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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 20

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

BothSourceEnglish
JSON Dossier
machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 489 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 20 is a madrāšā (teaching hymn) by Ephrem the Syrian, part of his cycle on the city of Nisibis. The hymn reflects on the city's suffering during the Persian sieges of the 4th century and is dated to the 360s CE, after the cession of Nisibis to Persia in 363. It employs paradoxical imagery, such as 'sinner of truth,' and uses agricultural, pastoral, and baptismal metaphors typical of Ephrem's catechetical context. The text was transmitted in Syriac liturgical manuscripts and later excerpted in Byzantine and Western hymnody, influencing later Syriac poets like Narsai and Jacob of Serugh. This edition lacks a critical apparatus and relies on a single manuscript tradition.

Nisibis 20 exemplifies Ephrem's poetic theology, blending biblical typology, paradoxical language, and local historical experience. It provides insight into 4th-century Syriac Christianity's response to political crisis and its catechetical methods. The hymn's influence on later Syriac and Byzantine hymnody underscores its role in shaping Eastern Christian liturgical and theological traditions.

Historical context

Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE) composed the Nisibis cycle in Syriac, likely in the 360s, after the Roman Empire ceded Nisibis to the Sasanian Persians in 363. The city had endured multiple Persian sieges, and Ephrem, a deacon and teacher, wrote these hymns for the Christian community of Nisibis, which faced displacement and theological challenges, including Arian and other Christological controversies. The madrāšā genre, a strophic hymn with refrains, was used for catechetical and liturgical instruction. The hymns were transmitted in Syriac manuscripts, often in liturgical collections, and later influenced Byzantine hymnography and Syriac poets such as Narsai and Jacob of Serugh. The precise dating within the cycle is uncertain, and the textual tradition may obscure earlier layers due to reliance on a single manuscript.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

12 commentary units 2 term2 background2 scripture2 structure2 caution1 reception1 sense 0 derived notes 5 open questions 2 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: 2 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
dsc-277:1 · narrativemedium
Source
ܡܶܢܶܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܒܬܽܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܗܼܘܳܐ ܚܰܬܢܳܐ ܐܰܛܶܢ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܟ ܨܶܐܕܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬܰܬ ܛܰܠܝܽܘܬܳܟ ܬܶܦܼܣܽܘܩ ܢܳܩ̈ܦܼܶܐ ܕܰܗܘܰܘ ܠܳܗ̇ ܒܫܰܒܪܽܘܬܳܗ̇ ܨܶܝܕ ܣ̈ܰܓܺܝܐܶܐ ܟܼܐܺܝ ܒܳܗ̇ ܘܰܟܢܽܘܫ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܕܬܶܕܰܥ ܕܡܰܢܝ ܘܰܕܡܰܢܝ ܒܳܟ ܬܶܬܚܰܦܰܛ ܐܳܦ ܬܰܚܶܒ ܠܰܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܚܰܬܢܳܐ ܕܩܽܘܫܬܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܡܰܟܪܳܗ̇ ܠܺܝܚܺܝܕܶܗ ܛܰܢ ܐܰܟܳܪܳܐ ܒܙܺܝܙܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܣܰܪܥܶܦܘ̱ ܘܰܣܒܼܰܟܘ̱ ܒܶܝܬ ܚ̈ܶܛܶܐ ܦܫܺܝܚ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܝܰܥܪܳܐ ܠܥܶܩܳܪܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܒܰܣܝܳܢܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܽܘܥܝܳܬܶܗ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܐܳܐܰܪ ܐܶܢ ܫܳܩܶܠ ܙܰܪܥܳܐ ܡܰܚܨܶܦ ܙܳܟܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܐܟܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܬܠܳܬܳܐ ܙܰܪܥܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܰܬܠܳܬܳܐ ܐܰܥ̈ܦܺܝܢ ܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܒܰܬܠܳܬܺܝܢ ܘܰܫܬܺܝܢ ܘܰܡܳܐܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܡܰܥܬܰܪ ܥ̈ܰܠܠܳܬܳܟ ܪܳܥܝܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܠܶܗ ܕܢܶܣܥܽܘܪ ܥܢܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܢܶܕܰܥ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܡܶܢܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܘܢܶܚܙܶܐ ܕܰܐܝܢܰܘ ܣܽܘܢܳܩܢܳܗ̇ ܥܢܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܕܰܙܒܺܝܢܳܐ ܒܰܕܡܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܕܪ̈ܳܥܰܘܳܬܳܐ ܩܪܺܝ ܘܰܐܥܒܰܪ ܥܶܪܒܳܐ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܕܡܰܪܥܺܝܬܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܕܰܟܬܺܝܒ ܫܡܳܗ̇ ܘܚܽܘܫܒܳܢܳܗ̇ ܒܰܣܼܦܰܪ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܬܳܒܰܥ ܡܶܢܝܳܢܳܗ̇ ܗܳܐ ܡܟܺܝܪܰܬ ܡܳܪܳܟ ܥܰܡܳܟ ܢܰܛܰܪܶܝܗ̇ ܡܶܢ ܟܺܠ ܢܶܟܝܳܢ ܘܡܶܢ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܫܰܚܶܛܘ̱ ܘܰܩܪܰܘ ܟܢ̈ܽܘܫܳܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܡܳܗܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܫܡܶܗ ܕܰܡܟܺܝܪܳܗ̇ ܣܺܝܡ ܥܠܶܝܗ̇ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܙܢܶܐ ܒܰܫܡܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܶܡܕܰܬ ܒܰܫܡܳܐ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܒܰܫܡܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܕܥܶܡܕܰܬ ܬܰܘܕܶܐ ܕܰܐܒܳܐ ܘܰܒܪܳܐ ܘܪܽܘܚ ܩܽܘܕܫܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܐܶܬܩܼܰܪܝܰܬ ܫܠܺܝܚܳܐ ܡܳܟܽܘܪܳܗ̇ ܛܰܢ ܒܳܗ̇ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܶܫܬܰܚܰܛ ܒܰܫܡܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܠܰܘ ܒܰܫܡܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܙܺܐܦܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܒܫܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ
English
From the sound of his voice, O Bride who was a sinner, turn a little your mind, Hunt down that which came, the youth of your thought will cut off the fetters that were for her. In her youth, hunt many who fall into her, and restrain her thought, That you may know what and what in you she will be eager, and also will hide For the Messiah, the sinner of truth. Blessed is he who makes her known to her only one. Plow, farmer, with the seeds that sprouted and were scattered among the sins. Simple is the forest for the root-cutter who comes with help; it is his sign. Little is the light if it takes seed; the winnower cleans it. Three farmers sowed him in three fields; they come. In thirty, sixty, and a hundred, blessed is he who enriches your chambers. A new shepherd ought to mark a new flock, And know how much is its number, and see what is its distress. A flock that is sold for the blood of that great one of the pastors, Call and pass the flock by the name of that pasture whose name is written, And its number in the book of life. Blessed is he who follows its number. Behold, the seller of your Lord is with you; guard her from all shame, And from the fire that burned and called the deceits by their names. The name of her seller is placed upon her; do not err by another name, For she was not baptized in the name of fire; by the names in which she was baptized, confess The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Blessed is she who was called by his name. The Apostle is her source; plow in her that she may not be corrupted by names, Not by false names, nor even by true ones.
dsc-277:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܠܳܐ ܒܟܺܐܦܳܐ ܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܒܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܕܡܰܟܪ̈ܶܐ ܗܘܰܘ ܫܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܶܐ ܫܡܶܗ ܕܰܡܟܺܝܪܳܗ̇ ܣܳܡܼܘ̱ ܥܠܶܝܗ̇ ܙܺܐܦܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܙܰܢܳܝ̈ܶܐ ܫܡ̈ܳܗܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܣܳܡܼܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܥܳܢܳܐ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܫܡܳܟ ܒܳܪܽܘܝܰܢ ܪܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܕܚ̈ܰܝܘܳܬܳܐ ܐܰܚܰܝ̈ ܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܚܰܒܶܠ ܓܰܠܝܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܰܫܡܳܐ ܒܰܫܛܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܚܬܺܝܡ ܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܰܘܣܶܦ ܐܰܘ ܚܰܠܶܦ ܕܰܣܪܰܚ ܪܽܘܫܡܳܐ ܓܰܢܳܒܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܘܕܰܫܡܳܐ ܡܚܰܠܶܦ ܙܺܐܦܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܫܡܶܗ ܕܰܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܐܶܬܚܰܠܰܦ ܫܡܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܕܙܺܐܦܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܺܝܡܺܝܢ ܠܰܟܢܽܘ̈ܫܳܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܫ̇ܬܰܚܰܛ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܩܪܳܐ ܠܥܳܢܶܗ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܚܽܘܪ ܒܰܢܒ̈ܺܝܶܐ ܘܒܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܕܳܡ̈ܝܳܢ ܠܰܚ̈ܕܳܕܶܐ ܢܒ̈ܺܝܶܐ ܫܡܶܗ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܣܳܡܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܥܳܢܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܘܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܫܡܶܗ ܕܰܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܣܳܡܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܥܺܕ̱ܬܶܗ ܕܰܡܫܳܚܳܐ ܠܰܚ̈ܕܳܕܶܐ ܕܡܰܘ ܙܺܐܦܳܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܒܰܫܡܳܗ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܡܶܬܩܪܶܝܢ ܟܢܽܘ̈ܫܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܒܗܽܘܢ ܙܰܢܺܝ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܐܶܬܩܰܕܫܰܢ
English
Not with a stone, nor with his own hand, did the true ones set the mark of her name upon her, like hunters. They set their names upon the prey, glory to your name, O Creator. The mark of the beasts did not harm the visible destroyer, and the name on a sealed document did not add or change. For the mark is a brand, and the name changes the brand. The name of the Messiah has replaced the names of the brand; behold, it is set. Blessed is the one who calls his prey by his name, for the snares that are spread. Look at the prophets and the apostles, how they resemble each other. The prophets set the name of God upon the prey of God, and the apostles set the name of the Messiah upon the Church of the Messiah. They resemble each other in the brands by which they are called by their names. The snares in which you hunt, blessed is the one who sanctified by his name.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 20”, dsc-277:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-277#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0017 · generated 2026-11-15.