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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 54

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 531 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 54 is a memrā (metrical homily) attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, likely composed in the late 4th century. It belongs to the Nisibene hymn corpus, reflecting Nisibis’ Christian identity under Persian rule. The text survives in later manuscripts (5th–7th centuries) and was incorporated into East Syriac liturgical cycles, notably for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers. The critical edition (ed:dsc-308) provides a Syriac text but no English translation, leaving Ephrem’s wordplay and biblical typology partially obscured for non-Syriac readers.

Nisibis 54 is significant as a witness to Ephrem’s poetic theology and the development of Syriac liturgical poetry. It exemplifies the use of memrē for doctrinal instruction and communal identity formation in late antique Mesopotamia. The work’s incorporation into East Syriac festal cycles underscores its lasting influence on Syriac Christian worship and its connection to Nicene orthodoxy.

Historical context

The memrā is attributed to Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373), a prominent theologian and poet of the Syriac tradition. It was likely composed in Nisibis (modern Nusaybin, Turkey) during the mid-4th century, a period when the city was a Christian center under Persian Sasanian rule. The work reflects the community’s experience of sieges and its struggle to maintain Christian identity amid Zoroastrian and Manichaean influences. No autograph survives; the earliest witnesses are from 5th–6th-century Syriac manuscripts. The text was transmitted within East Syriac liturgical cycles, especially the Hudra (festal hymnary), and was used for the Feast of the Nicene Fathers, indicating its enduring authority in Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean traditions. The edition (ed:dsc-308) collates 6th- and 7th-century codices, showing stable transmission with possible later liturgical adaptations.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

18 commentary units 3 sense3 term3 scripture3 background3 structure2 caution1 reception 0 derived notes 4 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-308:1 · narrativemedium
Source
ܓ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܫܡܰܥܝ̱ ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܡܰܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܥܰܒܕ̈ܺܝܢ ܟܰܕ ܒܰܚܕܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܬܟܰܣܣܺܝܢ ܕܰܡܚܺܝ̈ܠܶܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܡܽܘܟܳܟܳܟ ܐܶܬܬܪܺܝܡ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܘܰܒܡܺܝܬܽܘܬܳܟ ܐܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܘܰܦܢܳܐ ܠܰܥܕܶܢ ܐܶܢ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܢܶܙܟܶܝܟܝ̱ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܡܰܟܶܣ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܡܚܺܝܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܶܐܢ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܬܰܚܶܒ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܗܳܐ ܓܽܘܢܳܝܳܐ ܕܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܒܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܛܶܠܳܠܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܨܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܡܰܚܙܺܝܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܕܒܳܗ̇ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܬܶܚܙܶܝܢ ܕܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܽܘܪܳܐ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܡܰܦܽܘܚܺܝܬܶܟܝ̱ ܘܐܳܦ ܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫܠܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܒܡܽܘܠܟܳܢܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܡܰܠܦܺܝܢ ܠܶܟܝ̱ ܕܰܐܝܟ ܗܰܒܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܒܕܶܢܚܶܟܝ̱ ܚܳܡܶܝܢ ܀܀܀
English
The son of his voice. Hear, Freedom, the contest of the two servants, how they are clothed in one another, that the weak may see a spectacle: to you is praise, that by your lowliness Adam was raised, and by your death he was troubled, and he labored for the world. If, then, your evil conqueror is a great boaster, death covers his shame, for he was weak; and if again death is overcome by you, behold the body, that the evil one’s shame is laid bare, for he was like a shadow. Your contest is a mirror for you, in which you will see that both of them, like a root, are seen for your uprooting. And also the prophets and apostles, in their teachings, instruct you that like moths in your garment they are warm.
dsc-308:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܣܳܢܶܝܢ ܠܳܟ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܠܟܽܠ ܪ̈ܽܘܟܳܒܺܝܢ ܫܳܪܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܘܰܡܚܰܒܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܓܰܠܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܐܰܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܩܳܛܶܠ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܢܶܐ ܫܶܡܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܺܝܠܳܟ ܕܰܒܣܳܛܳܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܡܰܠܰܐܟܳܐ ܐܰܡܬܶܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܒܽܐܘܪܚܳܐ ܠܒܶܠܥܰܡ ܡܳܐ ܕܳܡܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܫܡܳܟ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܕܡܶܢ ܐܽܘܪܚܳܐ ܣܛܰܝܬ ܐܳܦ ܐܰܣܛܺܝܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܫܰܒܪܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܦܗܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܬܰܘܒܶܕ ܫܰܪܒܳܟ ܕܪܽܘܫ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܣܳܦܶܩ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܰܗ̈ܦܳܟܳܬܳܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܰܨܢܺܝܥ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܠܡܰܬܩܳܢܽܘ ܡܶܢ ܚܶܠܳܐ ܡܰܚܢܽܘܩܺܝܬܳܐ ܐܰܘܦܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܕܪܳܫܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܳܐܶܒ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܓܡܰܪ ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܡܶܠܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܫܰܪܺܝ ܡܨܰܥܰܪ ܨܶܝܕ ܟܽܠ ܐܺܝܬܰܝ ܙܰܟܳܝܳܐ ܘܒܳܟ ܚܳܐܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܢܦܺܝܣܳܟ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܕܰܙܟܺܝܬܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܦܶܟܪܶܬ ܘܰܫܕܺܝܬܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܩܽܘܕܡܰܝܟ ܒܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪܳܐ ܕܰܦܟܰܪ ܨܶܢܥ̈ܳܬܝ̱ ܐܶܬܺܝܬ ܐܶܬܢܰܨܚܶܬ ܀܀܀
English
You are the death that gives life to you, and the dead to all your riders you loose, and you are the destroyer. It is not the manifest death that kills, or the tempter; your hidden death kills the sons of man. Is not my name like yours, which is with the tempter? The angel likened himself on the road to Balaam. What does your name seem to me, this one or the tempter, who from the road turned aside and also led Adam the youth astray? Do not be like a layman and lose your lineage, for the head of death, if it suffices you, is for reversals. You know that you are lowly, you or the tempter. To the contest from strength, the humiliating one, add to him your head, death, which is guilty of man. When he finishes and adds his words, he begins to revile. For every being the victor is the prey, and in you man is guilty. Your victory is Adam, whom you conquered, or the tempter. Man, man, whom you thought and cast Adam before you; in the mighty one who thought, I came to your mockeries.
dsc-308:3 · narrativehigh
Source
ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܩܶܛܪܶܬ ܚܰܕ̱ܬܳܐܺܝܬ ܬܳܓܳܐ ܒܬܺܐܒܶܝܠ ܕܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܪܺܝܫ ܓܰܢ̱ܒܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܶܒܫܶܬ ܒܰܫܝܽܘ̇ܠ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܩܛܰܠܬܶܗ ܒܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܟܰܣܝܳܐ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܰܚܛܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܡܺܝܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܰܡܺܝܬܬ ܕܰܩܛܺܝܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܟܰܕ ܨܒܰܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܠܡܶܙܟܳܐ ܢܰܦܫܳܟ ܐܰܣܢܺܝܬ ܕܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܙܥܽܘܪ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܠܳܟ ܗܘܰܝܬ ܫܳܠܶܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܚܰܠܳܫܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܒܡ̈ܶܠܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܒܰܥܒܳܕ̈ܶܐ ܥܰܙܺܝܬ ܠܰܡܩܳܡ ܠܒܺܝܫܬܳܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܦܳܪܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܟܠܺܝܠܳܟ ܟܽܠܶܗ ܟܽܘܐܳܪܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܐܶܢ ܪܳܓܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܶܚܽܘܒ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬ ܐܶܨܛܰܚܳܐ ܐܳܘ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܛܳܒ ܠܺܝ ܕܶܐܗܘܶܐ ܗܶܕܝܽܘܛܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܕܦܰܠܶܓ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܳܐܘܶܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܛܳܒ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܰܡܐܰܘܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܕܰܦܠܺܝܓܺܝܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ ܐܶܙܟܶܐ ܠܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܒܩܳܢܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܚܳܐܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܘܶܐܙܟܶܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ
English
You are the death that crowned a new crown in Abel, and for Adam, the head of the mighty, you bound to Sheol. You are the one who killed him with a hidden death, Adam the sinner. You are death to the dead; you put to death him who was slain for me. When you wished to conquer the evil one, you healed yourself, that you are death and you are Satan, and small is he to you. You were at rest, knowing death like a weakling, so that neither in words nor in deeds did you dare to stand. Your evil one conquered the evil one; if you distinguish, your whole crown is a wound; if you perceive, you are the one who loves and you are the one who is scorched, or Satan. Better for me to be a simpleton than a braggart. Blessed is the judge who divides the eyes that were good. Blessed is the good one who brings to you those who are divided in sin. Shall I conquer the evil one by your forgiveness, or does he sin all? And shall I conquer death by your strength, or does he give life to all?
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 54”, dsc-308:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-308#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0026 · generated 2026-11-15.