{"slug":"dsc-74","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-74","title":"On the Workers in the Vineyard","title_source":"On the Workers in the Vineyard","author":"Narsai","genre":"other","date":"Second half of the fifth century CE","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":"2026-11-15T05:28:02Z","cost_usd":0.013078},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-74","work_id":"dsc-74","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"},"stats":{"passages":20,"english_words":6181,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":13372,"commentary_units":113,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":8,"ambiguities":35,"work_notes":5,"external_links":4,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"dsc-74","abstract":"This metrical homily (memra) by Narsai (d. ca. 503) allegorizes the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16). Narsai reworks the Gospel narrative as a spiritual allegory of awakening from worldly passions, using Syriac ascetic metaphors such as 'drunkenness' (šakīrātā) for attachment to sin and 'sobriety' (ʿīrūtā) for vigilance. The homily, preserved in a single or limited number of Syriac manuscripts, reflects the East Syriac liturgical tradition and employs typical Narsaian exegetical and poetic forms, including the trope of sin compounding sin.","historical_context":"Narsai (d. ca. 503) was a leading theologian and poet of the Church of the East, active in the late 5th to early 6th century, primarily at the School of Edessa and later at Nisibis. This memra was composed in Syriac, the liturgical and literary language of the East Syriac tradition. The work survives in later manuscripts, with the earliest witness not specified in the source edition; the manuscript tradition is limited, possibly a single codex. Narsai's homilies were used in the East Syriac lectionary, but this specific memra's place in the liturgy or later commentary tradition is undocumented. The text is a metrical homily (memra) of 670 verses, a genre typical of Narsai, blending exegesis, allegory, and ascetic exhortation. The source edition provides no translation or critical apparatus, and the English rendering is a modern draft.","significance":"This memra exemplifies Narsai's allegorical method and his adaptation of Gospel parables for ascetic instruction in the East Syriac tradition. It relates to earlier Syriac literature, such as Ephrem's hymns on the vineyard, and to the broader patristic tradition of spiritual exegesis. Its survival, though in a limited manuscript base, offers insight into late antique Syriac homiletics and the reception of Matthew's Gospel in the Church of the East.","timeline":[{"date":"Late 5th–early 6th c.","event":"Narsai active; composition of the memra likely in this period."},{"date":"ca. 503","event":"Death of Narsai."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"Manuscript transmission begins; earliest witness uncertain."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Source edition published; no critical apparatus or translation provided."}],"relations":[{"work":"Matthew 20:1–16","relation":"Biblical source of the parable","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on the Vineyard","relation":"Shares Syriac ascetic metaphors and vineyard imagery","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Narsai, other memre","relation":"Part of Narsai's corpus of metrical homilies","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"East Syriac liturgical tradition","relation":"Used in liturgy, though specific lectionary placement undocumented","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Narsai","label":"Narsai","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narsai","reason":"Biographical context for the author"},{"key":"wikipedia:Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard","label":"Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Workers_in_the_Vineyard","reason":"Biblical source of the homily"},{"key":"wikipedia:Syriac Christianity","label":"Syriac Christianity","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Christianity","reason":"Religious and linguistic tradition"},{"key":"wikipedia:Church of the East","label":"Church of the East","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_East","reason":"Ecclesiastical context"}],"cautions":["The manuscript tradition is limited; earliest witness not specified in the source edition.","Attribution to Narsai is traditional but not universally certain; no external corroboration for this specific memra.","The source edition provides no critical apparatus or translation; the English draft may not reflect all Syriac nuances.","Date of composition is approximate, based on Narsai's floruit; no precise date is known."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00046,"generated":"2026-11-15T03:14:57Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Digital Syriac Corpus text","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org work record","url":"http://syriaca.org/work/8576"},{"kind":"authority","label":"syriaca.org author record","url":"http://syriaca.org/person/650"}],"checks":{"work":"dsc-74","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":20,"translated":20,"commentary_passages":20,"commentary_units":113,"english_words":6181,"source_letters":17900,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is a metrical homily (memra) on the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16), attributed to Narsai (d. ca. 503).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai’s activity is placed in the late 5th–early 6th century, but the manuscript tradition for this memra is later; the earliest witness in the source edition is not specified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text is preserved in a single manuscript (or a limited number) in the source edition; variant readings or lacunae may affect interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai’s homilies were used in the East Syriac liturgical tradition, but this specific memra’s place in the lectionary or later commentary tradition is not documented in the source edition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition provides no translation or critical apparatus; the English draft here is a modern rendering and may not reflect all nuances of the Syriac original.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"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: other in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 20 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"8 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":20},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-74":{"label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܥܲܠ ܦܠܐܬܵܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܟܲܪܡܹܗ\nܕܝܠܹܗ ܟܲܕ ܕܝܼܠܹܗ. ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ ܕܫܸܬܝ ܘܬܡܢܝܵܐ. ܕܥܒܼܝܕ ܠܹܗ ܥܲܠ ܦܠܐܬܵܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܢܦܲܩ ܒܨܦܪܵܬ ܕܢܹܐ[ܥܡܪ] ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܟܲܪܡܹܗ܀ :ܩܵܠ ܫܝܦܘܿܪܵܬ ܕܢܚܹܗ ܕܡܪܲܢ ܐܙܥܸܩ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ\nܘܐܲܬܿܬܥܝܼܪ ܥܠܡܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܢܬܵܐ ܕܡܲܐܝܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܡܐܝܼܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܡܸܟܼܘ ܡܵܝܘ̈ܬܹܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܫܢܬܐ\nܘܐܲܥܝܼܪ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܕܡܵܪܲܢ ܟܲܕ ܠܵܐ ܨܵܒܝܼܢ. :ܠܵܐ ܨ̇ܒܝܢ ܗ̣̄ܘܵܘ ܕܡܟܹ̈ܐ ܕܥܘ̣ܠܐ ܠܡܸܣܢܵܐ ܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ\nܘܠܐ ܡܢܚܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܡܸܚܙܵܐ ܫܡܫܵܐ ܕܙܕܝܼܩܘܼܵܬܐ. :ܠܸܠܝܵܐ ܕܛܘܥܝܲܝ ܪܚܝܼܡ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܥܠܝܼܗܘܿܢ ܕܒܢܲܝ̈ ܛܘܥܝܲܝ\nܘܠܐ ܪܓܼܝܼܓܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܡܨܬ ܩܠܐ ܕܕܢܚܹܗ ܕܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ. :ܒܪܚܘܲܬܼ ܚܸܫܟܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܝܼܕܥܬܵܐ ܐܣܝܼܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ\nܘܗܢܝܼܝܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܒܹܝܬ ܐܣܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܫܟܝܼܪ̈ܬܐ. :ܥܝܕܵܐ ܒܝܼܫܵܐ ܥܬܸܩ ܨܐܕܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܕܒܢܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܐܕܼܵܡ\nܘܪܚܸܡܘ ܘܲܐܚܸܒܘ ܠܫܟܝܼܪ̈ܬܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܦܐܝ̈ܬܐ. :ܚܒܢܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܥܓܢܲܬ̤ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܫܸܬܩܵܐ ܕܛܘܥܝܲܝ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܬܝܐܲܒܼܘ ܠܡܸܩܢܵܐ ܥܘܼܬܪܵܐ ܕܫܦܝܼܪܵܬܵܐ. :ܕܠܐ ܦܘܠܚܢܵܐ ܕܫܦܝܪ̈ܬܐ ܗܘ̤ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܕܗܘ̤ܵܘ\nܕܲܕܠܵܐ ܥܡܠܐ ܕܪܚܡܲܬ ܩܘܼܫܬܼܵܐ ܪܕܵܘ ܘܒܪܝܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܚܒܢܢܐܝܬ ܡܬܡܦܟܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܣܘܥܪ̈ܟܵܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܨܪܝܟܝܼܢ ܗ̣̄ܘܵܘ ܘܡܓܙܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܛܒ̈ܢ. ܠܲܝܬ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܙܗܪܵܐ ܕܛܒܼ ܐܘ ܡܛܐܒܼ ܒܹܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܗܘܿܢ:܆\nܘܟܼܡܵܐ ܕܚ̇ܛܝܢ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܚ̇ܛܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܠܐ ܣܲܒܥܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܒܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܚܠܝܼܛ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܥܘܼܡܪܵܐ ܕܗܘܦܟܿܝܼ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܠܲܝܬ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܘܼܟܬܵܐ ܕܣܦܝܼܩܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܡ̣ܢ ܣܢܝ̈ܬܐ.","english":"On the Parable of the Workers in His Vineyard, Which Is His Own. A Memra of Six Hundred and Seventy Verses, Which Was Composed on That Parable of the Man Who Went Out in the Morning to Hire Workers for His Vineyard.\n\nThe sound of the spades of his vineyard cried out in the earth, and the world awoke as if from the sleep of ignorance. In the ignorance of the mind, the dead were as in a dream, and the voice of the Lord stirred and cried out, though they were unwilling. They were unwilling that the sons of iniquity should bear iniquity, and they were not able to see the sun of righteousness. The night of error was beloved to them, the sons of error, and they were not eager to hear the voice of the cry of truth. In the bonds of the darkness of ignorance they were bound, and they rejoiced in the prison of drunkenness. An evil custom, ancient, hunted them, the sons of Adam, and they loved and cherished drunkenness as a delight. Deception turned their face in the silence of error, and they did not hasten to acquire the wealth of virtues. For without the labor of virtues, they were as if they were without the toil of the love of truth, and they pursued creation. Deceitfully they were turned about in their deeds, and they were needy and stripped of all goods. There was no care for good or for good order in their dwelling place. And the more they sinned, again they sinned without satiety. Iniquity was mixed with iniquity in the dwelling of their transformations, and there was no place that was empty of faults.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ ܕܫܸܬܝ ܘܬܡܢܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line identifies this as a memra of 670 verses, a formal poetic homily typical of Narsai. The length signals a sustained exegetical composition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܫܸܢܬܵܐ ܕܡܲܐܝܼܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'sleep of ignorance' (šettā d-maʿyānutā) is a key ascetic term in Syriac tradition, denoting the pre-baptismal or pre-conversion state of spiritual torpor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܠܐܬܵܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܢܦܲܩ ܒܨܦܪܵܬ ܕܢܹܐ[ܥܡܪ] ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܟܲܪܡܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"This directly references the Gospel parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16; cf. Luke 10:2). Narsai reworks the narrative as an allegory of spiritual awakening.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܟܝܼܪ̈ܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'drunkenness' (šakīrātā) is a frequent metaphor in Syriac ascetic literature for attachment to worldly passions, often contrasted with sobriety (ʿīrūtā).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܒܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܚܠܝܼܛ","severity":"info","text":"The image of iniquity mixed with iniquity echoes a common Syriac homiletic trope of sin compounding sin, found also in Ephrem's hymns on the vineyard.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text has a lacuna or uncertain reading at ܕܢܹܐ[ܥܡܪ] (line 2), where the verb for 'hire' is partially restored; the English draft reads 'hire' without comment.","The phrase 'sons of Adam' (ܒܢܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܐܕܼܵܡ) could be read as a generic reference to humanity or as a specific allusion to the fall; the context favors the former."],"confidence":"high","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":":ܐܲܝܟ ܠܵܐ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܡܬܕܒܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܕܘܼܒܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܥܕܡܵܐ ܕܐܬܼܐ ܚܲܕ ܒܲܪܢܫܵܐ ܘܚܲܟܸܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ. :ܚܲܕ ܒܲܪܢܫܵܐ ܩܡ ܡ̣ܢ ܐ̄ܢ̈ܫܵܐ ܟܪ̈ܝܗܲܝ ܢܫܦܵܐ\nܘܐܚܠܹܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܘܪܗܢܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܝܕܥܵܬܐ. :ܒܣܡܵܐ ܕܡܠܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܢܚܸܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܘܒܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܚܵܘܝܼ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܫܒܝܼܠ ܢܘܼܚܡܵܐ ܕܫܦܝܼܪ̈ܬܵܐ. :ܒܫܦܝܪ̈ܬܵܐ ܐܥܢܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܬܗܓܵܝܘܼ\nܕܠܵܐ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܢܦܢܘܿܢ ܠܗܸܪܓܵܐ ܕܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܒܹܗ. :ܡ̣ܢ ܨܝܕ ܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ ܬܚܸܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܠܚ̈ ܥܘ̣ܠܵܐ\nܘܨܝܼܕ ܟܐܢܘܼܬܵܐ ܓܪܓ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܬܩܪܒܘ. :ܒܗܪܓܵܐ ܛܒܵܐ ܐܥܢܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܪܵܚܡܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܦܠܚܹ̈ܐ ܐܘܿܓܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܛܒܼܵܐ. :ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܐ̄ܢܫܐ ܐܬܼܵܐ ܐ̄ܢܫܵܐ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܐ̄ܢܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܐܪܝܼܡ ܩܵܠܹܗ ܘܐܫܡܲܥ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܦܘܠܚܢܹܗ. :ܒܡܲܬܠܵܐ ܪܟܒܹܗ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܕܟܼܵܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܐܪܙܢܐܝܼܬ ܩܪ̣ܵܐ ܠܡܠܠܹ̈ܐ ܠܩܸܪܝܵܢ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ. :ܩܵܠ ܩܸܪܝܢܹܗ ܕܩܪܵܐ ܠܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܫܡ̣ܥܘ ܚܘܫܒܲܝ̈\nܘܢܕܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܬܩܵܐ ܕܪܡܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܒܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܫܢܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܸܡܐܝܢܘܬܵܐ ܕܡ[...]ܟܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܙܘܥܲܝ̈ ܪܥܝܵܢܝ\nܘܩܡܘ ܕܢܨܘܼܬܘܢ ܩܠܵܐ ܕܡܟܼܪܸܙ ܐܓܼܪܐ ܛܒܼܵܐ. :ܒܩܵܐܐ ܕܐܓܼܪܐ ܐܬܬܥܝܼܪ ܕܲܥܝܵܢܝ ܚܫܢܢ ܥܡ̈ܐܐ\nܘܫܪܝܼ ܡܪܟܸܒܼ ܫܥܝܼܬ ܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܙܢ̈ܝ ܟܘܹܫܪܵܐ. :ܐܝܟ ܕܒܚܠܡܵܐ ܚ̣ܙܵܝܗܝ ܠܲܫܪܪܵܐ ܟܲܕ ܡܬܬܪܓܡ\nܕܣܒܼܪ ܕܡܨܐ ܠܡܦܠܲܚ ܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܒܛܟܼܣܵܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܹܐ. :ܡ̈ܠܐ ܫܡ̣ܥ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܦܘܼܡܵܐ ܡܬܪܓܡ ܚ̈ܝܹܐ\nܘܲܩܪܸܒܼ ܕܢܨܘܼܬ ܨܘܬܐ ܕܡܠܹܐ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ. :ܠܦܘܠܚܵܢ ܥܡ̈ܐܐ ܩܪ̣ܝܗܝ ܠܟܼܝܢܲܢ ܪܚ̇ܡ ܓܸܢܣܲܢ\nܘܫܕܲܪ ܨܐܕܲܝܢ ܚܲܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܓܸܢܣܲܢ ܕܢܩܪܹܝܢ ܨܐܕܵܘ̈ܗܝ.","english":"As if they were not men, they were being governed by their ways, until a man came and made them wise. A man rose up from among men, the sick ones of the flock, and he healed them from the illness of ignorance. With the sweetness of his words, he warmed them from their debts, and showed them the path of the way of the good ones. With the good ones, he made them accustomed to discourse, so that they would no longer turn back to the thought of evil in it. From the side of evil, he set a limit for the evil ones, and on the side of truth, he urged them to draw near. With good thought, he made them love the good friend, and like workers, he hired them for good labor. For the work of men, a man came who was from humanity, and he raised his voice and made them hear the seeds of his work. With a parable, he mounted the work of the labor of his proclamation, and mysteriously he called the words to the calling of his love. The voice of his calling, which called to men: \"Hear, my thoughts, and rejoice from the silence in which they were lying, as if from sleep.\" With the swiftness of [...] they were stirred, the movements of my shepherds, and they rose to listen to the voice that proclaimed a good wage. At the threshold of the wage, the poor one of my thoughts was awakened, the peoples of the flock, and he began to compose a poem of words of the seeds of success. As if in a dream, he saw the truth while it was being interpreted, so that he thought he could perform the labors in the order of words. Words he heard from that mouth that interprets life, and he brought near to listen to the sound of the words of the work of the labors. For the work of the peoples, he called the assembly of the lover of the race, and he sent toward them one from the race that he called toward him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage describes a man who heals the sick from ignorance and leads them to good works, using a parable to call workers to his vineyard.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܲܬܠܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܡܲܬܠܵܐ (mathlā) means 'parable' or 'allegory,' central to Narsai's exegetical method of interpreting scripture through typology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai (d. ca. 500) was a leading theologian of the Church of the East, known for his memre (metrical homilies) that often expound parables allegorically.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the parable's introduction, moving from the awakening of the world to the call of the workers, establishing the allegorical framework.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna marked by [...] in the phrase 'With the swiftness of [...] they were stirred,' leaving the exact noun uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the man' is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ, the preacher, or the vineyard owner of the parable; the text treats it allegorically.","The phrase 'the sick ones of the flock' could denote sinful humanity or a specific group within the community."],"confidence":"high","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":3,"ref":"p3","source":":ܒܡܬ̈ܠܹܐ ܨܕܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܨܝܕܵܐ ܠܚܘܼܬ ܟܸܢܦܵܐ\nܘܐܥܸܠ ܚܒܫܲܢ ܠܓܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܟܼܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܠܩܛܵܐ ܕܡ̈ܐܐ ܐܪܡܝ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܪܥܝܢܲܢ\nܘܚܬܚܸܬܼ ܢܓܕܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܠܘܦܵܐ ܠܘܵܬܼ ܡܐܟܼܘܠܬܼܵܐ. :ܦܲܚܵܐ ܕܡܬܠ̈ܐ ܨܠܵܐ ܠܹܗ ܠܠܸܒܲܢ ܪܚ̇ܡ ܦܸܗܝܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܢܦܗܹܐ ܒܲܪ̈ܓܼܝܓܼܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܩܕܡܵܐ. :ܝ̇ܕܥ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܲܢ ܕܐܸܬܥܝܼܕܢܲܢ ܒܦܗܝܵܐ ܕܛܘܥܝܲܝ\nܥܠܗ̇ܝ ܚܒܼܫܲܢ ܠܓܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܫܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܲܠܦܢܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܐܘܼܡܵܢܵܐܝܼܬ ܨܕܢܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܨܝܕܵܐ\nܘܐܚܲܕ ܒܐܦܝ̈ܢ ܬܪܲܥ ܝܼܘܠܦܵܢܵܐ ܕܡܠܝܼ̈ ܦܘܼܡܹܗ. :ܒܥܸܕܵܢ ܨܦܪܐ ܢܦܩ ܕܢܨܘܕܘܢ ܨܝܕ ܝܘܼܠܦܢܹܗ\nܐܲܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܪܕܹܐ ܥܝܼܪܵܐ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܨܝܕ ܦܠܚ̈ܐ. :ܒܨܦܪܐ ܡܘܓܸܪ ܟܠ ܕܐܓܝܪܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܒܹܝܬ ܐܲܪ݁ܢܥܹܐ\nܘܒܹܗ ܒܥܝܕܵܐ ܩܪܲܢ ܐܵܦ ܡܪܲܢ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ. :ܨܦܪܵܐ ܢܟܝܹܗ ܠܫܘܼܪܵܝ ܡܲܬܠܵܐ ܕܟܼܵܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܨܦܪܵܐ ܩܪܲܢ ܠܥܒܕܐ ܕܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܟܪܸܡܹܗ. :ܠܠܸܠܝܵܐ ܕܡܝܹܗ ܠܙܒܼܢܵܐ ܩܲܕܡܵܐ ܕܡܸܢܹܗ ܘܠܗܠ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܐܝܼܡܡܵܐ ܠܥܸܕܵܢ ܡܲܬܠܵܐ ܕܡܲܠܦܢܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܚܲܕ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ ܣܡܹ̇ܗ ܠܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܗܵܢ ܕܘܼܒܵܪܵܐ\nܠܠܝ ܐܝܼܡܵܡ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܩ̣ܪܵܝܗܝ ܡܘܫܹܐ ܒܪܵܫܝܼܬ. :ܠܲܬܼܪܹܝܢ ܛܵܘܪܹ̈ܐ ܠܦܓܹܗ ܠܙܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܗܘܿܬ ܕܲܪܹ̈ܐ\nܘܲܠܚܲܕ ܝܗ̣ܒ ܠܹܗ ܫܥܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܸܠܝܵܐ ܘܚܲܕ ܕܐܝܼܡܡܵܐ. :ܠܛܵܘܪܵܐ ܕܥܪܟܲܢܝܹܗ ܠܸܠܝܵܐ ܡܸܛܠ ܛܘܠܝܲܝ\nܕܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܚܫܟܵܐ ܣܡܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܐ̄ܢܫܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܒܬܵܐ. :ܠܙܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܝܸܠܹܗ ܩ̣ܪܵܝܗܝ ܐܡܡܵܐ ܡܸܛܠ ܩܘܿܫܬܼܵܐ\nܕܐܝܟ ܕܒܢܘܗܪܵܐ ܚܙ̣ܵܘ ܒܹܗ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ. :ܫܪܪܵܐ ܓܲܠܝܵܐ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙ ܩܠܹܗ ܒܐܕܢܲܝ̈ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ\nܘܨܬܘܼܗܝ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܐ̄ܢܫܵܐ ܕܡܲܟܼܪܸܙ ܩܘܼܫܬܼܵܐ.","english":"In parables he hunted, as if hunting for the catch of the rock, and he brought in the catch within from the words of his proclamation. He cast the catch of a hundred into the earth before the shepherds, and he broke the cord as if for a trap near the food. The snare of the parable flew to the heart that loves the simple, so that the simple would no longer be deceived as before. He knew that we were caught by the simplicity of their error, and he brought us within from the branches of his teaching. Artfully he hunted his love as if for hunting, and he seized by the face the gate of teaching from the fullness of his mouth. At dawn he went out to hunt the hunt of his teaching, as a hunter goes out into the land after workers. In the morning he hired all who were hired in the house of the earth, and in it, by the feast, he also called the lord to the work of his love. The morning set the beginning of the parable of his proclamation, and as in the morning he called the servants to the work of his vineyard. The night set the first sacrifice of his own, and as the day to the time of the parable of his teaching. As one day he set the course of this conduct, night and day as Moses called them in Genesis. To the two ends he set the sacrifice of all generations, and to one he gave the hours of the night and one of the day. To the end of his length he set the night because of their shadow, that as in darkness men were placed from goodness. To the sacrifice that is his, he called it day because of the truth, that as in light men saw in it the clear truth. The clear truth he proclaimed with his voice in the ears of men, and men listened to him as to a man who proclaims the truth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܬ̈ܠܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܡܬ̈ܠܹܐ (māṯlē) means 'parables' and is the same word used in the Peshitta for the parables of Jesus. Narsai here frames his entire homiletic method as parabolic hunting.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܘܫܹܐ ܒܪܵܫܝܼܬ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Moses calling night and day in 'Genesis' (ܒܪܵܫܝܼܬ) alludes to Gen 1:3–5, where God separates light from darkness. Narsai uses this to structure his parable of the vineyard as a cosmic allegory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܨܝܕܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The extended hunting metaphor (ܨܝܕܵܐ, 'hunting') reflects a common patristic trope: Christ or the preacher as a spiritual hunter who catches souls for salvation. Narsai develops this with terms like 'snare' (ܦܲܚܵܐ) and 'catch' (ܠܩܛܵܐ).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܦܪܵܐ ... ܠܸܠܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Narsai contrasts 'morning' (ܨܦܪܵܐ) and 'night' (ܠܸܠܝܵܐ) as structural poles for the parable, aligning morning with the call to work and night with the sacrifice. This diurnal frame mirrors the Genesis creation account he explicitly invokes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܪܸܡܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The 'vineyard' (ܟܪܸܡܹܗ) directly echoes the Gospel parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16). Narsai transforms the narrative into an allegory of catechetical labor, with the preacher as the master hiring workers at dawn.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'catch of the rock' (ܨܝܕܵܐ ܠܚܘܼܬ ܟܸܢܦܵܐ) is obscure; it may refer to a type of fishing or trapping technique, or be a textual corruption.","The identity of 'the lord' (ܡܪܲܢ) called to work is ambiguous: possibly Christ, the householder, or a spiritual master."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":":ܒܲܫܡܵܐ ܕܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܩܪ̣ܵܐ ܠܩܢܘܿܡܹܗ ܐ̄ܢܫܐ ܕܡܸܢܲܢ\nܘܟܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ ܩܪܵܗ̇ ܡܲܠܟܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܟܣܝܵܐ ܒܪܵܘܡܵܐܘ\n:ܕܡܝܵܐ ܐܡ̣ܪ ܡܠܟܘܼܬ ܪܘܡܵܐ ܡܲܠܟܵܐ ܕܕܘܡܵܐ\nܠܓܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܢܦ̣ܩ ܒܥܕܵܢ ܨܦܪܵܐ ܕܢܐܓܼܘܿܪ ܦܥ̈ܐܹܐ. :ܩܨ ܥܲܡ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܕܹܝܢܪܵܐ ܒܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ\nܘܫܕܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܦܠܲܚ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܕܘܼܚܢܝܵܐ. :ܢܦܲܩ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܒܬܠܬ ܘܒܫܸܬ ܘܒܬܫܲܥ ܘܒܚܕܝܣܪ̈ܐ\nܘܐܲܓܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܬܢܘܵܝ ܕܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܩܕܡܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܒܫ̈ܥܹܐ ܚܕܥܣܲܪ ܐܓܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܨܦܪܐ\nܘܠܹܗ ܬܘܼܒܼ ܠܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܐܫܘܝܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܚܕܵܐ ܫܘܝܼܘ. :ܒܥܕܵܢ ܪܡܫܵܐ ܩ̣ܪܐ ܠܪܒܝܬܐ ܕܢܬܸܠ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܝܗܒ̣ ܠܐ̄ܚܪ̈ܝܐ ܕܝܢܵܪ ܕܝܢܵܪ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܐܸܬܦܩܲܕ. :ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܩܕܡܹ̈ܐ ܚܙ̣ܵܘ ܡܘܗܒܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܝܗܒ̣ ܠܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ\nܘܣܒܼܪܘ ܕܠܗܘ̇ܢ ܝܬܲܝܼܪ ܝ̇ܗܸܒ ܠܦܘܼܬ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ. :ܫܩ̣ܠܘ ܐܦ ܗܢܘܿܢ ܕܝܢܪ ܕܝܹܢܵܪ ܐܲܝܟ ܚܲܒܼܪ̈ܵܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܫܪܝܼܘ ܬ̇ܢܹܝܢ ܙܢܝ̈ [...] ܪܘܼܓܢܵܐ ܒܪ̈ܥܝܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܪܛܢܵܐ ܐܵܘܠܸܕܘ ܟܕܬܲܡܝܼܗܝܼܢ ܥܲܠ ܡܵܘܗ̇ܒܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܡܸܛܠ ܡܢܵܐ ܥܒܲܕ ܫܘܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܦܘܪܥܵܢ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܚܢܲܢ ܠܲܡ ܣܝܒܪܢ ܝܘܼܩܪܵܐ ܘܚܘܼܡܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܗ ܝܘܡܵܐ\nܘܗܠܹܝܢ ܕܐܘܿܓܲܪܘ ܒܚܕܵܐ ܫܥܵܐ ܫܩ̣ܠܘ ܐܟܘܿܬܢ. :ܠܵܐ ܟܹܐܝܢ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܐܸܢ ܢܸܬܦܚܲܡ ܥܲܡ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܫܘܹܐ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܕܚܕܵܐ ܫܥܵܐ ܘܟܸܠܹܗ ܝܘܡܵܐ. :ܟܠܹܗ ܝܘܡܐ ܠܐܹܝܢ ܒܥ̇ܒܕܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܲܐܝܢܘܼ\nܘܡܢܐ ܗ̄ܝ̣ ܗܵܕܹܐ ܕܣܓܝܼ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܘܫܘܹܐ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܡܵܪܹܐ ܒܲܝܬܵܐ ܚܙܵܐ ܦܠܚ̈ܝܹܐ ܕܐܘܠܸܕܘ ܪܸܛܢܵܐ\nܘܠܚܲܕ ܡܸܢܗܘܢ ܩ̣ܪܵܐ ܘܐܦܝܼܣܹܗ ܒܦܪܨܘܿܦ ܚܒܼܪ̈ܘܗܝ. :ܚܒܼܪܝ ܐܡ̣ܪ ܠܹܗ ܘܩܪܝܗܝ ܚܒܼܪܹܗ ܒܣܝܡܐܝܼܬ\nܘܚܘܹܝܗ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܕܠܘܵܬ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ.","english":"In the name of the man he called his people, the people of his covenant,\nand his proclamation called the kingdom hidden in height.\nHe spoke a parable of a kingdom of height, a king of likeness,\nto the man who went out at the time of morning to hire workers.\nHe went out with the workers from the monastery for the day's labor,\nand sent them to work the vineyard of truth.\nHe went out again at the third, the sixth, the ninth, and the eleventh hours,\nand hired them at the rate of hire as before.\nAt the eleventh hour he hired them as in the morning,\nand to them again he set the hire equally.\nAt the time of evening he called the steward who gave the hire,\nand gave to the last ones a denarius each, as he was commanded.\nThe first workers saw the gift he gave to the last ones,\nand thought that to them he would give more according to the time.\nThey also took each a denarius like their companions,\nand began to complain, small [...] anger in their minds.\nThey begot murmuring while they were astonished at the gift,\nbecause why did he make equality in the payment of hire?\nThey bore the burden and heat of the whole day,\nand these who were hired for one hour took likewise.\nThe hire is not just if it is changed with the labor,\nand the toil of one hour is not equal to the whole day.\nThe whole day they were in labor without rest,\nand what is this that much toil and equal hire?\nThe master of the house saw the workers who begot murmuring,\nand called one of them and appeased him in the presence of his companions.\n\"My companion,\" he said to him, and called him his companion sweetly,\nand showed him the sign of the greatness of his love towards humanity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܝܢܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term d-yr-ʾ (dayrā) is here translated 'monastery', but in Narsai's usage it can also denote a monastic community or a place of ascetic retreat, consistent with the work's monastic context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܕܘܼܚܢܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase karmā d-wuḥḥāyā ('vineyard of truth') is a symbolic term; the vineyard is a common image for the church or the Christian community, and 'truth' (wuḥḥāyā) aligns with Narsai's exegetical emphasis on hidden spiritual realities.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܩܕܡܹ̈ܐ ܚܙ̣ܵܘ ܡܘܗܒܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܝܗܒ̣ ܠܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16), where the first workers complain about equal pay for unequal labor. Narsai adapts the narrative to emphasize the theme of divine justice and equality.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܵܪܹܐ ܒܲܝܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'master of the house' (mārē baytā) is a figure representing Christ or the divine authority in Narsai's allegorical reading, consistent with Syriac exegetical tradition where the householder often symbolizes God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܚܘܹܝܗ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The passage concludes with the master showing 'the sign of the greatness of his love', which serves as a structural pivot from narrative to moral or theological reflection, a common feature in Narsai's homiletic style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܢܝ̈ [...]","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text at this point contains a lacuna: 'small [...]' (zʿy[...]) is incomplete, likely missing a word such as 'complaints' or 'murmurings'. The English draft supplies 'small [...] anger' but the exact term is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac term ܕܝܢܪܵܐ (dayrā) could be read as 'monastery' or 'community'; the translation opts for 'monastery' based on context.","The lacuna after ܙܢܝ̈ leaves the precise object of complaint unclear; the English draft's 'anger' is a plausible but not certain reconstruction."],"confidence":"high","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":5,"ref":"p5","source":":ܠܵܐ ܡܥܘܸܠ ܐ̄ܢܵܐ ܒܦܘܼܪܥܵܢ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܣܒܼܪܬ\nܘܠܵܐ ܛܠܸܡ ܐ̄ܢܵܐ ܠܐܝܢܵܐ ܕܠܦܚܵܒܝ ܚܘܼܒܢܵܐܝܼܬ. :ܒܚܲܕ ܕܝܢܪܐ ܩܨܬ ܥܲܡܟ ܘܐܲܢ̄ܬ ܩܗ̇ܕ ܐܲܢ̄ܬ\nܣܒܼ ܕܝܪܵܟ ܘܦܘܼܫ ܡ̣ܢ ܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܡܠܝܼ̈ܢ ܕܲܛܢܵܐ. :ܫܠܡ ܡܠܹ̈ܐ ܕܬܪܓܸܡ ܡܪܲܢ ܐ̄ܪܙܟܐܝܼܬ\nܢܸܒܼܥܹܐ ܢܸܦܫܐ ܒܥܬܵܐ ܕܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܒܬܘܼܪ̈ܓܡܲܝܗܹܝܢ. :ܒܥܬܵܐ ܒ̇ܥܐ ܟܠ ܬܘܪܓܡܵܐ ܕܒܦܠܐ̈ܬܐ\nܕܐܠܵܐ ܡܢܗܪܵܬ ܒܥܵܬܐ ܠܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܢܲܗܪ̈ܵܢ. :ܢܘܗܪܵܐ ܕܬܪܝܢ ܒܥܵܬܐ ܕܒܥܝܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܹ̈ܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܡܚܵܘܝܵܐ ܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܕܣܘܟܵܠ ܡܸܠܹ̈ܐ. :ܠܲܝܬ ܢܲܥܝܼܪ̈ܵܐ ܕܪܲܒ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܘܗܪܵܐ ܕܡܠܲܝ̈ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ\nܘܠܐ ܚܟܼܡ̈ܬܐ ܕܩܢ̈ܝܢ ܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܚܟܡܵܬܗܹ̈ܝܢ. :ܠܵܐ ܡܬܬܩ̈ܠܢ ܥܲܡ ܒܪ̈ܘܠܹܐ ܘܡܪ̈ܓܢܝܬܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܡܬܦܝ̈ܡܵܢ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܡܸܕܸܡ ܕܝܲܩܝܼܪ ܦܸܚܡܹܗ. ܒܨܝܼܪ ܟܠܡܸܕܡ ܟܲܕ ܢܬܦܚܲܡ ܒܫܘܼܦܪܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܹܝܢ:\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܠܵܐ ܫܘܦܪܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܟܠ ܫܦܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܕܼܵܡ ܪܓܲܢܗܘܿܢ. :ܪ̈ܓܼܝܓܢ ܣܓܼܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܕܲܪܓܼܝܼܓ ܒܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ\nܘܛܟ ܪܓܲܬܗܹܝܢ ܫܒܬܹܗ ܠܥܠܡܵܐ ܨܝܕ ܪܓܬܗܹܝܢ. :ܕܲܓܬܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܹܝܢ ܫܒܲܬ̤ ܠܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ ܘܠܫܡܝ̈ܢܹܐ\nܫܛܘ ܟܠܡܸܕܸܡ ܩܪܚܸܡܘ ܘܐܲܚܸܒܘ ܠܗܸܪܓܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܹܝܢ. :ܗܪܓܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܝܢ ܪܚܡ̇ܬ ܐܦ ܐ̄ܢܐ ܟܲܕ ܠܵܐ ܪܚܡܸ̇ܬ\nܒܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܪܚܡܸ̇ܬ ܟܲܕ ܪܚܝܼܩ ܐ̄ܢܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܢܹܐ. :ܪܓܬܐ ܪܓܬܢܝ ܕܐܪܓܼ ܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܢܹܐ\nܕܛܟ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܠܹ̈ܐ ܢܦܢܹܐ ܪܸܥܝܵܢܝ ܨܝܕ ܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ. :ܐܝܟ ܕܠܫܒܪܐ ܓܲܪܓܼܢܝ ܕܲܥܝܵܢܝ ܨܝܕ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܵܐ\nܕܡ̣ܢ ܝܘܼܠܦܢܵܐ ܐܹܠܦ ܚܲܝܠܐ ܕܒܝܘܠܦܢܵܐ. :ܠܒܹܝܬ ܝܘܠܦܢܵܐ ܕܪܒ ܡܲܠܦܢܹ̈ܐ ܒܥ̇ܝܬܼ ܕܐܬܩܪܲܒܼ\nܕܚܙܝܬܿ ܕܡܗܝܼܪ ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܬܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢ.","english":"He did not delay the reward of wages as he had promised, nor did he wrong the sign of the workers of the debt. In one monastery he cut off with you, and you are, you are the one who cries out, take your monastery and be free from the words full of error. The words of the translation are completed, the Lord interprets mysteriously, seeking interpretation in the prayer of the hidden one in their translations. Prayer seeks every translation that is in parables, that the prayer of the one not hastening to hundreds not hastening. The light of the two in the prayer of the seeking of words, and as in the light it shows the light of the meaning of words. There are no watchers greater than the light of the fullness of the spirit, nor wisdoms of the holy ones as strong as their wisdom. They are not weighed with the scales and measures, nor are they compared with everything that is heavy in its weight. Everything is small when it is compared with the beauty of them. And as if there is no beauty, everything beautiful that resembles their desire. Desires are many more than all the ranks in the house of the earths, and the desire of them ceased the world towards their desire. The deceit of them ceased the earths and the heavens, they cast away everything, they loved and they loved the thought of them. The thought of them loved even man when he did not love, in hundreds he loved when man was far from the deeds. The desire I desired that I might desire hundreds without deeds, that my thought might cease from words and fly towards deeds. As for the child, I am stirred towards teaching, that from teaching I might learn the power that is in teaching. To the house of teaching of the great teacher I sought to approach, because I saw that the speech of his word is more skilled than all teaching.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܵܐ ܡܥܘܸܠ ܐ̄ܢܵܐ ܒܦܘܼܪܥܵܢ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line denies any delay in the promised wage, reinforcing the parable’s theme of just reward. The Syriac verb ܡܥܘܸܠ (to delay) is negated, stressing the immediacy of divine recompense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܘܼܪ̈ܓܡܲܝܗܹܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The plural ܬܘܼܪ̈ܓܡܲܝܗܹܝܢ (their translations) refers to the interpretive renderings of the parable. Narsai plays on the word’s root (targem, to translate/interpret) to link exegesis with the hidden meaning of the vineyard.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܥܵܬܐ ܕܟܲܣܝܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase “prayer of the hidden one” likely alludes to Christ’s hidden or mystical teaching, echoing the Gospel parable of the workers (Matthew 20:1–16). Narsai treats the parable as a veiled revelation requiring exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܚܲܕ ܕܝܢܪܐ ܩܨܬ ܥܲܡܟ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of “one monastery” (ܚܲܕ ܕܝܢܪܐ) reflects the ascetic context of Narsai’s audience. The homily likely addresses monks, urging them to abandon error and embrace the true teaching of the vineyard (the Church).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܡܚܵܘܝܵܐ ܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ ܕܣܘܟܵܠ ܡܸܠܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"This line introduces a chiastic reflection on light and meaning: the light of prayer reveals the light of the sense of words. The repetition of ܢܘܼܗܪܵܐ (light) structures the passage as a meditation on illumination through exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܲܓܬܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܹܝܢ ܫܒܲܬ̤ ܠܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ ܘܠܫܡܝ̈ܢܹܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase “deceit of them ceased the earths and the heavens” is ambiguous: ܕܲܓܬܵܐ (deceit) may be a corruption or a deliberate paradox. The English draft renders it as “deceit,” but the context suggests a negative force that halts cosmic order, possibly a scribal error for a term like “error” or “illusion.”","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of “the hidden one” (ܟܲܣܝܵܐ) in the prayer is unclear: it may refer to Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the hidden meaning of the parable itself.","The phrase “deceit of them” (ܕܲܓܬܵܐ ܕܒܼܗܹܝܢ) is syntactically difficult; the antecedent of “them” is ambiguous, possibly referring to desires or worldly things.","The shift from third-person description to first-person desire (“The desire I desired”) marks a personal turn, but the exact relationship to the preceding allegory is left implicit."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":":ܡܸܐܡܪܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ ܫܡܥ̇ܬ ܕܐܡ̣ܪ ܒܐܕܢܲܝ̈ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ\nܘܫܚ̇ܩܬ ܐܢܵܐ ܠܝܼ ܕܐܕܲܥ ܘܐܘܕܲܥ ܡܐܡܪܵܐ ܕܫܡܥ̇ܬ. ܛܒܵܐ ܕܐܓܪܵܐ ܕܝܗ̣ܒ ܠܐܓܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܐܬܼܐ ܠܐܕܢܝ̈. ܘܒܼܥܝܬ ܕܐܘܓܪ ܐܦܸܢ ܩܲܠܝܼܠ ܒܫܘܼܠܵܡ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ. :ܒܨܦܪܵܐ ܫܡ̇ܥܬܼ ܕܐܓܼܪ ܦܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܠܦܚܠܚܵܢ ܟܲܪ[ܡܹܐܗ]\nܘܩܨ ܕܝܢܪܵܐ ܠܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ ܘܠܚܕ ܥܣܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܒܫܘܝܘܬܼ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܬܗܲܪܘ ܚܘܼܫܒܲܝ̈ ܡܚܝܲܠܲܝ̈ ܚܲܝܐܐ\nܕܡܵܢܵܐ ܗ̄ܝ̣ ܗܵܕܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܫܘܹܐ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܵܐ. :ܡܢܘܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܬܘܩ ܩܨܕܝܼܢܪܵܐ ܠܫܥܹ̈ܐ ܬܪܥܣܲܪ\nܘܐܝܢܵܘ ܦܲܥܠܵܐ ܕܲܠܐܝܼ ܗܟܼܵܢ ܘܢܣܲܒܼ ܗܵܟ̣ܵܢ. :ܠܲܝܬ ܥܬܝܪ ܕܐܸܓܪ ܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܒܟܼܠܗܹܝܢ ܫܥܹ̈ܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܐܓܼܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܡܵܘܓܪ ܟܠܫܵܥ ܒܦܠܓܘܼܬ ܝܘܡܵܐ. :ܢܘܼܟܼܪܝ ܫܡܥܹܗ ܕܗܵܢ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܵܐ ܠܟܼܠ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܝܼ̈ܢ\nܘܠܲܝܬ ܠܹܗ ܕܘܼܡܝܵܐ ܒܟܼܠ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܝܼ̈ܢ ܕܒܹܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܕܡܝܘܼܬܹܗ ܥܨܬܵܢܝ ܕܐܒܼܠܹܐ ܒܥܬܐ ܕܥܵܠܘܗܝ\nܕܡܸܛܠ ܡܵܢܵܐ ܡܫܵܓܢܵܝ ܕܘܼܡܝܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܕܘܡܝ̈ܢ. :ܕܘܡܝܹܗ ܓܪܓܼܢܝ ܕܐܨܘܿܪ ܕܘܼܡܝܹܗ ܒܣܡܵܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܹܐ\nܕܒܝܲܕ ܡܠܹ̈ܐ ܐܓܼܠܹܐ ܠܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܕܡܘ̈ܬܹܗ. :ܕܡܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܲܡܠܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܚܙܝ̇ܬ ܕܪܫܝܼܡܵܐ ܒܟܬܝܿ̈ܒܬܼܵܐ\nܘܡ̣ܢ ܕܟܬܝ̈ܒܵܢ ܒܥܝ̇ܬ ܕܡܬܝܼ̈ܒܵܢ ܠܲܕܠܵܐ ܟܬܝܼ̈ܒܵܢ. :ܒܟܬܝܒ̈ܬܐ ܚܙ̇ܝܬ ܟܕ ܪܗ̇ܛ ܫܸܡ ܡܠܟܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܥܡܹܗ ܕܫܡܵܬܐ ܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܐܓܪ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܟܪܡܹܗ. ܠܐܓܪ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܡܝܼܗ ܠܓܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܡܟܼܪܙ ܩܘܼܫܬܼܵܐ. ܘܟܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ ܩܪܵܗ̇ ܡܲܠܟܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܹܝܗ̇ ܒܪܘܡܵܐ. :ܡܠܟܘܼܬ ܪܘܡܵܐ ܩܪܵܗ̇ ܠܲܣܒܪܬܵܐ ܕܐܟܼܪܙ ܒܲܐܪܥܵܐ\nܒܗ̇ܝ ܕܡܚܘܝܵܐ ܫܒܝܼܠ ܡܲܠܟܿܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܠܕܒܼܥܝܵܢ ܠܵܗ̇.","english":"The good saying I heard which was spoken in the ears of men, and I sought for myself to know and make known the saying which I heard. The good of the wage which he gave to the workers came to my ears. And I desired to hire even a little at the end of the day. In the morning I heard that he hired workers for the cultivation of his vineyard, and he cut off the day's work to one hour and to one tenth. In the equality of the wage, the thoughts of the feeble-minded are troubled: what is this, that the wage is not equal to the labor? From the morning until the cutting off of the day's work to twelve hours, and woe to the worker who is not thus and takes thus. There is no rich man who hires workers for all the hours, nor a hirer who hires every hour at midday. The name of this labor is a memorial for all labors, and it has no equal among all the labors of the house of the earth. Not like it is the labor of the mourners in the season of his world, because why are his comparisons disturbed from all comparisons? His comparison is the drawing of a form of his likeness in the color of words, that by words he revealed to small men his likenesses. The likeness of his labors I saw which is depicted in the scriptures, and from the scriptures I sought answers for the unwritten. In the scriptures I saw when the name of the kingdom ran, and with it the names of the man who hired workers for his vineyard. The wage of the workers which was given to the man who proclaims the truth. And his proclamation called the kingdom which is in Rome. The kingdom of Rome called the gospel which he proclaimed in the land, by which it shows the way of the kingdom to those who seek it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The speaker describes hearing a 'good saying' about wages and workers, then seeking to understand and convey it. The passage contrasts the equality of wages with unequal labor, troubling the feeble-minded.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܐܓܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܐܓܪܐ (ʼagrā) means 'wage' or 'reward,' central to the parable's economic metaphor. Narsai uses it to explore divine justice and the disparity between labor and compensation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Matthew 20:1-16","severity":"info","text":"The passage alludes to the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), where workers are hired for unequal hours but receive equal wages. Narsai interprets this as a figure for spiritual reward.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Narsai (d. ca. 500 CE) was a prominent Syriac poet and theologian of the Church of the East. His homilies often employ extended allegory, blending biblical exegesis with moral and eschatological themes.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܠܟܘܬ ܪܘܡܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'kingdom of Rome' (ܡܠܟܘܬ ܪܘܡܐ) identifies the gospel proclamation with the Roman imperial context, reflecting Narsai's view of the Church as a spiritual kingdom parallel to earthly rule.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The English draft contains a likely misreading: 'cut off the day's work to one hour and to one tenth' may reflect a textual corruption or scribal error in the Syriac, as the parable standardly involves twelve hours.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'one hour and to one tenth' is unclear; it may be a corruption of 'twelve hours' or a symbolic number.","The identity of 'the man who proclaims the truth' is ambiguous—possibly Christ or a preacher."],"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":7,"ref":"p7","source":":ܫܒܝܼܠ ܡܥܟܘܬܵܐ ܕܪܫܬ̤ ܒܲܐܪܥܵܐ ܡܠܬܹܗ ܕܡܪܲܢ\nܘܐܠܦܬ̤ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܕܢܪܕܘܢ ܥܲܡܵܗ̇ ܠܐܝܟܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܹܝܗ̇. :ܬܘܼܩܵܢ ܪܘܡܵܐ ܥܬܝܼܕ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܢܸܓܼܠܹܐ ܠܐܪ̈ܥܢܝܹܐ\nܘܨܪ ܕܡܘ̈ܬܹܗ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ ܥܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܗܘܹܐ. :ܒܥܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܣܝܼܡܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܠܹܗ ܕܢܲܢܹܐ ܠܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ\nܘܐܥܢܝܼ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܦܓܪܢܐܝܼܬ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܹܐ. :ܦܛܪܢܐܝܼܬ ܚܙ݂ܲܩ ܦܓܼܪܢܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܦܓܼܪ̈ܢܹܐ\nܘܚܘܝܼ ܠܐ̄ܢܫܐ ܠܡܸܕܪܐ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܐ ܕܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܵܬܼܵܐ. :ܥܡܐܐ ܕܕܘܼܚܵܐ ܪܫ̣ܡ ܒܚܙܬܵܐ ܕܪܲܓܼܫܝ ܦܓܼܪܐ\nܘܫܲܪܝܼܘ ܐܢܫܵܐ ܠܡܸܚܢܵܐ ܠܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܟܼܣܹܐ ܒܪܵܘܡܵܐ. :ܐܘ ܬܸܕܡܘܪܬܵܐ ܕܗܘ̤ܵܬ ܒܐܵܪܥܵܐ ܒܹܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ\nܕܟܲܕ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܝܼܢ ܪܚܸܡܘ ܥܢܝܢܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܐ. :ܩܵܠܵܐ ܚܕܬܵܐ ܫܡ݂ܲܥܘ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܹܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܘܥܢܵܐ\nܕܡܟܼܪܸܙ ܒܐܪܥܵܐ ܣܒܲܪܬܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܐܬܟܪܙܲܬ̤. :ܒܬܢܘܝ ܕܐܓܼܪܐ ܚܬܚܸܬ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܒܢܲܝ̈ ܐܲܪܥܵܐ\nܘܪܗܸܛܘ ܨܐܕܵܘܗܝ ܘܩܲܒ̣ܠܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܚܘܼܒܵܢܵܐܝܼܬ. :ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܢܓܕܹܗ ܠܘܵܬ ܥܸܢܝܢܵܐ ܕܒܢܲܝ̈ ܓܸܢܣܹܗ\nܕܢܐܓܼܘܪ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܹܐ. :ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܵܐ ܪܘܚܢܝܵܐ ܐܲܠܸܦ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ\nܕܡ̣ܢ ܥܡܠܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܢܸܩܢܘܿܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܠܵܐ ܡܝܘ̈ܬܹܐ. :ܒܗܕܐ ܐܢܘܝ ܢܦ̣ܩ ܡ̣ܢ ܨܦܪܵܐ ܕܫܘܼܪܵܝ ܕܢܚܹܗ\nܟܕ ܠܹܗ ܠܕܼܢܚܹܗ ܟܢܝܼ ܨܦܪܵܐ ܘܫܘܪܝ ܝܘܡܵܐ. :ܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܟܢܝܼ ܗܘ̤ ܠܲܩܢܘܿܡܹܗ ܒܗܝ ܕܐܵܦ ܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣\nܘܠܝܘܠܦܸܢܹܗ ܩ̣ܪܐ ܡܠܟܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܡܠܝܲܬ̤ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܥܕܢ ܨܦܪܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܫܘܼܪܝܵܐ ܕܟܪܘܿܙܘܼܬܹܗ\nܘܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܨܦܪܐ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܬܪܥܣܲܪ ܕܐܘܓܲܪܘ ܥܲܡܗ. :ܗܢܘܿܢ ܐܘܓܲܪܘ ܒܥܕܢ ܨܦܪܵܬ ܕܟܪܵܘܿܙܘܵܬܼܵܐ\nܘܗܢܘܿܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܛܥܢܘ ܝܘܼܩܪܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ.","english":"The path of the teaching which was planted in the earth, the word of the Lord, and it taught men who toil with it where it is. A high sign was destined to be revealed to the workers, and the form of his death among the workers without it being. With the eyes of the spirit it was placed for him to show to men, and he showed the face of the body before the deeds. Bodily he went before the bodies, and he showed men the way to the spiritual realms. The eye of the spirit marked the vision of the bodily senses, and men began to seek the hidden thing which is concealed in the height. O the wonder that happened in the earth among the workers, that when the workers loved the work without workers. A new voice the workers heard from the ear, which proclaimed in the earth a new gospel that had not been proclaimed. At the promise of the wage, the face went down to the sons of the earth, and they ran after him and received the face lovingly. His love bound him to the work of the sons of his kind, that the face might hire them for the work of spiritual life. The sons of spiritual work the face taught, that from their labors they might gain life without death. In this the face went out from the morning of the beginning of his life, when he went to his work, the morning and the beginning of the day were hidden. The man was hidden for his standing in that which also the man was, and his teaching called the kingdom full of life. Until the morning was the beginning of his proclamation, and the workers of the morning, the twelve apostles, who hired themselves with him. They hired themselves in the morning of the proclamations, and they were the ones who bore the burden of the whole day.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage describes the hidden teaching of the Lord being revealed to workers, who then perceive a new gospel and follow the 'face' (person) who promises a wage for spiritual labor.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܐܸܢܘܿܥ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܐܸܢܘܿܥ (often meaning 'face' or 'person') is used repeatedly to denote a figure who represents Christ or the divine teacher, consistent with Narsai's typological exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܣܒܲܪܬܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'new gospel' (ܣܒܲܪܬܵܐ ܚܲܕܬܵܐ) echoes the New Testament proclamation, possibly alluding to the Gospel of Matthew or the apostolic kerygma, though no specific verse is cited.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The 'twelve apostles' (ܬܪܥܣܲܪ ܕܐܘܓܲܪܘ) are identified as the morning workers, reflecting Narsai's homiletic tradition that allegorizes the vineyard parable to the apostolic mission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from the initial narrative of the vineyard workers to a symbolic interpretation, introducing the 'face' as a Christ-like figure and the twelve apostles as co-laborers, marking a transition to allegory.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text contains ambiguous phrasing, e.g., 'the form of his death among the workers without it being,' which may be corrupt or elliptical; the English draft attempts a reading but the sense is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the face' (ܐܸܢܘܿܥ) is ambiguous: it may refer to Christ, a teacher, or a personification of the divine; the reading taken is a Christ-like figure.","The phrase 'the form of his death among the workers without it being' is syntactically unclear; the draft interprets it as a sign revealed to workers, but the original may be corrupt."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":":ܝܘܩܪܵܐ ܪܒܵܐ ܛܥܢܘ ܟܪܵܙܹܐ ܕܡܠܬܼ ܚ̈ܝܹܐ\nܒܗ̇ܝ ܕܩܫܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܫܘܪܵܝ ܙܒܼܪܵܐ ܕܟܪܘܿܙܘܬܼܵܐ. :ܩܫܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܙܒܢܵܐ ܕܣܝܒܲܪܘ ܟܠܢܹ̈ܐ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܓܒܲܝ̈ܐ\nܘܛܵܒܼ ܥܙܝܼܙ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܩܪܒܼܵܐ ܚܕܢܦ̈ܐ ܘܕܝܗܘܕ̈ܝܹܐ\n:ܥܙܝܼܙܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܝܗܘܕܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܢܛܘܪ̈ܬܵܐ\nܘܚܡܝܡܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܐܵܦ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܪܚܡܲܬ ܫܸܐܕܹ̈ܐ. :ܒܪܚܡܲܬ ܫܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܐܣܝܼܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܥܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܚܢ̈ܦܹܐ\nܘܡܣܬܬܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܬ ܪܚܡܲܬܿ ܫܸܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܩܪܸ̈ܥܝܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܬܪܸܝܢ ܬܟܬܘ̈ܫܹܐ ܥܒܲܕܘ ܐܬܠܝ̈ܛܹܐ ܕܙܕܝܼܩܘܼܬܵܐ\nܥܲܡ ܚܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܘܝܗܘܕܝܘܼܬܵܐ ܫܩܝܼ̈ܦܹܐ ܪܡܹܐ. :ܒܪܘܡܵܐ ܪܡܵܐ ܣܝܼܡ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܪܫܗ̇ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܒܚܣܢܹ̈ܐ ܡܣܬܬܪܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܐܵܦ ܚܲܢܦܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܚܣܝܼܟܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܫܸܡ ܐܲܠܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܐܠܗܹ̈ܐ\nܘܣܚܦܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܒܫܸܡ ܚܲܕ ܚܲܝܠܵܐ. :ܫܸܡ ܚܲܕ ܚܝܠܵܐ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙܘ ܒܐܪܥܵܐ ܐܪ̈ܥܢܝܹܐ\nܘܙܵܥܘ ܘܐܸܬܒܲܠܗܝܼܘ ܟܠ ܫܘܼܡܗܝܼ̈ܢ ܕܠܵܐ ܐܠܗܹ̈ܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܐܠܗܹ̈ܐ ܥܩ̣ܪܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܐܪܥܵܐ ܐܲܠܗ̈ܝܹܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܙܪܥܵܐ ܙܪܥܘܼܗܝ ܠܲܫܡܵܐ ܕܚܲܕ ܐܠܗܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܚܪܵܐ ܥܵܕܘܼܗܝ ܠܝܥܪܵܐ ܕܦܬܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܬܥܘܟ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܕܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܬܪܒܼܝܬܹܗ. :ܕܬܪܒܝܼܬ ܙܲܪܥܵܐ ܚܨܝܼܦܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܛܒܹ̈ܐ\nܘܒܕܡܘܼܬ ܡܘܼܬ ܛܠܐ ܡܫܩܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܹܗ ܡܠܝ̈ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ. :ܒܡܠܲܝ̈ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܦܠܚܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܹܗ ܠܟܪܡܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܐ\nܘܡܣܟܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܢܬܸܠ ܦܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܢܝܹܐ. :ܒܩܢܛܵܐ ܘܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܡܬܩܪܒܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܨܝܕ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܹܗ\n:ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܒܣܪܘܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܗܘ̇ ܡܪܵܐ ܕܐܘܓܪܘ ܥܲܡܹܗ\n:ܐܲܝܟ ܟܣܘܚܹ̈ܐ ܦܣܩܘ ܡܸܢܹܗ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܒܝܼܫ̈ܬܐ\nܕܢܗܘܹܐ ܫܲܪܝܼܪ ܥܩܪ ܫܪ̈ܫܐ ܕܗܝܡܢܘܼܬܹܗ.","english":"A great burden the heralds of the word of life bore, for the beginning of the sowing of the proclamation was difficult. Difficult was the sowing, for the chosen apostles endured toils, and the battle against the pagans and the Jews was very fierce. Judaism was strong in its fortresses, and paganism was also fervent in the love of demons. In the love of demons the pagan peoples were bound, and the love of demons was called their kinship. The athletes of righteousness made two contests against paganism and lofty Judaism. At a high place the head of Judaism was set, and like a serpent paganism was hidden. They denied the name of gods that are not gods, and the apostles cast down their idols in the earth by the name of one Power. The name of one Power they proclaimed in the earth of the pagans, and all the names of the gods that are not gods they shook and confounded. The gods that are not gods they uprooted from the earth of the pagans, and like seed they sowed the name of one God. Like a plough they turned over the soil of error, so that the seed of life might not be hindered from its growth. For the growth of the seed the good workers were diligent, and in the likeness of the death of a child they watered it with spiritual waters. With spiritual waters they labored for the vineyard of the Lord, and they hoped that it would yield spiritual fruits. With zeal and love they approached his work, so that they might not be cut off from the Lord who hired them. Like reapers they cut off from him the evil shoots, so that the root of his faith might be firm.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܪܵܙܹܐ ܕܡܠܬܼ ܚ̈ܝܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'heralds of the word of life' identifies the apostles as proclaimers of the living Word, a common Syriac epithet for the gospel.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܝܗܘܕܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Narsai contrasts Judaism and paganism as dual opponents of the apostolic mission, reflecting the competitive religious landscape of late antique Mesopotamia.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܪܡܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'vineyard of the Lord' echoes the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16), which Narsai reinterprets as the apostolic mission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܪܸܝܢ ܬܟܬܘ̈ܫܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'two contests' structures the passage as a dual struggle against Judaism and paganism, framing the apostolic work as a coherent narrative of conflict.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܚܪܵܐ ܥܵܕܘܼܗܝ ܠܝܥܪܵܐ ܕܦܬܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The agricultural metaphor of ploughing error and sowing the name of one God reflects Narsai's exegetical method, blending parable with catechetical instruction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'in the likeness of the death of a child' (ܒܕܡܘܼܬ ܡܘܼܬ ܛܠܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the death of a young animal (sacrificial lamb) or a child, with the latter reading adopted here as a metaphor for Christ's passion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":":ܒܗܲܝܡܢܘܬܵܐ ܡܣܬ̇ܬܝܼܢ ܗܘ̣ܘ ܠܗ̇ ܠܗܝܡܢܘܼܬܹܗ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܟܘܼܢܵܝܗܝ ܫܘܒܵܐ ܘܥܪܝܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܓܝܼܓܬܐ. ܣܓܼܝ ܣܘܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܲܢܢܲܛܪܘܼܢܵܝܗܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܸܟܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ:\nܘܲܚܦܝܼܛܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܚܣܲܪ ܠܹܗ ܫܸܩܝܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ. :ܘܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܦܲܠܚܘܼܗܝ ܘܲܒܼܦܸܬܓܼܵܡܹ̈ܐ ܣܲܡܸܟܘ ܣܵܘܟܵܘ̈ܗܝ\nܘܗܲܒܸܒܼܘ ܛܲܪܦܹ̈ܐ ܘܛܥܢ ܦܸܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܕܟܝܘܼܬ ܢܲܦܫܵܐ. :ܦܸܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܟܼܝ̈ܵܐ ܛܥܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܓܠܝܼܙ ܡ̣ܢ ܦܸܐܪܹ̈ܐ\nܘܲܬܼܗܲܪܘ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܘܲܫܡܲܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܒܛܵܒܘܼܬܼ ܦܹܐܪ̈ܵܘܗܝ. :ܬܲܗܪܬܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ ܒܫܘܼܚܠܵܦ ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܕܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ\nܕܝܲܗ̣ܒ ܛܲܒܼ̈ܬܐ ܚܠܵܦ ܚܲܪ݁ܘܼܒܹܐ ܕܡܪܒܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ. :ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܚܲܪ̈ܘܼܒܹܐ ܛܥܝܲܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܦܬܿܟܼܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܲܕܝܲܗ̣̄ܒ ܢܲܦܫܹܗ ܠܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܛܥܢ ܒܘܼܪ̈ܟܵܬܼܵܐ. :ܪܘܼܚܵܢܐܹܝܬ ܦܲܠܚܘܼܗܝ ܩܵܐܹ̈ܐ ܕܫܠܝܼܚܝܘܬܐ\n:ܘܛܪܕܘ ܡܸܢܹܗ ܕܐܸܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܕܲܒܹ̈ܐ ܘܢܲܝ̈ ܒܝܼ̈ܫܵܐ\n:ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܒ̈ܝܼܫܵܢܵܐ ܕܵܝܫܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܹܗ ܐܲܝܟ ܚܲܝ̈ܘܵܬܼܵܐ\nܘܣܓܼܘ ܒܐܲܦܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܛܵܒܼ̈ܬܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܚܲܣܢܝܼܢ. :ܣܝܵܓܼܵܐ ܪܡܵܐ ܥܒܲܕܘ ܠܹܗ ܠܪܲܪܡܵܐ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܝܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܲܟܼܘܼܢܵܝܗܝ ܫܸܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܛܪ̈ܘܢܹܐ ܒܢܸܟܼܝܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܡܲܓܼܕܠܵܐ ܕܫܘܼܒܼܚܵܐ ܒܢܵܘ ܒܲܡܨܥܬܹܗ ܠܲܡܫܲܒܵܚܘܼ\nܘܢܸܗܘܹܐ ܢ̇ܛܪ ܦܸܐܪܹ̈ܐܐ ܕܫܘܼܒܼܚܵܐ ܕܡܸܬܼܚܲܡܠܝܼܢ ܒܹܗ. :ܐܵܦ ܡܲܥܨܲܪܼܬܵܐ ܕܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܥܒܕܘ ܠܲܡܝܼ̈ܕܹܐ\nܕܲܢܕܟܘܢ ܒܵܗ̇ ܡܘܼܡܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܦܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܲܕܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܹܐ. :ܥܲܠܝܼܪܵܐܝܼܬ ܐܣܢܘ ܣܵܡܘ ܒܗ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܛܵܒܼܬܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܚܣܲܪ ܒܹܗ ܚܲܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܘܼܒܹ̈ܐ ܠܲܕܦܠܲܚ ܒܹܗ.","english":"In faith they were sustained for his faith,\nwithout his toil, the planting and the shoot of the vines. Great were the labors of his apostles from the pagans.\nAnd they were diligent that the wine of the spirit should not be lacking. And the peoples cultivated him, and with words they supported his branches,\nand they put forth leaves and bore fruits of purity of soul. Pure fruits the vineyard bore, hidden from the fruits,\nand men and heavens marveled at the goodness of his fruits. A great marvel at the change of the season of the vineyard of the peoples,\nwhich gave good things in place of the thorns it used to produce. The shoots of thorns it bore in the season of paganism,\nand when it gave itself to the labor of the spirit, it bore blessings. Spiritually his laborers, the vines of apostleship,\nand they drove from it thorns and briars and evil shoots.\nEvil shoots were trampling it like beasts,\nand the shoots of good things increased on their faces, which are not to be counted. A high fence they made for the divine vine,\nso that his toil might not be harmed by raging demons in their paganism. A tower of glory they built in its midst for the praiseworthy one,\nand it guards the fruits of glory that are borne in it. Also the press of baptism they made for the initiates,\nthat in it the blemishes of the body and of the thoughts might be cleansed. Sublimely they planted, they placed in it shoots of good things,\nso that not one of the blessings might be lacking for him who labors in it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܲܪܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The vineyard (ܟܲܪܡܵܐ) is a sustained metaphor for the Church or Christian community, cultivated by the apostles. The shift from thorns to good fruit marks the transition from paganism to Christian faith.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'labor of the spirit' (ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ) denotes spiritual or apostolic ministry, contrasting with pagan worship. It reflects Narsai's ascetic and sacramental theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܲܥܨܲܪܼܬܵܐ ܕܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܝܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'press of baptism' (ܡܲܥܨܲܪܼܬܵܐ ܕܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܝܼܬܼܵܐ) evokes the imagery of a winepress, linking baptism to purification from bodily and mental blemishes. This echoes early Syriac baptismal typology (cf. Ephrem, Hymns on Faith).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܫܸܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܛܪ̈ܘܢܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'raging demons' (ܫܸܐܕܹ̈ܐ ܛܪ̈ܘܢܹܐ) represent pagan deities or demonic forces that threaten the vineyard. This reflects the late antique context of Christian-pagan conflict in Mesopotamia.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the extended allegory of the vineyard, moving from the apostles' labors to the establishment of protective structures (fence, tower, winepress). The sequence mirrors the progression from mission to institutionalization.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܚܲܪ̈ܘܼܒܹܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'shoots of thorns' (ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܚܲܪ̈ܘܼܒܹܐ) is ambiguous: it may refer to pagan practices or to heretical teachings. The translation 'thorns' is conventional but the Syriac ܚܲܪ̈ܘܼܒܹܐ can also mean 'carob trees'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'peoples' (ܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ) who cultivate the vine is ambiguous: they could be the apostles themselves or the converted nations.","The phrase 'shoots of good things' (ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܛܵܒܼ̈ܬܐ) is vague; it likely refers to virtues or Christian converts, but the exact referent is not specified."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":":ܚܝܠܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܚܲܟܸܡ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܡܸܣܥܲܪ ܗܵܠܹܝܢ\nܘܗܘ̤ ܝܲܗ̣ܒ ܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܒܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܠܡܸܦܠܲܚ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ. :ܠܡܸܦܠܲܚ ܒܟܲܪܡܹܗ ܫܲܕܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܡܵܪܹܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ\nܘܐܲܝܟ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܓܡܲܪܘ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܹܗ ܒܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܟܲܪܡܹܗ. :ܟܠܵܗ̇ ܕܓܬܹܗ ܕܡܵܕܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܓܡ݂ܲܪܘ ܦܠܲܚܹ̈ܐ\nܘܫܲܪܝܼܘ ܘܫܲܠܸܡܘ ܒܚܲܕ ܨܒܼܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܩܘܼܛܵܟܵܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܐܬܩܛܥܘ ܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܒܦܘܠܚܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܒܲܕ ܚܵܝܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܕܪܲܒ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܲܡ̈ܠܹܐ. :ܙܥܘܿܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܟܲܕ ܢܸܬܼܦܲܚܲܡ ܥܲܡ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܦܚ̈ܡܵܢ ܗ̈ܘ̣ܝ ܫܥ̈ܐ ܬܪܹܥܣܲܪ ܠܚܲܕ ܕܝܹܢܵܪܵܐ. :ܚܲܕ ܕܝܼܢܵܪܐ ܩܨܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܛܵܒܼܵܐ ܠܦܵܠܚܹ̈ܐ ܛܵܒܹ̈ܐ\nܘܛܵܒܼ ܐܸܬܼܟܲܫܲܪܘ ܠܡܸܦܠܲܚ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ ܕܡܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܟܲܕܡܵܐ ܡܠܝܼܠܵܐ ܦܠܲܚܘ ܦܲܠܵܚܹ̈ܐ ܕܙܲܕܝܼܩܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܲܢܛܲܪܘ ܦܐܲܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܚܲܒܠܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܢܸܟܼܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ. :ܫܡܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܬܠܵܬܵܐ ܥܒܲܕܼܘ ܠܹܗ ܫܘܼܪܐ ܠܫܘܼܛܵܪ ܚܲܝܵܘ̈ܗܝ\nܕܢܸܗܘܹܐ ܫܲܪܝܼܪ ܒܸܢܝܵܢ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܵܝܘܿܬܘܼܬܹܗ. :ܝܵܕܥܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܹܗ ܠܪܘܼܟܵܒܼ ܦܲܓܼܪܹܗ ܕܡܸܫܬܲܝܵܢܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣\nܥܲܠ ܗ̇ܝ ܣܵܡܘ ܠܹܗ ܫܡܵܗܹ̈ܐ ܬܠܵܬܐ ܒܲܕ ܡܘܼܬ ܥܲܪ݁ܩܹܐ. :ܒܥܲܪ̈ܩܹܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܒܢܵܘ ܒܲܢܵܝܹ̈ܐ ܠܒܸܢܝܵܢ ܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ܐ\nܘܫܲܪܪܵܘ ܐܸܣܵܘ̈ܗܝ ܫܒܸܡ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܫܬܲܝܵܐ. :ܫܸܡ ܐܝܼܬܘܬܼܵܐ ܣܵܡܘ ܩܲܕܡܝܼܬܼ ܐܲܝܟ ܫܲܬܸܐܣܬܼܵܐ\nܘܲܥܠܹܝܗ̇ ܫܲܟܼܠܸܠܘ ܟܠܹܗ ܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܕܬܵܘܕܝܼܬ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ. :ܚܕܵܐ ܬܵܘܕܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܚܕ ܒܪܘܿܝܵܐ ܒܢܵܘ ܒܲܒܼܪܝܼܬܵܐ\nܘܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܡܵܗܵܐ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙܘ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܠܫܵܡܘܿܥܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ.","english":"The power of the Spirit made the apostles wise to perform these labors, and he gave strength to their minds to work the trees. To work in his vineyard the master of the vineyard sent the apostles, and according to his will they fulfilled his will through the labor of his vineyard. All the planting of the master of the vineyard the workers completed, and they began and finished with one will without interruption. Their minds were not cut off in their labors, for they were expecting that the reward would be great beyond the toils. Small was the toil when compared with the reward, and the twelve hours were not equal to one denarius. One denarius was a good wage for good workers, and they were well joined together to work the vineyard of eloquence. How eloquently the workers of righteousness labored, and they preserved its fruits without being spoiled by the clouds. Three names they made for it, a wall for the fence of its life, that it might be firm in the search for the life of its mortality. They knew the rider of his body, that he was to be drunk, and upon that they placed three names when they fled from death. By the wings of the Spirit they flew among the seekers of the search for men, and they established his foundations, the name of the substance that is not to be drunk. The name of substance they placed first as a foundation, and upon it they completed the whole height of the confession of man. One confession of one creator among creation, and one name they proclaimed in the land to their hearers.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܟܲܪܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܟܲܪܡܵܐ (karmā) means 'vineyard' and is the central metaphor for the church or Christian community in Narsai's exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܕܝܼܢܵܪܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܕܝܼܢܵܪܐ (dīnārā) refers to a denarius, a Roman silver coin, used here as a symbol of just reward for labor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Matthew 20:1-16","severity":"info","text":"The parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) is the scriptural basis; the mention of 'twelve hours' and 'one denarius' directly echoes the parable's wage dispute.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Narsai's Christology","severity":"info","text":"The 'three names' (substance, confession, etc.) reflect Narsai's anti-Monophysite stance, emphasizing the distinction between divine and human natures in Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative progression","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from the apostles' labor in the vineyard to the establishment of doctrinal foundations, mirroring the shift from parable to theological exposition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܸܫܬܲܝܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The term ܡܸܫܬܲܝܵܐ (mestayyā) 'to be drunk' is ambiguous: it may refer to the intoxicating effect of spiritual knowledge or to a Christological metaphor for the incarnation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'rider of his body' is unclear; it may refer to Christ or to the soul. The phrase 'fled from death' could be literal or allegorical."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":":ܒܗܵܢ ܫܘܼܡܵܗܵܐ ܬܲܠܡܸܕܘ ܘܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܘܐܲܥܡܹܕܘ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ\nܘܲܟܼܕܢܘ ܟܠܵܗ̇ ܬܚܹܝܬܼ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ ܕܫܲܠܝܼܛ ܥܲܠ ܟܠ. ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢ ܟܲܢܫܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ ܦܠܝܼ̈ܓܹܐ:\nܘܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܲܡܵܝܼܩܵܪܘܼ ܠܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܠܛܲܢܐ. :ܒܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ ܟܕܢܸܘ ܟܠ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢ ܕܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܘܥܘܼܡܩܵܐ\nܘܲܠܓܼܘ ܡܸܢܹܗ ܚܒܲܫܘ ܟܠ ܒܸܪ̈ܝܵܢ ܡܠܝܼ̈ܠܹܐ ܘܚܲܪ̈ܫܹܐ. :ܠܓܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܡܥܵܐ ܕܦܸܬܼܓܼܵܡܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܚܒܲܫܘ ܟܠ ܡܸܕܸܡ\nܐܲܪ̈ܥܵܢܵܝܹܐ ܘܲܡܫܲܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܪܘܼܟܵܒܵܐ. :ܐܘ ܠܡܵܘܝܘܿܬܹ̈ܐ ܠܒܝܼܫܲܝ̈ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܒܠܵܢܵܐ\nܕܚܲܒܼܫܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܠܓܼܵܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܡܸܠܵܬܐ ܕܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘ ܠܲܐܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ ܛܥܝܢܲܝ̈ ܝܘܼܩܪܵܐ ܕܡܵܝܘܿܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܣܠܸܩܘ ܫܲܠܸܒܼܕܘ ܟܸܢܫܲܝ̈ ܪܵܘܡܵܐ ܬܚܹܝܬܼ ܡܸܠܲܬܼܗܘܿܢ. :ܐܘ ܠܨܵܝܵܕܹ̈ܐ ܨܵܝܕܲܝ̈ ܐܘܼܟܼܠܵܐ ܠܐܘܼܟܼܵܐܐ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ\nܕܨܵܕܘ ܠܲܡܠܝܼ̈ܠܹܐ ܘܐܵܘܼܟܼܠܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܬ ܐܘܟܼܠܵܐ ܐܘܟܼܠܵܐ ܕܪܘܼܚܵܐ. :ܐܘ ܠܗܸܕܝ̈ܘܛܹܐ ܘܒܘܲܪ̈ܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܒܟܼܠ ܕܘܪ̈ܲܫܝܼܢ\nܕܕܲܪܫܘܼܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܪܲܗܛܵܪܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܚܙܝܵܐ ܠܹܗ. :ܐܘ ܠܕܸܐܬܒܪܝܼܘ ܒܚܲܕ ܠܸܫܵܫܵܐ ܘܚܲܕ ܗܓܝܵܢܵܐ\nܕܬܲܪܓܹܡܘ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܐܲܝܟ ܗܸܓܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܠܸܫܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܒܟܼܠ ܠܸܫܵܢܝܼ̈ܢ ܠܥܸܙܘ ܩܸܘܪ̈ܚܹܐ ܟܪ̈ܝܲܝ ܡܸܠܬܵܐ\nܘܲܠܟܼܠ ܗܡܡܝܼ̈ܢ ܦܫܩܘ ܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܕܲܒܡ݂ܲܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. ܒܚܹܝܠ ܡܸܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܬܗܲܪܘ ܘܲܠܥܡܡ̈ܝܼܢ ܩܢܝܼܝ̈ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ. :ܕܟܲܡܵܐ ܚܲܣܝܼܢ ܚܲܝܠܐ ܕܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܚܲܝܠܝܼ̈ܢ\n:ܟܠ ܥܲܡ ܟܠܐ ܚܒܼ ܡ̣ܢ ܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܕܲܒܨܝܼܵܕܹ̈ܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܦܵܫ ܥܲܡܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܝܲܗ̄ܒ̣ ܐܝܼܕܵܐ ܠܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܕܲܒܼܗܘܿܢ.","english":"In this manner they taught, instructed, and baptized men, and they subjected the whole earth beneath the authority of the Ruler over all. From every authority they turned peoples divided, and they taught them to honor one authority. With one authority they subdued every authority of height and depth, and within it they gathered all rational and irrational creatures. Within the sound of their word they gathered everything, earthly and heavenly, without mixture. Or to the deadly ones, evil of body, destructible, who gathered the world within the words of the Word that was in them. Or to the erring earth-dwellers, heavy with mortality, who ascended and stripped the thorns of height beneath their word. Or to the hunters, hunters of food for the mouth of the body, who hunted the rational and ate, but they ate food, the food of the spirit. Or to the simple and the brutish from every kind in all their generations, who ran the world with haste that did not see it. Or to those who were built with one foundation and one meditation, who interpreted with all according to the meditation of their tongues. In all tongues they loosened the knots, brief of word, and for all peoples they opened the power that was in their words. By the power of their words they astonished, and to the peoples, brief of word, how great is the power that was in them from all powers. Every people was bound by the power that was in the fishermen, and no people remained that did not give a hand to the power that was in them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܗܵܢ ܫܘܼܡܵܗܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in this manner' refers back to the apostolic labor described in the previous passage, linking the apostles' teaching and baptizing to the unifying authority of God.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term 'shulṭā' (authority) is used repeatedly to contrast earthly authorities with the singular divine authority, a key theme in Narsai's ecclesiology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܸܠܲܬܼܗܘܿܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Word that was in them' echoes the Johannine Logos theology, identifying the apostles' teaching as an extension of the divine Word.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܨܵܝܵܕܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of apostles as 'fishermen' (ṣayyādē) is a common patristic image, derived from the New Testament calling of the apostles as fishers of souls.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܘ ܠ... ܐܘ ܠ...","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a series of 'or to' (ʾaw l-) clauses to catalog different groups converted by the apostles, creating a rhetorical list that emphasizes the universality of the mission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܠ ܥܲܡ ܟܠܐ","severity":"info","text":"The claim that 'no people remained' unconverted reflects Narsai's idealizing view of apostolic success, common in Syriac hagiography and homiletics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܕܠܵܐ ܪܘܼܟܵܒܵܐ' (without mixture) is ambiguous: it may refer to the purity of the apostolic teaching or to the separation of earthly and heavenly realms.","The identity of 'the deadly ones' (ܠܡܵܘܝܘܿܬܹ̈ܐ) is unclear; it may denote heretics or those spiritually dead."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":":ܚܵܒܼܘ ܚܲܟܝܼ̈ܡܹܐ ܒܗܸܬܼܘ ܝܵܕܘ̈ܥܹܐ ܫܬܸܩܘ ܡܲܠܵܠܹ̈ܐ\nܘܩܵܠ ܗܸܕܝܘܿܛܹ̈ܐ ܪܵܥܹܡ ܒܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܫܝܼܦܘܿܪܵܐ. :ܐܲܫܦܸܠ ܚܘܼܬܼܪܵܐ ܥܪܲܩ ܫܘܼܒܼܗܵܪܵܐ ܒܛܸܠ ܫܘܼܥܠܵܝܵܐ\nܘܲܡܟܝܼܟܘܼܬܵܐ ܣܒܼܝܼܣ ܩܘܼܠܵܣܵܗ̇ ܒܟܼܠ ܠܸܫܵܢܝܼ̈ܢ. :ܗܘ̤ܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܠܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܘ ܟܠ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܲܝ̈ܢ ܕܒܼܕܘ ܕܲܝ̈ܘܹܐ\nܘܩܵܡ ܒܲܫܪܵܪܵܐ ܚܲܕ ܝܘܼܠܦܵܢܵܐ ܕܕܲܟܸܒܼܘ ܒܘܼܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܥܪܲܩܘ ܗܲܓܵܓܹ̈ܐ ܕܦܹܐܘܛܘܼܬܵܐ ܘܕܪܗܛܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܣܦܩܘ ܦܲܢܝܼܘ ܡܸܠܬܵܐ ܕܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ ܠܨܵܝܕ̈ܝܼ ܢܘܼܢܹ̈ܐ. ܕܥܸܟܼܘ ܨܡܚܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܕܦܝܼܠܵܣܘܿܦܹ̈ܐ ܚܬܝܪ݁ܲܝ ܒܲܫܡܵܐ. :ܘܥܦ ܢܗܝܼܪܵܐ ܕܲܒܼܡܸܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܕܒܘܪ̈ܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ\n:ܒܘܼܪ̈ܝ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܐܲܠܸܦܘ ܡܸܕܡ ܕܪܲܒ ܡ̣ܢ ܡܸܕܸܡ\nܘܙܩܦܘ ܨܒܼܥܵܐ ܟܵܗܢܹ̈ܐ ܘܡܲܠ̈ܟܹܐ ܘܫܘܼܠܵܛܢܝܲܗ̈ܘܿܢ. :ܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ ܩܒܲܥܘ ܐܲܝܟ [ܢܝܼܫܵܐ] ܩܕܼܵܡ ܟܠ ܥܲܡܡ̈ܝܼܢ\nܕܢܗܘܘܿܢ ܚܵܢܹܝܢ ܟܠ ܠܸܫܢܝܼ̈ܢ ܠܘܲܥܕܵܐ ܕܲܫܡܹܗ. :ܫܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܹܝܗ̇ ܘܐܝܼܬܹܝܗ̇ ܐܲܟܼܪܸܙܘ ܒܲܐܪܥܵܐ\nܘܲܬܼܢܵܘ ܘܬܲܠܸܬܼ ܬܠܝܼܬܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܣܬܿܕܼܩܵܐ. :ܬܠܵܬܵܐ ܫܡܲܗܹ̈ܐ ܣܵܡܘ ܠܲܩܢܘܿܡܹ̈ܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܐܸܬܦܲܩܲܕܘ\nܘܐܲܩܸܦܘ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܠܛܵܢܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܥܲܡ ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܵܐ ܡܢܵܘ ܐܵܦ ܐ̄ܪܵܙܵܐ ܕܦܲܓܼܪܵܢܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܬܸܗܘܹܐ ܠܵܗ̇ ܬܠܝܼܬܵܝܘܼܬܵܐ ܪܒܝܼܥܵܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܚܲܕ ܫܘܼܡܵܗܵܐ ܣܲܝܸܟܘ ܘܲܚܒܲܫܘ ܫܸܡ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܵܐ\nܒܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܘܒܲܪ̈ܢܵܫܘܼܬܵܐ ܚܲܕ ܦܲܪܨܘܵܦܐ. :ܚܲܕ ܦܲܪܨܘܿܦܵܐ ܟܬܲܒܼܘܒܵܐܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܲܫܡܵܐ ܕܲܒܼܪܵܐ\nܡܸܠܬܹܗ ܕܠܲܒܼܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬܼܵܘܗܝ ܡܸܡܬܘܿܡ ܘܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܕܡܸܢܲܢ.","english":"The wise were silent, the learned were still, the eloquent ceased,\nand the voice of the simple thundered in the land like a trumpet. Humility fled, pride vanished, boasting was abolished,\nand meekness took up its praise in every tongue. It was as if all their teachings had never been, which the demons had sown,\nand one teaching stood forth, which the pure had sown. The sophists of paganism and of error fled,\nand they were not able to utter the word of truth before the hunters. The shoots of the philosophers, who were proud in name, withered,\nand the glory of their words, which were empty of everything, was extinguished. From everything they taught something greater than everything,\nand they raised up the finger of the priests and kings and their authorities. They established one authority like a foundation before all peoples,\nthat they might live, all tongues, for the appointment of his name. The name of the essence, which is and is, they proclaimed in the land,\nand they taught and instructed the Trinity, which is not divided. Three names they placed for the hypostases, as they were commanded,\nand they bound and joined them to one authority of the name of the essence. With the essence they also brought the mystery of incarnation,\nso that it might not have a Trinity and a Quaternity. With one name they limited and confined the name of humanity,\nthe Son of God and humanity, one person. One person they wrote, the economy of the name of the Son,\nthe Word of the heart, which is from nothing, and humanity, which is from her.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'essence' (ʾīṯūṯā) is a key Syriac theological term for the divine substance, often used in Trinitarian discourse to distinguish the one substance from the three hypostases.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܬܠܝܼܬܵܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Trinity' (tlīṯāyūṯā) is a standard Syriac calque for the Greek τριάς, used here to assert the orthodox doctrine of one essence in three persons.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ܦܝܼܠܵܣܘܿܦܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'philosophers' (pīlāsōfē) likely alludes to pagan or heretical teachers, a common polemical trope in Syriac literature contrasting Christian truth with Greek philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from a narrative of apostolic triumph to a doctrinal summary, culminating in a concise statement of Trinitarian and Christological orthodoxy (one essence, three hypostases, one person of Christ).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Son of God' (brā d-allāhā) is part of a dense Christological formula; the text's precise meaning depends on whether it reflects Antiochene or Cyrillian terminology, which is not fully resolved here.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܒܪܵܐ ܕܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܘܒܲܪ̈ܢܵܫܘܼܬܵܐ ܚܲܕ ܦܲܪܨܘܵܦܐ' could be read as asserting either a single person (prosopon) of Christ or a single hypostasis; the Syriac term ܦܲܪܨܘܵܦܐ (parṣōpā) is ambiguous between 'person' and 'hypostasis' in this period. The translation takes it as 'person'."],"confidence":"high","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":13,"ref":"p13","source":":ܬܪܹܝܢ ܒܲܟܼܝ̈ܫܵܐ ܠܦܘܼܬܼ ܕܲܟܼܝܵܢܹܐ ܬܕܹܝܢ ܐܝܼܬܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܚܲܕ ܦܲܪܨܘܿܦܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܸܢܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܫܬܿܚܲܠܦ. ܠܵܐ ܡܸܫܬܲܚܠܲܦ ܡܸܢܝܵܢ ܐܲܒܼܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܘܪܘܼܚܵܐ:\nܘܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܡܲܙܲܓܼ ܟܝܵܢ ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܒܲܟܼܝܵܢ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ. :ܒܕܝܼܠܹܗ ܡܩܵܘܹܐ ܟܝܵܢ ܐܝܼܬܼܘܼܬܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܐܵܦ ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܢܛܝܼܵܪܐ[...]ܬܵܗ ܥܲܡ ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܵܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܠ̈ܛܵܢ ܟܝܵܢܵܝܵܬܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܬ ܠܲܟܼܝܵܢܹ̈ܐ\nܘܝܲܬܝܵܪܬܝܼܬܼ ܟܝܵܢ ܥܵܒܼܘܿܕܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܕܥܒܝܼܪ̈ܕܹܐ. :ܟܝܵܢ ܥܵܒܼܘܕܵܐ ܚܠܛܘ ܡܲܪ̈ܵܚܹܐ ܥܲܡ ܕܲܥܝܼܪ̈ܕܹܐ\nܘܬܘܿܪܬ ܣܲܓܼܝ ܕܟܼܡܵܐ ܐܲܡܪܲܚ ܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ. :ܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܕܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܥܨܵܢܝ ܕܐܫܚܸܠܦ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܲܝ̈\nܘܫܒܼ̇ܩܸܬ ܡܸܠܲܬܝ ܘܲܪܕܹܝܬ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܬܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܡܸܠܬܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܚܠܲܛܘ ܡܲܪ̈ܵܚܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܒܘܼܝܵܢܵܐ\nܘܛܢܬ̤ ܡܸܠܲܬܼܝ ܕܬܸܦܪܘܿܫ ܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܚܲܠ̈ܛܵܢ. :ܗܵܢܵܐ ܛܢܵܢܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܠܹܗ ܠܪܸܥܝܵܢܝ ܒܟܼܠ ܬܘܼܪ̈ܓܵܡܝܼܢ\nܘܠܐ ܡܲܪܦܹܐ ܠܝܼ ܕܐܸܕܲܕܹܐ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܒܠܸܥܵܕܵܘܗܝ. :ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܡܲܬܠܵܐ ܕܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܕܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ ܪܡܝܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܠܝܼ\nܘܕܦܲܓܲܠ ܠܹܗ ܒܝܼ ܫܒܝܼܠ ܡܘܼܙܵܓܼܵܐ ܣܛܝܹܬܼ ܡ̣ܬ ܡܸܠܬܝ. :ܡܠܬܝ ܫܸܒܼܩܸܬ ܕܐܟܣ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ ܕܒܕܝ̈ ܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ\nܘܲܦܢܹܝܬ ܕܐܸܪܕܹܐ ܒܲܫܒܝܼܠ ܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ ܕܢܸܦܩܲܬ ܡܸܢܗ̇. :ܬܵܝ ܟܹܝܬܼ ܡܢܵܝ ܥܲܠ ܡܸܠܬܵܐ ܕܪܵܡܝܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܬ ܠܹܟܝ\nܘܪܕܝ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܲܕܪܲܫܘ ܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܒܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ. ܒܲܠܘܝܼܬ ܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܕܦܲܠܲܚܘ ܫܦܝܼܪ ܪܓܼܝܼܓܼ ܐ̄ܢܵܐ ܕܐܸܚܙܘܿܩ. ܕܕܲܡ ܐܸܬܵܘܬܲܦ ܒܦܘܼܪ̈ܥܢ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܡܘܼܠܟܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ.","english":"Two natures in the one person of the Son are not to be mingled,\nand one person like a nature that is not changed. The nature of the Father and the Son and the Spirit is not changed,\nand the nature of the divine essence is not mingled with the nature of humanity. By itself the nature of the divine essence abides with humanity,\nand humanity also [...] with the essence. The natures that exist in the Son are not mixed,\nand especially the nature of the worker with the works. The nature of the worker mixed the workers with the works,\nand many times I have changed the course of the words of the discourse of man. The discourse of man refused that I change the course of the words,\nand I left my word and rejoiced in the path of the Word and the Body. The Word and the Body mixed the workers without confusion,\nand I sought that my word might separate the words that are not mixed. Now this seeking has happened to my thought in all my interpretations,\nand it does not allow me to walk in the path of its meaning. The path of the parable of the workers that the Lord set before me,\nand it compelled me to the path of mixture, a path deviating from my word. I left my word to take the word of the words of the Lord,\nand I labored to walk in the path of the word that came from it. Come, then, with me upon the word that was set for you,\nand walk in the path that the workers trod in the work of the vineyard. With the workers who labored well, the Lord was pleased to go. For the sake of the reward of the wages of their labor, he added.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܟܝܵܢ ܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'nature of the divine essence' (kyān ītūtā) is a technical term in Syriac Christology, distinguishing the divine substance from the human nature (kyān ānāšā).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܡܸܠܬܐ ܘܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"'Word and Body' (mellṯā w-pagrā) is a standard Syriac dyophysite formula for the two natures of Christ, the divine Word and the human body, used here to assert their union without confusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܕܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'workers of the Lord' (pāʿē d-āwgarō) alludes to the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16), which Narsai interprets as a type of Christological union.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܝܵܢ ܥܵܒܼܘܿܕܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܕܥܒܝܼܪ̈ܕܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The distinction between 'nature of the worker' (kyān ʿāḇōḏā) and 'works' (ʿḇīḏē) reflects Narsai's engagement with the Christological debates of the 5th–6th centuries, particularly the Antiochene emphasis on the distinction between the divine and human activities in Christ.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܪܹܝܢ ܒܲܟܼܝ̈ܫܵܐ ܠܦܘܼܬܼ ܕܲܟܼܝܵܢܹܐ ܬܕܹܝܢ ܐܝܼܬܲܝܗܘܿܢ","severity":"info","text":"The opening line 'Two natures in the one person of the Son' establishes the dyophysite framework that governs the entire passage, with the subsequent lines systematically exploring the implications for Christological terminology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐ̄ܢܵܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܢܛܝܼܵܪܐ[...]ܬܵܗ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text at 'humanity also [...] with the essence' contains a lacuna or corruption (marked by ellipsis in the edition), making the precise syntactic relationship uncertain; the English draft supplies 'abides' as a conjecture.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'humanity also [...] with the essence' is incomplete in the Syriac; the reading 'abides' is conjectural based on the parallel structure with the preceding clause."],"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":14,"ref":"p14","source":":ܡܘܼܠܟܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܓܲܪ̈ܓܘܼܢܝ ܕܐܵܘܲܓܲܪ ܥܲܡ ܥܲܡܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܕܛܟ ܢܸܗܘܹܐ ܠܝܼ ܡܠܘܿܠܵܐ ܕܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܥܲܠܲܬܼ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܡܸܛܠ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܠܐܝܼܘ ܒܥܒܕܹܗ ܡܵܪܹܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ\nܘܲܛܥܢܲܘ ܝܘܼܩܪܵܐ ܕܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܩܫܲܝܵ̈ܐ ܕܟܼܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ. :ܒܨܲܦܪܵܐ ܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ ܐܲܝܛ ܡܵܐ ܕܢܵܒܲܥ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܕܐܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܥܲܡܹܗ ܕܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܫܵܥܲܝ̈ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ ܡܬܲܚܘ ܥܲܡܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܟܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ ܠܐܝܼܘ ܟܲܫܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܒܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ\nܘܥܸܕܢ ܪܲܡܫܵܐ ܢܚܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܘܩܲܒܸܠܘ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܘܡܸܛܠ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܬ ܣܒܲܠܘ ܟܠ ܥܲܡܠܝܼ̈ܢ\nܦܲܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܥܡܝܼ̈ܠܹܐ. ܘܠܲܚܲܕ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܚܢܵܘ ܩܲܕܵܡܝܼ̈ܐ ܘܲܕܒܵܬܲܪܗܘܿܢ. :ܚܲܕ ܒܬܲܪܚܲܕ ܩܕܼܵܒܼܘ ܠܲܥܒܼܵܕܵܐ ܕܐܸܬܬܲܠܡܲܕܘ ܠܹܗ\nܘܒܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܘܝܘܼ ܦܠܲܚܘ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܵܐ ܕܡܲܩܢܹܐ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܫܠܝܼܚܹ̈ܐ ܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ ܒܥܵܕܢ ܨܲܦܪܵܐ ܕܕܸܢܚܹܗ ܕܪܲܪܲܢ\nܘܛܢܢܘ ܝܘܼܩܪܵܐ ܕܒܸܙܚܵܐ ܩܲܫܝܵܐ ܕܥܲܡܵܐ ܘܥܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ. :ܕܲܬܼܠܵܬܼ ܫܵܥܝܼ̈ܢ ܕܲܪܵܐ ܐ̄ܚܪܢܵܐ ܕܩܵܡ ܒܵܬܼܪܲܗܘܿܢ\nܘܲܪܕܵܘ ܒܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܕܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܫܚ̈ܝܼܩܹܐ ܕܲܫܠܝܼܚܘܼܬܵܐ. :ܕܫܸܬܼܬܘܼܒܼ ܫܵܠܝܼ̈ܢ ܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܕܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ ܒܵܬܲܪ ܙܒܸܢܵܐ\nܘܨܵܪܘ ܕܡܸ̈ܘܵܬܹܗ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܘܒܼܵܪܵܐ ܒܕܘܼܒܵܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ. :ܕܲܬܫܲܥ ܫܥܲܝܼ̈ܢ ܟܸܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܗܘ̤ܵܘ ܒܕ̇ܪ̈ܝܼܢ ܕܵܪ̈ܝܢ\nܘܩܲܒܸܠܘ ܝܘܩܪܵܐ ܕܲܨܥܝܼܪ̈ܵܬܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܩܲܕܡܵܝܹ̈ܐ. :ܕܫܟ̈ܐ ܚܕܲܥܣܲܪ ܗܵܠܹܝܢ ܕܐܬܹܝܢ ܒܫܘܼܠܵܡ ܙܲܒܼ̈ܢܐ\nܘܩܵܢܹܝܢ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܼܦܪܦܹܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܚܘܼ̈ܬܼܚܵܬܹܗ. :ܪܸܚܡܲܬܼ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܚܸܠܛܲܬܼ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܥܲܡ ܩܲܕܡܝܹ̈ܐ\nܘܫܲܩܲܠܘ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܛܘܼܵܝܒܹܐ ܕܪܲܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ.","english":"Their labors were like the wheels of a wagon, along with their toils,\nso that the fullness of words for the cause of life might be mine. For life is not in the work of the master of the vineyard,\nand they bore the burden of heavy peoples all day long. In the morning they harnessed, as it were, what the order of wages requires,\nand with him of the course of the hours of the day they completed their labors. All day long they were diligent in their works,\nand at evening they rested from labor and received their wage. And because of wages they endured all their toil,\nthe laborers who toiled. And one after another they saw the first and those after them. One after another they sharpened themselves for the work that they had learned,\nand with one accord they performed the work that makes life grow. The apostles harnessed themselves at the morning time of the day of the Lord,\nand they bore the burden of the hard persecution of the people and the nations. For three hours of the first part of the day that came after them,\nand they set out on the path of the despised peoples of the apostolate. For six hours these who harnessed themselves after the time,\nand they formed the likeness of that conduct in their own conduct. For nine hours the weary ones who were in the generations of the ages,\nand they received the burden of the lesser ones like the first. For eleven hours these who came at the end of the times,\nand they stand in the love that is not to be broken before his ordinances. The grace of love mingled with the first,\nand they received their wage along with the good things of their shepherd.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܵܘܲܓܲܪ","severity":"info","text":"The verb ܐܵܘܲܓܲܪ (ʾāwgar, 'they harnessed') is used repeatedly in this passage to describe the apostles' readiness for labor. It echoes the earlier image of oxen or wagon wheels, reinforcing the theme of disciplined, collective toil under a master.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܸܢܚܹܗ ܕܪܲܪܲܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the day of the Lord' (ܕܸܢܚܹܗ ܕܪܲܪܲܢ) likely alludes to the eschatological or liturgical 'Lord's Day,' but may also echo the vineyard parable's 'day of wages' (cf. Matt 20:1–16). Narsai reworks the parable's temporal framework into a salvation-historical scheme.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܸܙܚܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܒܸܙܚܵܐ (bezḥā, 'persecution') reflects the historical context of the Syriac church under Sasanian rule, where Christians often faced state-sponsored persecution. Narsai's audience would recognize this as a lived reality, not merely a biblical trope.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܫܟ̈ܐ ܚܕܲܥܣܲܪ ܗܵܠܹܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured around a series of temporal markers: three hours, six hours, nine hours, eleven hours. This incremental scheme (3–6–9–11) likely symbolizes the progressive stages of apostolic labor and reward, culminating in the eleventh hour as the eschatological completion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated mention of 'wage' (ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ) parallels the vineyard parable's theme of just compensation for labor. Narsai extends this to apostolic suffering, where the wage is both spiritual reward and the 'good things of their shepherd' (i.e., Christ's grace).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the fullness of words for the cause of life' (ܡܠܘܿܠܵܐ ܕܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܥܲܠܲܬܼ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ) is syntactically ambiguous: it may mean 'so that I might have a full discourse on the cause of life' or 'so that the fullness of words might be for the cause of life.' The reading taken follows the English draft's first-person possessive ('be mine'), but the Syriac lacks an explicit possessive pronoun.","The identity of 'the master of the vineyard' (ܡܵܪܹܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ) is not explicitly Christ in this passage; it could be a generic figure or a type for God. The reading assumes a Christological typology consistent with Narsai's broader exegesis."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":":ܒܪܸ̈ܥܝܵܢܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܪܥܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܣܲܓܝܼ ܠܡܸܦܠܲܚ ܣܲܓܝܼ\nܥܲܠ ܗ̇ܝ ܩܲܒܸܠܘ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܝܲܬܝܼܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܵܐ. ܠܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܚܘܼܒܗܘܿܢ ܝܲܗ̣̄ܒ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ ܡܵܪܹܐ ܒܲܝܬܵܐ:\nܕܲܒܼܝܲܕ ܚܘܼܒܗܘܿܢ ܢܓܲܪܓܼ ܠܐ̄ܢܵܫܵܐ ܠܡܸܪܚܲܡ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ. :ܠܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܓܲܪܸܓܼ ܒܲܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܛܒܼܵܐ ܕܲܚܕܵܠ ܫܵܥܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܸܬܼܪܦܘܿܢ ܐܵܦܸܢ ܩܲܠܝܼܠ ܙܒܲܢ ܚܲܝܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܒܵܥܹܐ ܒܝܲܚܹ̈ܐ ܙܥܘܿܪܹ̈ܐ ܘܲܒܼܣܲܓ̈ܝܼܐܹܐ\nܘܲܠܦܘܼܬ ܚܘܒܵܐ ܝܵܗܸܒ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܪ̈ܚܡܲܝ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ. :ܡܛܠ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܝܲܩܲܪ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܠܦܲܥ̈ܐܹܐ ܐ̄ܚܵܪ̈ܝܹܐ\nܘܝܲܗ̣̄ܒ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ ܘܠܵܐ ܬܒܲܥ ܥܡ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܲܒܣܘܼܥܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ. :ܒܨܝܼܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܣܲܓܝܼ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܙܥܘܿܪܵܐ ܕܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ\nܟܲܕ ܢܸܬܼܦܲܚܲܡ ܥܲܡ ܡܸܢܢܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܬܲܪܬܵܥܸܣܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܐܘ ܠܵܟ ܚܘܿܒܵܐ ܕܲܒܼܡܲܚܒܢܹ̈ܐ ܟܡܵܐ ܝܲܩܝܼܪܵܐ ܐܲܢ̄ܬܿ\nܕܝܸܗ̇ܒܸܬ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܙܥܘܿܪܹ̈ܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܣܲܓܼܝܼܐܹ̈ܐ. :ܙܥܘܿܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܕܦܲܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܐܵܘܓܲܪܘ ܒܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ\nܘܣܵܡܹܗ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܥܲܡ ܡܲܬܼܩܵܠܵܐ ܕܬܲܪܪܵܥܸܣܪܹ̈ܐ. :ܡܲܢ̣ܘ ܡܸܡܬܘܡ ܬܩܲܠ ܗܵܟܼܢܵܐ ܒܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܲܘܝܘܼ\nܘܣܸܠܩܲܬ̤ ܟܦܬܐ ܕܬܲܪܬܵܥܸܣܪܹ̈ܐ ܘܕܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ. :ܒܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܲܘܝܘܼ ܣܠܸܩ ܡܸܢܵܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܣܲܓܝܼ ܘܲܙܥܘܿܪ\nܘܗܵܢܵܘ ܬܲܗܪܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܙܠ ܘܢܬܠ ܡܬܩܠ ܟܸܦܹ̈ܐ. :ܗܵܪܟܵܐ ܢܬܗܲܪ ܐܲܝܢܵܐ ܕܝܵܕܲܥ ܠܡܚܪ ܫܲܦܝܼܪ\nܕܟܼܡܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ ܪܲܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܠ ܡܸܕܸܡ. :ܪܲܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܥܨܲܬ̤ ܡܸܢܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܣܲܓܼܝ ܘܲܙܥܘܿܪ\nܘܦܸܚܡܲܬ̤ ܪܲܗܛܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ ܘܕܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ. :ܕܡܹ̇ܐ ܕܘܼܡܝܵܐ ܕܕܡ̈ܝܢ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܒܗܵܢ ܣܘܼܥܪܵܢܵܐ\nܠܗ̇ܘ ܣܘܼܥܪܵܢܵܐ ܕܲܣܥ݂ܲܪ ܡܘܼܫܹܐ ܒܟܘܼܢܵܫ ܡܲܢܢܵܐ.","english":"Their labors were like the wheels of a wagon, along with their toils, so that the fullness of words for the cause of life might be mine. For life is not in the work of the master of the vineyard, and they bore the burden\n\nTheir toils were many, to labor much,\nand for that they received a wage greater than the work. The master of the house gave a reward because of their love:\nby their love he incited men to love love. Men are incited by the good wage of one hour,\nso that they do not weary even a little of the time of their lives. Love seeks in small and many lives,\nand according to love he gives a wage to the friends of love. Because love is heavy, it appeared to the last workers,\nand he gave a reward and did not demand the labors of deeds. The labor of one hour was much less,\nwhen it was weighed with the measure of twelve. Woe to you, love, how heavy you are in lovers,\nthat you give a wage to small peoples as to many. Small is the labor of the workers who toiled in one hour,\nand love placed it with the weight of twelve. Never has a scale weighed thus in one balance,\nand the pan of twelve and of one hour rose up. In one balance the measure of much and little rose up,\nand this is a wonder that does not pass away: the scales weigh stones. Here a wonder is amazed, which knows how to judge well,\nhow great is the greatness of love above everything. The greatness of love cut off the measure of much and little,\nand equaled the course of the whole day and of one hour. The likeness of the image of love in this action\nis like that action which Moses performed with the rod of the staff.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥubbā (love) is the central theological concept in this passage, denoting both human affection and divine charity that motivates reward beyond labor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܘܼܫܹܐ ܒܟܘܼܢܵܫ ܡܲܢܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The final line compares love’s action to Moses’ miracle with the rod (staff), likely alluding to Exodus 14:16 or Numbers 17:8, where Moses uses his staff to part the sea or strike a rock.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܬܲܗܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term tahrā (wonder) reflects the homiletic style of Narsai, who frequently uses paradox and amazement to highlight divine mysteries, a hallmark of East Syriac liturgical poetry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܚܕܵܐ ܫܲܘܝܘܼ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated phrase 'in one balance' (b-ḥdā šawyū) structures the passage as a series of antitheses between one hour and twelve hours, emphasizing the equalizing power of love.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܡ̈ܝܢ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of love’s action to Moses’ staff (rod) parallels a common typology in Syriac literature, where Moses prefigures Christ or divine intervention; here it underscores love’s miraculous equity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܕܡܹ̇ܐ ܕܘܼܡܝܵܐ ܕܕܡ̈ܝܢ' (dmē dūmyā d-dmy‘) is textually uncertain; the reading 'image of love' is adopted, but the repetition of the root d-m-y may indicate a scribal dittography or a deliberate rhetorical figure."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":":ܟܝܐܐ ܠܪܹܫܵܐ ܦܲܩܸܕ ܡܘܼܫܹܐ ܠܡܸܠܩܲܛ ܡܲܢܢܵܐ\nܘܪܲܒܘܼܬ ܟܲܪܣܵܐ ܠܸܩܛܲܬ̤ ܣܲܓܝܼ ܠܒܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܲܝܐܵܐ. :ܒܟܿܝܼܠܵܐ ܒܚܪܹܗ ܠܝܲܨܪܵܐ ܝܲܥܢܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܟܼܘܪܵܐ\nܘܲܦܪܣܝܼ ܘܲܓܠܵܗ̇ ܠܐܵܣܘܿܛܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܟܲܣܝܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܬ ܒܹܗ. :ܡܵܐ ܕܐܸܬܝܲܥܢܲܬ̤ ܐܵܣܘܿܛܘܼܬܵܐ ܘܠܸܩܛܲܬ̤ ܣܲܓܝܼ\nܡܛܲܬ̤ ܨܝܕ ܟܲܝܠܵܐ ܘܲܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܥܲܡܠܵܗ̇ ܐܲܝܟ ܠܵܐ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ. :ܐܘ ܠܟܼܘܼܢܵܫܵܐ ܕܡܸܬܿܟܲܢܲܫ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܣܲܒܼܥܘܼܬܵܐ\nܘܡܵܐ ܕܐܟܝܠܘܗܝ ܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܚܲܕ ܡܸܕܡ ܣܲܓܼܝ ܘܲܙܥܘܿܪ. :ܐܘ ܠܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܵܐ ܕܪܵܕܹܐ ܥܲܡ ܟܠ ܘܲܡܚܲܟܸܡ ܟܠ\nܘܲܡܝܬܹܐ ܠܫܲܝܘܼ ܣܲܓܼܝܐܘܼܬܵܐ ܘܲܙܥܘܿܪܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܣܲܓܝܼ ܗܘ̤ܵܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ\nܘܲܒܼܨܝܼܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܛܵܒܼ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܙܥܘܿܪܵܐ ܕܲܚܙ̣ܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ. :ܗܘ̇ ܦܘܼܩܵܕܵܢܵܐ ܒܵܚܪ ܥܲܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܚܵܪ ܒܲܬܼܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ\nܘܬܩܠ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܒܗ̇ܘ ܐܸܣܟܹܝܡܵܐ ܕܟܲܝܠܹܗ ܕܡܲܢܢܵܐ. :ܒܟܼܝܠܗ ܕܡܲܢܢܵܐ ܦܸܚܡܸ̇ܬ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܣܲܓܝܼ ܘܲܙܥܘܿܪ\nܠܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܦܵܚܸ̇ܡ ܐܸܠܵܐ ܕܕܵܡܹ̇ܐ ܠܦܘܼܬܼ ܬܚܘܝܼܬܵܐ. :ܠܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܣܟܠܵܐܐ ܕܟܲܢܸܫ ܝܲܥܢܹ̈ܐ ܠܐܝܼܘ ܟܲܫܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ\nܘܠܵܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܩܲܠܝܼܠ ܕܠܩܸܛܘ ܬܲܩܢܹ̈ܐ ܦܠܲܚܘ ܢܨܲܚ̈ܐ. :ܬܲܡ̇ܢ ܟܢܸܫܘ ܒܪܸܚܡܲܬ ܟܪܣܵܐ ܠܩܘܼܝܵܡ ܦܲܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܗܵܕܟܵܐ ܥܲܙܝܼܘ ܒܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܩܲܫܝܵܐ ܒܬܸܢܵܘܝ ܕܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܒܬܸܢܘܵܝ ܕܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܐܝܼܘ ܩܲܕܵܡ̈ܝܹܐ ܘܲܕܒܵܬܲܪܗܘܿܢ\nܘܲܠܦܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܢܣܲܒܼܘ ܦܘܼܪ̈ܥܵܢܹܐ ܕܨܒܼܝܵܢܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܒܨܒܼܝܵܢ ܢܦܲܫܵܐ ܚܵܪ ܐܵܦ ܚܵܐܲܪ ܡܵܪܹܐ ܟܲܪܡܵܐ\nܘܠܹܗ ܠܨܹܒܼܝܵܢܵܐ ܝܲܗ̄ܒ̣ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ ܕܫܸܡ ܕܝܢܵܪܵܐ. ܒܫܸܡ ܕܝܼܢܵܪܵܐ ܐܲܢܝܼܚ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܲܡܠܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ.","english":"of the vineyard. He commanded the head to gather the measure, and the multitude of the belly to gather much from the vine. He measured in his freedom the fruit of the vine like a firstborn, and he spread out and revealed the hidden essence that was in it. When the hidden essence was revealed and much was gathered, it reached the measure, and its labor became as if no labor. Or like a garment that was woven without satiety, and when one ate of it, it was both much and little. Or like a command that runs with all and makes all wise, and brings to equality both much and little. Much was the great labor of the whole day, and little was the small labor that saw the hour. That command examines the peoples, looks after them, and weighs their ways in the same measure as the measure of the master. By the measure of the master, the wage of much and little was measured, not that it might measure, but that it might be equal according to the proportion of the addition. Not like a fool who gathers fruits for the worthy, nor like a negligent one who for the gathering of tithes labored in vain. They labored with the love of the belly for the sustenance of the body, and thus they went forth in hard labor in the hope of wages. In the hope of wages, for the first and those after them, and according to love, they received the rewards of their wills. By the will, the master of the vineyard also looked and saw, and to the will he gave the reward of the name of the dwelling. By the name of the dwelling, he set their ways free from their labors.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܲܪܣܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ܟܲܪܣܵܐ (karsā) literally means 'belly' but here functions as a metaphor for the physical, bodily aspect of the workers, contrasting with spiritual labor.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܵܣܘܿܛܘܼܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'hidden essence' (ܐܵܣܘܿܛܘܼܬܵܐ) echoes the Pauline concept of the hidden spiritual reality (e.g., Col 1:26), here applied to the vineyard's fruit as a type of divine truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'command' (ܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܵܐ) that examines peoples and weighs their ways reflects Narsai's typological reading of the vineyard parable as an allegory of divine judgment and moral ordering.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܲܢܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated emphasis on the 'measure' (ܡܲܢܢܵܐ) of the master parallels earlier passages in the homily where the master's standard determines the wage, reinforcing the theme of proportional reward.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܫܸܡ ܕܝܼܢܵܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The closing phrase 'by the name of the dwelling' (ܒܫܸܡ ܕܝܼܢܵܪܵܐ) introduces a new symbolic layer, linking the workers' reward to a heavenly abode, which serves as a structural climax to the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܐܝܼܘ ܟܲܫܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'not like a fool who gathers fruits for the worthy' (ܠܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܣܟܠܵܐܐ ܕܟܲܢܸܫ ܝܲܥܢܹ̈ܐ ܠܐܝܼܘ ܟܲܫܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ) is textually uncertain; the Syriac may be corrupt or elliptical, and the contrast with the 'negligent one' is not fully resolved.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'head' (ܪܹܫܵܐ) commanded to gather is ambiguous; it may refer to a foreman or a spiritual leader.","The phrase 'like a firstborn' (ܐܲܝܟ ܕܲܒܼܟܼܘܪܵܐ) is unclear in context—whether it refers to the fruit or the vine's status.","The 'garment woven without satiety' (ܠܟܼܘܼܢܵܫܵܐ ܕܡܸܬܿܟܲܢܲܫ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܣܲܒܼܥܘܼܬܵܐ) is a puzzling simile; its referent (perhaps the hidden essence or the command) is not explicit."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"ܘܒܝܵܐ ܐܢܘܿܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܟܪܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܚܫܹ̈ܐ ܕܣܒܲܠܘ:\n:ܥܕܢ ܪܡܫܵܐ ܩ̣ܪܵܝܗܝ ܠܢܚܐ ܕܚܝܬ ܡܝܼ̈ܬܐ\nܕܡܵܐ ܕܐܬܢܚܲܡܘ ܢܚܘ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܡ̈ܠܐ ܕܡܝܘܿܬܘܼܬܼܵܐ. :ܒܠܠܝܵܐ ܫܠܹܐ ܥܡܠܹܗ ܕܥܠܡܵܐ ܐܪܥܢܝܵܐ\nܘܒܹܗ ܬܘܼܒ ܕܢ̇ܚ ܕܘܼܒܵܪ ܚ̈ܝܹܐ ܠܵܐ ܡܝܘ̈ܬܹܐ. :ܒܗ̇ܘ ܕܘܼܒܪܵܐ ܝܗ̇ܒ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܐܝ̈ܐ\nܘܬܩܸ̇ܠ ܥܡ̈ܐܹܐ ܠܦܘܼܬ ܨܒܝܼܢܵܐ ܕܐܝܠܹܝܢ ܕܥܡ݂ܲܠܘ. :ܠܦܘܼܬ ܨܒܝܼܢܵܐ ܡ̣ܠܟ ܦܘܪܥܢܵܐ ܠܣܓܼܝ ܘܙܥܘܪ\nܘܝܗܒ̣ ܠܙܥܘܼܪܵܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܣܓܼܝܐܐ ܕܝܹܢܵܪ ܕܝܼܢ̣ܵܘ. :ܕܝܢܪ ܕܝܢܪ ܫܩܲܠܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܩܕܡܝܹ̈ܐ\nܕܕܠܡܵܐ ܢܟܪܘܢ ܡܸܛܠ ܥܲܡܐܐ ܕܚܕܵܐ ܫܥܵܐ. :ܙܥܘܿܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܥܡܠܵܐ ܕܚܕܵܐ ܫܥܵܐ ܡ̣ܢ ܗ̇ܘ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܡ̇ܢ ܠ̇ܐ ܢܬܗܲܪ ܒܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܕܝ̇ܗܒ ܐܓܼܪܐ. :ܒܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ ܕܝ̇ܗܒ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܬܗ݂ܲܪܘ ܩܕܡܝܹ̈ܐ\nܘܣ[...]ܘ ܕܠܗܘ̇ܢ ܝܬܝܼܪܝܗ̇ܒ ܠܦܘܼܬ ܣܘܼܥܪܢܵܐ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ. :ܠܦܘܼܬ ܥܸܕܢܵܐ ܡܬܪܥܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܦܥܵܐܐ ܥܡܝܼ̈ܐܹܐ\nܘܡܣܟܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܐܓܼܘܿܐ ܕܝܬܝܼܪ ܡ̣̤ ܫܘܼܘܕܵܝܵܐ. :ܐܲܝܟ ܫܘܘܕܝܵܐ ܫܩܠܘ ܐܦ ܗܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܲܝܢܵܪ ܕܝܼܢܵܪ\nܘܐܟܪܝܼܘ ܣܓܝܼ ܕܠܐ ܣܠܸܩ ܣܒܼܪܵܐ ܠܘܼܬ ܦܘܪ ܥܢ̄ܐ. :ܪܛܢܵܐ ܣܟܼܠܐ ܐܘܠܕ ܝܲܨܪܐ ܕܚܣܲܘܡܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܡܸܛܠ ܡܢܵܐ ܗܘ̤ܬ ܫܘܝܘܼܬܵܐ ܒܦܘܪܥܵܢ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ. :ܥܲܠ ܫܘܝܘܵܬܐ ܪܫܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܹܗ ܠܡܪܐ ܒܝܵܬܐ\nܕܥܠܡܢ ܐܫܘܝܼ ܥܡ[...] ܥܘܼܪܐ ܥܲܡ ܣܓܼܝܵܐܐ. :ܠܡ̇ܢ ܠܲܡ ܐܫܘܼܬܼ ܦܥ̈ܠ̣ܐ ܐܚܪܵܝܐ ܕܚܕܵܐ ܫܵܥܵܐ\nܥܡܢ ܕ[...]ܩܠܢ ܝܘܼܩܪܹܗ ܘܚܘܼܡܹܗ ܕܟܼܠܹܗ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ܀ :ܠܡ̇ܢ ܝܗ̣ܒܬ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܕܠܵܐ ܐܘܓܪܘ ܒܛܘܼܣܵܐ ܕܝܼܠܲܢ\nܘܦܚܡܬ ܪܗܛܵܐ ܕܟܼܠܗ ܝܘܡܵܐ ܒܚܕܵܐ ܫܥܵܐ.","english":"and woe to the one who from the shortness of the pains he endured. At evening he called the worker of the living from the dead, because they were wearied from the labors of mortality. By night the labor of the earthly world ceased for him, and again in it he renewed the conduct of life not mortal. In that conduct he gave wages to the workers, the weary, and he weighed the measures according to the will of those who labored. According to the will, the reward ruled for the many and the few, and he gave to the few as to the many, as the day of the vintage they had. The day of the vintage they took, the later ones before the first, lest they be hindered because of the measure of one hour. Small is the labor of one hour compared to that wage, and they were not astonished at the greatness of his love who gave the wage. At the greatness of his love who gave the wage, the first were astonished, and they [...] that there might be more given according to the present exertion. According to the present, the workers were being nourished, the blind, and they were receiving more than the agreement. According to the agreement, also the later ones took the day of the vintage, and they increased much, so that hope did not ascend to the reward. Foolish running gave birth to a thought of envy, because how was there equality in the reward of the wage? Concerning equality, they began to complain to the master of the house, that he had not made equal the blind with the many. Why did you not make equal the later workers of one hour with those who bore his weight and heat the whole day? Why did you give wages to those who did not labor in the toil of the day, and you made equal the running of the whole day with one hour.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܚܫܹ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ܕܚܫܹ̈ܐ (daḥšē) means 'pains' or 'sufferings,' not 'shortness' as in the English draft; the phrase ܡ̣ܢ ܟܪܝܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܚܫܹ̈ܐ is 'from the shortness of the pains.'","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܥܕܢ ܪܡܫܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ܥܕܢ ܪܡܫܵܐ (ʿedde ramšā) means 'at evening,' not 'at evening he called' as a single clause; the verb ܩ̣ܪܵܝܗܝ follows separately.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܝܢܪ ܕܝܢܪ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac ܕܝܢܪ ܕܝܢܪ (dayrā dayrā) means 'the day of the vintage' (repeated for emphasis), not 'the day of the vintage they had' as a single phrase; the verb ܫܩܲܠܘ is 'they took.'","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܐܝ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'workers, the weary' (ܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܐܝ̈ܐ) echoes the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1–16), where laborers are hired and later receive wages; Narsai allegorizes this as the reward of the righteous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the greatness of his love' (ܒܪܒܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܹܗ) reflects Narsai's emphasis on divine love as the basis for unequal reward, a theme in his homilies on providence and grace.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܣ[...]ܘ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac text has a lacuna at ܘܣ[...]ܘ, likely a verb meaning 'they thought' or 'they said'; the English draft supplies 'they [...] that there might be more given,' but the exact reading is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna ܘܣ[...]ܘ leaves the workers' reaction ambiguous; the reading 'they thought' is conjectural.","The phrase ܕܝܢܪ ܕܝܢܪ could be read as a temporal marker ('on the day of the vintage') or an emphatic repetition; the translation takes it as the latter."],"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":18,"ref":"p18","source":":ܠܲܢ ܘ̇ܠܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܐ ܕܢܣܒ ܝܬܝܼܪ ܕܠܐܸܝܢ ܝܲܬܝܼܪ\nܕܗܟܲܢ ܟܐܢܵܐ ܕܠܦܘܼܬ ܠܐܘܬܵܐ ܐܵܦ ܦܘܼܪܥܢܵܐ. :ܡܪܹܗ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܚ̣ܙܵܐ ܥܸܕܠܝܵܐ ܕܩܕܡܹܗ ܠܚܘܼܒܹܗ\nܘܦܢ̣ܵܐ ܕܬܦܝܼܣ ܚܘܒܢܐܝܼܬ ܠܡܬ̇ ܠܡܬܥܕܠܢ̈ܐ. :ܚܘܒܢܐܝܼܬ ܥܢܵܝܗܝ ܒܣܝܼܡܵܐ ܠܡܸܬܥܕܠܢܵܐ\n:ܘܩ̣ܝܗܝ ܚܒܼܪܹܗ ܟܕܐܐ ܫ̇ܘܹܐ ܠܗܵܢ ܟܘܼܢܝܵܐ\n:ܚܒܪܝ ܐܡ̣ܪ ܠܹܗ ܡܪܵܐ ܠܥܒܼܕܹܗ ܕܠܐ ܡܢܘܠ ܐ̄ܢܐ\nܘܠܐ ܡܕܓܠ ܐ̄ܢܐ ܒܬܢܘܝ ܕܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܕܩܨ̇ܬ ܥܲܡܵܟ. :ܒܚܕ ܕܝܢܪܐ ܩܨܬ ܥܲܡܵܟ ܘܐܢܬ ܣܗ̇ܕ ܐܢܬ\nܣܒܼ ܐܢ̄ܬ ܕܝܼܠܵܟ ܘܠܐ ܢܢܥܕܲܠ ܒܪܒܘܼܬ ܪ̈ܚܡܲܝ. :ܐܸܢ ܐ̄ܢܐ ܛܒ ܐ̄ܢܐ ܘܲܫܦܝܼܠ ܨܒܝܵܢܝ ܠܡܬܠ ܣܲܓܼܝ\nܡ̇ܢ ܟܪܝܵܐ ܠܵܟ ܘܡܬܥܕܠ ܐܢܬ ܠܒܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ. :ܠܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡܥܕܠ ܥܕܠ ܥܕܘܠܐ ܠܡܪܐ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܠܵܐ ܬܘܼܒ ܡܪܵܐ ܪܫ̣ܐ ܠܐܓܼܝܼܪܹ̈ܐ ܐܲܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܟܬܝܒ. :ܠܵܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܼܒ ܗܘ̤ܐ ܘܐܢܡܠܲܠ ܫܲܪܒܵܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܐ\nܘܠܵܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܠܐܗܘܼ̈ܝ ܬܪܓܸܡܘ ܐܢܝܢ ܐܡܘܪ̈ܝܗܹܝܢ. :ܠܦܘܼܬ ܚܘܫܒܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܝܘܬܘܼܬܐ ܬܪܓܸܡܘ ܐܸܢܹܝܢ\nܕܢܟܠܘܢ ܚܨܪܐ ܕܡܬܥܕܠܢ̈ܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܥܕܠ. :ܡܬܥܕܠܢ̈ܐ ܟܠܵܐ ܒܐܣܟܸܝܡܵܐ ܕܣܡ ܥܲܠ ܡܠܹ̈ܐ\nܕܐܸܢ ܐܝܼܬ ܕܥܕܠ ܕܢܫܡܲܥ ܡܸ̈ܠܹܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܥܕܲܠ. :ܒܗܢܵܐ ܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܣܡ ܐܸܣܟܝܡܐ ܕܦܠܠܹܐ ܕܪܛܢܘ\nܠܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܐ ܕܪܛܢܘ ܐܠܐ ܕܠܐ ܐ̄ܢܫ ܢܘܼܠܸܕ ܪܸܛܢܵܐ. :ܠܐ̄ܢܵܫ̈ ܐܠܸܦ ܒܐܣܟܹܝܢ ܪܸܛܢܵܐ ܘܩܵܠ ܡܪܫܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܬܥܕܠܘܢ ܡܵܐ ܕܡܬܚܢܢܝܢ ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܒܛܝܸܒܘ. :ܒܛܝܒܘܼ ܐܫܘܝܼ ܡܪܐ ܒܝܬܵܐ ܠܒܢܲܝ̈ ܒܲܝܬܹܗ\nܘܠܵܐ ܚ̇ܫܒ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܟܲܕ ܝܗ̇ܒ ܐܓܼܪܐ ܒܚܕܐ ܫܲܘܝܘ. :ܒܫܘܝܘܼ ܝܗܒܹܗ ܠܐܓܼܪܐ ܕܦܥ̈ܠܹܐ ܠܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡܓܢ\nܐܠܵܐ ܒܕܚܙܵܐ ܫܘܼܝܘܼܬ ܠܸܒܵܐ ܕܫܦܝܵܐ ܘܕܟܼܝܵܐ.","english":"and woe to the one who from the shortness of the pains he endured. At evening he called the worker of the living from the dead, because they were wearied from the labors of mortality. By night the labor of the earthly world is finished, and the reward is given according to the toil. The master saw the wage that was prepared before him for his love, and he was pleased that the laborer was content to toil. The laborer rejoiced that his toil was sweet for the work, and his companion stood with him, equal to this contest. His companion said to him, the master said to his servant, \"Do not deceive, do not lie in the matter of the wage that I cut with you. With one measure I cut with you, and you yourself are witness. Take what is yours and do not toil in the abundance of my mercies. If I am good and my will is lowly to give much, what is it to you, and you toil outside the order?\" It was not that the worker toiled for the master of the wage, nor again did the master wrong the hired workers as it is written. Not as it was written and the story of the words was spoken, nor as if they translated the words of their authors. According to the thoughts of mortality they translated them, so that the lack of the workers who did not toil would be complete. All the workers are in the form that he placed upon the words, that if there is one who toils, he hears words that do not toil. In this sign he placed the form of the disputes of complaint, not that they complained, but that no man should produce complaint. Men learned in the signs of complaint and the voice of authority, that they would not toil when men are revealed in goodness. In goodness the master of the house made equal the members of his household, and he did not consider when he gave the wage in one equality. In equality he gave the wage of the workers, it was not a fraud, but in seeing the equality of the heart that is pure and clean.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܓܼܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ܐܓܼܪܵܐ (ʾaggārā) means 'wage' or 'reward', central to the parable's economic metaphor. Narsai uses it to denote both earthly compensation and eschatological recompense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"as it is written","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'as it is written' (ܐܲܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܒ) likely alludes to the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16). Narsai contrasts his interpretation with a literal reading of the scriptural text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"form of the disputes of complaint","severity":"info","text":"The 'form of the disputes of complaint' (ܐܸܣܟܝܡܐ ܕܦܠܠܹܐ ܕܪܛܢܘ) reflects Narsai's pedagogical method: he presents a hypothetical objection to clarify correct doctrine, a common homiletic technique in Syriac literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"equality of the heart","severity":"info","text":"The emphasis on 'equality of the heart' (ܫܘܼܝܘܼܬ ܠܸܒܵܐ) parallels Narsai's broader theme of divine justice as impartial, echoing earlier Syriac commentators like Ephrem who stress God's equitable distribution of rewards.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from direct parable exposition to a dialogic exchange between the master and worker, then to a meta-commentary on interpretation, marking a structural pivot in Narsai's homily.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Not as it was written","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Not as it was written' (ܠܵܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܼܒ) may indicate a textual variant or Narsai's correction of a misinterpretation. The Syriac is ambiguous: it could mean 'not according to the written text' or 'not as it is written elsewhere'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܠܵܘ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܼܒ' could be read as a denial of the scriptural account or as a correction of a misreading; the translation adopts the latter. The identity of 'the workers who did not toil' is unclear—possibly the unrighteous or those who misinterpret the parable."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":":ܫܘܝܘܼܬ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܚܙ̣ܵܐ ܚܙܝܵܐ ܕܲܣܬܝܼܪ̈ܬܵܐ\nܘܝܲܗ̣ܒ ܦܘܼܪܥܵ[...]ܐ ܠܥܡܠܵܐ ܙܥܘܪܐ ܥܲܡ ܣܓ̈ܝܐܐ. :ܙܥܘܿܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܙܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܦܥ̈ܠܐ ܕܐܘܓܲܪܘ ܒܚܕܐ ܫܥܵܐ\nܘܒܪ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܦܘܼܬ ܨܒܼܝܢܵܐ ܕܡܛܝܲܒܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ. :ܕܠܵܐ ܐܢܫ ܐܓܪܢ ܦܢܝܼܘ ܡܠܬܵܐ ܟܲܕ ܐܫܬܐܲܠܘ\nܐܲܝܟ ܐ̄ܢܫ ܟܐܡܲܪ ܕܠܵܐ ܐܝܬܲܝܢ ܗ̣ܘܝܢ ܒܙܒܲܢ ܥܡܠܵܐ. :ܘܛܵܟ ܐܡ̇ܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܠܡܪܹܐ ܒܲܝܬܵܐ ܐܸܠܘ ܦܐܹܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ\nܕܐܠܘܿ ܗܘܝܢܲܢ ܒܫܘܼܪܵܝ ܝܘܡܵܐ ܥܡܠܲܢܢ ܣܲܓܿܝܼ. :ܠܗܵܢ ܛܘܝܒܼܵܐ ܕܗܵܢ ܨܒܼܝܢܵܐ ܝܗܸܒ̣ ܗ̣̄ܘܵܐ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܚܘܝܼ ܕܫ̇ܘܐ ܛܘܼܝܵܒܼ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܠܐܓܼܪܬ ܥܦܝܼܦܵܐ. :ܐܸܓܼܪܵܐ ܥܦܝܦܵܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܫܩ̣ܠܘ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ ܥܲܡ ܩܲܕܼܡ̈ܝܹܐ\nܚܲܕ ܕܝܒܪܵܐ ܕܡܘܼܠܝܵܢ ܚܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܡܸܬܚܒܲܠ. :ܠܡܘܠܟܢ ܚ̈ܝܹܐ ܠܵܐ ܡܝܘ̈ܬܐ ܩ̣ܪܵܐ ܕܝܹܢܪܵܐ\nܕܗܘܹܐ ܠܟܹܐܢܵܐ ܒܕܘܟܲܬܼ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܚܠܦ ܥܡܠܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ. :ܚܠܵܦ ܥܡܠܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܢܣܒܝܼܢ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ ܒܟܹܐܢܘܼ\nܘܥܠܚܲܕ ܡܢܗܘܿܢ ܥܦܝܼܦ ܦܘܪܥܢܹܗ ܠܦܘܼܬ ܨܒܥܢܹܗ. :ܠܦܘܼܬܼ ܨܒܝܢܵܐ ܫܩܠܘ ܦܘܪܥܵܢܵܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܐ ܘܩܕܡܹ̈ܐ\nܘܝܼܠܦܘ ܛܟܼܣܵܐ ܕܫܲܦܝܼܪ ܦܪܢܣ ܡܵܪܵܐ ܠܥܒܕܵܘ̈ܗܝ. :ܛܟܼܣܵܐ ܪܒܵܐ ܝܠܦܘ ܟܠ ܕܵܪ̈ܝܼܢ ܒܗܢܵܐ ܛܟܼܣܵܐ\nܕܠܵܐ ܢܬܪܦܘܢ ܡܵܐ ܕܡܬܐܓܼܪܝܼܢ ܠܕܚܠܲܬܼ ܩܘܼܫܬܵܐ. :ܠܕܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܐܬܹܝܢ ܐܩܢܝܼ ܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܒܫܘܝܘܼܬ ܐܓܼܪܵܐ\nܘܝܲܬܝܼܪ ܠܒܸܒ ܒܗ̇ܝ ܕܐ̄ܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܫܩ݂ܲܠܘ ܩܕܼܡܝܲܬ. :ܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ ܐܡܝܼܪ ܕܫܩ̣ܠܘ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܩܕܡ̈ܝܹܐ\nܠܵܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܫܩ̣ܠܘ ܐܠܵܐ ܕܢܘܪܸܒ ܙܥܘܿܪܘܼܬ ܠܸܒܵܐ. :ܚܲܕ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܪܸܡܙܐ ܕܝ̇ܗܒ ܐܲܓܼܪܵܐ ܠܟܼܠ ܥܲܡ ܟܠܵܐ\nܘܠܲܝܬ ܬܘܗܝܵܐ ܒܹܝܬܼ ܡܘܗܒܬܵܐ ܘܠܡܘܗܒܬܼܵܐ.","english":"He saw the equality of the debt, the seer of mysteries, and he gave a reward [...] for the small labor along with the great. Small was the hire of the workers who toiled for one hour, and great was the wage according to the will of him who was good. They did not forget the wage, for they received the word when they were questioned, like a man who says, \"We were not present at the time of labor.\" And they were saying to the master of the house, \"If only it had been that we were at the beginning of the day, we would have toiled much.\" For this goodness, for this will, he gave a wage, and he showed that the good debt is equal to the full wage. The full wage the later ones received along with the first ones, one portion of the fullness of life that is indestructible. For the fullness of immortal life, the portion calls, which becomes for them a possession in place of a wage for their labors. In place of their labors, they received a wage in possession, and upon each one of them his reward is full according to his will. According to their will, the later and the first received their reward, and they learned the order that the master fittingly apportions to his servants. A great order all generations learned in this order, that they not be disturbed by what is hired for the fear of truth. For the generations to come, hope was fixed in the equality of the wage, and more so in that the later ones received before the earlier. It is said that the later ones received the wage before the first ones, not that they received it, but because of the increase of smallness of heart. One is the sign that gives the wage to all with all, and there is no confusion between the gift and the giver.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܘܼܒܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term ḥubbā (ܚܘܼܒܵܐ) can mean 'debt' or 'love'; here the context of reward and labor favors 'debt' (as in moral obligation), though the ambiguity may be intentional, linking divine love to the economy of salvation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܚܙܝܵܐ ܕܲܣܬܝܼܪ̈ܬܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'seer of mysteries' (ḥazzā d-astīrātā) echoes the apocalyptic seer tradition, possibly alluding to the visionary role of the apostle John or to the author's own claim to revealed knowledge, common in Narsai's homilies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܛܟܼܣܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term ṭaksā (ܛܟܼܣܵܐ) refers to 'order' or 'liturgical rite'; here it denotes the divine economy or the ordered distribution of rewards, a key theme in Narsai's eschatological teaching, reflecting the orderly hierarchy of the Church and salvation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܚܪ̈ܝܹܐ ... ܩܕܡ̈ܝܹܐ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated contrast between 'later ones' (ʾaḥrāyē) and 'first ones' (qadmāyē) structures the passage as a chiastic reflection on the reversal of temporal order in reward, emphasizing that eschatological justice transcends chronological sequence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܘܼܪܥܵ[...]ܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The text has a lacuna at ܦܘܼܪܥܵ[...]ܐ; the English draft supplies 'reward', but the missing letters could alter the nuance (e.g., 'punishment' or 'fulfillment'). The reading follows the context of wage distribution.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܕܪܹ̈ܐ ܕܐܬܹܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'for the generations to come' (l-dārē d-ʾatay) reflects Narsai's concern with the ongoing relevance of the parable for his audience, typical of his homiletic style that applies scriptural narrative to contemporary eschatological hope.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The lacuna at ܦܘܼܪܥܵ[...]ܐ leaves the exact term uncertain; 'reward' is contextually plausible but not certain.","The phrase 'smallness of heart' (ܙܥܘܿܪܘܼܬ ܠܸܒܵܐ) could be read as 'humility' or 'timidity'; the English draft opts for the latter, but the Syriac allows both."],"confidence":"high","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":20,"ref":"p20","source":":ܠܲܝܬ ܓܹܝܪ ܬܡ̇ܢ ܕܩܕܡ ܘܐܚܪܝ ܒܥܕܵܢ ܕܝܼܢܵܐ\nܕܚܲܕ ܗ̄ܘ̣ ܕܝܼܢܵܐ ܘܚܲܕ ܦܘܼܪܥܢܵܐ ܘܚܲܕ ܦܘܼܪܫܵܢܵܐ. :ܒܪܡܙܵܐ ܗ̈ܝܘܢ ܟܠ ܕܡܬܝܼ̈ܒܵܢ ܥܲܠ ܗ̇ܘ ܝܘܡܵܐ\nܘܠܲܝܬ ܠܵܗ̇ ܦܸܚܡ̈ܐ ܠܩܠܝܼܠܘܼܬܹܗ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܵܐ. :ܚܲܕ ܦܘܼܩܕܢܵܐ ܦܩ̇ܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܸܠܝ ܠܡܬܦܩܕܢܹ̈ܐ\nܘܩܡ ܟܠܡܸܕܡ ܐܝܟ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܦܩܝܼܕ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܘܼܪܝܵܐ. :ܬܵܘ ܟܹܝܬ ܢܫܡܲܥ ܠܗ̇ܘ ܦܘܼܩܕܢܵܐ ܕܪܲܒ ܦܘܩܕܢܹܗ\nܘܢܛܲܪ ܛܲܟܼܣܵܐ ܩܕܼܵܡ ܗ̇ܘ ܝܵܘܡܵܐ ܕܡܛܟܣ ܟܠ. :ܬܵܘ ܢܬܬܓܪ ܥܲܡ ܐܓܼܝܼܪܹ݁ܐ ܙܢܲܝ̈ ܛܒ̈ܬܐ\nܘܢܦܠܘܿܝܝ ܢܦܫܲܢ ܐܝܟ ܡܵܐ ܕܠܦܲܚܘ ܟܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܠܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ. :ܟܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܠܐܢ̈ܫܐ ܦܠܚ̣ܘ ܕܟܼܝܼܐܹܝܬ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܟܼܪܡܵܐ\nܚܫܲܢ ܬܵܘ ܢܸܦܠܘܿܚ ܐܦܸܢ ܢܦܫܲܢ ܒܕܫܦܝܵܪ̈ܵܢ. :ܒܕܫܦܝܪ̈ܢ ܢܥܢܹܐ ܢܦܫܲܢ ܥܲܡ ܗܕܡܲܝ̈ܢ\nܘܠܐ ܢܬܪܦܹܗ ܡ̣ܢ ܦܘܼܠܚܢܵܐ ܕܫܦܝܪ̈ܬܵܐ. :ܒܦܓܼܪܵܐ ܘܢܦܫܵܐ ܢܦܠܘܿܚ ܟܠܢܵܫ ܦܘܼܠܚܵܢ ܚܝܹ̈ܐ\nܒܪ̈ܓܼܫܐ ܓܠܝ̈ܐ ܘܙܘܥ̈ܐ ܟܣܝ̈ܐ ܕܚܲܕ ܒܲܪܢܫܵܐ. ܚܲܕ ܒܪܢܵܫܵܐ ܐܝܼܬܹܝܗ̇̄ ܢܦܫܲܢ ܥܲܡ ܗܕܡܲܝ̈ܢ:\nܒܚܕ ܪܸܥܝܢܵܐ ܢܸܦܪܘܿܠ ܛܲܝܒܘܼ ܠܡܬܘܢܢܲܢ܀","english":"There is no before and after in the time of judgment, for the judgment is one, and the recompense is one, and the distinction is one. At a sign, all things that are to be given on that day are given, and there is no regard for the smallness of that command. One command commanded from the beginning to those who are to be commanded, and everything stood as it was commanded from the start. Again, then, hearken to that command whose command is great, and keep the order before that day which orders all. Again, then, traffic with the hired workers of good works, and labor with your soul as the vines labored for men. The vines labored for men purely as for a vineyard; count, then, and labor also with your soul in good things. In good things, labor with your soul with your members, and do not weary it from the labor of good things. In body and soul, labor every labor of life, with manifest senses and hidden movements of a single person. A single person is the soul with its members; with one will, it produces goodness for the one who is to be benefited.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ܠܲܝܬ ܓܹܝܪ ܬܡ̇ܢ ܕܩܕܡ ܘܐܚܪܝ ܒܥܕܵܢ ܕܝܼܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening denies temporal sequence in judgment, asserting a single, simultaneous act. This reflects Narsai's eschatological emphasis on divine unity beyond human time.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܦܘܼܪܫܵܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'distinction' (puršānā) here denotes the differentiation of reward, not a division of judgment. It aligns with Narsai's technical usage for eschatological discernment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܟܐܢܹ̈ܐ ܠܐܢ̈ܫܐ ܦܠܚ̣ܘ ܕܟܼܝܼܐܹܝܬ ܐܲܝܟ ܕܠܟܼܪܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The image of vines laboring for men echoes the vineyard parable (Matt 20:1–16), but Narsai reworks it as a metaphor for the soul's pure labor, not a direct citation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪ̈ܓܼܫܐ ܓܠܝ̈ܐ ܘܙܘܥ̈ܐ ܟܣܝ̈ܐ","severity":"info","text":"The pairing of 'manifest senses' and 'hidden movements' reflects Syriac ascetic anthropology, distinguishing external perception from internal spiritual motions, common in Narsai's homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܵܘ ܟܹܝܬ ... ܬܵܘ ܢܬܬܓܪ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated 'again, then' (tūb kēt) marks a rhetorical shift from eschatological command to exhortation for the soul's labor, structuring the passage as a two-part admonition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܚܕ ܪܸܥܝܢܵܐ ܢܸܦܪܘܿܠ ܛܲܝܒܘܼ ܠܡܬܘܢܢܲܢ","severity":"info","text":"The closing emphasis on a single will producing goodness for the beneficiary reflects Narsai's integration of moral agency with divine grace, a theme later influential in East Syriac monastic literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-74","label":"source edition: On the Workers in the Vineyard","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/74"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac phrase ܠܡܬܘܢܢܲܥ (l-mtūṭaʿ) is ambiguous: it may mean 'the one who is to be benefited' (passive participle) or 'the one who benefits' (active). The translation takes it as passive, consistent with the soul's labor for another."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}