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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 18

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 833 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 18 is a Syriac memra (verse homily) attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, likely composed in the mid-4th century. The poem employs first-person plural exhortations and communal imagery, suggesting a liturgical or paraenetic register intended for a Christian assembly. It survives in multiple manuscripts, with the earliest witness dating from the 6th century, leaving open the possibility of scribal interpolation or reordering. The work was incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical tradition, used during the season of the Fast as a meditation on Nineveh’s repentance. The edition lacks a critical apparatus, preventing assessment of textual decisions or manuscript stemma.

Nisibis 18 exemplifies Ephrem's poetic and theological style, blending biblical exegesis with liturgical exhortation. Its use in the East Syriac Fast of Nineveh highlights its enduring role in communal repentance and spiritual formation. The poem's references to Jacob, Aaron, and Moses illustrate typological interpretation, while the metaphor of the head over the members reflects Pauline ecclesiology and Syriac hierarchical traditions. The work contributes to understanding 4th-century Syriac Christianity, liturgical development, and the transmission of Ephrem's corpus.

Historical context

Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE) was a theologian, poet, and deacon who spent most of his life in Nisibis (modern Nusaybin, Turkey) until the city was ceded to the Sasanian Empire in 363 CE. He then moved to Edessa, where he continued his literary activity. Nisibis 18 is traditionally placed among his later works, but the dating rests on internal references to Nisibis and thematic continuity with other memre. The poem reflects the Syriac Christian community's engagement with biblical typology and ecclesiastical hierarchy, likely addressing a bishop or monastic leader. The text was transmitted in the East Syriac tradition, with the earliest surviving manuscript from the 6th century, indicating ongoing liturgical use and potential scribal modifications. The work's incorporation into the Fast of Nineveh underscores its penitential and communal focus.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

18 commentary units 7 scripture3 term3 background3 caution2 structure 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-275:1 · narrativemedium
Source
ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܕܟܰܗܶܢ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܪܰܒܶܗ ܙܰܗܝܳܐ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܢܰܨܺܝܚܳܐ ܢܰܟܦܳܐ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܝܰܩܺܝܪܳܐ ܫܰܗܪܳܐ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܨܰܝܳܡܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܟ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܠܳܐ ܫܰܢܺܝ ܒܚܰܝܳܐ ܚܙܰܝܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܥܰܢܺܝܕܳܐ ܕܗܳܐ ܒܳܟ ܨܺܝܪ̈ܳܢ ܕܶܡܘ̈ܳܬܶܗ ܘܰܪ̈ܫܺܝܡܳܢ ܒܳܟ ܥܳܩ̈ܒܳܬܶܗ ܘܰܨܡܰܚ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠܳܟ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܚܠܳܦܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܝܰܗܒܳܟ ܠܰܢ ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܨܺܝܪ ܒܶܗ ܐܺܝܠܳܢܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܟܪܶܙ ܥܰܠ ܥܶܩܳܪܶܗ ܠܳܐ ܓܰܪܕܺܝ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܥܕܰܟܺܝܠ ܛܰܥܡ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܕܒܰܣܺܝܡܽܘܬܶܗ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܚܰܘܺܝܬ ܓܽܘܫܳܡܳܐܺܝܬ ܕܰܓܡܼܰܪܬ ܐܶܢܶܝ̈ܢ ܒܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܒܕܽܘܒܳܪܳܟ ܨܺܝܪ ܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܶܗ ܘܰܒܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܳܟ ܦܽܘܫܳܩܶܗ ܘܒܰܓܡܽܝܪܽܘܬܳܟ ܬܽܘܪܓܳܡܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܢܰܨܰܚ ܙܰܗܝܽܘܬܳܟ ܥܶܠܳܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܳܝܳܐ ܕܺܝܪܶܒܼ ܘܰܗܼܘܳܐ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܗܰܕ̈ܳܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܙܥܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܰܫܩܼܰܠ ܒܽܘܟܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܒܰܕ̈ܡܰܝܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ ܘܠܳܐ ܒܰܛܢܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ ܕܰܛܢܰܘ ܒܶܗ ܐܰܚܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܠܶܘܳܝ̈ܶܐ ܒܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܫܰܩܠܳܗ̇ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܟܰܕ ܩܰܫܺܝܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܐܰܗܪܽܘܢ ܚܕܺܝܘ ܒܳܟ ܐܰܚܰܝ̈ܟ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܓܒܳܟ ܒܰܐܘܳܝܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܰܝܬ ܚܣܼܳܡܳܐ ܘܰܛܢܳܢܼܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܗܰܕܳܡ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܒܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܕܰܒܚܽܘܒܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܫܬܰܡܥܺܝܢ ܒܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܡܶܣܬܰܥܪܺܝܢ ܕܰܘܩܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܗ̈ܰܕܳܡܶܐ ܕܰܠܟܽܠ ܓܰܒ̈ܺܝܢ ܗܽܘ ܚܳܐܰܪ ܪܳܡ ܗܽܘ ܘܡܰܟܺܝܟ ܒܰܚܢܳܢܶܗ ܥܕܰܡܳܐ ܠܥ̈ܶܩܒܶܐ ܡܶܬܬܰܚܬܶܐ ܕܢܶܣܰܒ ܡܶܢܗܶܝܢ ܢܶܟܝܳܢܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܚܽܘܒܳܟ ܡܰܙܶܓ ܒܰܢ ܒܨܺܝܪܳܐ ܗܘܳܬ ܗܳܕܶܐ ܟܶܐܼܡܰܬ ܕܰܒܣܳܒܳܐ ܬܶܚܽܘܒ ܚܰܢܦܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܛܰܥܡܳܗ̇ ܫܶܟܒܼܰܬ ܣܰܝܒܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܙܰܒܢܳܗ̇ ܢܰܨܚܼܰܬ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܬܠܺܝܛܳܐ ܥܠܰܝܡܳܐ ܛܰܥܢܶܗ ܠܰܐܓܽܘܢܳܐ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܕܰܣܥܼܳܐ
English
The son of his voice. Woe to him who hastens after his teacher, the glorious one after the polished one, the bent one after the honored one, the wakeful one after the fasting one. Your greatness from you does not cease in life; see his likenesses in the future one, for in you are formed the images of his likenesses, and in you are inscribed his traces. And the whole of you grew from all of you, blessed one, for whom his replacement gave you to him, the fruit that is formed in him, his roots, while proclaiming concerning his root. Do not be cut off from him, for the tastes of his sweetness are still present. His words showed bodily that he completed the signs in deed. In your conduct is formed his teaching, and in your practices his interpretation, and in your perfection his commentary. Blessed is he who polished your glory, the final cause of the elder, and it became the head of his members. The little one who took in primacy, not by likenesses like Jacob, and not by deceit like Aaron, whose brothers deceived him concerning the Levites. He took it in love like Moses, when he was elder to Aaron. Your brothers rejoiced in you like him. Blessed is he who chose you in fatherhood. There is no division and no deceit among the members of the body, for in love it is heard, and in mercy it is stirred from him. He who is the head of the members, for all the chosen ones, he is the one who sees. He is high and low in his need, down to the heels, the lower ones, that he might take from them a covering. Blessed is he whose love mixes with him. This was small when, in old age, you would love humility. In its taste, old age lay down; in its sacrifice, youth was polished, for the athlete, the young man, his taste for the contest, the helper who helps.
dsc-275:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܩܛܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܰܡܠܶܐ ܚܰܢܦܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܬܶܢܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܙ ܘܰܥܒܼܰܪ ܥܰܡ ܫܽܘܪܶܝܗ ܫܽܘܠܳܡܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܢܦܰܚܼ ܒܶܗ ܘܶܐܬܛܰܠܰܩ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܩܰܪܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܼܶܠܝܳܐ ܐܰܬܘܰܗ ܘܰܩܪܳܟ ܠܰܩܪܳܒܳܐ ܥܰܠܬ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܚܰܕܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܚܳܒ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܓܽܘܠܝܰܕ ܕܰܬܪܶܝܢ ܠܳܐ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܬܰܟܬܽܘܫܳܟ ܕܰܩܪܳܒܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܝܽܘܡ ܠܽܘܩܒܰܠ ܒܺܝܼܫܳܐ ܣܳܕܰܪ ܗܘܰܝܬ ܡܥܳܕ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܽܘܪܳܫܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܕܰܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܢܰܝܬܶܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܓܒܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܗܳܪܰܢ ܡܶܢ ܩܕܳܡ ܢܶܣܝܽܘܢܳܐ ܕܰܪܺܝܫ ܐܺܝܽܘܒ ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܘܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܘܰܒܢܶܣܝܽܘܢܳܐ ܐܶܬܢܰܨܰܚ ܘܝܰܘܣܶܦ ܙܟܼܳܐ ܒܩܰܝܛܽܘܢܳܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܚܰܢܰܢܝܳܐ ܒܰܐܬܽܘܢܳܐ ܘܰܒܓܰܘ ܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܳܢܺܝܐܶܝܠ ܣܟܰܠ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܕܟܰܕ ܢܰܣܺܝ ܚܺܝܠ ܙܳܟܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܟܰܣܝܳܐܺܝܬ ܐܰܘܣܶܦ ܕܢܶܚܽܘܼܒ ܓܰܠܝܳܐܺܝܬ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܶܗ ܘܰܐܟܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܐܚܢܶܦ ܘܰܐܩܶܦ ܙܳܪܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܟܽܘܒ̈ܶܐ ܒܣܶܡܳܠܶܗ ܛܰܢ ܒܶܗ ܐܰܟܳܪܳܐ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܘܰܓܕܰܡ ܦܰܣܩܳܗ̇ ܠܣܶܡܳܠܶܗ ܡܼܶܠܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܡܺܝܢܶܗ ܘܰܙܪܰܥ ܒܠܶܒܳܐ ܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܚ̈ܰܝܳܬܳܐ ܘܗܳܐ ܡܶܬܦܰܠܚܳܐ ܬܰܪܥܺܝܬܰܢ ܒܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܳܦ ܒܰܫܠܺܝܚ̈ܘܰܗ̱ܝ ܒܳܟ ܢܶܬܦܰܠܚ̈ܳܢ ܢܰܦܫ̈ܳܬܰܢ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܓܒܳܟ ܐܰܟܳܪܰܢ ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܡ̈ܶܠܰܝܟ ܙܥܽܘܪܰܢ ܦܠܽܘܚܶܝܗ̇ ܠܰܐܪܥܰܢ ܒܰܥܒܳܕܳܐ ܕܰܒܓܰܘ ܦܽܘܠܚܳܢܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܢܶܥܫܰܢ ܩܰܢܝܳܐ ܘܥܶܩܳܪܳܐ ܛܳܒ ܗܽܘ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܫܰܦܺܝܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܫܶܡܼܥܳܐ ܕܪܶܒܽܘ ܡܶܠܺܝ̈ܢ ܙܰܪܥܳܟ ܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܰܡܐܳܐ ܘܰܠܩܺܝܫܳܝܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܶܐܫܬܶܝܢ ܐܳܦ ܟܳܬܳܐ ܚܰܕ ܒܰܬܠܳܬܺܝܢ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܐܣܓܺܝ ܥ̈ܰܠܠܳܬܳܟ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ ܕܢܶܥܡܼܰܛ ܠܳܐ ܘܳܠܶܐ ܡܶܠܚܳܐ ܕܬܶܦܟܰܗ ܠܳܐ ܙܳܕܶܩ
English
The short one who filled the hollows like a shadow, strong and passed away with his beginning, his end. Blessed is he who clung to him and was consumed. The voice of the caller from the silent one came and called you to battle. You entered like David anew; you sinned against your Goliath of two. He was not a simpleton, your opponent in the hidden battle every day. Against the evil one you would array the helper, that one of the hidden course, of the revealed crown. Blessed is he who chose your boast. From before the season of the head of Job, his body and his thoughts, and in the season he was adorned and added victory in the summer of the house of the living, in the sign and within the pit of Daniel. The foolish one stumbled, for when he despised the power of your hidden victory, he added to laugh openly. Blessed is he who increased his honor. And the farmer who hastened and gathered, he would sow thorns with his left hand. The farmer struck him, the sorrowful one, and cut off his left hand. He filled his right hand and sowed living words in the heart. And behold, your thought is cultivated by his servants and also by his apostles. In you souls are cultivated. Blessed is he who chose you as farmer. And that one whose words are small, cultivate the earth with labor, that within the great cultivation a hard stump and root may be uprooted. Good is the beautiful servant than the hearing of those who are great in words. Your seed comes one in a hundred, and to the aged one in sixty. Also one in thirty. Blessed is he who increased your entrances. The light that is extinguished does not need salt, nor does it deserve to be extinguished.
dsc-275:3 · narrativemedium
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ܛܽܘܠܫܳܐ ܠܪܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܝܳܐܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܨܳܐܬܳܐ ܠܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܢ ܣܰܡ̈ܡܳܢܶܐ ܦܰܟܺܝܗܺܝܢ ܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܟ̈ܺܐܒܶܐ ܡܶܬܚܰܠܡܺܝܢ ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܫܪܳܓܳܐ ܥܰܡܽܘܛ ܐܳܦ ܬܽܘ̈ܩܠܳܬܳܐ ܣ̈ܰܓܺܝܐܳܢ ܢܽܘܗܪܳܟ ܢܶܪܕܽܘܦ ܚܶܫܽܘܟܰܢ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܥܰܒܼܕܳܟ ܠܰܡܦܺܐܕܰܢ ܥܒܶܕ ܠܳܟ ܣܳܦܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܕܰܝ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܬܳܒܽܘ̈ܥܶܐ ܘܝܳܗܽܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܩܳܝ̈ܽܘܡܶܐ ܘܝܳܨܽܘ̈ܦܶܐ ܠܚܰܕ ܚܰܕ ܐܰܫܠܶܡ ܣܽܘܥܪܳܢܶܗ ܕܰܠܡܳܐ ܒܦܶܬܳܐ ܢܶܫܚܶܬ ܠܶܗ ܘܰܒܪܶܢܝܳܐ ܢܶܨܛܝܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܪܥܺܝܙܳܐ ܥܰܡ ܠܶܫܳܢܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܡܩܰܪܶܒ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܒܳܥܽܘܬܳܐ ܠܚܽܘܣܳܝܳܐ ܕܟܽܠܶܗ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܡܙܰܗܶܐ ܬܶܫܡܶܫܬܳܟ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܫܬܰܦܶܐ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܐ ܘܢܶܨܛܰܠܰܠ ܐܳܦ ܠܶܫܳܢܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܶܬܡܰܪ̈ܩܳܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܳܐ ܘܢܶܙܕܰܗܶܐ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܓܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܙܥܽܘܪ ܗܽܘ ܠܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܘܟܽܘܢܳܝܶܗ ܕܰܡܩܰܪܶܒ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܢܶܨܛܰܠܰܠ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܟܽܠܫܳܥ ܕܗܽܘ ܩܳܐܶܡ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܨܥܳܝܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗܽܘ ܕܨܰܠܶܠ ܫܰܡܳܫܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ
English
The short one is not fitting for the head, nor is the voice for the vision of the face. If the poisons are sweetened, even the pains become bearable. And if the lamp is dimmed, the obstacles are many. Your light pursues your darkness; blessed is the one who made you for the sake of the lost. Scribes and deacons, also baptizers and Jacobites, also deans and bishops—to each one he entrusted his task, so that in the open he might not ruin it, and in the wilderness he might not distort it. The shepherd together with the tongue, through which he offers the petition, for the salvation of the whole people. Blessed is the one who adorns your ministry. As the shepherd was healed, so also the tongue was shaded. As the hands were cleansed, so the whole body was adorned. Small is the priest and his vessel who offers the living body. The whole of the deacon was shaded, who stands like a mediator in the house of God for the sake of the Eucharist. Blessed is the one who shaded his deacons.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 18”, dsc-275:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-275#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0028 · generated 2026-11-15.