Translation:Qolasta/Prayer 1

by Mark Lidzbarski

I.

In the name of life,

in the name of the Manda d-Haijē

and in the name of that first man

who is older than water, splendor, light and glory,

the man who called with his voice

and spoke with his speech.

By his voice and speech,

vines sprouted and came into being,

and the first life was established in his Škīnā.

He spoke and said:

"The first life is older than the second life by 6,000 myriad of years.

The second life is older than the third life by 6,000 myriad years.

The third life is older than any uthra by 6,000 myriad of years.

One Uthra is older than the whole Tibil and the 7 lords of the house by 770,000 myriad of years.

There is what is endless.

At that time there was not yet an earth of condensation

and there were not yet inhabitants in whom black water is.

From them and that black water a wickedness was formed and came out,

from which 1,000 times 1,000 mysteries and 10,000 times 10,000 planets with their own mysteries arose."

The 7 got into anger and rage against me and said:

"The man who went to us and came has not tied the wreath around his head".

Then I lifted up my face to the Creator, who created me,

the Lord of the higher greatness, and said to him:

"O you Creator, who created me,

Lord of the higher greatness!"

I went there, then the 7 got into anger and rage against me and said:

"The man, who went to us and came,

has not tied the wreath around his head".

Thereupon that lord of superior greatness took a wreath of splendor, light, and glory, set it up on my head.

He laid upon me his hand of Kušṭā and his great right hand of healings,

and said, "Upon you rest some of the image of Sām-Gufan, Sām-Gufaian, and Sām, the white fruit,

whose splendor shines and whose form shines,

who are righteous, believing men in the place of light and in the shining abode."

Mandā d-Haijē, the well-armed Uthra, taught, revealed, and said,

"Let every Nāsōraean who is true and faithful, when he rises from sleep,

take a white bandage equal to the great mystery of splendor, light, and glory.

He says this prayer over it, wraps it and puts it around his head.

Then his prayer will remain in secret and his praise in the great, high Father's house.

All the worlds that behold him will be held down before him.

His persecutors and assailants will be in fear, terror, trembling and clattering before him".

And I NN will also be victorious with all my words.

And life is victorious.

Commentary

This is the prayer for the turban.

Mandaic transcription

b-šuma d̠-hiia

u-b-šuma d̠-manda d̠-hiia

u-b-šuma d̠-hahu gabra qadmaia

d̠-qašiš mn qudam mia u-ziua u-nhura u-ˁqara

gabra d̠-qra b-qalh̠

u-malil b-malalh̠

mn qalh̠ u-malalh̠

prun hun gupnia

u-ˁtqayam hiia qadmaiia b-škina[t]un

malil u-amar

qašišia hiia qadmaiia mn hiia tiniania mn hiia šita alpia ruban šnia

u-qašišia hiia tiniania mn tlitaiia šita alpia ruban šnia

u-qašišia hiia tlitaiia mn hda ˁutra šita alpia ruban šnia

u-qašiš hda ˁutra mn kulh̠ d̠-tibil u-mn šuba marh̠ d̠-baita šabima u-šubin alpia ruban šnia

ˁka d̠-litlh̠ saka

u-hayzak l-ahuat arqa d̠-msuta

u-lahun daiaria d̠-bgauaihun mia siauia minaihun

u-mn hanatun mia siauia giblat u-nipqat bišuta

hda d̠-hun minh̠ alip alip razia u-ruban ruban šibiahia b-razaihun d̠-napšaihun

rgaz šuba alanpai u-ˁtragaz u-amria

gabra d̠-asgia u-ata luataian klila b-riših̠ l-agṭar

u-haizak ana azbrit anpai luat qaria d̠-qran

mara d̠-rabuta ˁlaita u-amarnalh̠

ˁin qaria d̠-qran

mara d̠-rabuta

ˁlaita ˁzlit šuba rgaz alanpai u-ˁtragaz u-amria

gabra d̠-asgia u-ata luataian

klila briših̠ l-agṭar

haizak hahu mara d̠-rabuta ˁlaita nsib klila d̠-ziua u-nhura u-ˁqara u-brišai traṣlia

u-asim ˁlai ˁdh̠ d̠-kušṭa u-yaminh̠ rabtia d̠-asauata

u-amar tišria ˁltk mn dmuta d̠-sam gupan u-sam gupaian u-sam

pira hiuara d̠-bahar ziuaihun u-manhar dmutaihun

d̠-hinun gubria zadiqia u-mhaimnia b-atra d̠-nhura u-b-daura

taqna apriš ugalil uamar manda d̠-hiia ˁutra mzarza

kul gabra naṣuraia d̠-kšiṭ u-mhaiman kd̠ qaiim mn šinta

nisab burzinqa hiuara badmu raza rba d̠-ziua u-nhura u-ˁqara

haza buta ˁlh̠ niqria u-nikruk u-briših̠

natna buth̠ b-kisia tihuia u-tušbihth̠ bit abu rba rama

kulhun almia d̠-hazilh̠ mn qudamh̠ nitkabšun

mradpanh̠ u-mšargzanh̠ b-hauqa u-dahalta u-ziuihta u-rtitia u-nqišia niqmun mn qudamh̠

u-ana dilia p’ br p’t zakaia ˁhuia b-kulhun malalai

u-hiia zakin

s_____a

bazin buta d̠-burzinqa hˁ

s_____a