Isaac of Antioch - On the End Times
author: Isaac of Antioch
created: Fifth century(?)
language: syr
availability: Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ [This electronic edition is designed for open access reuse. The Syriac base text is in the public domain. The TEI XML edition is copyrighted by James E. Walters and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC BY 4.0).] [The HTML page is copyrighted by Vanderbilt University and released under a under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Pu (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Isaac of Antioch - On the End Times

Abigail Pearson (University of Exeter), editor. Giovanni Di Russo (Harvard Divinity School), Shelby Loster (Beth Mardutho), and Peter M. Møberg (Lutheran Evangelical Church of Denmark), translators. [The authors would like to thank Sebastian Brock who suggested Vat. Sir. 120 in response to our call for unpublished manuscripts to use in the testing of Syriac HTR models.]

Preface

This is a born-digital edition of Isaac of Antioch’s mēmrā On the End Times. It is based on a copy found in the Vatican Library manuscript Vat. Sir. 120 (ff. 74r–75v), which has been digitized as is available to view here. The manuscript is dated to c. 6 th century, making it the oldest extant witness to Isaac of Antioch’s writings.[^1] The only other known witness to the mēmrā is Vat. Sir. 364 (ff. 88r–90v).

[^1: J.S. Assemani, Biblioteca apostolica vaticana codicum manuscriptorum catalogus in tres partes distributes: in quarum prima Orientales, in altera Craeci in tertia Latini Italici aliorumque Europaeorum idiomatum codices Vol. 3 (Paris: Maisonneuve Frères, 1926), 123–126.]

To produce this edition, digital images of Vat. Sir. 120 were automatically transcribed using the Handwritten Text Recognition program Transkribus in combination with the model for Estrangelo developed by Beth Mardutho. The transcription was then manually corrected, and the marginal corrections - added by a later hand - were incorporated. To reflect the meter of the mēmrā, the text is presented in couplets of twenty-four syllables, consisting of two twelve-syllable lines. Punctuation has also been added to aid the reader, with (:) placed after the twelfth syllable, and (܀) placed after twenty-fourth syllable.

With this edition, we also offer an English translation of the mēmrā. This translation was produced by three students from Beth Mardutho’s Syriac II summer course (2019) using the transcription and digital images of the manuscript.

Apparatus

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Text

ܬܘܒ. ܕܥܠ ܙܒ̈ܢܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܝܣܚܩ.
ܩܘܫܬܐ ܙܩܬܢܝ ܘܐܝܟ ܕܠܕܡܟܐ ܩ̣ܪܐ ܘܐܥܝܪܢܝ:
ܟܕ ܡ̇ܠܦ ܠܝ ܥܠ ܡܬܝܬܐ ܕܙܒ̈ܢܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܐ܀
ܗܘܐ ܠܝ ܪܒܐ ܘܐܢܐ ܠܡ̈ܠܘܗܝ ܐܝܟ ܬܠܡܝܕܐ:
ܡ̣ܠܘ ܚܘ̈ܫܒܝ ܡܢ ܝܘܠܦܢܗ ܕܟܪܘܙ ܚ̈ܝܐ܀
ܫܡܥ̇ܬ ܡܢܗ ܩ̈ܠܐ ܕܩ̇ܥܝܢ ܥܠ ܢܘܚܡܐ:
ܘܐܪܙܐ ܕܐܡ̇ܪ ܫܝܢܐ ܡܟܝܠ ܥܠ ܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ܀
ܨܠܝ ܠܡ ܐܕܢܟ ܛܠܝܐ ܘܫܡ̣ܥ ܐܡ̇ܪ ܗܘܐ ܠܝ:
ܘܪܗ̣ܛ ܐܟܪܙ ܟܠ ܕܐܡܪ ܠܟ ܠܕܫܡܥ ܠܟ܀
ܦܬܚ ܠܝ ܦܘܡܟ ܫܒܪܐ ܘܐܡܠܝܘܗܝ ܢܒܥܐ ܚܠ̣ܝܐ:
ܡ̈ܠܐ ܕܚܠܝܢ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܕܒܫܐ ܠܫܡ̈ܘܥܝܗܝܢ܀
ܚܠܦ ܐܣܩܝܛܐ. ܬܐ ܐܬܢܓܕ ܒܫܡ̈ܝܥܬܐ:
ܘܚܠܦ ܫܒܛܐ ܢܪܕܝܟ ܫܡ̣ܥܐ ܕܦܣܝܩ̈ܬܐ܀
ܐܢ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܬ ܚܝܠܐ ܕܣ̣ܦܪ̈ܐ ܘܐܠܐ ܫܐܠ:
ܕܡܛܬ ܚܪܬܐ. ܢܒܝ̈ܐ ܩ̇ܥܝܢ ܐܦ ܫܠܝܚ̈ܐ܀
ܐܦ ܗ̣ܘ ܟܝܢܐ ܡ̇ܠܦ ܗ̣ܘ ܠܟ ܥܡ ܢܡܘܣ̈ܘܗܝ:
ܕܐܘܦܝܘ ܨܒ̈ܬܘܗܝ ܘܐܦ ܬܩܢ̈ܬܗ ܥܡ ܦܘܪ̈ܦܥܘܗܝ܀
ܚܘܪ ܕܝܢ ܒܫ̈ܢܝܟ ܘܒܝܘܡ̈ܬܟ ܘܚܙܝ ܢܦܫܟ:
ܕܐܡܠܟ ܪܘܫܥܐ ܦܠ̇ܛ ܨܘܪܟ ܡܢ ܢܟܝ̈ܢܘܗܝ܀܀
ܡ̇ܠܟܐ ܒܝܼܫܐ ܐܡܠܟ ܒܐܪܥܐ̣ ܘܗܐ ܫ̇ܓܫ ܠܗ̇:
ܐܚܘܕ ܓܘܣܐ ܒܡ̇ܠܟܐ ܕܪܘܡܐ ܘܗ̣ܘ ܦ̇ܪܩ ܠܟ܀
ܠܕܡܐ ܕܢܦܫܐ ܨܗܐ ܣܛܢܐ ܥܡ ܫܡܫ̈ܘܗܝ:
ܓܘܢܚܐ ܗܘ ܐܢ ܗ̣ܘ ܕܒܐ̈ܝܕܘܗܝ ܬܦܠ ܕܐܦ [Vat. Sir. 364 has ܐܦ] ܩ̇ܛܠ ܠܟ܀
ܒܫܝܢܐ ܩ̇ܛܠ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܚܘܪܒܐ ܘܝ ܠܩܛܝ̈ܠܘܗܝ:
ܒܕܒܪܐ ܡܚ̣ܛܐ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܫܝܢܐ ܠܐܝܟܐ ܬܥܪܘܩ܀
}ܠܕܒܫܝܢܐ {ܓܝܪ ܚ̇ܢܩ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܪܓܝܓܬܐ:
ܘܠܕܒܛܘܪ̈ܐ ܒܨܦܬܐ ܣܢܝܬܐ ܘܒܡܪܢܝܬܐ܀܀
ܠܫܝܢܐ ܬܥܘܠ ܛܒ ܗܘ ܡܢܗ ܚܘܪܒܐ ܕܚܝܠܐ:
ܠܕܒܪܐ ܬܦ݁ܘܩ. ܦܩ̇ܥ ܠܒܟ ܡܢ ܙܘܥ̈ܙܥܐ܀
ܕܐܬܚ̣ܒܠܬ ܠܗ̇ ܐܪܥܐ ܟܘܠܗ̇ ܕܫܓܫܘܗ̇ ܒܝ̈ܫܐ:
ܩܢܛܐ ܒܫܝܢܐ ܘܒܓܘ ܕܒܪܐ ܘܐܦ ܣܘܪ̈ܕܐ܀
ܚܘ̈ܒܐ ܒܚܘܪܒܐ ܛܢܢܐ ܒܫܝܢܐ. ܥܘܼܠܐ ܒܟܠ ܕܘܟ:
ܐܠܝܨ ܩܘܫܬܐ ܘܥܨܐ ܫܪܪܐ ܨܝܕ ܒܥ̈ܝܘܗܝ܀
ܥܠܡܐ ܣܐ̣ܒ ܠܗ. ܘܦܟܗ ܛܥܡܗ̇ ܕܥܠܝܡܘܬܗ:
ܥܠ ܦܘܡ ܩܒܪܐ ܒܩܢܛܐ ܩܐ̇ܡ ܘܗܐ ܦܛ̇ܪ ܠܗ܀
ܐܪܥܐ ܠܐ̣ܝܬ ܘܒ̣ܨܪ ܚܝܠܗ̇ ܡܢ ܓܐܘ̈ܬܐ:
ܙܒܢܐ ܗ̣ܘ ܕܬܢܘܚ ܐܦ ܬܬܚܪܪ ܡܢ ܦܘܠܚܢܐ܀
ܐܬܛܥܝܬ ܠܗ̇ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܩܘܫܬܐ ܡܢ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ:
ܫܒܝܠܐ ܕܢܦܫܗ ܕܪܫ ܠܡ ܟܠ ܐܢܫ ܘܢܦܩ̣ ܛܥ̇ܐ܀
ܐܝܟ ܙܢܝܬܐ ܟܪܘܡܢܝܬܐ ܒܪܝܬܐ ܙܠܬ݂:
ܒܥܘܼܠܐ ܓ̣ܪܬ ܘܥܠ ܦܚܙܘܬܐ ܫܕ̈ܟܐ ܥܒ݂ܕܬܝ܀
ܪܘܚܐ ܢܫܒ݂ܬ ܕܐܝܬܝܗ̇ ܚܛܝܬܐ ܒܝܡܐ ܕܥܘܼܠܐ:
ܘܗܐ ܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ ܬܪܨܘ ܐܠܦܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܨܝܕ ܓܗܢܐ܀܀
ܚܬܝܪ̈ܝܢ ܘܐ̇ܙܠܝܢ ܟܕ ܚ̈ܛܝܝܢ ܠܦܚܬܐ ܕܢܘܪܐ:
ܘܠܐ ܚܫ ܠܒܗܘܢ ܒܚܛܗ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܒܟܝܐ ܪܒܐ܀
ܟܘܟܒ ܚܫܟܐ ܗܘ̣ܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܢܝܫܐ ܠܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܡܘܬܐ:
ܠܩܘܒܠܗ ܪ̈ܕܝܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܒܩܘ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܚ̈ܝܐ܀
ܗܐ ܥܛܝܪ ܝܡܐ ܘܫܓܝܫ ܝܒܫܐ ܒܥܘܡܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ:
ܟܠܢܫ ܚ̇ܒܨ ܡܢܘ̣ ܢܪܫܥ. ܛܒ ܡܢ ܚܒܪܗ܀
ܚ̇ܙܝܬ ܟܕ ܪܫܐ ܒܝܼܫܐ ܠܒܝܫܐ ܥܠ ܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܘܗܝ:
ܘܠܚܛܝܐ ܕܕܐ̇ܢ ܚܒܪܗ ܥܠ ܣܟܠܘܬܗ܀
ܝܬܒ̣ܬ ܬܡܗ̇ܬ ܐܦ ܐܝܕܝ ܥܠ ܦܟܝ ܣ̇ܡܬ ܘܒܟ̇ܝܬ:
ܕܠܪܫܝܥܐ ܚܒܪܗ ܩܛܪܓ ܥܠ ܣܢܝ̈ܬܗ܀
ܚ̇ܙܝܼܬ ܓܝܪܐ ܕܚ̇ܣܕ ܚܒܪܗ ܒܓܝܪܘܬܐ:
ܘܛܡܐܐ ܕܐܡ̇ܪ ܐܘ ܡܢ ܛܡܐ̈ܐ ܕܣܥܪܘ ܙܐܦܐ܀
ܘܐܝܼܟܘ ܠܒܟ. ܐܘ ܪܫܘܝܐ ܕܠܟ ܠܐ [Vat. Sir. 364 has ܕܠܐ] ܪܫܝܬ:
ܐܢ ܟܢܘܬܐ ܠܟ ܡܬܚܙܝܐ ܐܦ ܐܢܬ݂ ܣܢܝܐ ܐܢܬ܀
ܚܛܝܬܐ ܕܚܒܪܟ }}ܗܐ {{ܡܥܝ̇ܩܐ ܠܟ ܢܣ̇ܒ ܒܐ̈ܦܐ:
ܥܘܼܠܟ ܕܝܠܟ ܠܐ ܡܟܣ ܠܟ ܕܐ̇ܢ ܫܘܩܪܐ܀
ܠܐ ܢܐܠܨܘܢܟ ܫܡ̣̈ܥܐ ܕܒܗܘܢ ܬܚܛܐ ܢܦܫܟ:
ܦܐܝܐ ܕܬܗܘܐ ܡܬܪܫܝܢܐ ܘܠܐ ܪܫܘܝܐ܀
ܗܘܝ ܒܨܒܝܢܟ ܕܘܓܐ ܘܚܪܫܐ ܘܕܠܐ ܥܝ̈ܢܐ:
ܫܡ̇ܥ ܘܫ̇ܠܐ ܚ̇ܙܐ ܘܫ̇ܬܝܩ ܝ̇ܕܥ ܘܒܗܝܠ܀
ܗܢ ܦܘܪܫܢܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܘܬܟ ܕܡܙ̇ܕܩ ܠܟ:
ܢܦܫܟ ܠܘܩܕܡ ܬܗܘܐ ܕܐ̇ܢ ܒܟ ܢ̇ܦܠ ܠܟ܀
ܫܠܡܐ ܡܠܠ̣ ܥܠ ܟܘܠ ܒܪ ܐܢܫ ܐܝܟ ܦܪܘܫܐ:
ܘܚܠܦ ܣܢܐܐ̣ ܗܘܝ ܚܒܝܒܐ ܒܡܟܝܟܘܬܟ܀
ܚܬܡܐ ܕܫܬܩܐ ܢܗܘܐ }ܢܗܐ{ ܥܠ ܦܘܡܟ ܒܒܛܝܠܘܬܐ:
ܘܪܕܝ ܒܫܬܩܐ ܐ̇ܟܠ ܩܪܨܐ ܕܡ̇ܕܘܕ ܠܟ܀
ܬܒ ܐܬܒܩܐ ܒܐܪܥܟ ܬܒܝܠ ܐܝܟ ܚ̇ܙܝܐ:
ܘܚܙܝ ܕܟܠܗ̇ ܥܘܼܬܝܐ ܡܠܝܐ ܘܛܪ ܐܣܟܡܟ܀
ܠܐ ܐܝܬ ܕܚ̇ܣܝܟ ܐܘ ܕܡܚ̇ܪܪ ܡܢ ܒܝܫܬ̈ܐ:
ܕܐܢܫ ܐܝܟ ܚܝܠܗ ܛܥܝܢ ܗ̣ܘ ܡܢܗ̇ ܕܡܘܿܒܠ ܚ̈ܘܒܐ܀
ܒܫܢܬܐ ܕܫ̈ܒܥ ]ܥܒ̈ܕܐ [The manuscript is damaged at this point and the word is only faintly visible, so it has been restored from Vat. Sir. 364.] [ ܠܥܒ̈ܕܐ ܝܗ̣ܒܘ ܚܪܘܬܐ:
ܒܐ̇ܠܦܐ ܕܫܒ̈ܥܐ. ܐܢܬ ܚܪܪ ܠܢ ܒܪ ܡܪܐ ܟܠ܀
ܒܫܢܬܐ ܕܫܒܥ ܐܪܥܐ ܢܚܬ. ܘܐܟܠܘܗ̇ ܝܬܡ̈ܐ:
ܒܐܠܦܐ ܕܫܒ̈ܥܐ ܗܒ ܠܒܢ̈ܝܐ ܡܢ ܛܝܒܘܿܬܟ܀
ܠܟܘܠ ܚ̇ܝܒ̈ܐ ܗ̣ܘܐ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ. ܒܫܢܬܐ ܕܫܒܥ:
ܘܠܟܠ ܕܚܛܘ ܥܒܕ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ ܒܐܠܦܐ ܕܫ̈ܒܥܐ܀
ܒܫܒܬܐ ܠܥܡܐ ܢܝ̇ܚܐ ܗ̣ܘܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܥܒ̈ܕܐ ܘܚܐܪ̈ܐ:
ܒܫܒܬܟ ܡܪܢ ܠܛܒ̈ܐ ܘܒܝܼܫ̈ܐ ܢܗܘܐ }ܢܗܐ{ ܫܘܒܩܢܐ܀
ܡܙܓ ܫܒܪܐ ܥܡ ܬܘܪܓܡܟ ܘܐܦ ܣܘܥܪ̈ܢܐ:
ܒܨ̇ܘܪ ܡܢ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܘܐܘܣܦ ܥܡ̈ܠܐ ܥܡ ܢܨܚ̈ܢܐ܀
ܠܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܠܟ ܢܗܪܐ ܕܡܠܐ ܘܣ̣ܪܐ ܘܕܠܝܚ:
ܗ̇ܘܝ ܪܨܝܢܐ ܕܩܠܝܠ ܫܚ̇ܠ ܘܚ̣ܠܐ ܛܥܡܗ܀
ܫܠܡ ܡܐܡܪܐ. ܕܥܠ ܙܒ̈ܢܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܐ. ܕܡܪܝ ܐܝܣܚܩ.

Translation

Mēmrā of Mar Isaac-On the End Times
Next, concerning the end times by Mar Isaac.
Truth goaded me, just as to one sleeping, called and awakened me,
teaching me about the coming of the end times.
(Truth) became a teacher to me, and I became a student to its words.
My thoughts were filled with the teaching of the preacher of life.
I heard from him voices shouting about the resurrection,
and the mystery that speaks peace from then on unto the righteous.
Lend an ear, boy, and listen. He said to me.
Hasten to proclaim everything that I will say to you, to whoever listens to you.
Open for me your mouth, child, and I will fill it (and make it) a sweet spring.
Words that are sweeter than honey to those hearing them.
Instead of a whip, come, be scourged by things heard.
Instead of a rod, a report of punishments will chastise you,
if you know the meaning of scriptures. And if not, ask!
The prophets and the apostles are crying out that the end has arrived.
And nature too is teaching you with its laws
That its ornaments have come to an end, and also its beautiful things with its pleasures.
Look at your years and at your days, and consider yourself:
That wickedness has come to rule; save your neck from its harms.
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An evil king has come to rule the earth, and behold, he has stirred it up.
Take refuge in the king of heaven, and he will deliver you.
Satan, with his servants, thirsts for the blood of life.
It is a calamity if you fall into his hands, for he will kill you.
On farmland, he kills more than in the desert. Woe to those killed by him!
In the wilderness, he causes sin more than on farmland. To where will you flee?
For he chokes those on farmland with desire
And those on the mountains with hateful anxiety and with concern.
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If you should enter farmland, the dreadful desert would be better.
If you should go out to the wilderness, your heart would break from violent disturbances.
For the whole earth has been corrupted because the evil ones stirred it up.
Fear is in farmland and in the wilderness -- together with terrors!
Sins are in the desert; desire in farmland; wickedness is everywhere.
Truth is oppressed and Faithfulness is constrained among its seekers.
The world has grown old, and the taste of its youthfulness has faded.
At the mouth of the grave, it stands in fear. And behold, it dies.
The earth has grown weary, and the delights of its power have diminished.
At that time it will rest, indeed it will be set free from the plow.
The way of Truth has been forgotten by many.
Everyone has tread his own path, and has gone forth erring.
Like a shameless harlot, creation has become licentious.
It committed adultery with iniquity. It married into debauchery!
The wind, which is sin, blew on a sea of iniquity.
And behold, the wicked steered their ships straight toward Gehenna.
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They walk pridefully, though sinners, to the chasm of fire.
Their hearts did not grieve over their sins. What a great sorrow!
The star of darkness has become a sign for them to the way of death.
Those who left the way of life, they travel towards it.
Behold, the sea is swollen and the dry land is stirred up by their ways of life.
Everyone hastens to act more wickedly than his neighbor.
I watched the wicked accuse the wicked on account of his deeds.
And the sinner judge his neighbor on account of his folly.
I sat, astonished. I even set my hand upon my cheek and wept,
Because his neighbor accused the wicked on account of his foul deeds.
I have watched the adulterer revile his neighbor for adultery
and the impure one who says, “Oh, impure ones,” of those who have acted deceitfully!
Where is your heart, O Accuser, for you do not accuse yourself!
If justice appears to you, you also would be detested.
The sin of your neighbor annoys you. [Not translating ܗܐ from inner margin. Likely added for meter.] You hypocrite!
Your iniquity does not reproach you. You false judge!
Should not the reports that you yourself will sin in these things compel you?
It is proper that you should be the accused and not the accuser.
Be voluntarily deaf and mute, and without eyes!
Listening but keeping silent. Watching but keeping quiet. Knowing and remaining still.
Should this difference that justifies you belong to you?
You should judge yourself first. It is fitting for you!
Speak peace to everyone as a discerning person,
And instead of an enemy, be a friend through your humility.
Let the seal of silence be [Reading apocopated form with marginal note for meter.] upon your mouth with diligence.
Chastise through silence the slanderer who disturbs you.
Again, consider your land, the inhabitable world as an observer.
See, all of it is full of perversity. So guard your manner!
Nothing is exempt or free from wickedness.
For man carries some of the burden of sins, according to his strength.
In the seventh year, slaves [The text is darkened and obscured here. Reading ܥܒ̈ܕܐ restored from Vat. Sir. 364, though other readings may be possible.] gave freedom to slaves.
In the seventh millennium, set us free, Son of the Master of All.
In the seventh year, the earth rested and the orphans ate of it.
In the seventh millennium, give to the children from your grace.
To all the guilty, there was forgiveness in the seventh year.
And to all who sinned, grant forgiveness in the seventh millennium.
On the Sabbath, there was rest for the people, for slaves and freedmen.
On your Sabbath, our Lord, let there be [Taken as an apocopated form for meter, following the marginal note.] forgiveness for the good and the wicked.
Mix action with your talk, child.
Cut down on words and increase works with splendid achievements.
Do not be a river full (of water), foul and disturbed.
Be a small brook that trickles a little and tastes sweet!
The End of the Mēmrā on the end times by Mar Isaac.