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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 66

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

BothSourceEnglish
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machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 490 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 66 is a madrāšâ (teaching hymn) traditionally attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, composed during his final decade in Nisibis (c. 350–363). The work stages a dialogue between personified Death and humanity, reflecting communal anxiety during the Persian siege. It survives in a single 6th-century Syriac manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) with lacunae and marginal corrections. The edition follows this witness without collating the later East Syriac recension. The hymn was excerpted in West Syriac liturgy for the Feast of the Forty Martyrs, while East Syriac use is unattested before the 13th century. Ephrem’s dense scriptural intertexture is noted only where it affects disputed readings.

Nisibis 66 exemplifies Ephrem’s innovative use of the madrāšâ genre to dramatize theological themes through personified dialogue, particularly Death, a common trope in Syriac poetry. It provides insight into 4th-century Syriac Christian responses to war, mortality, and divine judgment. The work’s transmission history—from a single 6th-century witness to later liturgical use—illustrates the fluidity of Syriac textual traditions and the challenges of reconstructing Ephrem’s original corpus.

Historical context

The work is set in Nisibis, a frontier city of the Roman Empire in upper Mesopotamia, during the mid-4th century. Ephrem (c. 306–373) served as a deacon and teacher there until the city’s cession to the Sasanian Persians in 363. The madrāšâ reflects the siege of Nisibis (c. 350), a period of intense eschatological expectation and communal fear of death and judgment. The Syriac Christian community was bilingual (Syriac and Greek) and engaged in theological debates with Manichaeans, Marcionites, and Arians. The text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113), copied in the West Syriac tradition, with later East Syriac recensions appearing only from the 13th century. Its liturgical use in the West Syriac Feast of the Forty Martyrs indicates its integration into commemorative practices. The edition lacks a full apparatus of biblical allusions, but Ephrem’s typological exegesis is evident in echoes of Genesis 3 and the theme of original sin.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

11 commentary units 2 term2 background2 scripture2 structure1 reception1 parallel1 caution 0 derived notes 2 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-320:1 · narrativehigh
Source
ܝܗ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܀܀܀ ܫܠܰܘ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝܽܘ̈ܬܳܐ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܕܰܡܰܘ ܒܺܝ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܫܳܠܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܥܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܰܢܚܶܬ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܕܰܡ̈ܟܶܐ ܘܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܘܰܐܥܺܝܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܡܰܢ ܕܰܥܢܰܕ ܐܰܝܟ ܗܰܘ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܕܢܶܛܚܰܢ ܠܺܝ ܪܳܚܝܳܐ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܫܶܠܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܝܳܗܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܠܐܶܝܢ ܠܰܘ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܟܽܘܢ ܠܳܐܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܡܰܠܶܐܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܫܳܡܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܟܽܠ ܠܰܘ̈ܛܳܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܛܳܠܽܘ̈ܡܶܐ ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܳܡܶܝܢ ܕܰܛܠܶܡ ܡܳܪܶܗ ܫܓܺܝܫܺܝܢ ܐܰܟܚܰܕ ܩ̈ܳܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܥܒ̈ܳܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܒܩܳܠܳܐ ܒܳܟܶܐ ܘܒܰܥܒܳܕܳܐ ܟܬܰܫ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܢ ܫܶܡܥܶܬ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܘܣܶܒܪܶܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܥܳܡܶܠ ܚܙܺܝܬ ܬܶܥܫܳܐ ܘܣܶܒܪܰܬ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܳܐܶܬ ܫܰܚܩܶܗ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܡܣܰܒܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܕܠܰܘ ܡܳܝܽܘܬܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܶܟܝܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܡܣܰܒܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܡܚܳܪ ܠܰܝܬܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܫܡܼܰܥܘ̱ ܘܶܐܗܘܶܐ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܡܳܠܽܘܟܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܨܳܒܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܬܪ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܓܶܝܪ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܛܰܥܢ̈ܶܐ ܛܳܒ ܡܰܪ̈ܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܫܶܠܘ̱ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܥܰܡܠܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܟܝܳܐ ܥܡܰܠܘ̱ ܘܰܒܟܰܘ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܡܚܳܪ ܡܰܘܦܶܝܢ ܀܀܀
English
The son of his voice. Be silent a little, O mortal things, said Death. And be quiet in me, for how long does a man rest in the womb of Sheol? A wakeful one: praise to you, O watchman who descended after the dead and gave a voice upon the wood and awakened the sleepers. Your sleepers are forgotten, and your weepers are forgotten over him who passed away, as if he who came and visited me were a shepherd in Sheol. Silent was the great one, giving a man to those who are not. Not like you does a man labor, or a man fill, or a man hear all the curses from the oppressors. The sons of Adam are like Adam, who wronged his Lord. Confused together are your voices and your deeds: with a voice he weeps, and with a deed he mocks all of you. I heard weeping and hoped that a man would not suffer; I saw affliction and hoped that a man would not die. The laughter of a man made me hope that he is not mortal; his great weeping made me hope that tomorrow he is not. Hear and be for you a reproach, if you wish, O you two, for these two are errors, better bitter. Be silent a little from that toil and from weeping; toil and weep like mortals who tomorrow will perish.
dsc-320:2 · narrativehigh
Source
ܫܰܢܝܳܐܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܒܳܟܬܳܐ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܬܥܫܐ ܕܩ̈ܶܢܝܳܢܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܡܺܝܬܺܝܢ ܝ̈ܰܠܽܘܕܶܐ ܘܰܒܪܽܝܟ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܕܡܰܓܗܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܕܕܽܐܘܢܳܐ ܕܪܳܡܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܒܶܗ ܫܽܘܒܩܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܶܙܰܠ ܠܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܘܶܐܡܰܪ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܕܛܽܘܒܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܫ̈ܠܰܝܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܢܺܝܚܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܣܳܟܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܶܐܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܒܟܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܠܳܐ ܬܠܰܐܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܰܘ̈ܬܳܒܶܐ ܫܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܰܬܢܳܢ ܚܳܝܶܐ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܘܒܳܟܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܳܐܦ ܠܳܐ ܬܽܘܒ ܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܐܶܢ ܐܺܝܬ ܒܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܬܪܳܐ ܠܡܶܫܡܰܥ ܘܰܙܘ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܛܰܝܶܒܘ̱ ܕܶܐܡܰܬܝ̱ ܕܶܐܩܪܶܐ ܬܶܥܢܽܘܢ ܫܳܡܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܐܳܦ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܠܰܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܺܝ ܘܡܰܦܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܦܰܓܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܡ ܓ̈ܰܙܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܒܰܝܢܳܬܰܢ ܥܰܕ ܗܰܘ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܘܡܳܐ ܕܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܐܶܩܥܶܐ ܘܐܺܡܰܪ ܙܶܠܘ̱ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܬܰܘ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܕܗܳܫܳܐ ܢܶܬܶܠ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܡܡܺܝܬ ܐܳܦ ܗܽܘ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܢܥܰܕܰܪ ܀܀܀ ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬ ܟܽܠܰܢ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܕܶܒܚܰܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܕܰܒܕܶܒܚܰܬ ܦܰܓܪܳܟ ܐܰܚܝܰܬ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܘܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܰܠܒܶܫ ܦܰܓܪܰܢ ܘܡܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܡܺܝܬ ܒܰܢ ܗܽܘ ܘܚܰܝܰܝܢ ܚܢܰܢ ܒܶܗ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܫܳܠܽܘܚܶܗ
English
Be silent, O mortal things, in the lamentation of your departed ones, and be quiet, O mortal things, in the grief of your dead. Fair are the dead, the newborn, and blessed are they who hasten from the world of the living, for you cast yourselves into it. Let me go to Sheol and say there: Blessed are you, O peaceful dead, how restful you are! Hearken, O mourner, from your words that this is a consolation. Do not weep, nor mourn like tenants. Be quiet, O mortal things, like one who lives forever, and weep, O mortal things, like one who will never again be consoled. Hearken to my words, if there is in you a place to hear, and prepare provisions, so that when I call, you may come. For I am a hearer, and I also am one who calls to me, and I am a deliverer of your bodies with your treasures. Be a watchman in your houses until that day, and when you go forth, I will arise and say: Go in peace. Come, O mortal things, and let me now give praise to the one who, though he died, also raises the dead, as he helped. Praise be to you, O Lord, for the sacrifice of life, for by the sacrifice of your body you gave life to the living and the dead. Praise to the one who put on a body and died and was consoled. He died on it, and life lived in him; blessed is his self-offering.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 66”, dsc-320:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-320#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0018 · generated 2026-11-15.