Work dossier · summary and historical context
This anonymous Geʿez poem is a first-person address to God, structured as a series of reverent invocations with a refrain. Its liturgical and hymnic register is typical of Ethiopian Orthodox praise poetry. The work survives in later manuscript copies, likely from monastic scriptoria, and is included in the modern printed edition betmas. The poem is undated, but its language and form suggest a medieval origin, possibly between the 14th and 15th centuries. The edition provides no translation or commentary, leaving the Geʿez text as the sole witness. The poem's six stanzas each begin with 'I worship Thy Godhead' and describe divine creative acts, echoing Genesis but with distinctive theological emphases.
The poem exemplifies the rich tradition of Geʿez liturgical poetry, blending biblical imagery with local theological emphases. Its refrain structure and creative reordering of Genesis motifs offer insight into Ethiopian Orthodox devotional practices. The work's survival in later manuscripts and its inclusion in a modern edition highlight its enduring value for both worship and scholarship, though the absence of a critical edition limits its study.
The poem belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, composed in Geʿez, the classical liturgical language. It survives only in later manuscripts, likely copied in monastic scriptoria, with no autograph or early witness. The text is anonymous and undated; its form and language point to a medieval origin, probably between the 14th and 15th centuries, when Geʿez hymnody flourished. The poem is included in the modern printed edition betmas, indicating continued liturgical or scholarly use. Its presence in the corpus suggests it was valued for private or communal devotion. The lack of external evidence for its composition means the dating remains tentative, relying on stylistic and linguistic parallels with other Geʿez praise poetry from the same period.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
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