ት Tergwame Greek · Coptic · Ethiopic · Syriac · Armenian · Georgian · Latin

Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 17

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

BothSourceEnglish
JSON Dossier
machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 866 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The Nisibis cycle of memre by Ephrem the Syrian comprises a series of metrical homilies composed in Syriac during the mid-4th century, likely in the context of the Persian sieges of Nisibis (350, 359). These texts employ first-person plural exhortations and communal imagery, suggesting a liturgical or paraenetic register intended for monastic or congregational settings. The memre were later incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition, used in the Office of the Dead and during the Fast of Nineveh. The English translation smooths Ephrem's dense Syriac wordplay and biblical allusions; readers should consult the Syriac for full rhetorical texture.

The Nisibis cycle is a key witness to Ephrem's poetic and theological response to the Persian wars, blending biblical typology, communal exhortation, and liturgical use. It reflects the development of Syriac Christian identity and the veneration of local bishops as spiritual leaders. The memre's later liturgical use in the East Syriac tradition underscores their enduring influence on Christian worship and piety.

Historical context

Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373 CE) composed the Nisibis cycle in Syriac, likely in Nisibis or Edessa, during the mid-4th century. The memre are traditionally linked to the Persian sieges of Nisibis (350, 359), reflecting the community's experience of war and siege. The texts survive in multiple Syriac manuscripts, though the edition relies on a single base manuscript, so variant readings are not represented. The memre were later incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition, used in the Office of the Dead and during the Fast of Nineveh, shaping their later interpretation. The community was likely a Syriac-speaking Christian congregation, possibly monastic, that venerated figures like Abraham of Nisibis (d. ca. 350) as protectors and teachers. The precise dating of individual memre remains uncertain.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

18 commentary units 4 background3 term3 scripture3 structure3 caution1 reception1 parallel 0 derived notes 5 open questions 3 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • limitThe 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.
  • registerRegister: other in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 3 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
dsc-274:1 · narrativemedium
Source
ܕܥܰܠ ܐܰܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܐܶܦܺܝܣܩܽܘܦܳܐ ܕܰܢܨܺܝܒܺܝܢ ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܩܰܛܰܠܘ̱ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܝ̈ܰܠܽܘܕܶܐ ܐܰܦܶܣ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܳܦ ܠܰܙܥܽܘܪܽܘܬܝ̱ ܕܬܶܪܡܶܐ ܒܓܰܙܳܟ ܫܳܡܽܘܢܳܗ̇ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܰܓܳܪܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܰܢ ܕܪܰܒܺܝ ܟܰܟܰܪ ܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܳܟ ܘܰܦܼܪܰܫ ܘܰܢܦܼܰܩ ܠܰܠܡܺܐܢܳܟ ܐܶܡܰܠܶܠ ܥܰܠ ܥܰܠܳܢܶܗ ܕܗܼܳܘܶܐ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܐ ܬܰܠܡܺܝܕܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܰܬܠܳܬܳܐ ܗܘܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܪܒܺܝܥܳܝܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܥܰܒܼܕܶܗ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܰܢ ܒܚܰܕ ܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܐܰܦܬܽܘܟ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܘܰܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܐܶܓܕܽܘܠ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܗ̈ܰܒܳܒܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܢܰܨ̈ܺܝܚܶܐ ܘܠܰܦܩܳܚ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܒܰܣܺܝ̈ܡܶܐ ܕܗܰܘ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܘܕܰܬܠܡܺܝܕܶܗ ܕܦܳܫ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܶܠܺܝܫܰܥ ܪܶܬܚܼܰܬ ܩܰܪܢܳܐ ܕܓܰܒܝܽܘܬܶܗ ܘܶܐܫܬܰܡܠܺܝ ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܘܶܐܬܥܰܠܺܝ ܘܰܗܼܘܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܥܰܒܼܕܶܗ ܪܺܝܫܳܝܳܐ ܘܚܼܰܕܺܝܘ ܫܡ̈ܰܝܳܢܶܐ ܕܥܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܒܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܕܪܰܥܘ̱ ܪܳܥܶܝܢ ܚܶܕܝܰܬ ܕܰܝܪܳܐ ܕܥ̈ܶܠܳܢܶܐ ܕܰܚܙܰܘ ܝܽܘܒܳܠ ܕܰܪ̈ܓܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܫܩܼܰܠ ܩܰܒܥܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܰܥܕܳܐ ܘܰܟܪܺܝܟܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܗܰܕܳܡܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܢܡܽܘܪܽܘܢ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܳܐ ܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܥܰܒܕܶܗ ܐܰܘܨܰܪܗܽܘܢ ܓܒܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܢ ܣܽܘܓܳܐܐ ܕܥ̈ܰܠܳܢܶܐ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܢܶܣܝܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܫܪܳܪܶܗ ܒܰܚܪܶܗ ܙܰܒܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܒܩܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܢܽܘܓܪܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܟܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܒܩܳܝܳܐ ܒܰܩܢܽܘܡܶܗ ܥܰܒܕܶܗ ܫܽܘܪܳܐ ܠܣ̈ܰܓܺܝܐܶܐ ܢܗܶܐ ܨܰܘܡܳܟ ܙܰܝܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܬܪܰܢ ܨܠܽܘܬܳܟ ܣܰܟܪܳܐ ܠܰܡܕܺܝܢ̱ܬܰܢ ܦܺܝܪܡܳܟ ܢܶܩ̇ܢܶܐ ܠܬܰܪܥܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܩܰܕܶܫ ܕܶܒܚ̈ܳܬܳܟ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܕܰܦܼܪܰܫ ܡܶܢ ܥܳܢܶܗ ܪܥܳܗ̇ ܒܡܰܪ̈ܓܶܐ ܪ̈ܽܘܚܳܢܶܐ
English
On Abraham, the bishop of Nisibis On the voice of the infants who were slain My Lord, grant even to my insignificance that it may be cast into your treasury of hearing, Like a merchant of your flock who increased the talent of your instruction, And set forth and brought out your words, that I may speak concerning his ascension, That he who was head of the flock was a disciple of the Three. He had a great one, the fourth, blessed is he who made him a son With one love; you turned, you saw, and a crown you wove, you saw. For your loving ones, the righteous, and for your blossoms, the sweet, That great one and his disciple who remained after him like Elisha. The reed of his election sprouted and was filled, and he became head, And he ascended and became a great one; blessed is he who made him chief. And the heavens rejoiced that the shepherd of the flock whom the shepherds tended The monastery of the ascetics rejoiced, for they saw the jubilee of their ranks. He took his staff like a shepherd within the great body of the church, And he bound to himself its members, that life might dwell with them from him. Instruction, new bread; blessed is he who made it your treasure. He chose him from the multitude of ascetics who gave the help of his truth. In his time, a sacrifice within the flock, and in his voice, a groan like a furnace, Which gave in his voice, in his standing, he made a wall for many. And this, your fast, a weapon for your place; your prayer, a wall for your city; Your vigil, a watch for the gate; blessed is he who sanctified your sacrifices. A shepherd who separated from his flock its pasture in spiritual meadows.
dsc-274:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܘܰܒܝܰܕ ܚܽܘܛܪܶܗ ܢܰܨܺܝܚܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܕܺܐܒ̈ܶܐ ܟܣܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܢܰܛܪܳܗ̇ ܬܶܡܠܶܐ ܠܳܗ̇ ܕܽܘܟܰܬ ܪܰܒܳܟ ܕܨܰܗܝܳܐ ܠܨܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܥܡ̈ܳܬܶܗ ܐܰܩܺܝܡܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܰܡܽܘܕܳܐ ܒܟܰܪܟܳܐ ܕܥܰܡܳܐ ܪܥܺܝܠܳܐ ܒܰܨ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܳܟ ܢܶܣܬܰܡܰܟ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܥܰܒܕܳܟ ܥܰܡܽܘܕܰܢ ܐܰܫܠܼܶܡ ܐܺܝܕܶܗ ܠܬܰܠܡܺܝܕܶܗ ܟܽܘܪܣܝܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܫܳܘܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܩܠܺܝܕܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܗܰܝܡܰܢ ܓܙܳܪܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܢܰܨܰܚ ܝܳܐܶܐ ܠܺܐܝܕܳܟ ܪܽܘܚܳܦܳܐ ܘܰܠܩܽܘܪܒܳܢܳܟ ܚܽܘܣܳܝܳܐ ܘܰܠܠܶܫܳܢܳܟ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܳܐ ܢܨܰܒܶܬ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܳܟ ܠܓܰܘ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܠܒܰܪ ܟ̈ܶܢܫܶܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܓܒܳܟ ܠܚ̈ܰܕܘܳܬܳܐ ܡܰܠܦܳܢܽܘܬܳܟ ܬܶܬܝܰܬܰܪ ܒܰܥܒܳܕܳܐ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܕܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܙܳܪܰܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܦܳܠܽܘܚܶܝܗ̇ ܠܰܐܪܥܰܢ ܒܰܥܒܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܦܽܘܠܚܳܢܳܐ ܣܰܓܺܝܐܳܐ ܢܶܥܬܰܪ ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܙܰܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܟܬܰܗ ܕܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܥܰܬܺܝܩܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܰܬܠܳܬܺܝܢ ܬܺܐܬܶܐ ܒܰܢ ܘܙܰܪܥܳܟ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܶܫܬܺܝܢ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܡܰܣܓܶܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܰܡܳܐܐ ܚܶܡܬܳܟ ܠܘܳܬܳܟ ܒܰܛܺܝܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܪܳܣܶܡ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܳܟ ܛܰܢܳܢܳܐ ܠܘܳܬܳܟ ܕܰܥܺܝܟܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܟ ܟܽܠܫܳܥ ܡܶܬܓܰܘܙܰܠ ܬܒܰܪܬܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܥܽܘܩܣܳܐ ܕܰܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܒܣܼܶܬܳܪܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܡܚܶܐ ܡܶܐܟܰܠ ܩܰܪܨܳܐ ܕܰܡܕܰܘܶܕ ܠܳܐ ܦܳܢܝܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܡܰܫܡܰܥܬܳܟ ܕܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܒܳܣܶܡ ܠܳܟ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܨܰܒܶܬ ܗܰܕ̈ܳܡܰܝܟ ܬܶܬܶܠ ܡܰܠܼܟܳܐ ܒܓܰܘ ܥܰܡܳܟ ܐܺܝܬ ܝܳܬܪܽܘܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܶܒܪ̈ܳܝܶܐ ܬܺܐܙܰܠ ܟܽܠܳܟ ܥܰܡ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܠܝܽܘܬܪܳܢܳܐ ܡܳܠܶܟ ܠܳܟ ܬܶܥܪܽܘܩ ܟܽܠܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܐ̱ܚܪܳܢܝܳܐܺܝܬ ܡܳܠܶܟ ܠܳܟ ܪܰܚܒܥܳܡ ܢܺܝܫܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܬܶܓܒܼܶܐ ܡܰܠܟ̈ܶܐ ܕܥܽܘܕܪܳܢܳܐ
English
And by his staff, the victorious one, from the hidden fathers, he guards her. He fills her, the storehouse of your great one who thirsts for the sound of his flocks. He set you like a pillar in the fortress of the trembling people. By your prayers, blessed is he who made you a pillar. He entrusted his hand to his disciple, the throne to the one who is worthy of him, the key to the one who was entrusted, the decree to the one who was commanded. It is fitting for your hand, the staff, and for your approach, mercy, and for your tongue, the good news. Your authority, the power of the staff, within the cities and outside the churches, blessed is he who chose you for joys. Your teaching will be increased by good deeds more than by words. For with few words you sow, you cultivate her, the earth, with deeds. For by much labor, the cheap seed becomes rich. The writing of the ancient seed, one in thirty, will come in. And your new seed, one in sixty, blessed is he who multiplies one in a hundred. Your anger toward you is vain, that which the staff inscribes upon your whole body. The error toward you is that which is hidden, that which your love continually cuts off. The two of them, the yoke of the bridle of the horse, in secret does not strike. The slanderer who calumniates does not cease from your hearing. For the truth is revealed, it is sweet to you, blessed is he who desires your members. He will place a king within your people; there is an advantage among the Hebrews. Your whole body will go with the one who rules you for advantage. Your whole body will flee from the one who rules you for the last time. Rehoboam, the evil one, will be for you; you will choose kings of the yoke.
dsc-274:3 · narrativemedium
Source
ܬܶܣܠܶܐ ܡܰܠܟ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܚܣܼܳܡܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܡܠܰܟ ܒܽܘܝܳܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܗܰܒܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܝܰܗܼܒܰܬ ܠܳܟ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܦܶܪܚܰܬ݀ ܢܶܚܬܰܬ݀ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܩܪܶܝܗ̇ ܒܰܫܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܠܶܝܗ̇ ܒܰܐ̱ܚܪܺܝܢ ܚܰܝܠܳܐ ܕܠܰܝܬ ܕܠܰܐܬܪܳܗ̇ ܡܳܛܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܨܢܺܝܥܳܐ ܡܣܰܒܰܪ ܕܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܝܰܗܒܽܘܗ̇ ܠܳܟ ܕܗܳܝ ܡܰܘܗܰܒܬܳܐ ܒܰܪ̱ܬ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܒܕܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܬܶܦܠܽܘܚ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܐܪܟܶܢ ܡܰܘܗܰܒܬܶܗ ܨܼܺܝܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܟ ܒܰܩܢܽܘܡܳܟ ܗܳܐ ܕܶܡܘ̈ܳܬܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠܳܟ ܦܼܪܰܫ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܚܰܕ ܥܰܡܰܢ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܒܳܟ ܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܠܰܬܠܳܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܢܰܨ̈ܺܝܚܶܐ ܕܰܦܼܪܰܫܘ̱ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܬܗܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܫܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܘܰܡܠܶܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܒܳܒܽܘ ܘܓܰܙܳܐ ܕܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܘܰܠܓܶܫ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܒܚܰܕ ܨܳܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܫܶܚܠܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܟܳܡܶܬ ܥܰܠ ܘܳܠܺܝܬܳܐ ܨܳܪܶܬ ܨܰܠܡܳܐ ܠܰܬܪܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܢ ܣܰܡ̈ܳܡܢܶܐ ܕܰܬܪܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܬܶܚܼܙܶܐ ܥܳܢܳܐ ܨ̈ܶܒܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܐ ܫܽܘܦܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܕܰܗܘܺܝܬ ܐܶܡܪܳܐ ܡܰܠܠܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܐܰܠܳܗܶܗ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܒܩܰܘܡܶܗ ܕܰܐܒܪܳܡ ܐܰܘܕܶܐ ܠܳܟ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܥܒܰܕܢܝ̱ ܟܶܢܳܪܶܗ
English
You shall not cease, O kings of the covenant, blessed is he who reigned in the assembly. The gift that was given to you from the height has blossomed and descended. Do not call it by the name of the people, do not hang it on the last power. For there is no one who reaches its place; the foolish and the small expect that the sons of the people gave it to you, that this gift, daughter of the free, might serve the people. Blessed is he who lengthened his gift. Your great one was formed in your standing; behold, his likenesses are upon your all. Separate from you one with you; he who is in you shall see the three of you. The victors who separated from you shall be for you a wall like Jacob, and fill with mercies like Babu, and a treasure of words like Valgesh. Blessed is he who in one form bound you. Also the eye, the pupil of the flock, does not darken over the wailing. It formed an image for both of you from the poisons of both of you, that the eye might see your desires, and the flock your beauties. And that I became a speaking lamb to you, O God of Abraham. In the standing of Abram I confess to you; blessed is he who made his altar.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 17”, dsc-274:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-274#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0024 · generated 2026-11-15.