܬܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܦܙ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܦܘܪܩܢܝ ܡܬܢܒܐ ܡܘܬܐ\nܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܦܚ̄ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܐܙܡܪ܆ ܠܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܡܢ ܙܪܥܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܦܛ\nܡܪܝܐ ܒܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܢ ܠܕܪܕܪܝܢ ܡܣܬܠܝܢܘܬܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܕܨ̄ ܝܬܒ ܒܣܬܪܗ ܕܡܪܝܡܐ\nܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܕܟܠ ܕܒܗ ܡܫܬܡܠܐ ܕܨܐ̄ ܜܒ ܠܡܘܕܝܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܛܠ ܡܬܬܢܝܚܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ\nܕܨܒ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܡܠܟ ܘܓܐܝܘܬܐ ܠܒܫ܆ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܥܠ ܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܩܕܡܝܬܐ\nܕܨܓ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܬܒܘܥܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܜܠ ܪܕܘܦܝܐ ܕܠܘܩܒܠ ܥܕܬܐ ܕܨܕ̄ ܬܘ ܢܫܒܚ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ\nܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܘܦܣܩ ܣܒܪܐ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܟܕ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܕܨܗ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ .ܩܪܝܬܐ\nܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܨܘ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܡܠܟ ܬܕܘܨ ܐܪܥܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ\nܘܥܠ ܡܐܬܝܬܐ ܕܬܪܬܝܢ ܕܨܙ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܡܐܬܝܬܐ\nܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܨܚ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܡܠܟ ܢܙܘܥܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܨܛ̄ ܫܒܚܘ","english":"of the wickedness of the city with the Assyrians and a petition concerning the coming of Christ, that they praised God. The reading of the people and the teaching of Helye, which happened to the first people, that God stood in the struggle of the angel. The wickedness of the wicked of the Jewish people and a petition concerning the people, that God was of blood. A petition for the people who suffered affliction, and a petition concerning the end of the enemy of God, that you may find, O Lord Almighty, a petition concerning Christ and concerning his church, that you wished, O Lord, in your land. A petition concerning Christ and concerning Helye, who were saved by his hands, that the Lord prayed. David's prayer and a petition of the reading of the people, that its foundations on its holy mountain. The revelation of Christ and the reading of the people, that the Lord God of our salvation is counted as the death of Christ. The grace of the Lord I will sing forever. To the kingdom of Christ, that from the seed of David, the Lord, I was in the dwelling place, to the generations, the forgetfulness of the Jews, that sits in the secret of Mary. The victory of Christ and of all that is fulfilled in him, that it is good to confess to the Lord because of the consolation in God, that the Lord reigned and put on pride. The praise of the kingdom of Christ concerning the first coming, that God, the source, the Lord, concerning the persecutions against the church, that again they praised the Lord, the reading of the Jews, and cut off their hope while it was theirs. They praised the Lord with a new praise. The reading of the people and the coming of Christ, that the Lord reigned, the earth rejoiced, the praise of the kingdom of Christ and concerning the second coming. They praised the Lord with a new praise, the reading of the people and the coming of Christ, that the Lord reigned, the people moved, the praise of the kingdom of Christ. They praised.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is a sequence of short clauses, each introduced by a Syriac word (e.g., ܢܒܝܘܬܐ, ܒܥܘܬܐ, ܩܪܝܬܐ) that likely function as section headings or thematic markers, reflecting a liturgical or catechetical structure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܒܝܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܢܒܝܘܬܐ (often 'petition' or 'prayer') appears repeatedly, possibly as a rubric indicating a prayer or plea. Its consistent placement suggests a formal, repetitive liturgical pattern.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ('reading of the people') may refer to a public reading of scripture or a liturgical lesson, possibly from the Psalms, given the letter's context about translation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'Assyrians' (ܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ) and 'Helye' (Elijah) situates the passage within a Syriac Christian framework that often contrasts Jewish and Christian interpretations of prophetic figures.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains several unclear or possibly corrupt phrases (e.g., ܕܦ̄, ܕܦܐ̄, ܕܦܓ̄) that may represent abbreviations or scribal errors, making the precise sense of some clauses uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The repeated references to 'the coming of Christ' and 'the kingdom of Christ' reflect a Christological emphasis typical of Syriac liturgical and polemical texts, possibly aimed at countering Jewish or other interpretations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text has many abbreviated or unclear words (e.g., ܕܦ̄, ܕܦܐ̄) that may be scribal errors or shorthand; the reading assumes they are part of the repetitive liturgical structure.","The exact referent of 'Helye' (Elijah) and its connection to the 'first people' is ambiguous; it may refer to a biblical or extra-biblical tradition."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"ܠܡܪܝܐ ܟܠܗܿ ܐܪܥܐ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܩ̄ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܕܝܢܐ ܐܙܡܪ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܕܡܫܡܠܝܐ\nܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܩܐ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܫܡܥ ܨܠܘܬܝ܆ ܐܒܠܐ ܥܠ ܥܡܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ\nܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܒ̄ ܒܪܟܝ ܢܦܫܝ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܩܓ̄ ܒܪܟܝ\nܢܦܫܝ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ ܩܕ̄ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܘܩܪܘ ܫܡܗ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ\nܠܥܡܡܵܐ ܡܛܠ ܥܘܕܪܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܥܡܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܩܗ̄ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܠܥܠܡ ܜܝܒ̄ܘ\nܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܫܘܬ ܪܘܫܥܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܩܘ̄ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܠܥܠܡ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ\nܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܘܡܢܗܪܢܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܒܢܝܢܫܵܐ ܩܙ̄ ܡܜܝܒ ܗܘ ܠܒܝ ܐܠܗܐ\nܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܚ̄ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܬܫܒܘܚܬܝ ܠܐ ܬܫܬܘܩ ܚܫܵܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܩܛ ܐܡܪ ܡܪܝܐ\nܠܡܪܝ ܕܬܒ ܠܟ ܡܢ ܝܡܝܢܝ ܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܝ̄ ܐܘܕܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܠܒܝ ܩܘܒܠ\nܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܩܝܐ̄ ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܕܚܠ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܘܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ\nܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܝܒ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܥܒܕܵܘܗܝ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܩܝܓ̄ ܟܕ ܢܦܩ ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܡܢ\nܡܨܪܝܢ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܩܝܕ̄ ܪܚܡܬ ܕܢܫܡܥ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܠܐ ܕܒܥܘܬܝ ܫܘܫܛܐ ܕܥܡܐ\nܚܕܬܐ ܕܩܝܗ̄ ܗܝܡܢܬ ܘܡܠܠܬ ܘܐܬܡܟܟܬ ܜܒ ܫܘܡܠܝܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܕܩܝܘ̄ ܫܒܚܘ\nܠܡܪܝܐ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܝܕ̄ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܘܠܥܠܡ ܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ\nܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܒܡܫܝܚܐ ܐܓܘܢܐ ܥܒܕܝܢ .ܘܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܝܚ̄ ܜܘܒܝܗܘܢ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܕܠܐ\nܡܘܡ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ܆ ܪܝܫ ܗܘܓܝܐ ܕܡܥܠܝܘܬܐ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܩܝܛ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܒܐܘܠܨܢܝ ܩܪܝܬ\nܕܬܘܬܒܘܬܐ ܕܩܟ̄ ܐܪܝܡ ܥܝܢܵܝ ܠܜܘܪܐ ܦܘܢܝܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܒܠ ܘܒܘܕܪܐ ܩܟܐ̄ ܚܕܝܬ ܟܕ ܐܡܪܝܢ","english":"to the Lord of all the land of the village of the peoples, grace and knowledge, I will sing the praise of the perfect ones, that in God the Lord heard my prayer, a lament over the first people and the goodness of the new people, and the village of the peoples. Bless myself to the Lord of the teachings against grace. Bless myself to the Lord of the teachings of confession. They confessed to the Lord and called his name, teachings to the peoples because of the help of God with the first people. They confessed to the Lord that he is good forever, grace, teachings of the evil of the wickedness of the Jews. They confessed to the Lord that he is good forever, his grace, the goodness of the village of the peoples and the preparation of God with the Savior. He answers my heart, God, the village of the peoples. God of my praise, let not the suffering of Christ be silent, which the Lord said to my Lord, that I will give you from my right hand the victory of Christ. I confess to the Lord with all my heart against the grace of Christ. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, the village of the new people and the teachings of Christ. Praise the works of the Lord, the village of the new people. When Israel went out from Egypt, the teachings of the new people. The love that the Lord heard the voice of my request, the discipline of the new people. I believed and spoke and humbled myself well, the completion of the new people. Praise the Lord, all you peoples, the village of the peoples. They confessed to the Lord that he is good and forever his mercies, the victory of Helye that in Christ they made a covenant, and the goodness of Christ. Blessed are those who without blemish walk in the way, the beginning of the thought of the excellence that is in God. To the Lord in my distress, the village of the settlements. I raised my eyes to the mountain, the answer from Babylon and the scattering. I rejoiced when they said.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'village of the peoples' recurs throughout this passage (e.g., ܩ̄, ܩܒ̄, ܩܓ̄, ܩܕ̄, ܩܗ̄, ܩܘ̄, ܩܙ̄, ܩܚ̄, ܩܝܐ̄, ܩܝܒ̄, ܩܝܓ̄, ܩܝܕ̄, ܩܝܗ̄, ܩܝܘ̄, ܩܝܕ̄, ܩܝܚ̄, ܩܟ̄, ܩܟܐ̄), functioning as a structural refrain that marks the end of each unit in a litany-like sequence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'teachings' (ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ) appears repeatedly (e.g., ܩܒ̄, ܩܓ̄, ܩܕ̄, ܩܗ̄, ܩܘ̄, ܩܝܐ̄, ܩܝܓ̄, ܩܝܕ̄), often in the construct state with a following genitive, suggesting a technical sense of 'doctrine' or 'instruction' rather than simple 'teaching'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܕ ܢܦܩ ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܡܢ ܡܨܪܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'When Israel went out from Egypt' (ܩܝܓ̄) directly echoes the Exodus narrative (Exodus 12–14), a foundational event in the Hebrew Bible, here applied typologically to the 'new people'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܗܠܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Helye' (ܗܠܝܢ, ܩܝܘ̄) likely refers to Elijah the prophet, a figure of messianic expectation in Syriac tradition, here associated with the victory of Christ and the covenant of the new people.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'victory of Christ' (ܩܝ̄, ܩܝܘ̄) and the 'goodness of Christ' (ܩܝܚ̄) reflect a Christological reading of the Psalms, consistent with the letter's stated purpose of translating the Psalms for a Christian audience.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܬܘܬܒܘܬܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'village of the settlements' (ܩܟ̄) is obscure; the Syriac ܬܘܬܒܘܬܐ may be a scribal error or a rare plural form, and the English draft's rendering 'village of the settlements' is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The repeated phrase ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ may be a fixed liturgical refrain or a corrupt reading; its exact referent (a literal village or a symbolic community) is unclear.","The sequence of numbers (ܩ̄, ܩܒ̄, etc.) likely marks verse or section divisions, but their precise function in the original manuscript is not specified.","The phrase ܡܢ ܝܡܝܢܝ (from my right hand) in ܩܝ̄ is ambiguous: it may be a literal translation of a Hebrew idiom or a Christological insertion."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"ܗܘܘ ܠܝ ܡܘܠܟܢܐ ܕܜܒܵܬܐ ܩܟܒ̄ ܠܘܬܟ ܐܪܝܡܬ ܥܝܢܵܝ ܥܡܘܪܐ ܕܫܡܝܐ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܩܟܓ̄ ܐܠܘܠܐ\nܡܪܝܐ ܕܩܡ ܠܢ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܩܟܕ̄ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܣܒܪܝܢ ܒܡܪܝܐ ܒܛܘܪܐ ܕܨܗܝܘܢ܆ ܦܘܢܝܐ ܩܟܗ̄\nܟܕ ܡܦܢܐ ܡܚܐ ܫܒܝܬܐ ܕܨܗܝܘܢ܆ ܣܘܟܝܐ ܕܥܬܝܕܵܬܐ ܩܟܘ̄ ܐܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܒܢܐ ܒܝܬܐ ܆ ܒܥܝܢܐ\nܕܥܕܬܐ ܩܟܙ̄ ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܟܠ ܕܕܚܠ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ ܩܟܚ̄ ܣܓܝܘ ܐܠܘܵܨܝ ܡܢ ܜܠܝܘܬܝ\nܙܟܘܬܐ ܕܦܠܚܘܬܐ ܩܟܜ̄ ܡܢ ܥܘܡܩܐ ܩܪܝܬܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܘܫܡܥܬ ܒܩܠܝ܆ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܣܗܕܵܐ ܕܩܠ̄\nܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܐܬܬܪܝܡ ܠܒܝ ܘܠܐ ܐܬܬܪܝܡ ܥܝܢܝܵ ܡܜܠ ܡܟܝܟܘܬܐ ܕܩܠܐ̄ ܐܬܕܟܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܕܘܝܕ ܘܠܟܠܗ\nܡܘܟܟܗ .ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܓܠܝܢܐ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܠܒ̄ ܡܐ ܜܒ ܟܡܐ ܫܦܝܪ ܕܥܡܐ ܡܫܡܠܝܐ .","english":"They were for me counsels of goodness. I raised my eye to you, dweller of the heavens. Prayer: the first Lord who stood against grace. Elijah who proclaims in the Lord on the mountain of thirst, a response. When the striker strikes the captivity of thirst, the support of future things. If the Lord does not seek a house, the request of the Church. Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, the village of the peoples. Many were my afflictions from my childhood, the victory of service. From the depth I called you, Lord, and you heard my voice, the prayer of the martyr. Lord, my heart was not raised, nor was my eye raised because of the humility of the voice. Remember, Lord, David and all his humility. The prayer of David and the revelation of the Messiah. How good, how beautiful that the people are perfected.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܠܘܬܐ ܩܟܓ̄","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac marks a numbered prayer (ܨܠܘܬܐ, ṣlōtā) at the beginning of this passage, continuing the sequence of prayers that structure the letter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܘܠܟܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"The word ܡܘܠܟܢܐ (mūlkā‘ā) is a plural form meaning 'counsels' or 'advices', derived from the root ܡܠܟ (to counsel). It is not a common Syriac term for divine guidance but here refers to counsels of goodness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܣܒܪܝܢ ܒܡܪܝܐ ܒܛܘܪܐ ܕܨܗܝܘܬ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Elijah (ܐܝܠܝܢ) proclaiming in the Lord on the 'mountain of thirst' (ܛܘܪܐ ܕܨܗܝܘܬ) likely alludes to 1 Kings 18, where Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, a site associated with drought and thirst.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܘܝܕ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of David (ܕܘܝܕ) and his humility, followed by 'the prayer of David and the revelation of the Messiah', evokes the Psalms and the typological interpretation of David as a type of Christ, common in Syriac exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'village of the peoples' (ܩܪܝܬܐ ܕܥܡܡܵܐ) may refer to a specific community or a symbolic gathering of nations, possibly related to the recipient Simeon or the context of the translation of the Psalms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܠܘܠܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܩܡ ܠܢ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the first Lord who stood against grace' (ܐܠܘܠܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܕܩܡ ܠܢ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ) is syntactically ambiguous; it may be a corruption or a deliberate paradox, as 'Lord' standing against grace is theologically unusual.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the first Lord who stood against grace' is unclear; it may be a reference to an Old Testament figure or a textual corruption.","The phrase 'the striker strikes the captivity of thirst' is obscure and may involve wordplay or a lost allusion.","The relationship between the numbered prayers and the surrounding narrative is not fully explicit."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"ܕܩܠܓ̄ ܒܪܟܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܒܕܵܘܗܝ ܕܡܪܝܐ .ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܥܠܝܘܬܐ ܩܠܕ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܫܡܗ\nܕܡܪܝܐ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܥܐܠ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܘܠܥܠܡ ܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ\nܕܗܢܘܢ ܕܐܬܦܪܩܘ ܥܠ ܢܗܪ̈ܘܬܐ ܕܒܒܠ ܒܢܵܬ ܩܵܠܐ ܕܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܒܫܒܝܐ ܕܩܠ̄ܙ\nܐܘܕܐ ܠܟ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܝ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܠܒܝ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܥܠ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܕܩܠܚ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܒܨܝܬܢܝ\nܘܝܕܥܬܢܝ ܒܥܘܬܐ ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܩܠܛ̄ ܦܨܢܝ ܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܒܝܫܐ ܒܪܬ\nܩܠܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܡܬܟܬܫ ܕܩܡ̄ ܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܟ ܐܢܬ ܥܢܝܢܝ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܡܫܡܠܝܐ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ\nܩܡܐ̄ ܒܩܠܝ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܩܪܝܬ ܒܩܠܝ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܐܬܟܫܦܬ ܒܪܬ ܩܠܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܜܠ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܬܩܪܒ\nܩܡܒ̄ ܫܡܥ ܡܪܝܐ ܨܠܘܬܝ ܘܨܘܬ ܠܒܥܘܬܝ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܘܕܐ ܩܡܓ̄ ܒܪܝܟ ܗܘ ܡܪܝܐ\nܕܐܠܦ ܐܝܕܵܝ ܠܩܪܒܐ ܩܘܒܠ ܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܙܟܐ ܕܩܡܕ̄ ܐܪܡܪܡܟ ܡܪܝ ܡܠܟܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ\nܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܩܡܗ̄ ܫܒܚܝ ܢܦܫܝ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ\nܕܩܡܘ̄ ܜܒ ܠܡܙܡܪ ܠܐܠܗܢ ܘܒܣܝܡ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܩܡܙ̄ ܫܒܚܝ\nܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ ܕܩܡܚ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ ܕܬܫܒܘ̄\nܥܡ ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܩܡܛ̄ ܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܥܡ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ\nܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܒܩܘܕܫܗ܆ ܡܚܦܛܢܘܬܐ ܓܘܢܝܬܐ ܀ ܕܕܢܕܝܡܘܣ ܫܪܒܐ ܕܥܠ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ .","english":"Bless the Lord, all of you, servants of the Lord. Teachings of the heights: praise the name of the Lord of the people who entered; give thanks to the Lord who is good, and forever his mercy receives grace. Those who were saved from the splendors of Babel after the voice of the saints, Hallel, in the captivity of praise. I give thanks to you, Lord my God, with all my heart, receiving grace for the humility of praise. Lord, hear me and know me; righteousness is the speech of divinity. Spare me, Lord, from the evil beginning, the daughter of the voice of him who contends with God. Arise, Lord; I called you, my helper, prayer of the perfect in God. I arose with my voice to the Lord; I called with my voice to the Lord; I besought the daughter of the voice of him who speaks of God, approaching. Hear, Lord, my prayer and heed my request, prayer of him who confesses. Blessed are you, Lord, who taught my hands for battle, receiving the grace of him who conquers. I exalt you, my Lord, king, glory with the speech of divinity. Praise, my soul, the Lord, glory with the speech of divinity. It is good to sing to God, and sweet is glory with the speech of divinity. Praise, Jerusalem, the Lord, glory with the speech of divinity. Praise the Lord from the heavens of glory with the speech of God. Praise the Lord, new glory, glory with humility. Praise the Lord in his holiness, inner zeal. Of Didymus, the treatise on the Psalms.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܩܠܓ̄ ... ܕܩܡܚ̄ ... ܕܩܡܛ̄","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a series of short doxological units, each introduced by a Syriac letter-number (e.g., ܩܠܓ̄, ܩܡܚ̄, ܩܡܛ̄) that likely served as a numbering or indexing system for liturgical or catechetical use.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ܡܡܠܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܘܬܐ (memallalut alahuta) is a technical term meaning 'speech of divinity,' possibly referring to a liturgical or theological formula, and recurs as a refrain throughout the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܕܢܕܝܡܘܣ ܫܪܒܐ ܕܥܠ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The closing line attributes the passage to 'Didymus, the treatise on the Psalms,' likely referring to Didymus the Blind (ca. 313–398), a prominent Alexandrian theologian whose works on the Psalms were influential in Syriac translation traditions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated exhortation 'Praise the Lord' echoes the opening of several psalms (e.g., Psalm 96, 100, 113 in the Peshitta), and the phrase 'servants of the Lord' recalls Psalm 134:1, suggesting the passage is a mosaic of psalmody.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܒܒܠ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'splendors of Babel' (ܕܒܒܠ) may allude to the Babylonian exile as a type of spiritual captivity, a common trope in Syriac liturgical poetry, and could reflect the reception of Psalm 137 ('By the waters of Babylon') in Syriac exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܬ ܩܠܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ܒܪܬ ܩܠܐ (bart qala, 'daughter of the voice') is ambiguous: it may be a technical term for an echo or a secondary revelation, but its precise meaning in this context is uncertain and may reflect a corruption or a rare idiom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac letter-numbers (e.g., ܩܠܓ̄) are not fully deciphered; they may be indexing marks or corruptions of a numbering system.","The phrase 'daughter of the voice' (ܒܪܬ ܩܠܐ) is ambiguous; it may mean 'echo' or have a theological sense, but the context does not clarify.","The reference to 'Babel' could be literal (Babylon) or symbolic (confusion, exile), and the passage's coherence is disrupted by the dense doxological structure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"ܒܕܝܐܬܝܩܝܐ ܚܕܬܐ܆ ܟܕ ܡܵܠܐ ܡܢ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܐܬܢܣܒܝ ܣܗܕܵܘܬܐ ܣܝܡܵܢ .ܐܟ ܡܢ ܕܡܢ\nܪܘܚܐ ܐܬܐܡܪ ܦܘܠܘܣ ܟܕ ܒܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܟܕ ܩܦܠܐܘܢ ܡܢ ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܬܫܥܝܢ ܘܐܪܒܥܐ\nܫܩܠ ܟܬܒ ܗܢܐ ܐܬܐܡܪ ܡܢ ܪܘܚܐ ܕܩܘܕܫܐ ܟܕ ܐܡܪ ܢܒܝܐ ܕܐܡܪ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ\nܚܡܢܐ ܐܢ ܒܩܠܗ ܬܫܡܥܘܢ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܕܫܪܟܐ ܥܡ ܗܢܐ ܘܦܛܪܘܣ ܗ̇ܘ ܓܒܝܐ ܘܪܝܫܐ\nܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܒܦܪܟܣܝܣ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܕܫܵܠܡܝܢ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܡܪ ܓܝܪ ܒܕܘܟ ܡܢ ܙܕܩ ܗܘܐ\nܕܢܬܡܠܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܗܘ ܕܩܕܡ ܐܡܪ ܪܘܚܐ ܒܝܕ ܦܘܡܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܡܛܠ ܝܗܘܕܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܗܘܐ ܡܗܕܝܢܐ\nܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܐܚܕ ܠܝܫܘܥ .ܘܗܠܝܢ ܕܫܪܟܐ .ܘܟܕ ܥܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܙܥܘܪ̈ܝܬܐ ܐܝܬܝ ܐܡܪ ܟܬܝܒ ܓܝܪ\nܒܣܦܪܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܕܝܪܗ ܚܪܒܐ ܘܠܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܒܗܿ ܕܥܡܪ ܠܐܦܝܣܩܦܘܬܗ ܢܣܒ\nܐܚܪܢܐ .ܠܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܟܣܢܝܐ ܐܢܗܘ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܟܬܒܝܢ ܟܕ ܗܘ ܦܪܘܩܐ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ\nܗܠܝܢ ܡܚܬܡ .ܟܕ ܓܝܪ ܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܕܪܝܫ ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܡܐܐ ܘܬܫܥܐ ܕܗܟܢܐ\nܐܝܬ ܠܗ܆ ܐܡܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܡܪܐ ܕܝܠܝ ܬܒ ܠܟ ܡܢ ܝܡܝܢܝ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܐܣܝܡ ܒܥܠܕܵܒܒܝܟ ܟܘܒܫܐ\nܠܪ̈ܓܠܝܟ ܡܫܐܠ ܗܘܐ ܠܦܪ̈ܝܫܐ ܐܢ ܕܘܝܕ ܒܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܠܡܫܝܚܐ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܡܪ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܒܪܗ ܗܘ\nܐܢ ܗܟܝܠ ܣܘܟܵܠܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܐ ܐܚܝܕܝܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܠܘ ܐܝܟܢ ܕܗܘ ܙܕܩ ܕܢܦܓܥ ܒܟܬܒܗܘܢ\nܬܘܚܓ..","english":"In the New Testament, when he quotes from the book of Psalms, a testimony is taken as a proof. For just as from the Spirit it was said by Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews, when he quotes from the Psalm of the one hundred and fourth, he takes and writes that it was said from the Holy Spirit, as the prophet says, the Holy Spirit. The light, if you listen to his voice, and these others along with this, and Peter, that chosen one and chief of the apostles, in the Acts of the Apostles, to these he says, for he says in the place where it was fitting that the book be fulfilled, that which earlier said the Spirit through the mouth of David concerning Judas, that one who was the guide to those who seized Jesus. And these others. And when he entered upon these minor ones, he says, for it is written in the book of Psalms, \"The month of the sword shall be, and there shall not be in it an inhabitant for his episcopate, he took others.\" Not, however, the strangers, but these apostles wrote, while the Savior especially sealed these. For when there was a remembrance in the Gospel of the beginning of the Psalm of the one hundred and ninth, which is thus: \"The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right until I place your enemies as a footstool under your feet,'\" he was asking the Pharisees whether David, through the Holy Spirit, spoke to the Lord Christ, how he is his son. If, therefore, the spiritual meanings of the Psalms are held, not as it is fitting that one should encounter their book, a rebuke.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܬܫܥܝܢ ܘܐܪܒܥܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text cites a Psalm of the one hundred and fourth (Ps 104 LXX; MT 105), but the English draft renders it as 'one hundred and fourth' while later referring to Psalm 109. The discrepancy may reflect a textual variant or misnumbering.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܡܐܐ ܘܬܫܥܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac mentions a Psalm of the one hundred and ninth (Ps 109 LXX; MT 110) and quotes 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right...' This is a known messianic proof-text (cf. Ps 110:1 LXX).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܘܠܘܣ ܟܕ ܒܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܠܘܬ ܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The author invokes Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews as a precedent for interpreting Psalms as spoken by the Holy Spirit. This reflects a common patristic hermeneutic, especially in Syriac tradition, that reads Psalms christologically.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܛܪܘܣ ܗ̇ܘ ܓܒܝܐ ܘܪܝܫܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Peter is called 'the chosen one and chief of the apostles,' a title that aligns with Syriac and broader Eastern Christian emphasis on Peter's primacy. The reference to Acts (ܦܪܟܣܝܣ) supports the apostolic authority for the psalm interpretation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܘܚܓ","severity":"caution","text":"The final word ܬܘܚܓ (tūḥāḡ) is ambiguous: it could mean 'rebuke' or 'reproof' (as in the English draft) or possibly 'correction' in a textual sense. The passage ends abruptly, and the sense may be incomplete or corrupt.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a narrative of scriptural citation to a direct argument about the spiritual meaning of Psalms, concluding with a conditional statement ('If, therefore...'). The structure supports the letter's apologetic purpose.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The numbering of Psalms (104 vs. 109) is inconsistent between the Syriac and the English draft; the Syriac explicitly gives two different numbers (104 and 109), but the English conflates them.","The final word ܬܘܚܓ may be a textual corruption or a deliberate rhetorical closure; its exact sense is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"ܫܪܒܐ ܕܥܐ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܡܜܠ ܕܣܓܝܵܐܐ ܡܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܗܝܡܢܘ ܡܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܒܡܫܝܚܐ\nܡܣܒܪܝܢ ܠܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ܆ ܪܫܡܝܢ ܠܗ ܕܝܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܙܕܩ ܠܡܐܡܪ܆\nܗܠܝܢ ܕܠܘܬܢ ܐܬܝܵ ܡܜܠܬܗ .ܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܪܫܡܘ ܠܟܬܒܐ ܣܦܪ ܬܐܠܝܡ ܒܦܪܟܣܝܣ ܕܝܢ ܕܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܕܟܬܒܐ\nܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܬܐܡܪ ܐܝܬ ܠܗܿ ܕܝܢ ܠܡܠܬܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܒ ܒܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܫܡܐ\nܕܝܢ ܒܪܘܫܡܐ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܠܐ ܣܝܡ ܗܪܟܐ .ܥܠܬܐ ܕܝܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܠܘ ܡܵܠܐ ܕܚܕ ܐܬܟܬܒ ܒܗܿ ܟܕ ܒܗܿ ܐܠܐ\nܕܣܓܝܵܐܐ ܐܬܟܢܫܘ܆ ܟܕ ܥܙܪܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܡܫܠܡܢܵܘܬܐ ܐܡܪ̈ܢ ܟܢܫ ܒܬܪ ܫܒܝܐ ܠܟܬܒܵܐ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܣܓܝܵܐܐ\nܠܚܕ܆ ܐܘ ܐܦ ܡܵܠܐ ܕܠܘ ܡܢ ܟܠܦܪܘܣ ܐܝܬܝܗܝܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܡܩܕܡ ܗܟܝܠ ܣܝܡ ܥܠ ܚܕ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܡܢ\nܫܡܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܘܥܠ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܕܫܠܘܡܘܢ ܘܥܠ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܕܐܣܦ ܐܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܘܕܐܝܕܝܬܘܡ ܘܣܛܪ\nܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ܆ ܕܒܢܵܝ ܩܘܪܚ ܘܕܡܘܫܐ ܟܕ ܗܟܝܠ ܡܵܠܐ ܐܬܟܢܫܵܝ ܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܟܚܕܐ ܘܐܦܢ\nܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܝܕܥ ܡܬܐܡܪ̈ܢ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܒܠܚܘܕ܆ ܐܠܐ ܕܙܕܩ ܠܡܒܥܐ ܡܜܠ ܕܕܠܐ ܪ̈ܘܫܡܐ ܘܕܡܢܘ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܣܒܪ\n...ܠܡܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܣܝܡ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܗܟܢܐ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܐܘ ܐܢܗܘ ܕܠܝܬ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ\nܬܘܒ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܦܫܝܛ ܕܐܡܪ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܣܛܪ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܬܘܣܦܬܐ ܐܣܒܪܢܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܐܝܟܐ ܕܗܢܐ ܒܠܚܘܕ\nܪܘܫܡܐ ܐܝܬ܆ ܕܠܐ ܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܡܬܐܡܪܐ܆ ܘܠܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܐܠܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ .","english":"The rest of the psalms, because many of those who believed from the nations in Christ, they interpret this book as David's, and they designate it as the Psalms of David, which it is proper to say. Those which are with him came his interpretation. The Hebrews designated the book as the Book of Praises (Sephar Tehillim). In the Praxis (Acts) of the Apostles, however, it is said that the book of Psalms is his. There is, moreover, for the word thus, as it is written in the book of Psalms, the name, however, in the designation of the book is not placed here. The reason, moreover, is that not one author wrote it, but many were confused, when Ezra, as tradition says, was confused after the captivity to collect the many psalms into one, or even that the author is not from one prosopon (person). The psalms, therefore, are placed first upon one of them with the name of David, and upon another of Solomon, and upon another of Asaph, and there are some of them of Idithun, and apart from these others, of the sons of Korah and of Moses. When, therefore, the authors of all these were confused together, and even he who knows that they are said of David alone, but it is proper to inquire because without designations and without what, and not to suppose... For what is placed upon them, that which has thus \"Psalms of David\" or whether there are not psalms? Again, that which is more simple, which says that David apart from all addition, I will explain, moreover, that where this alone is a designation, that which is said is not a psalm, nor a praise, but a word from the Holy Spirit.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܦܪ ܬܐܠܝܡ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac transliterates the Hebrew title Sēfer Tehillim ('Book of Praises'), showing awareness of the Hebrew tradition for the Psalter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܪܟܣܝܣ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek loanword 'Praxis' (Acts of the Apostles) is used to cite the New Testament book, reflecting the Syriac convention of referring to Acts by this title.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܙܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"Ezra is invoked as the traditional collector of the psalms after the Babylonian captivity, a common Jewish and Christian tradition (cf. 2 Esdras 14; b. Bava Batra 14b–15a).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܪܘܣܦܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The Greek loanword 'prosopon' (person, individual) is used to argue that the Psalter has multiple authors, not a single 'person' (David).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from a critique of the common attribution to David, through a list of traditional authors (Solomon, Asaph, Idithun, sons of Korah, Moses), to a conclusion that the true 'word' is from the Holy Spirit, not a mere psalm or praise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text is corrupt or lacunose after 'not to suppose' (ܕܠܐ ܕܢܣܒܪ), and the following clause is incomplete, making the argumentative sequence uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'without designations and without what' (ܕܕܠܐ ܪ̈ܘܫܡܐ ܘܕܡܢܘ) is obscure; it may refer to missing superscriptions or authorial ascriptions.","The lacuna after 'not to suppose' leaves the conclusion of the argument unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":20,"ref":"p20","source":"ܕܟܬܝܒܐ ܡܜܠ ܝܘܬܪܢܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܫܟܚ ܕܝܬܒܝܢ ܐܬܬ ܕܝܢ ܠܘܬܝ ܡܫܠܡܢܘܬܐ ܕܐܢܫ ܥܒܪܝܐ\nܡܛܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܝܢ ܕܣܓܝܵܐܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܐ ܪ̈ܫܝܡܐ܆ ܚܕ ܕܝܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܩܕܡ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܪܫܝܡܐ\nܪܘܫܡܐ ܠܝܬ ܠܗ ܕܕܘܝܕ .ܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܐܦ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܟܕ ܡܢ ܓܘܐ ܡܫܬܩܠܝܢ܆ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܙܕܩ ܕܢܣܬܒܪܘܢ\nܘܗܟܢܐ ܡܟܝܠ ܕܢܩܦܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ܆ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܪ̈ܫܝܡܐ ܕܡܢ ܗܢܘܢ܆ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܕܗܢܘܢ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ\nܕܫܦܝܪ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܕܡܣܬܒܪܝܢ ܒܪܘܫܡܐ ܠܡܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܡܐܐ ܘܚܡܫܝܢ ܢܒܥܐ ܡܢܝܢܐ\nܗ̇ܘ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ .ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܟܗܢܝܐ ܒܝܘܡܵܬܐ ܡܢ ܝܕܝܵܥܐ ܡܢ ܦܢܜܝܩܘܣܛܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܣܓܝ ܜܒܝܒܐ܆\nܕܡܫܘܕܥܐ ܫܪܝܐ ܕܥܡܵܠܐ ܘܚܕܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܨܘܡ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܝܘܡܵܬܐ ܕܝܢܐ܆ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܣܝܡ\nܒܘܪܟܐ .ܐܬܘܵܬܐ ܓܝܪ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܚܠ ܪܒܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܕܥܬܝܕܵܢ ܕܛܠܢܝܬܐ ܕܝܠܗܝܢ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܗܘܬ ܒܐ.... ܐܝܟ ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ .ܒܫܢܝܵܐ ܕܝܢ ܗܘ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܝܘܐܒܠ ܠܘܬ ܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܫܢܬܐ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܬܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ\nܣܓܝ ܕܝܢ ܝܬܝܪ ܪܒܐ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܒܗܠܝܢ ܫܒܝܵܥܝܐ܆ ܕܚܘܪ̈ܪܐ ܕܥܒܕܵܐ ܕܦܣܩܐ ܕܚܘܒܵܬܐ ܘܕܢܝܚܐ\nܕܡܢ ܐܟܪܘܬܐ܆ ܘܕܟܠ ܥܡܵܠܐ ܕܒܐܪܥܐ ܒܗ̇ܝ ܝܘܒܠܠܝܬܐ ܘܕܐܓܘܪ̈ܣܐ ܘܒܵܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܐܒܗܵܬܐ ܕܒܣܢܝܩܵܘܬܐ\nܡܕܡ ܥܠܡܢܝܵܬܐ ܐܬܢܟܪܝܘ܆ ܕܢܬܦܢܘܢ ܠܓܢܣܐ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܟܗܢܝܐ ܝܕܥ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ ܘܕܗ̇ܘ\nܡܢܝܢܐ ܫܘܐ ܒܓܢܣܐ ܠܗ ܘܕܩܪܝܒ ܠܗ ܐܡܪ.","english":"of those which are written concerning the benefit of him who is able to sit. Now you have sent to me the completion of the Hebrew man. Concerning these others, however, because many of them are unmarked, one of them, that which precedes these unmarked ones, has no superscription of David. He used to say that even these, when they are taken from within, it is right that they be understood of David. And thus then, that which is the sequence is this, that these unmarked ones which are with him, they are of him, of those which are before them, which are good to be understood with a superscription. For how many are they? They are one hundred and fifty and four in number. That of fifty, which is the Jubilee in the days, known from the Pentekoste, which is very artful, which is known to be the beginning of labor and joy. For this reason, and not that one should fast on these days of judgment, nor that one should place a blessing. For these are signs of the great one of these which are future, of which the Trinity of them was in... like Israel. In the hour, however, that which is called the Jubilee among the Hebrews is the fiftieth hour. It is very much greater than that which is in the seventh, of the freedoms of the servant of the section of debts and of the release from agriculture, and of all labor in the land in that Jubilee and of the agorae and houses from the fathers in difficulties. Some worldly things were renewed, that they should return to the body. Or rather, the Jubilee knows the remission of the fifty and of that number is equal in body to it and is near to it, he said.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage discusses unmarked psalms (those without a superscription) and argues that they should still be understood as Davidic, based on internal evidence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܝܘܐܒܠ (yōbāl)","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܝܘܐܒܠ (yōbāl) is a transliteration of Hebrew yōḇēl, referring to the Jubilee year. Barlaha connects it to the fiftieth psalm and the Pentecost (Pentekoste), interpreting it as a time of remission and joy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the Jubilee (fiftieth year) and its association with remission of debts and release from labor reflects Jewish legal traditions (Leviticus 25). Barlaha adapts this to a Christian typological framework, linking it to the fifty psalms and Pentecost.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Acts of the Apostles (Praxis)","severity":"info","text":"The previous passage mentions the Praxis (Acts) of the Apostles, and here the term Pentekoste (Pentecost) likely alludes to Acts 2, the descent of the Holy Spirit, which Barlaha connects to the Jubilee theme of labor and joy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the Trinity of them was in... like Israel' is fragmentary and unclear; the Syriac breaks off after ܒܐ..., possibly due to a lacuna in the manuscript. The intended meaning is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the letter, moving from a discussion of unmarked psalms to a numerical and typological argument about the number 50 (Jubilee, Pentecost) and its significance for the Psalter's arrangement.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the Trinity of them was in... like Israel' is corrupt; the reading assumes a lacuna after ܒܐ.","The referent of 'him who is able to sit' at the start is unclear; it may refer to a reader or a liturgical context."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":21,"ref":"p21","source":"ܠܘ ܓܝܪ ܣܪܝܩܐܝܬ ܒܫܘܒܗܪܐ ܡܬܝܗܒ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ\n.....ܗܟܢܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܘܠܬܫܒܚܵܬܐ ܕܥܠ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܡܜܠ ܣܬܘܪܝܐ ܕܒܥܠܕܵܒܒܐ ܘܩܘܒܠ\nܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܥܠ ܥܘܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܙܕܩ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܐܚܕܵܢ ܠܘ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܚܕܐ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܬܐ ܐܠܐ ܬܠܵܬ ܒܫܡܐ\nܕܐܒܐ ܕܒܪܐ ܘܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܐܚܝܕܐ ܕܝܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܬܐ ܫܒܥܐ ܫܒܘܵܥܐ ܫܒܵܐ ܕܫܒܵܐ\nܘܠܫܘܪܝܐ ܕܒܬܪ ܫܒܵܐ ܡܫܡܵܠܝܬܐ ܕܒܬܡܝܢܝܘܬܐ ܕܢܝܚܬܐ ܕܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܚܕܬܐ .ܘܗܕܐ ܥܠ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ\nܕܡܫܟܚ ܢܛܪ ܣܓܝ ܪܒܐ .ܐܘ ܐܝܟ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܗܝ ܕܡܵܠܐ ܕܥܠ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܢܫܟܚ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܣܝܡܝܢܢ\nܕܐܝܟ.ܐܝܟܢ ܕܠܘ ܣܪܝܩܐܝܬ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܬܡܢܝܐ ܡܛܠ ܡܥܨܪ̈ܬܐ ܪܫܝܡ ܠܫܘܡܠܝܐ ܕܦܐܪ̈ܐ ܐܚܝܕ ܒܬܡܝܢܝܘܬܐ\nܠܐ ܥܕܟܝܠ ܓܝܪ ܙܒܢܐ ܕܒܘܣܡܐ ܕܦܐܪ̈ܐ ܕܟܪܡܐ ܕܫܪܪܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܠܡܗܘܐ ܒܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܩܕܡ\nܗ̇ܘ ܬܡܝܢܝܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܕܚܠܦ ܡܥܨܪ̈ܬܐ ܬܡܝܢܝܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܕܐܚܝܕ ܐܚܪܬܐ ܬܡܝܢܝܘܬܐ\nܠܗ̇ܝ ܕܒܥܣܝܪ̈ܬܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܬܡܢܝܢ ܘܬܠܵܬܐ܆ ܟܕ ܡܢܝܢܵܐ ܬܪܝܢ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ ܕܡܬܥܪܙܠܝܢ܆ܗ̇ܘ\nܕܬܡܢܵܝܐ ܒܥܣܝܪ̈ܬܐ܆ ܘܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܬܠܬ ܒܠܚܘܕܵܝܬܐ ܕܡܫܘܐ ܘܠܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܕܚܛܗܵܐ ܘܠܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ\nܐܚܝܕ ܗ̇ܘ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܐܟܙܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܐ ܐܝܟ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܐܝܬ\nܠܗ ܕܚܛܗܵܐ ܒܚܘܫܒܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܛܠ ܝܘܒܐܠܝܐ.ܗܟܢܐ ܡܣܒܐ.ܕܠܘ ܒܐܚܪܢܐ ܐܠܐ ܒܗ̇ܘ ܡܢܝܢܐ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܐ\nܕܢܣܒ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܨܠܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܕܐܝܟ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܬܬܘܕܝܢܘܬܐ.ܬܘܒ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܠܗ ܐܝܬܝܗܝܢ\nܬܫܒܚܵܬܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܡܣܩܵܢܐ ܕܒܡܢܝܢܐ ܚܡܫܥܣܪܐ ܟܡܐ ܕܐܦ ܕܪ̈ܓܐ ܕܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܥܩܪ ..............","english":"It is not given in vain with boasting of the fifty. Thus, then, also for the praises concerning God, which are on account of the mystery of the enemy and the reception of grace—that which is concerning the helps of God—it was fitting that it should hold not only one pentad, but three, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That pentad, however, holds seven weeks, seven of seven, and the beginning after seven, the completion in the perfection of the tenth, which is truly new. And this concerning the Psalms, which can be observed very greatly. Or, as in the beginning, that which fills all of them can be found as they are set. As it is not in vain that the tenth, on account of the tenths, is marked for the completion of the fruits, holding in perfection. For not yet can the season of the fragrance of the fruits of the vineyard of truth be in the tenth that precedes. That tenth is the second which, after the tenths, is the tenth that holds another perfection for that which is in the tenths—that of the tenth and three. When the second tenth of the holy ones who are armed, that of the tenth in the tenths, and that of the third in the sole unity of the equal, and for the remission of sins and for confession, holds that fiftieth. For it is thus that the fiftieth, like the Gospel, has remission of sins in the reckoning concerning the Jubilee. Thus it is taken, that not in others but in that tenth fiftieth which takes remission, that which prays these, which are like those of confession. Again, moreover, of its own are the praises, something of the ascent in the fifteenth tenth, as also the steps of the temple of the root...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܡܫܝܢܝܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'pentad' (ܚܡܫܝܢܝܬܐ) is a key structural unit in Barlaha's numerological scheme, here applied to groups of psalms. The letter argues for three pentads corresponding to the Trinity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܘܒܐܠܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'Jubilee' (ܝܘܒܐܠܝܐ) connects the fiftieth psalm to the biblical Jubilee year (Leviticus 25), a period of remission and restoration. This aligns with the letter's theme of forgiveness and the fiftieth as a Gospel-like figure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܒܥܐ ܫܒܘܵܥܐ ܫܒܵܐ ܕܫܒܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'seven weeks, seven of seven' describes a nested heptadic structure within the pentad, reflecting a complex calendrical or liturgical schema. This is part of Barlaha's systematic arrangement of the Psalms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of the fiftieth psalm to the 'Gospel' (ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ) in its capacity for remission of sins echoes early Christian typology, where the Psalter prefigures the New Testament. This is a rare explicit parallel in Syriac exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܪ̈ܓܐ ܕܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܥܩܪ","severity":"caution","text":"The final phrase 'steps of the temple of the root' is fragmentary in the Syriac (ܕܪ̈ܓܐ ܕܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܥܩܪ...), likely due to manuscript damage. The English draft's 'steps of the temple of the root' is conjectural; the intended referent (e.g., the Temple steps in Psalm 120?) is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the enemy' (ܣܬܘܪܝܐ) in the mystery is unclear—possibly a cosmic or historical adversary.","The phrase 'the tenth and three' (ܬܡܢܝܢ ܘܬܠܵܬܐ) may refer to a specific psalm number or a symbolic grouping; the text does not specify.","The 'fragrance of the fruits of the vineyard of truth' is a metaphorical expression whose precise exegetical referent is not given."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":22,"ref":"p22","source":"ܕܐܚܝܕܝܢ ܡܣܩܵܢܐ.ܒܗ̇ܘ ܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܫܒܥܐ ܘܒܗ̇ܘ ܕܬܡܢܝܐ ܫܘܪܝܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܣܩܢܐ ܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ\nܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܡܐܐ ܘܥܣܪܝܢ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܦܫܝܛܐܝܬ ܡܬܐܡܪ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܚܬܝܬܝܢ\nܡܢ ܨܚܚܵܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܚܵܝܐ ܕܡܫܡܠܝܘܬܐ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ ܘܕܗ̇ܘ ܡܐܐ܆ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܪܝܫܗ\nܜܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܕܝܢܐ ܐܙܡܪ ܠܟ ܡܪܝܐ܆ ܐܚܝܕ ܠܕܘܒܪܐ ܕܩܕܝܫܐ܆ ܕܡܫܘܬܦ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܐܐ\nܘܚܡܫܝܢ ܡܫܠܡ܀ ܒܗ̇ܝ ܕܟܠ ܢܫܡܐ ܬܫܒܚ ܠܡܪܝܐ .ܐܠܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܩܕܡܢܢ ܐܡܪܢܢ\nܥܠ ܟܠ ܚܕ ܡܢܗܘܢ܀ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܢܥܒܕ ܘܢܫܒܚ ܠܥܵܠܬܐ ܣܓܝ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܩܫܝܬܐ ܘܥܣܩܬܐ\nܠܡܬܕܪܟܘ ܠܟܝܢܐ ܕܒܢܝܢܵܫܐ ܢܣܦܩܵܢ ܠܢ ܗܠܝܢ.ܟܕ ܡܛܠ ܪܘܫܡܐ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܡܘܣܦܝܢܢ ܕܠܘ ܐܝܟ\nܜܟܣܐ ܕܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܟܬܒܵܐ. ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܣܬܒܪܝܢ ܕܒܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܬܠܝܢ ܐܬܟܬܒܘ\nܘܥܠܬܐ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܐܝܬ ܠܗܿ.","english":"that holds the ascent. In that number of seven and in that of nine, the beginning of the ascent is from that psalm of one hundred and ten, which is more plainly spoken as if there are more precise ones from the truth. This, then, is the number of life of the completion of the head and of that hundred, whose beginning is grace, and I will sing to you, O Lord, holding to the conduct of the saints, which shares with God. That of one hundred and fifty completes it. In that every name praises the Lord, but because as we said earlier concerning each one of them, that which does and praises the cause is very difficult and hard to perceive the nature of the evil ones, sufficient for these. When, on account of the sign alone, they add that it is not like the order of the history of the Scripture. These psalms, which are understood to have been written in dependence on history, have a cause.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܣܩܵܥܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܡܣܩܵܥܐ (msqāʿā) is here rendered 'ascent', likely referring to the 'Song of Ascents' (Psalms 120–134). Barlaha uses it as a structural marker for a subset of psalms.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Psalm 110","severity":"info","text":"The text mentions 'that psalm of one hundred and ten' (Psalm 110 in the LXX/Psalter numbering). This psalm is cited as the starting point of the ascent, though its content is not directly quoted.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"number of seven and nine","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha refers to 'that number of seven and that of nine' as part of a numerological scheme. This likely relates to the grouping of psalms into weeks (seven) and other units (nine), continuing the earlier pentad-based argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"number of life","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'number of life' (ܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܚܵܝܐ) may allude to the number 150 (the total of the Psalter), which Barlaha associates with completion and grace. This reflects a common patristic trope linking 150 to the Jubilee or spiritual perfection.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"nature of the evil ones","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'nature of the evil ones' (ܟܝܢܐ ܕܒܢܝܢܵܫܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to demonic forces or to heretical interpreters. The text notes that understanding this is 'very difficult and hard to perceive', suggesting a contested exegetical point.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The referent of 'the evil ones' is unclear: it could be demons, heretics, or a specific group opposed to Barlaha's numerological method.","The phrase 'that which does and praises the cause' is syntactically obscure; it may refer to a psalm or to a divine action.","The relationship between the 'ascent' and the 'history of the Scripture' is not fully explained; Barlaha seems to distinguish a symbolic reading from a historical one."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":23,"ref":"p23","source":"ܠܘ ܐܚܪܬܐ܆ ܐܘ ܠܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܒܗܘܢ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܛܟܣܝܢ\nܕܐܝܟ ܐܝܟܢ ܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ ܘܚܕ܆ ܩܕܝܡܐ ܗܝ ܠܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ ܗܠܝܢ\nܓܝܪ ܕܡܛܠ ܕܐܘܠ ܐܕܘܡܝܐ܆ ܕܐܟܠ ܩܪ̈ܨܐ ܕܕܘܝܕ ܠܫܐܘܠ ܟܠܢܫ ܡܘܕܐ ܕܩܕܝܡܐ ܗܝ ܠܚܛܗܐ\nܗ̇ܘ ܕܠܘܬ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܐܘܪܝܐ .ܠܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܬܪܝܢܝܬܐ ܕܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܕܩܕܝܡܐ ܆ܠܗ̇ܝ\nܕܒܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܩܕܡܝܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܝܟ ܕܩܕܡܢܢ ܐܡܪܢܢ܆ ܕܘܟܬܐ ܕܡܛܠ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܫܘܝܬ\nܒܓܢܣܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܠܡܢܝܢܐ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܐ.ܗ̇ܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܫܘܐ ܠܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܠܥܠ ܡܢ ܡܢܝܢܐ ܚܡܫܝܢܝܐ\nܢܦܠ.ܐܝܟ ܕܐܘܠ ܐܕܘܡܝܐ.ܐܠܐ ܡܢ ܘܗ̇ܘ ܕܫܒܥܝܢ ܘܬܠܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܟܕ ܥܪܩ ܗܘܐ ܕܘܝܕ ܡܢ ܩܕܡ\nܦܪܨܘܦܐ ܕܐܒܝܫܠܘܡ ܒܪܗ ܐܬܐܡܪ.ܝܕܝܥܐ ܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܩܪܝܢ ܒܡܵܠܟܘܬܐ .ܕܒܬܪ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ\nܘܚܕ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܘܒܬܪ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ.ܗܠܝܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܕܐܝܟ ܗܟܢ܆ ܐܢܗܘ ܕܟܕ ܝܬܝܪ ܐܢܫ ܢܬܥܢܐ\nܢܛܪ ܬܫܥܝܬܐ ܘܥܠ ܪ̈ܘܫܡܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܚܬܝܬܐܝܬ ܡܫܟܚ ܠܥܠܵܬܐ ܕܛܟܣܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ.ܟܒܪ\nܠܚܡܘܬܐ ܪܒܝܥܝܬܐ ܐܝܬ ܠܗ܆ܘܗ̇ܝ ܕܒܠܚܘܕ ܕܘܝܕ ܡܢ ܢܒܝܵܐ ܥܡ ܐܘܪܓܢܘܢ ܢܬܢܒܐ܆ܗ̇ܘ ܕܠܘܬ\nܝܘܢܵܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܢܪܐ ܡܬܩܪܐ܆ܠܘܬ ܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܕܝܢ ܙܒܠܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܠܚܘܕܘܗܝ ܡܢ ܐܘܪ̈ܓܢܐ ܡܘܣܝܩܪ̈ܝܐ\nܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܬܪܝܨ ܀ܕܠܝܬ ܠܗ ܘܠܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܟܦܝܦ .ܐܠܐ ܕܝܢ ܘܠܐ ܡܬܥܒܕܐ ܐܝܟ ܚܕܐ\nܠܘܬ ܡܙܥܩܢܘܬܐ ܡܢ ܡܢܘܵܬܐ ܕܠܬܚܬ .ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܓܕܫܐ ܥܠ ܩܝܬܪܐ ܘܥܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܡܕܡ ܐܚܪܢܐ.ܐܠܐ ܡܢ\nܠܥܠ܀ ܕܩܕܝܫܐ ܐܬܢܣܝܘܣ ܕܐܠܟܣܢܕܪܝܐ܀ ܩܦܠܐܘܢ ܕܥܠ ܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ. ܠܚܡܫ ܡܢܘܵܬܐ ܡܦܠܓܝܢ ܒܢܵܝ\nܥܒܪ̈ܝܐ ܠܟܠܗ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ .ܕܡܢܗܝܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܬܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܿ܆ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܩܕܡܝܐ\nܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܥܘܵܠܐ ܠܐ ܗܠܟ܀","english":"or another, or to the number of psalms that are arranged, as if according to the history of that fifty-first, it is prior to the history of that fifty-sixth. For because of Doeg the Edomite, who slandered David to Saul, he confesses that it is prior to the sin. That which is with Uriah, not that second word of the first history, to that which is in the first history, because as we said earlier, the place concerning forgiveness is equal in the fiftieth number. That which is not equal to forgiveness above the fiftieth number falls, as Doeg the Edomite, but with that seventy-third, because when David fled from before the person of Absalom his son, it was spoken. It is known to those who read in the kingdom, that after that fifty-first and after that fifty-sixth. Those that are like this, if more one is troubled, he preserves the history and upon the signs more precisely can find the cause of the arrangement of the psalms. Already it has a fourth quality, and that alone David with the prophet with Origen is done, that which with the Jews is called with the cithara, with the Hebrews, however, it is zabla, which alone with the Origenes musici is more than all correct, for it has nothing crooked, but rather it is not done as one with the lower numbers with the numbers below, as happens with the cithara and with those other things, but with the above. Of the holy Athanasius of Alexandria, the commentary on the Psalms. The five hundred are divided among the Hebrew books of the entire book of Psalms, of which that first is, in those that with the first, blessed is the man who does not walk in the path of evil.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Doeg the Edomite","severity":"info","text":"Doeg the Edomite is a biblical figure (1 Sam 21–22) who reported David’s visit to Ahimelech to Saul, leading to the massacre of the priests at Nob. Barlaha uses him to date Psalm 51 prior to David’s sin with Bathsheba.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"zabla (ܙܒܠܐ)","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term zabla (ܙܒܠܐ) is glossed as a musical instrument, contrasted with the Greek kithara. Barlaha notes that among Hebrews it is called zabla, and that Origen’s musical theory treats it as uniquely correct.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Psalm 51","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha refers to the history of the fifty-first psalm, linking it to Doeg the Edomite’s slander of David. This suggests a historical reading of Psalm 51 (LXX numbering) as a composition before David’s sin with Bathsheba.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Athanasius of Alexandria","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha cites Athanasius of Alexandria’s commentary on the Psalms, noting a division of the Psalter into five books. This reflects the reception of Athanasius’s exegetical tradition in Syriac circles.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"fifty-first and fifty-sixth psalms","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha discusses the ordering of Psalms 51 and 56, arguing that the history of Psalm 51 precedes that of Psalm 56. This structural note is part of his larger argument about the arrangement of the Psalter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the second word of the first history' is obscure; it may refer to a textual variant or a specific exegetical tradition about the narrative of David and Bathsheba.","The reference to 'the fourth quality' is unclear; it may denote a musical or structural property of a psalm, but the text does not specify."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":24,"ref":"p24","source":"ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗ̇ܘ(ܕܡ) ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ ܕܚܐܪ ܒܡܣܟܢܐ\nܕܬܪܬܝܢ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܐ ܐܟ ܐܝܠܐ ܕܓܥܐ ܥܠ ܦܨܝܕܐ ܕܡܝܵܐ. ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗ̇ܘ ܕܥܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܗܒ\nܕܝܢܟ ܠܡܠܟܐ. ܕܬܠܬ܆ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ(ܥܒ) ܐܠܗܐ ܜܒ ܠܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܠܒܪ̈ܝܪܝ ܠܒܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗ̇ܘ\n(ܕܦܚ) ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܐܙܡܪ ܘܕܐܪ̈ܒܥ܆ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܦܛ ܡܪܝܐ ܒܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܐ ܗܘܐ\nܠܢ ܠܕܪܕܪܝܢ܆ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗ̇ܘܕܩܗ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܘܠܥܠܡ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ\nܗ̇ܘ ܕܩܘ ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܠܥܠܡ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܘܠܡܗ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܀","english":"until that (same) one, “Blessed is the man” who looked into the mirror of the two hundred and seventy-first psalm, which is like the tree that bent over the water. Until that one, “God, give your ear to the king.” Third, in the two hundred and seventy-third psalm, “God is good to Israel, to the chosen of heart,” until that one, “The grace of the Lord I will sing forever.” And fourth, in the two hundred and seventy-fourth psalm, “The Lord was in the dwelling place for the generations,” until that one, “They praised the Lord, that he is good, and forever his grace.” Of the fifth, in the two hundred and seventy-fifth psalm, that one, “They praised the Lord, that he is good, forever his grace,” until the end of the book.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage enumerates a sequence of psalm incipits (271, 273, 274, 275) with their opening and closing phrases, forming a structural list that continues the earlier argument about psalm ordering.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܜܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܢ","severity":"info","text":"The incipit 'Blessed is the man' (Psalm 1:1) is cited as the opening of the 271st psalm, reflecting a non-standard numbering system.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܠܗܐ ܗܒ ܕܝܢܟ ܠܡܠܟܐ","severity":"info","text":"The incipit 'God, give your ear to the king' is not a standard biblical verse; it may be a paraphrase or a variant reading from a Syriac psalter tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܠܗܐ ܜܒ ܠܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ ܠܒܪ̈ܝܪܝ ܠܒܐ","severity":"info","text":"The incipit 'God is good to Israel, to the chosen of heart' echoes Psalm 73:1 (LXX 72) but with added phrase 'to the chosen of heart', possibly a liturgical adaptation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝܐ ܒܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܢ ܠܕܪܕܪܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The incipit 'The Lord was in the dwelling place for the generations' is not a standard psalm verse; it may be a conflation or a non-canonical text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܘܕܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܕܜܒ ܗܘ ܘܠܥܠܡ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ","severity":"info","text":"The closing phrase 'They praised the Lord, that he is good, and forever his grace' appears in both the 274th and 275th psalms, suggesting a repeated doxological formula.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text is partially corrupt (marked with parentheses), making some incipits uncertain. The numbering of psalms (271, 273, 274, 275) does not correspond to any known canonical numbering; it may reflect a local or non-standard psalter division. The phrase 'tree that bent over the water' is obscure and may be a scribal gloss or a textual corruption."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":25,"ref":"p25","source":"ܒܟܬܒܐ\nܥܒܪܝܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܣܛܪ ܡܢ ܬܘܣܦܬܐ ܕܡܢܝܢܐ ܐܬܟܬܒܘ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܘܡܫܚܠܦܐܝܬ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܡܢ\nܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܡܚܝܕܵܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܡܦܵܠܓܐ ܡܚܝܕܐ ܟܝܬ ܗ̇ܘ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܘܗ̇ܘ ܕܬܪܝܢ ܡܚܝܕܵܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ\nܒܥܒܪܝܐ .ܘܬܘܒ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܬܫܥܐ ܐܘܕܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܠܒܝ ܕܡܚܝܕ ܨܐܕܝܢ ܒܥܒܪܝܐ ܠܬܪܝܢ ܡܦܠܓܐ\nܟܠܗ ܕܝܢ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܠܚܡܫ ܡܢܘܵܬܐ ܡܦܠܓ ܙܕܩ ܕܝܢ ܠܡܛܪ ܕܠܘ ܒܢܩܝܦܘܬܐ ܕܬܫܥܝܬܐ\nܕܙܒܵܢܐ܆ܛܟܣܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܡܪܟܒ ܡܫܚܠܦ ܓܝܪ ܗܢܐ ܒܣܘܓܐܐ ܕܙܒܢܵܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܗܘ\nܕܡܠܟܘܵܬܐ ܡܫܘܕܥ ܟܕ ܓܝܪ ܣܘܓܐܐ ܕܦܠܚܘܬ ܦܬܟܪ̈ܐ ܐܚܕܬ ܠܥܡܐ ܕܝܘܕܵܝܐ ܛܥܝܘܬܐ ܥܒܕܘ\nܕܟܬܒܵܐ ܐܒܗܵܝܐ .ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܚܙܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܘܠܐ ܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܕܕܚܠܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܒܗܵܐ\nܬܫܬܘܙܒ ܠܘܬܗܘܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܘܠܢܒܝܐ ܩܛܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܕܡܟܣܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܒܝܫܘܬ ܪܘܫܡܗܘܢ\nܘܡܛܠ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܘܩܕܡ ܠܒܝܫܵܬܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ܐܫܬܠܡܘ ܘܠܐ ܚܕܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܬܕܡܘܪܬܐ ܕܒܩܛܣܛܣܝܣ\nܕܕܐܝܟ ܗܟܢ ܕܙܒܵܢܐ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܝܵܬܝܢ ܒܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܢܦܠܵܝ ܠܛܘܥܝܝ ܢܫܵܬܠܡܢ ܒܙܒܢܵܐ\nܘܬܘܒ ܕܙܪܘܥܘ ܠܟܘܢ ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ ܘܐܟܘܠܘ ܦܘܡܗܿ ܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܬܘܒ\nܕܗܐ ܝܘܡܵܬܐ ܐܬܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܘܐܫܕܪ ܟܦܢܐ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܠܐ ܕܟܦܢ ܠܠܚܡܐ ܘܠܐ\nܕܨܗܐ ܠܡܝܵܐ .ܐܠܐ ܠܡܫܡܥ ܦܬܓܡܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ .ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܒܟܬܒܵܐ\nܩܕܝܫܵܐ ܕܠܥܘܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܒܢܝܢܫܵܐ ܐܡܝܪ̈ܢ .ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܦ ܐܢܬ ܡܦܣ ܒܗܝܢ ܐܝܟ\nܕܟܬܝܒ .ܘܬܗܘܢ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܡܠܦܵܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ .ܘܐܢ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܗܘܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܦܘܫܩܐ ܘܩܫܐ\nܡܢܟ܆ܡܕܡ ܕܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܬ ܦܫܩ .ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܠܝܨܐ ܥܠܝܗܝܢ .ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ\nܗܠܝܢ ܕܥܠ ܨܠܘܬܐ ܘܥܠ ܕܘܒܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܝܬܪܘܬܐ܆ܘܕܐܝܟܢܐ ܢܥܪܘܩ ܐܢܫ ܡܢ\nܒܝܫܵܬܐ ܘܢܬܢܩܦ ܠܛܒܵܬܐ ܘܕܐܝܟܢܐ ܢܒܥܐ ܐܢܫ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܠܒܗ","english":"In the Hebrew book of the Psalms, apart from the addition of the Maccabees, all of them were written, and differently from them they are. They are one with them, but divided as one, that is, the first and the second are one in Hebrew. And again, the ninth ode, \"To the Lord,\" from the whole heart, is one with the second half in Hebrew. The whole book of the Psalms is divided into five hundred parts. It is right to preserve that it is not by the continuity of the history of the sacrifice. The order of the Psalms is composed differently, for this is in the multitude of the sacrifice, as the book of Kings shows. For when the multitude of the service of idols seized the people of the Jews, they made the error of the patriarchal books, so that the book of the Law of Moses and the covenant of the fear of the God of the fathers would not be seen to be preserved among them. Thus, then, they also killed the prophets who were covering the evil of their sign. And because of these, first the evil ones of the Assyrians were delivered, and not one, then, is the wonder that in the census, as thus of the sacrifice and these that die in the book of the Psalms, they fell to my error, they were completed in the sacrifice. And again, that they sowed righteousness for you and ate the mouth of grace, and again, that these days have come, the Lord said and sent a famine in the land, not a famine for bread nor for water, but to hear the word of the Lord, with the rest that is in the holy book for the helps that are said in the request. Those which also you interpret in them as it is written. And may you all be teachers of God. And if that interpretation was great and difficult for you, whatever you can, you interpret. Those which are urgent upon them, especially those concerning prayer and concerning the ways of virtue, and how a man flees from evils and cleaves to goods, and how a man seeks the Lord with his whole heart.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܟܬܒܐ ܥܒܪܝܐ ܕܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha refers to a Hebrew Psalter distinct from the Greek Septuagint tradition, noting that the first two psalms are one in Hebrew and that the ninth ode is joined to the second half in Hebrew.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܢܝܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܡܢܝܢܐ (Maccabees) here denotes the additional psalms or historical books associated with the Maccabean period, which Barlaha treats as a later addition to the Psalter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܵܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the 'book of Kings' (ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܵܬܐ) as showing that the order of psalms changed due to the multitude of sacrifices alludes to the biblical account of Hezekiah or Josiah's reforms, though the exact passage is not cited.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ܒܝܫܵܬܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha claims that the 'evil ones of the Assyrians' were delivered because of the corruption of the patriarchal books, reflecting a later Syriac tradition that associates textual corruption with Assyrian persecution.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܚܡܫ ܡܢܘܵܬܐ ܡܦܠܓ","severity":"info","text":"The statement that the Psalter is divided into 'five hundred parts' (ܠܚܡܫ ܡܢܘܵܬܐ ܡܦܠܓ) is unusual; the standard Syriac Psalter has 150 psalms, so this may refer to a different division or be a textual corruption.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܙܒܵܥܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated phrase 'sacrifice' (ܕܙܒܵܥܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to literal temple sacrifice, to the liturgical context of psalmody, or to a metaphorical 'sacrifice' of textual integrity. The sense is contested.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'five hundred parts' is unclear; it may be a scribal error or refer to a non-standard division of the Psalter.","The term 'sacrifice' (ܕܙܒܵܥܐ) is used repeatedly but its precise referent—temple cult, liturgical practice, or textual corruption—is ambiguous.","The identity of the 'evil ones of the Assyrians' and the historical event alluded to is not specified."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":26,"ref":"p26","source":"ܡܦܝܣ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܠܚܘܒܟ܆ ܕܐܢ ܗܘܐ ܨܒܝܢܐ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܘܠܟ ܡܦܫܩ ܐܢܬ ܠܗ܆\nܢܬܝܒܠ ܨܚܚܗ ܠܘܬܢ .ܡܘܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܠܚܘܒܟ ܕܐܦܠܐ ܚܕ ܡܢ ܩܕܵܝܫܐ\nܕܠܐ ܥܡܠܐ ܣܡ ܡܕܡ ܐܘ ܦܫܩ .ܜܘܒܢܐ ܡܪܝ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܓܒܪܐ ܡܗܝܡܢܐ\nܘܫܪܝܪܐ ܘܪܚܡܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ܆ܗܘ ܒܠܚܘܕܘܗܝ ܦܫܩ ܚܕ ܟܬܒܐ ܘܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܥܡ\nܫܪܟܐ ܕܩܦܵܠܐܐ ܕܐܬܦܫܩܘ ܡܢ ܝܘܢܝܐ ܠܣܘܪܝܝܐ ܆ܕܒܥܡܠܐ ܪܒܐ ܦܫܩܘ\nܐܢܘܢ ܐܢܫܐ ܒܛܢܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ.ܘܗܫܐ ܡܛܠ ܡܪܢ ܆ܥܡܠ ܩܠܝܠ ܡܛܠ ܐܚܝܵܟ\nܘܦܫܩ ܡܕܡ ܕܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܬ ܐܝܟ ܚܝܠܟ ܕܟܕ ܬܥܒܕ ܗܕܐ ܬܩܒܠ\nܒܘܪܟܬܐ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ .ܘܢܫܒܘܩ ܠܟ ܚܛܗܵܝܟ ܘܒܘܨܪ̈ܝܟ ܟܠܗܘܢ\nܚܠܦ ܥܡܠܟ ܕܡܛܠ ܫܡܗ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܐܝܢ ܘܐܡܝܢ܀ ܫܐܠ ܫܠܡܐ ܕܒܡܪܢ\n....ܘܢ ܡܗܝܡܢܵܐ ܕܬܡܢ. ܘܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܥܡܪܝܢ ܥܡܟ .ܘܕܡܪܝ\nܝܘܚܢܢ ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܣܘܐ .ܘܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܥܡܗ .ܘܕܡܪܝ ܣܪܓܝܣ ܐܚܘܟ܆\nܘܕܟܠܗ ܒܝܬ ܐܚܝܵܟ .ܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܗܘ ܢܢܛܪܟܘܢ ܒܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ\n..........ܜܒܐ ܠܥܢܝܕܵܝܟܘܢ ܘܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܘܚܢܢܐ ܥܠ ܚܝܝܵܟܘܢ ܒܨܠܘܵܬܐ\nܕܢܒܝܵܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܵܐ ܘܕܣܗܕܵܐ ܘܕܡܘܕܝܢܵܐ ܘܕܡܠܦܢܵܐ ܕܫܪܪܐ ܆ܘܕܡܪܬܝ ܡܪܝܡ\nܝܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܒܬܘܠܘܬܗܿ. ܐܝܢ ܘܐܡܝܢ ܀ ܗܘܝ ܚܠܝܡ ܒܡܪܢ ܒܟܠܙܒܢ\n..........ܕܐܝܬ ܠܟ .ܐܚܘܢ ܪܚܡܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܨܠܐ ܥܠ ܒܨܝܪܘܬܝ ܜܝܒܘܬܗ\nܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܥܡ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܐܝܢ ܘܐܡܝܢ ܀ ܫܠܡܬ ܐܓܪܬܐ\nܕܥܠܬܐ ܕܦܘܫܩܗ ܕܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܡܢ ܝܘܢܝܐ ܠܣܘܪܝܝܐ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱","english":"I confess to your love that if it were the will of God and you, you would interpret it. And I return and make known to your love that not even one of the saints, without labor, set anything or interpreted. The blessed Mar John, a faithful and true man and a lover of God, he alone interpreted one book and two with the rest of the chapters that were interpreted from Greek into Syriac. With great labor they interpreted those men in the grace of God. And now, for the sake of my lord, labor a little for the sake of your brother and interpret whatever you are able, according to your strength, so that when you do this you will receive blessings from the Lord. And he will forgive you your sins and all your shortcomings in exchange for your labor which is for the sake of the holy name, Amen and Amen. Ask for the peace of the Lord... and the faithful of there. And especially those who dwell with you. And of Mar John, the head of the monastery of Beth Sawa. And of those who are with him. And of Mar Sergius, your brother. And of your whole brotherhood. May the Lord Jesus Christ preserve you in his mercies... good for your futures, and love and compassion upon your lives in the prayers of the righteous and the apostles and the martyrs and the confessors and the teachers of the truth, and of my lady Mary, the Mother of God in her virginity. Amen and Amen. Be strong in the Lord at all times... that you have. Your brother, lover of God, pray for my insignificance. May the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you, Amen and Amen. Completed is the letter concerning the reason for the translation of this book from Greek into Syriac. ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܦܝܣ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܠܚܘܒܟ","severity":"info","text":"Barlaha opens with a confession of inadequacy, a conventional humility topos in Syriac epistolary prefaces, framing the request for Simeon's interpretive labor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝ ܝܘܚܢܢ","severity":"info","text":"Mar John likely refers to John of Apamea or a known Syriac translator; the mention of his solitary work on 'one book and two' suggests a specific corpus, possibly the Psalms or a biblical book with two parts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܐܬܦܫܩܘ ܡܢ ܝܘܢܝܐ ܠܣܘܪܝܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The letter explicitly states the translation direction from Greek into Syriac, confirming the Syriac Psalms as a secondary version dependent on a Greek Vorlage, likely the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܕܡܪܬܝ ܡܪܝܡ ܝܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ","severity":"info","text":"The invocation of Mary as 'Mother of God' (ܝܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ) reflects post-Ephesian (431 CE) Christological language, situating the letter in a Chalcedonian or Miaphysite milieu.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܠܡܬ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܥܠܬܐ ܕܦܘܫܩܗ","severity":"info","text":"The colophon identifies the letter as an 'epistle concerning the reason for the translation,' framing the entire work as a paratextual justification for a new Syriac Psalter.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܢ ܡܗܝܡܢܵܐ ܕܬܡܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the faithful of there' is textually corrupt; the Syriac shows lacunae (marked by ellipses in the edition), and the referent is uncertain—possibly a specific community or monastery.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-515","label":"source edition: Letter from Barlaha to Simeon on the Translation of the Psalms","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/515"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Mar John' is not specified; he may be John of Apamea or another translator. The phrase 'one book and two' is ambiguous—possibly one complete book and two additional chapters. The lacunae in the closing greetings obscure the precise recipients."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}