Translation:Qolasta/Prayer 8

by Mark Lidzbarski

VIII.

How sweet the fragrance, how sweet the fragrance,

yes, for the mighty, first, alien life from the worlds of light,

the sublime one that is above all works,

for the ancient splendor and the first light,

for the life that came from life

and for the Kuštā that was from time immemorial at the beginning.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

indeed, for Jōka-bar-Zīwā,

who was great in splendor, rich in light and glory

I the messenger of the first men of tried righteousness,

who penetrated the worlds,

came, split the firmament, and revealed himself.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yes, for Jōzaṭaq Manda d-Haijē, the fountain of life,

which shows silence and grants hope,

which keeps the prayers of the spirits and souls of the true and faithful, good and kind people

in the place of life and in the light dwelling.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yes, for the father of the Uthras (i.e., Abathur),

the old, high, hidden, kept,

the man who sits there high above, hidden deep below.

He sees and understands what the worlds and aeons are doing in the worlds of darkness.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yes, for the Škīnā of life and the planting of the Uthras.

How sweet the fragrance, how sweet the fragrance,

yea, for the Škīnā of the 4 men, the sons of salvation.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yes, for the Škīnā of Abathur.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yea, for the Škīnā of Hibil, Šitil, and Anōš,

the sons of the living, shining, resplendent, bright tribe,

the men who were not carried away by the sword,

were not burned by the fires,

were not swept away by the floods of water,

whose shoe-straps were not wetted by water.

They sought and found,

they fought and prevailed,

they spoke and were heard.

They are full, not less;

they are whole, not deficient;

they are victorious, not defeated.

They came from a louder place

and go to a louder place.

How lovely the fragrance, how lovely the fragrance,

yes, for the life of the men of our fathers,

the true, believing men who have passed away

and left their bodies and who still dwell in their bodies.

They witnessed, now the gate of sins is closed before them

and the gate of light is opened.

May they be granted the connection with Life,

for which there is no separation.

Pray for us from there,

and we will pray for you from here.

All fruits come to an end

and all fragrances pass away,

but the fragrance of life is raised for all ages and all eternity

for the friends of the name of Kuštā.

Without sins, trespasses, transgressions, stumbles and errors

these souls who descend to the Jordan and receive baptism

shall ascend and behold the great place of light and the light abode.

Praised be the great life in the light, the life is victorious.

Commentary

This saying "lovely is the fragrance, yes, for the first life": read over the incense and sandalwood and put them before you on the bank of the Jordan in a new bottle and new fire on the (furnace?), the helper of all sayings, which are spoken at the Jordan.

Then read here the (prayers of) baptism: "We confessed" (= LXXV), "Praises" (= LXXV, "You (live)" (= LXXVI) and "I lift up my eyes" (= XXXV), then read the baptism.

Mandaic transcription

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal hiia rurbia qadmaiia nukraiia mn almia ḏ-nhura iatiria ḏ-ˁlauia kulhun ˁubadia l-ziua hatiqa u-l-nhura qadmaia u-l-hiia ḏ-hun mn hiia u-l-kušṭa ḏ-hua mn qudam briša

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal iukabar ziua ḏ-kbar b-ziuẖ u-asgia b-anhura u-ˁqara šganda ḏ-bhiria zidqa qadmaiia ḏ-abar almia u-ata u-bza rqiha uˁtiglia

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal iuzaṭaq manda ḏ-hiia niba ḏ-hiia ḏ-mhauia šidqa u-iahib sibra u-ahir bauata ḏ-ruhia u-nišmata ḏ-anašia kšiṭia u-mhaimnia ṭabia u-basimia b-atra ḏ-hiia u-b-daura taqna

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal aba ḏ-ˁutria atiqa rama kasia u-nṭira gabra ḏ-ram u-iatib amuq u-ksia hazia u-pariš almia u-daria mahu ḏ-abdia b-almia ḏ-hšuka

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal škinat hiia u-l-ˁnṣibat ˁutria

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal škinat arba gubria bnia šlama

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal škinat abatur

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal škinat hibil u-šitil u-anuš bnia ḏ-šurbta haita ˁrta u-rauazta u-taqunta gubria ḏ-bhirba la ˁtinsib u-b-iaqdania ḏ-nura laˁqad u-b-ṭupania mia laṭap u-arqia msanun mia l-aˁṣṭba bun u-aška dan uzkun amar u-ˁštma malia hinun ḏ-lahun bṣiria šalimia hinun ḏ-lahun hasiria zakaiia hinun ḏ-lahun haiabia mn atra naqia ˁtun u-l-atra naqia azlin

riha ḏ-basim riha ḏ-basim

hal haiaiun gubria abahatan ḏ-anašia kšiṭia u-mhaimnia ḏ-šalim u-npaq mn pagraihun u-l-dqaimia b-pagraihun shad nistkar minaihun baba ḏ-haṭaiia u-niptalun baba ḏ-nhura u-nitlipun b-laupa ḏ-hiia ḏ-litlẖ psaqa anatun mn tam bun ˁlan u-anin mn haka nibia ˁlauaikun kulhun ˁbibia saipia u-kulhun rihania baṭlia riha ḏ-hiia triṣ l-rahmia šuma ḏ-kušṭa l-dardaria u-l-alam almia adinqia haṭaiia u-haubia u-skilata u-tiqlata u-šabašata nisqa halin nišmata ḏ-nahta l-iardna u-miṣṭiba nihzunẖ latra rba ḏ-nhura u-l-daura taqna u-mšabin hiia rbia b-anhura

u-hiia zakin

s_____a

hazin pugdama ḏ-riha ḏ-basim hal hiia qadmaiia <tartinun> qria l-riha u-sandlus u-atna l-qudamak l-kipa ḏ-iardna b-qauqa hadta u-nura haditia ˁl bit riha ḏ-nhaša adiauria ḏ-kulhun pugdamia ḏ-mitibdin l-iardna tum haka qria maṣbuta aidin u-tušbihan u-ˁlkun dilkun u-bit mišqal ainia tum qria maṣbuta

s_____a