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Syriac · Other · mid-4th century

Nisibis 71

Ephrem the Syrian · syriac

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machine-draft · no human review 4 passages · 905 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Nisibis 71 is a Syriac madrasha (teaching hymn) by Ephrem the Syrian, likely composed in the 350s CE during the Persian siege of Nisibis. The poem personifies the Spirit speaking through biblical figures—Abel, David, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel—to call for divine justice. It survives in a single 6th-century manuscript (Vat. sir. 113) and was later incorporated into the East Syriac liturgical cycle for the Feast of the Martyrs. The text exhibits Ephrem’s dialectical style, with a negative conclusion that contrasts preceding positive commands. Variant readings in later copies suggest scribal intervention, especially in strophic divisions.

Nisibis 71 exemplifies Ephrem’s dialectical and typological exegesis, using biblical figures to address contemporary communal trauma. It is a key witness to Syriac liturgical poetry and the development of the madrasha genre. Its incorporation into the East Syriac Feast of the Martyrs shows its enduring liturgical importance and its role in shaping Syriac Christian identity.

Historical context

Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 CE) composed Nisibis 71 while still in Nisibis, before his move to Edessa in 363 CE. The madrasha reflects the city’s experience of the Persian siege in 350 CE, a crisis that shaped Ephrem’s theological and poetic output. The work belongs to the Syriac Christian tradition of Nisibis, a frontier city of the Roman Empire with a strong Semitic Christian community. The genre of madrasha—a stanzaic teaching hymn—was used for catechetical and liturgical instruction. The text survives in a single 6th-century manuscript (Vat. sir. 113), with later copies showing scribal interventions. It was later incorporated into the East Syriac Hudra, the liturgical book for the Feast of the Martyrs, confirming its canonical status. The present edition does not collate the 10th-century ms. Add. 14,514 (British Library), which contains a divergent doxology.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

23 commentary units 5 scripture5 background4 caution3 structure3 term2 sense1 parallel 0 derived notes 8 open questions 4 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: 4 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
dsc-325:1 · narrativemedium
Source
ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܕܰܚܺܝ ܗܳܒܶܝܠ ܘܰܩܛܺܝܠ ܩܳܐܶܝܢ ܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܒܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܐܶܡܪܰܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܬ ܕܶܐܦܪܽܘܥ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܥܰܒܕ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܠܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܘܠܰܐܗܪܽܘܢ ܘܠܰܫܡܽܘܐܶܝܠ ܠܶܐ ܐܶܡܪܰܬ ܕܦܶܪܥܰܬ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܀܀܀
English
The Spirit spoke concerning Abel, who was slain and cries out. The Spirit said through David: "Look and see the works of your hands— at Moses, at Aaron, at Samuel." She did not say, "See, she has avenged.
dsc-325:2 · narrativemedium
Source
ܐܶܠܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܕܶܐܦܪܽܘܥ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܰܒܩܰܠܺܝܠ ܐܶܕܢܰܚ ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܝ̈ܗܽܘܢ ܥܽܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ: ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܒܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܒܰܢܒܺܝ̈ܶܐ ܨܳܪ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܕܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܢܽܘܚ ܘܺܐܝܽܘܒ ܘܕܳܢܺܝܐܶܝܠ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܶܢ ܡܶܣܬܰܟܰܠ ܫܳܡܽܘܥܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܐܺܝܬܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܢܰܦܫ̈ܳܬܗܽܘܢ ܡܨܶܝܢ ܕܰܢܦܰܨܽܘܢ ܐܳܦ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܬܦܰܪܩܺܝܢ ܘܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܕܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܡܶܬܦܰܨܶܝܢ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܬܰܘܬܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܙܰܕܺܝܩܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܠܰܪ̈ܕܺܝܦܶܐ ܐܶܢܗܽܘ ܕܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܚܳܐܶܝܢ ܕܣܰܟܠܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܢܶܬܩܰܛܠܽܘܢ ܚܠܳܦ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܚܶܐ ܘܰܕܛܳܠܶܡ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܚܽܘܒ̈ܠܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܗܘܰܘ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܶܢ ܢܩܽܘܡ ܡܽܘܫܶܐ ܘܰܫܡܽܘܐܶܝܠ ܒܗܳܕܶܐ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܽܘܟܳܠܶܗ ܕܩܶܪܝܳܢܳܐ ܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܠܳܐܶܐ ܒܚ̈ܰܛܳܝܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܠܳܐ ܚܰܝܺܝܢ ܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܠܳܐܶܐ ܒܰܣܪ̈ܺܝܚܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܢܰܟܦܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܚܢܽܘܟ ܚܝܳܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܦܣܽܘܩ ܣܰܒܪܶܗ ܕܫܰܡܰܥ ܕܡܶܢ ܥܰܦܪܳܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܘܠܶܗ ܬܶܗܦܽܘܟ ܘܕܰܢܚܰܘܶܐ ܕܰܡܨܶܐ ܗܽܘ ܦܰܓܪܳܐ ܕܢܺܚܶܐ ܠܥܳܠܰܡ ܥܰܡ ܢܰܦܫܳܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܒܰܚܢܽܘܟ ܐܰܣܓܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܒܽܘܝܳܐܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܢ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܠܶܐܠܺܝܳܐ ܦܪܰܥ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܣܰܒܰܪ ܥܰܡܳܐ ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܕܒܰܐܪܥܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܦܽܘܪܥܳܢܳܐ ܠܶܐܪܰܡܝܳܐ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܛܰܠܡܶܗ ܕܢܶܪܢܽܘܢ ܕܰܐܝܟܳܐ ܦܳܪܰܥ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܘܶܕ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܰܢܩܽܘܡܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܦܽܘܪܥܳܢܳܐ ܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܐܶܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܕܡܶܗ ܕܗܳܒܶܝܠ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܘܬܰܪ ܕܥܰܠ ܩܳܛܽܘܠܶܗ ܓܳܥܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܩܽܘܪܒܳܢܳܐ ܕܩܰܪܶܒ ܩܰܛܠܶܗ ܕܰܬܫܰܥܡܳܐܐ ܫܢܺܝ̈ܢ ܚܳܝܶܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ
English
But that which is to avenge, behold: Blessed is he who quickly learned the praise of the visions of his eyes: a sign. Blessed is he who among the afflicted and also among the prophets was a seal of the resurrection of the dead. Enoch and Job and Daniel show that the life of the righteous is behold. If the hearer understands, if the righteous exist, and their souls are able to be saved, and also from death they are delivered, and from the pit of Sheol they are rescued, how then will the righteousness of the righteous avail the persecuted? If those who are dead do not live, this is foolishness, that they were slain for the sake of God who does not revive, and that the oppressor carries away their rewards, and they were in Sheol like every man. If Moses and Samuel rise up, by this they show that the life of the righteous is behold. According to the reasoning of the reader, and how does it not apply to sinners? If the righteous do not live, and how does it not apply to the wicked? If the chaste is not honored, behold, life is because of Adam, that the hope of the hearer may not cease, that from dust he came and to it he will return, and that he may show that the body is able to live forever with the soul. Blessed is he who, because of behold, increased for himself a cry to the father Adam. To Elijah he repaid in heaven, that the people might not think vainly that on earth alone is reward. To Jeremiah in the pit of his oppression, behold, that he showed where he repaid him. David, behold, that he rose up for the true reward. If there were no vision, how would the blood of Abel have availed, that cried out against his murderer? The offering that his murderer offered, that the astonished might see that he lives.
dsc-325:3 · narrativehigh
Source
ܐܶܢ ܚ̈ܰܝܶܐ ܚ̈ܕܰܬܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ ܠܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܘܒܶܕ ܩܰܪ̈ܺܝܒܶܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܠܶܗ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܚܰܛܳܝܳܐ ܠܽܘܩܕܰܡ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܟܽܘܡ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܟܺܐܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܒܰܠܥܶܗ ܠܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܫܳܪܽܘܝܳܐ ܕܢܶܓܥܰܡ ܒܶܗ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܕܡܳܐ ܕܕܳܐܶܠ ܟܺܐܢܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܢܶܣܬܰܦܰܩ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܝܰܗ̱ܒ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܐܬܳܢܳܐ ܡܶܠܬܳܐ ܓܠܺܝܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܙܶܩܬܳܐ ܕܬܶܡܚܶܐ ܠܡܳܪܳܗ̇ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܡܚܳܗ̇ ܀܀܀ ܟܽܘܕܰܢܝܳܐ ܣܰܟܠܳܐ ܕܰܚܙܳܐ ܟܰܪܝܳܐ ܕܟܶܣܦܳܐ ܘܶܐܫܬܺܝܚܳܢ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܕܰܡܶܐ ܠܰܒܥܺܝܪܳܐ ܘܢܶܦܣܽܘܩ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܚܳܡܰܢ ܐܰܚ̈ܶܐ ܫܰܒܥܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܢܰܟܰܣܘ̱ ܐܰܝܟ ܐܶܡܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܛܰܒ̈ܳܚܶܐ ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܢܶܒܥܽܘܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܥܰܠ ܐܰܝܕܳܐ ܬܰܢܘܰܝ ܐܰܣܠܺܝܘ ܐܳܦ ܕܳܫ̈ܢܶܐ ܐܳܦ ܫܽܘ̈ܘܕܳܝܶܐ ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܒܰܪܬܳܐ ܝܳܗܶܒ ܠܳܗ̇ ܠܰܫܡܽܘܢܺܝ ܟܠܺܝܠܳܐ ܕܰܒܢܶܝ̈ܗ̇ ܐܶܢ ܢܒܰܝܰܐ ܣܳܒܳܐ ܗܰܝܡܶܢ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܠܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܦܳܪܶܫ ܝܽܘܫܺܝܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܰܝܳܢܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܐ̱ܪܙܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܕܳܐܬܶܐ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܘܰܡܢܰܚܶܡ ܘܰܡܦܰܪܶܫ ܣܽܘܥܪ̈ܳܢܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܕܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ ܥܰܡ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܐܶܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܡܳܢܳܐ ܐܰܘܬܰܪ ܝܽܘܫܺܝܳܐ ܕܝܰܩܰܪ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܬܰܒܪܶܗ ܐܰܪܝܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ ܘܶܐܬܝܰܩܰܪ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܡܰܪܓܶܫ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܢܛܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙ ܐܰܟܪܶܙܘ̱ ܥܰܠ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܐܰܪܝܳܐ ܕܩܰܛܠܶܗ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܩܰܛܠܳܗ̇ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܐܬܳܢܳܐ ܕܠܰܘ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܫܛܳܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܬ ܒܗܳܝ ܐܰܬܳܢܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܢܰܛܪܰܬ ܀܀܀
English
If new life is not to be, why did he destroy the near ones? To death he gave no sign, the sinful dead one, beforehand, so that sorrow would not rise up over him sorrowfully. The first sorrow swallowed him up, by which the resurrection of what the first sorrow feared was tasted. Death from all was reconciled. Blessed is he who gave to the sign a clear word like a chain, that it might strike its lord for its striker. The foolish one who saw the mourner of silver and was ashamed, let him not be compared to the brute, and let him cut off the hope of his resurrection. The seven brothers who were slaughtered like lambs in the house of butchers, where will they seek their lives? On which hand will they hang their hope? Both the gazelles and the partridges. Blessed is he who gives to the daughter her crown of her suitors. If the old man believes the sign, that among bones he distinguishes bones, the righteous one like a judge, behold, a great mystery has revived. The lord comes and makes known and distinguishes the deeds of those who are prepared with their bones. If resurrection were not, why would the righteous one preserve his bones? The lion, when he feels, breaks the bones of the servant; and he is honored when he does not feel, the scattered bones of the servant. In a mystery they proclaimed the resurrection. The lion that killed the servant did not kill the sign, for it was not a commandment that was foolish, in that sign which was adorned.
dsc-325:4 · narrativemedium
Source
ܬܺܐܠܰܦ ܚܰܘܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܩܰܛܠܰܬ ܕܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܕܫܳܛܰܬ ܩܰܛܠܳܗ̇ ܠܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܥܽܘܠ ܕܰܝܳܢܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܦܶܣ ܠܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܘܬܰܒܪܶܗ ܠܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܟܰܦܢܳܐ ܕܒܡܟܽܘܠܬܳܐ ܐܶܫܬܕܶܠ ܦܩܰܕ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܟܦܶܢ ܘܒܰܠܥܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܕܐܶܬܝܰܥܰܢ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܐܪܝܳܐ ܡܶܬܒܰܛܰܠ ܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܘܳܐܕܳܡ ܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܘܶܐܢ ܗܰܘ ܚܰܪܫܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܶܕ̈ܢܶܐ ܡܰܕܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܥܒܰܕ ܝܽܘܪܒܳܥܳܡ ܫܡܰܥ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܕܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܨܪܳܐ ܥܽܘܒܶܗ ܘܶܐܫܰܕ ܩܰܛܡܳܐ ܒܐ̱ܪܳܙܶܗ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܨܛܰܪ̈ܝܳܢ ܕܶܐܢ ܟܺܐܦ̈ܶܐ ܫܡܰܥ ܠܰܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܫܳܡܥܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܓܰܪ̈ܡܶܐ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܒܢܽܘܢܳܐ ܐܰܚ̈ܰܝ ܕܚܰܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܝܰܘܢܳܢ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܟܰܕ ܡܺܝܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܐܳܦ ܡ̈ܺܝܬܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܡܳܝܬܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܟܰܕ ܚܰܝܺܝܢ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܚܰܒܺܝܒܰܢ ܕܰܥܡܰܕ ܒܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܐܰܝܟ ܝܰܘܢܳܢ ܢܒܰܓ ܡܶܢܳܗ̇ ܢܦܰܠ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܒܝܰܡܳܐ ܡܺܝܬܳܐ ܘܡܰܠܳܠܳܐ ܒܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܚܬܺܝܡܳܐ ܘܰܦܟܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܒܢܽܘܪܳܐ ܫܪܺܝܬܳܐ ܝܰܡܳܐ ܘܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܘܰܐܬܽܘܢܳܐ ܥܶܪ̈ܒܶܐ ܠܡ̈ܺܝܬܶܐ ܗܳܘܶܝܢ ܕܗܳܟܰܢ ܥܳܢܶܝܢ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܕܽܘܟ ܡܳܐ ܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܢܽܘܚܳܡܳܐ ܒܰܝܰܐܢ ܓܽܘܒܶܗ ܕܰܪܓܺܝܓܳܐ ܕܰܚܠܳܦ ܚܰܕ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܝܰܥܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܡ̈ܶܐ ܟ̈ܰܦܢܶܐ ܐܶܬܟܰܪܟܽܘܗ̱ܝ ܐܶܬܦܰܬܰܚ ܓܽܘܒܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܚܳܒ ܚܰܝ̈ܘܳܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܣܠܶܩ ܐܰܟܪܶܙ ܢܰܨܺܝܚܳܐ ܚܰܝܰܬ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܠܰܩܒܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ
English
He showed the sign of the one who was slain, by the command of the one who drowned her. For the judge is not just, he who gave permission to the lion, the roar, and broke the cub, the whelp, who in the measure struggled. He commanded death to be bowed down, and it swallowed Adam, who roared. Death and the lion are abolished; the cub and Adam are troubled. And if that magician who did not know, the altar that Jeroboam made, had heard the voice of the cub, he would have crushed his heel and cast dust. By his mystery, graves are narrowed. If stones heard the cub, bones would hear him to the son. Behold, the mystery in the festival brings to life, for he was alive, the youth, to God. When he was dead to the sons of man, even the dead bring to you the festival. When they are alive to divinity, and their beloved who was baptized in Sheol, like the youth, he fled from her. He fell, living, into the dead sea, and the speaker is sealed in a pit, and the freeborn in a grave, a beginning. The sea, the pit, and the furnace are flocks for the dead, for thus they help from every place. Whatever calls to you, the Spirit, he seeks his pit, the one who is enraged, for instead of one death, a roar. Hungry mouths surrounded him; the pit was opened like graves, and he saw life like death, and he ascended and proclaimed the victor. The dead live for the buried.
Citation. Tergwame, “Nisibis 71”, dsc-325:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/dsc-325#s1
Colophon. Source: syriac · licence: CC BY 4.0 · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0030 · generated 2026-11-15.