{"slug":"dsc-558","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-558","title":"Nativity 10","author":"Ephrem the Syrian","genre":"other","date":"mid-4th century","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:26Z","cost_usd":0.001799},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-558","work_id":"dsc-558","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":502,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":10,"commentary_kinds":6,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":4,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-558","abstract":"Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373) composed this madrāšā (teaching hymn) for the Nativity cycle, likely in Nisibis or Edessa in the mid-4th century. The Syriac text survives in multiple manuscripts, the earliest from the 5th–6th centuries, and was critically edited by Edmund Beck in 1957 (CSCO 186). The hymn is incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition for the Feast of the Nativity and is still sung in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean churches. The English translation occasionally paraphrases Ephrem’s dense symbolic language; readers should consult the Syriac for precise theological terms. This edition lacks a critical apparatus; for manuscript stemma and textual cruces, refer to Beck’s full apparatus.","historical_context":"Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373) was a deacon, poet, and theologian active in Nisibis and later Edessa, writing in Syriac. This madrāšā belongs to his Nativity cycle, composed for liturgical use in the Syriac-speaking church of the 4th century. The dating rests on internal stylistic and thematic coherence with his authentic corpus, though no external witness fixes the year. The text survives in multiple manuscripts, the earliest from the 5th–6th centuries, indicating a robust transmission within East Syriac monastic and liturgical circles. The 1957 critical edition by Edmund Beck (CSCO 186) collates the principal witnesses. The hymn was incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition for the Feast of the Nativity and is still sung in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean churches during the Christmas season. Its typological exegesis and dense symbolic language reflect Ephrem’s characteristic use of paradox and imagery drawn from Scripture and nature.","significance":"This hymn exemplifies Ephrem’s madrāšā genre, blending poetic form with theological instruction. It is a key witness to 4th-century Syriac Christology and liturgical practice, particularly the typological interpretation of Old Testament figures (e.g., David, Lazarus) as prefiguring Christ. Its continued use in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean liturgies underscores its enduring influence. The text also illustrates the early development of Syriac hymnody and its role in shaping Christian identity in the late antique Near East.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 306–373","event":"Life of Ephrem the Syrian"},{"date":"mid-4th century","event":"Composition of the Nativity madrāšā (Nativity 10)"},{"date":"5th–6th centuries","event":"Earliest surviving manuscripts of the Syriac text"},{"date":"1957","event":"Critical edition by Edmund Beck (CSCO 186)"},{"date":"4th century–present","event":"Incorporation into East Syriac liturgical tradition for the Feast of the Nativity"}],"relations":[{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian, Nativity cycle (other madrāšē)","relation":"Part of the same liturgical cycle","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Edmund Beck, CSCO 186 (1957)","relation":"Critical edition of the Syriac text","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean liturgical traditions","relation":"Still sung during Christmas season","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Genesis 29–30 (Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, Bilhah)","relation":"Typological reference to Jacob’s wives and concubines","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"2 Kings 2:11–12 (Elijah’s ascension)","relation":"Allusion to Elijah sought in mountain caves","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The dating of the hymn to the mid-4th century rests on internal stylistic and thematic coherence with Ephrem’s authentic corpus; no external witness fixes the year.","The English translation occasionally paraphrases Ephrem’s dense symbolic language; readers should consult the Syriac for precise theological terms.","This edition does not include a critical apparatus or variant readings; for manuscript stemma and textual cruces, refer to Beck’s full apparatus in CSCO 186."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000514,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:17:47Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-558","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":10,"english_words":502,"source_letters":1574,"commentary_kinds":6},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373) composed this madrāšā for the Nativity cycle. The dating rests on internal stylistic and thematic coherence with his authentic corpus, though no external witness fixes the year.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text survives in multiple manuscripts, the earliest from the 5th–6th centuries. The edition relies on the 1957 critical edition by Edmund Beck (CSCO 186), which collates the principal witnesses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This hymn was incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition for the Feast of the Nativity. Its stanzas are still sung in the Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean churches during the Christmas season.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft occasionally paraphrases Ephrem’s dense symbolic language. Readers should consult the Syriac for precise theological terms, especially where the translation smooths over paradox.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This edition does not include a critical apparatus or variant readings. For manuscript stemma and textual cruces, the user must refer to Beck’s full apparatus in CSCO 186.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 2 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"1 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-558":{"label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ\nܠܺܝܰܐ ܘܪܳܚܶܝܠ ܙܰܠܦܰܐ ܘܒܰܠܗܰܐ\nܟܰܕ ܢܰܨܰܪ ܗܘܰܝ ܠܗܳܢܽܘܢ ܪ̈ܓܺܝܓܶܐ\nܬܪ̈ܶܥܣܰܪ ܕ[ܝܠܶܕ̈ܝ] ܕܐܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ ܗܘܰܘ\nܢܽܘܨܳܪ̈ܰܝܗܶܝܢ ܕܡܳܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܢܶܝܢ\nܟܽܠ ܢܽܘܨܪ̈ܳܬܳܟ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܕܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗܝ\nܕܢܶܬܗܰܝܡܰܢ ܗܘܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ\nܒܶܝܬ ܟܳܦܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܠܓܰܘ ܡܶܢ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ\nܚܬܺܝܡܳܐ ܣܳܡܽܘܟ ܕܰܚܬܰܡܘ ܟܺܐܦܳܐ\nܘܩܳܡܘ ܢܳܛܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܠܳܦܰܝܟ ܗܘܳܬ\nܕܰܚܬܰܡܘ ܩܰܒܪܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܒܰܪ ܚܰܝܳܐ\nܟܰܕ ܩܰܒܪܽܘܟ ܗܘܰܘ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܐܰܪܫܶܠܘ\nܫܰܒܩܽܘܟ ܘܐܶܙܰܠܘ ܐܺܝܬ ܗܘܳܐ ܐܰܬܪܳܐ\nܠܰܡܕܰܓܳܠܽܘ ܕܡܶܓܢܰܒ ܓܰܢܒܽܘܟ\nܐܳܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܟܰܕ ܡܶܨܛܰܢܥܺܝܢ\nܠܶܡܚܬܰܡ ܩܰܒܪܳܟ ܐܰܣܓܺܝܘ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܟ\nܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܕܳܢܺܝܐܶܝܠ\nܐܳܦ ܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ ܚܰܕ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ\nܕܥܰܡ̈ܡܶܐ ܚܰܬܡܽܘܗܝ ܘܚܰܕ ܕܰܒܩܰܒܪܳܐ\nܕܥܰܡܳܐ ܦܰܬܚܶܗ ܗܳܐ ܢܺܝܫ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܘܰܚܬܳܡܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܟܶܣܘ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܦܬܺܝܚ ܗܘܳܐ ܦܽܘܡܗܽܘܢ ܐܶܠܽܘ ܦܰܬܚܽܘܗܝ\nܩܰܒܪܳܟ ܘܐܶܙܰܠܘ ܕܰܣܟܰܪܘ ܩܰܒܪܳܟ\nܘܰܚܬܰܡܘ ܘܰܛܒܰܥܘ ܦܽܘܡܗܽܘܢ ܣܰܟܪܽܘܗܝ\nܘܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܪ̈ܓܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܕܚܰܦܺܝܘ ܩܰܒܪܳܟ\nܚܳܦܘ ܪ̈ܺܝܫܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܟܽܠ ܥܳܫ̈ܽܘܩܶܐ\nܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܰܦܺܝܣܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ\nܥܰܠ ܡܰܘܠܳܕܳܟ ܕܰܚܬܺܝܡ ܓܽܘܒܳܐ\nܘܰܛܒܺܝܥ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ\nܘܰܚܝܳܐ ܒܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܣܳܗ̈ܕܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ ܠܳܟ\nܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܘܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܚܬܺܝܡܺܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ\nܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܘܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܝܰܒܶܒ ܘܰܩ̈ܥܰܝ\nܥܰܠ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܒܛܶܢܬܳܟ\nܕܰܚܬܺܝܡܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܫܝܽܘܠ ܝܺܠܶܕܬܳܟ\nܕܛܰܒܺܝܥܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܫܝܽܘܠ ܝܺܠܶܕܬܳܟ\nܕܛܰܒܺܝܥܳܐ ܗܘܳܬܿ ܕܠܳܐ ܒܰܟܝܳܢܳܐ\nܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܒܶܛܢܰܬ ܘܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܝܶܗܒܰܬ\nܚܬܺܝܡ ܗܘܳܐ ܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܐܰܓܥܶܠܘ ܗܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܕܰܢܛܰܪ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܬܽܘܠ ܗܘܳܐ ܥܽܘܒܳܐ","english":"The son of his voice,\nLeah and Rachel, Zalpa and Bilhah,\nwhen he was confined to the womb of the flashes,\nthe twelve [sons] of the house of Jacob were,\nthe harvests of the Lord came,\nall your harvests, O Lord of his brothers,\nthat he might be amazed, also your seal,\na house of deniers within the tomb,\na sealed seal that sealed the rock,\nand guards stood in your place,\nthat they sealed your tomb, O son of the living,\nwhen they buried you, but they left,\nthey left you and went, there was a place,\nto deceive that which is chosen, your seal,\nor the reviver of all, when he is pressed,\nto seal your tomb, they increased your glory,\na type was for you, also David,\nalso Lazarus, one in the pit,\nof the peoples they sealed him, and one in the tomb,\nof the people, its opening, behold their heads,\nand their seals, they covered their eyes,\nopen was their mouth, they opened it,\nyour tomb, and they went, they closed your tomb,\nand they sealed and they stamped, their mouth they closed,\nand when they were not aware that they had sealed your tomb,\nthey sealed their heads, all the oppressors,\nby your seal, however, you convinced their eyes,\nconcerning your birth, that the pit is sealed,\nand the tomb is stamped, the pure one in the pit,\nand the living one in the tomb, they were witnesses for you,\nthe pit and the tomb that were sealed,\nthe womb and Sheol, weeping and wailing,\nover your seal, the womb at your conception,\nthat it was sealed, Sheol at your birth,\nthat it was stamped, Sheol at your birth,\nthat it was stamped without lamentation,\nthe womb conceived and Sheol gave,\nsealed was the tomb that they had hastened for him,\nthat the dead one might be guarded, the living one was the pit.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'son of his voice' is a Syriac idiom for 'echo' or 'resonance', here personified as a figure attending the nativity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܺܝܰܐ ܘܪܳܚܶܝܠ ܙܰܠܦܰܐ ܘܒܰܠܗܰܐ","severity":"info","text":"Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah are the wives and concubines of Jacob (Genesis 29–30), whose twelve sons become the tribes of Israel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܛܽܘܦܣܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ṭupsā' (type) signals typological exegesis: David and Lazarus prefigure Christ's sealed tomb and resurrection.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܘܰܫܝܽܘܠ","severity":"info","text":"The womb and Sheol are paralleled as sealed spaces: the womb sealed at conception, Sheol sealed at Christ's birth, contrasting with the sealed tomb of the dead.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܰܚܬܺܝܡ ܓܽܘܒܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated motif of sealing (ḥtīm) and stamping (ṭbīʿ) structures the stanza, contrasting the sealed pit/tomb with the living Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the son of his voice' is ambiguous; it may refer to John the Baptist or an abstract echo, but the context suggests a personified figure attending the nativity.","The phrase 'the twelve [sons] of the house of Jacob' is partially reconstructed; the Syriac has a lacuna or abbreviation."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܕܠܳܐ ܐܢܳܫ ܚܰܟܡܶܗ ܥܽܘܒܳܐ ܒܬܽܘܠܳܐ\nܘܩܰܒܪܳܐ ܚܬܺܝܡܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܫܺܝܦܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ\nܠܥܰܡܳܐ ܚܰܪܫܳܐ ܒܐܶܕܢܶܗ ܩܥܰܘ ܠܶܗ\nܟܰܪܣܳܐ ܚܬܺܝܡܳܐ ܟܺܐܦܳܐ ܛܒܺܝܥܳܐ\nܒܶܝܬ ܥܳܫܽܘ̈ܩܶܐ ܠܒܰܛܢܳܐ ܥܰܫܩܽܘܗܝ\nܕܰܙܪܰܥ ܐܢܳܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܘܰܠܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ\nܕܚܽܘܠܳܨ ܐܢܳܫܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܚܬܳܡܳܐ ܘܛܰܒܥܳܐ\nܐܰܟܶܣܘ ܘܐܰܦܺܝܣܘ ܕܰܫܡܰܝܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܢܬ\nܩܳܡ ܠܶܗ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܡܰܘܠܳܕܳܟ\nܘܰܠܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܥܫܰܩ ܡܰܘܠܳܕܳܟ\nܒܰܣܪܶܗ ܡܰܘܬܳܟ ܫܪܳܐ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ\nܬܰܟܣܶܗ ܝܰܠܕܳܟ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܐܰܬܠܺܝܛܺܝ̈ܢ\nܡܰܚܶܝܢ ܗܘܰܘ ܠܶܗ ܠܦܽܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܥܫܰܩ\nܐܳܦ ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ ܐܶܙܰܠܘ ܒܳܥܶܝܢ ܠܶܗ\nܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܛܽܘܪ̈ܶܐ ܟܰܕ ܒܳܥܶܝܢ ܠܶܗ\nܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܐܰܪܥܳܐ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܫܪܳܬ\nܕܐܶܬܥܰܠܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܒܥܳܬܗܽܘܢ ܣܶܗܕܰܬ\nܕܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܟܰܚܬܶܗ ܕܐܶܬܥܰܠܺܝ ܠܶܗ\nܐܶܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܣܽܘܠܳܩܶܗ\nܪ̈ܓܶܫܘ ܕܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܶܬܦܰܠܰܓܘ\nܥܰܠ ܡܰܣܰܩܬܶܗ ܟܡܳܐ ܟܰܝ ܥܰܫܩܽܘܗܝ\nܛܰܡ̈ܐܶܐ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܒܢܳܛܽܘܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ\nܐܰܟܶܣ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܠܶܗ","english":"Without a groan his wisdom was hidden in the virgin, and the sealed tomb like a seal-ring, to the deaf people in his hand they cried out to him, the sealed womb, the engraved stone, the house of afflictions pressed him to the belly, for he who sowed a groan was himself the seal and the engraving, they covered and they spread out that the heavens might come, the people stood at your birthplace, and your birth-pangs pressed your birthplace, in his flesh your death loosed your birth-pangs, your child covered the two Greek letters, they were giving life to the mouth that pressed, also Elijah they went seeking him, in the mountain caves when they sought him, they dug in the earth more than was proper, that he might ascend at their hands, a witness that they did not find him that he might ascend, but the prophets at his ascension perceived that Elijah was divided, concerning his ascent how they pressed him, the defiled ones to the son with their mountains, they covered the eyes that he might be darkened.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܐܢܳܫ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac noun ܐܢܳܫ (ʼešā) means 'groan' or 'sigh'. In this passage it is used both literally (the virgin's hidden wisdom without a groan) and symbolically (the groan that sows and seals).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Elijah (ܐܶܠܺܝܳܐ) being sought in mountain caves and not found alludes to 2 Kings 2:11–12, where Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, leaving his mantle behind. Ephrem uses this to contrast with Christ's resurrection.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܐܰܬܠܺܝܛܺܝ̈ܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'two Greek letters' (ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܐܰܬܠܺܝܛܺܝ̈ܢ) likely refers to the Greek letters alpha and omega, a common Christological symbol in early Syriac poetry, signifying Christ as the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the typological parallelism of the previous passage, juxtaposing the sealed tomb of Christ with the sealed womb of the Virgin, and the search for Elijah with the search for the risen Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܰܟܶܣ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ","severity":"caution","text":"The final clause 'they covered the eyes that he might be darkened' is textually uncertain; the Syriac verb ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ (ʼettaḥḥam) can mean 'be darkened' or 'be heated'. The sense may be that the defiled ones' covering of the eyes caused spiritual blindness.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-558","label":"source edition: Nativity 10","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/558"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the defiled ones' (ܛܰܡ̈ܐܶܐ) is ambiguous: they may be the Jewish authorities, the Romans, or generic persecutors. The reading taken follows the context of the passion narrative.","The phrase 'they covered the eyes that he might be darkened' is syntactically ambiguous; it may mean that the covering caused darkness for the subject (Christ) or for the onlookers."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}