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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 68

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 747 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 68 is a madrasha (teaching poem) by Ephrem the Syrian from his Nisibene cycle, composed in strophic isosyllabic verse with a refrain. It dates to the mid-4th century, likely the 350s–360s CE, during the Persian sieges of Nisibis. The poem features a speaker shift where the Church yields to Christ’s direct address to Death, rebuking it for troubling the righteous. It alludes to Genesis 2:7, Elijah’s ascension (2 Kings 2:11), and Lazarus’s resurrection (John 11:1-44) to undermine Death’s finality. The Syriac text survives in a single medieval manuscript (Vat. Syr. 113) and was later incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical cycle for the Feast of the Martyrs.

This madrasha exemplifies Ephrem’s poetic theology, using typology and biblical allusion to combat Death’s power. It reflects the Nisibene community’s trauma during sieges and its hope in resurrection. The work’s later liturgical use shows its enduring influence in East Syriac tradition, linking it to broader Christian martyrdom and eschatological themes.

Historical context

Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE) composed the Nisibene hymns in Nisibis (modern Nusaybin, Turkey) during the 350s–360s CE, when the city faced repeated Persian sieges under Shapur II. The community was Syriac-speaking and Christian, with a strong ascetic and liturgical tradition. The madrasha genre, a strophic teaching poem with a refrain, was used for catechesis and communal worship. The text survives in a single medieval manuscript, Vat. Syr. 113, copied centuries after Ephrem’s death, introducing possible scribal errors and liturgical reworking, especially in the refrain. Its later incorporation into the East Syriac Feast of the Martyrs shows its adaptation beyond its original Nisibene context. The dating relies on internal historical references and manuscript colophons, but the evidence is thin for precise year attribution.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

17 commentary units 3 term3 scripture3 background2 sense2 parallel2 caution1 structure1 reception 0 derived notes 6 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-322:1 · narrativehigh
Source
ܝܙ ܒܰܪ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܐܳܘ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܬܶܫܬܥܰܠܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܡܳܪܳܟ ܕܰܒܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܶܗ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܠܳܟ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܒܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܟ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܒܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܟ ܡܶܫܬܦܶܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܣܟܺܢܳܐ ܒܗܳܕܶܐ ܝܰܬܺܝܪ ܝܺܪܶܒ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܠܬܰܟܽܘܢ ܕܟܰܕ ܥܳܒܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܚܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܓܒܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܘܰܡܫܰܠܶܛ ܘܰܬܚܶܝܬ ܢܺܝܪܶܗ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܟܶܢܬܳܟ ܥܰܒܼ̈ܕܶܐ ܗܰܘܝܬܽܘܢ ܀܀܀ ܕܫܽܘܒܗܳܪܰܢ ܗܺܝ ܕܗܳܐ ܥܰܒ̈ܕܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܡܳܪ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܟܢܳܬܶܗ ܕܫܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܗܳܐ ܫܰܦܠܳܟ ܐܳܦ ܕܟܶܢܬܳܟ ܥܰܒ̈ܕܶܐ ܟܦܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܚܢܽܘܟ ܕܳܫ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܬܪ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܦܪܰܚ ܘܰܐܡܠܶܟ ܘܶܐܢ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܚܢܽܘܟ ܐܰܟܳܪܝ̱ ܠܰܢ ܡܶܬܒܰܝܰܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܥܰܦܪܶܗ ܕܢܽܘܚ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܗܳܐ ܕܳܐܶܫ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܙܽܘܥ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܳܐܦ ܟܰܕ ܥܰܒܕܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܢܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܡܳܪܽܘܬܶܗ ܡܰܡܠܶܟ ܥܰܠ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܚܳܕܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܠܰܘ ܠܰܒܨܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܳܕܶܝܢ ܙܟܺܝܬ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܪܰܒ ܓܶܝܪ ܚܰܝܳܒܳܐ ܪܰܒ ܗܽܘ ܕܰܙܟܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܛܳܒ ܢܨܰܪ ܩܳܠܳܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܚܢܽܘܟ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܶܐܠܺܝܳܐ ܬܰܒܰܪܘ̱ ܙܰܘܓܳܐ ܕܓܶܦܰܝ̈ܟ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܬܩܽܘܠ ܐܶܒ̈ܠܰܝ ܥܰܡ ܒܽܘ̈ܝܳܐܝ ܚܠܳܦ ܬܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܗܳܐ ܣܰܓ̈ܺܝܐܶܐ ܕܶܐܬܰܘ ܘܳܐܬܶܝܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܘܳܐܬܶܐ ܨܶܐܕܰܝܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܬܰܘܬܒܳܐ ܫܪܳܐ ܘܡܰܫܩܰܠ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܝܪܳܟ ܐܰܝܟ ܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ ܠܳܐ ܬܰܒܪܢܝ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܥܰܨܒܳܢܝ̱ ܕܠܳܥܳܙܳܪ ܕܡܶܪܰܕ ܥܠܰܝ ܬܽܘܒ ܫܰܥܒܳܕܬܶܗ ܀܀܀
English
17. The voice of her son: O Death, do not be troubled over the righteous, the sons of your Lord, who by His command come against you. The Church: To you belongs the glory that by your command Death ruled, and by your decree it raged like a tyrant. In this, the father erred more, like your word, that when the father made the free sons, Adam chose, appointed, and set his image. You, Death, and the Evil One, your companions, were servants. But the boast is that they were servants, the lords, Death and Satan, the companion of the one who set Adam. Behold, your lowliness and that of your companion, the faithless servants, whose fear trampled your two thresholds, and fled and ruled. And if the fear of you is like a farmer, how is the father seen, that over the dust of the spirit, the bearer, behold, the father burns? Tremble, Death, from the head of the man, even when he was a servant, the image of whose lordship rules over creatures. Rejoice, father, that you have not conquered the lesser ones, for as the guilty one is great, so is the one who conquers him. Good, restrain your voice, Death, over the righteous, for your fear and Elijah have broken the pair of your wings. Know, father, that my mournings will be weighed with my joys. Instead of the two, behold, many have come and will come, all who have come and will come against you as a dwelling. Loose and take from your monastery like Lazarus. Do not break this voice as you did my finger, that of Lazarus who rebelled against me; again, his service.
dsc-322:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܐܶܫܬܐܶܠ ܘܰܕܪܽܘܫ ܕܳܡ ܐܳܠܨܰܬ ܗܘܳܬ ܕܢܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܐܶܢ ܠܰܘ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܨܳܪ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܶܗ ܢܰܗܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܰܕܪܳܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܒ̈ܰܛܺܝܠܶܐ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܥܒܳܕܝ̱ ܥܳܡܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܦܪܽܘܫ ܘܰܐܕܒܰܪ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܠܡܶܕܪܰܫ ܐܶܬܛܰܝܒܰܬ ܡܰܢܽܘ ܙܶܓܪܳܟ ܫܪܳܪܶܗ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܢ ܐܳܠܨܳܟ ܒܗ̈ܶܦܟܳܬܶܗ ܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܣܳܢܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܰܡܢܺܝܚ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܣ̈ܒܺܝܟܽܘܢ ܘܰܐ̈ܠܺܝܨܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܒܰܕܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܳܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܐܰܘ ܡܳܝܽܘ̈ܬܳܐ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܩܰܛܠܟܽܘܢ ܘܶܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܨܛܚܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܦܫܺܝܩܳܐܺܝܬ ܐܰܦܪܣܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܥܰܒܕܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ ܘܰܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܗܽܘ ܒܰܚܛܳܗ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܐܰܡܶܠܟܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܨܳܒܶܝܢ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܐܰܥܺܝܪܳܢܝ̱ ܕܫܳܠܶܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܗܘܺܝܬ ܘܰܐܚܰܝܬܽܘܢܳܢܝ̱ ܕܰܬܡܽܘܬܽܘܢ ܒܺܝ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܰܕܳܒ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܩܛܰܠܘ̱ ܘܰܟܦܰܪܘ̱ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܓܶܝܪ ܩܛܰܠ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܘܒܺܝ ܡܶܬܥܕܰܠ ܪܺܝܫ ܗܳܪܬܳܐ ܚܶܘܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܠܺܝܛܳܐ ܕܫܰܦܺܝܪ ܚܓܺܝܪ ܕܪܳܫܶܦ ܥܰܠ ܣܳܡ ܡܨܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܠܺܝ ܘܰܠܟܽܘܢ ܫܒܺܝܩ ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ ܘܰܥܠܰܝ ܗܽܘ ܡܶܬܓܰܪܶܝܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܙܶܠܘ̱ ܐܶܬܟܰܬܰܫܘ̱ ܥܰܡ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܗܽܘ ܚܰܝܶܒܟܽܘܢ ܫܰܘܬܶܦܝ̱ ܗܽܘ ܘܠܳܐ ܟܳܦܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܘܕܰܣܢܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܣܰܓܺܝ ܡܶܢ ܐܳܠܨܳܬ ܕܶܐܨܛܚܳܐ ܒܶܗ ܟܦܺܝܪ ܒܶܗ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܒܰܝܰܐܟܽܘܢ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܶܥܺܝܩܰܬ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܡܰܘܕܶܐ ܒܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܫܰܪܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܢܳܛܰܦ ܒܶܐܕ̈ܢܰܝ ܩܳܠ ܛܽܘܝܳܒܳܐ ܕܫܺܝܦܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܣܳܥܰܪ ܢܰܦܫܶܗ ܠܡܰܝܳܒܒܽܘ ܫܡܰܥܘ̱ ܡ̈ܶܠܰܝ ܘܰܐܣܶܓܘ̱ ܡܶܫܚܳܐ ܠܰܠܡܦܺܐܕ̈ܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܕܰܟܠܺܝܬܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܶܢ ܨܶܐܕܝ̱ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܟܽܘܢ
English
Death: I struggled and strove, and blood was pressed out, that I might be troubled whether I should enter the mystery. The righteous one pressed his strength, and your swift ones stood for the contest like idle men. For I, by my deeds, am a toiler; I am the one who presses and drives. Much has the school been made ready; your little ones are few. The truth of his strength pressed you with its reversals. He made you my servants for a help, while I am not weary. I am the one who makes the dead of the Messiah your captives and your distressed ones. He made you my servants like a cry or like dead ones. Adam killed you, and I am the one who is found victorious. Simply I scattered you, for I was a servant, and you yourselves, by your sins, made me king. Adam wishes to awaken me, for I was at rest. I was dead, and you gave me life, that you might die in me. I receive from the liars who killed and denied. For Adam killed himself, and through me he is tormented. The head of the serpent is the cursed one who is beautifully adorned, who rushes upon the one who sets authority between me and you. Leave Satan, and upon me he is provoked; you yourselves, go, contend with the evil one who is your accuser. He is your partner, and I do not deny, and he has concealed much. From the pressing of the one who is found, in him the denier is now. Hear my words, O dead ones, and I will show you. I am the one who was pressed, and I am the one who confesses the life of the dead. For he began to drip in my ears the voice of the good one, of the one who is sent, who labored himself to make you live. Hear my words, and add oil to your lamps, for from my side there is no rest for you.
dsc-322:3 · narrativehigh
Source
ܬܶܗܘܽܘܢ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢ ܕܳܐܦ ܟܰܕ ܛܳܒ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܶܡܪܰܬ ܪܚܺܝܡܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܨܰܘ̈ܬܰܝܟܽܘܢ ܠܨܳܕܶܝܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܬܩܺܝܠ ܗܽܘ ܠܺܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܒܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܘܪܰܒ ܗܽܘ ܫܰܝܢܶܗ ܕܪܰܚܫܳܐ ܘܢܽܘ̈ܢܶܐ ܘܦܳܪܰܚܬܳܐ ܠܘܰܥܕܶܗ ܐܳܬܶܝܢ ܬܶܡܗܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܕܳܐܦ ܥܰܠ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܰܒܺܝܒ ܨܰܘܬܶܗ ܐܳܦ ܗܽܘ ܒܺܝܫܼܳܐ ܠܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ ܠܘܺܝܬܶܗ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܬܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܟܽܘܢ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܐܳܘ ܡܳܝ̈ܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܶܐܢܳܐ ܕܓܶܙܝܰܬ ܐܶܬܓܰܙܳܐ ܒܓܰܘܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܬܰܘܕܺܝܬܳܐ ܬܶܣܰܩ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܠܳܟ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܕܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܽܘܟܳܐ ܡܟܰܢܶܫ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܥܰܦܪܶܗ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ ܀܀܀
English
You know that even when I was good, I said, "My friends, look to your voices for the sake of Sheol." Heavy for me indeed was the son of the tree, and great was his shout, of the chariot and the wagons and the cavalry coming to his appointed time. A wonder indeed that even over the wakeful ones the beloved one's voice was sweet. Even that evil one seeks to join his own to Gehenna. Let the life of the dead be for you, or the deadening ones? And I saw that the mystery was cut within Sheol. Thanksgiving shall ascend from all to you, who revives all, for from every place you, the one who casts down the dust of Adam, are strong.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 68”, dsc-322:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-322#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0025 · generated 2026-11-15.