Hymn of the Pearl
Gnostic-Christian allegorical poem from the Acts of Thomas, chapters 108-113. A prince is sent to Egypt to retrieve a pearl guarded by a serpent; he forgets his mission, is awakened by a letter from his parents, retrieves the pearl, and returns to his heavenly home.
Edition and text provenance
- Edition
- Acts of Thomas chapters 108-113
- Language
- Classical Syriac
- Reuse status
- CC-BY-4.0 — attribution required
Attribution: Digital Syriac Corpus — Acts of Thomas chapters 108-113. CC-BY-4.0.
QuietRoots translation preview
A short preview. The complete translation is in the app.
Stanza 1
When I was a young child, dwelling in the kingdom of my Father's house, and in the wealth and splendor of those who raised me, I took delight, my parents equipped me and sent me forth from the East, our homeland. From the riches of our treasury they bound up for me a great burden, yet light enough for one person to carry.
Stanza 2
Gold of the land above, silver of the great treasuries, and gems of the realm of India . They armed me with adamant , that which cuts through iron. And they stripped from me the Robe of Glory which in their love they had made for me, and the purple mantle that was woven to fit my stature.
Stanza 3
And they made a covenant with me and wrote it in my heart, lest I forget: 'If you go down to Egypt and bring back the one pearl that lies in the midst of the sea, encircled by the loud-breathing serpent , you shall put on again your Robe of Glory and your mantle over it, and with your brother, our next in rank, you shall be heir in our kingdom.'
Complete source text
Hymn of the Pearl
Below is the complete verified original for this edition. It is not a QuietRoots translation.
Stanza 1 - The Prince's Origin
ܟܕ ܐܢܐ ܫܒܪ ܝܠܘܕ. ܘܥܡܿܪ ܒܡܿܠܟܘܬܝ ܒܝܬ ܐܒܝ. ܘܒܥܘܪܬܐ ܘܒܓܐܘ̈ܬܐ. ܕܡܪ̈ܒܝܢܝ ܡܢܚ ܗܿܘܝܬ. ܡܢ ܡܕܢܚܐ ܡܬܢ. ܙܘܿܕܘ ܐܒ̈ܗܝ ܫܕܪܘܢܝ. ܘܡܢ ܥܘܬܪܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܓܙܢ. ܐܟܒܪ ܨܿܡܕܘ ܠܝ ܡܘܒܠܐ. ܣܓܝܐܐ ܗܝ ܘܩܠܝܠܐ. ܕܐܢܐ ܠܚܘܕܝ ܐܫܩܝܠܗܿ.
Stanza 2 - Provisions and Robe of Glory
ܕܗܒܐ ܗܝ ܕܒܝܬ ܥ̈ܠܝܐ. ܘܣܐܡܐ ܕܓܙܟ ܪܒܬܐ. ܘܩܪ̈ܟܕܢܝ ܗܢܕܘ. ܘܦܬܘ̈ܬܟܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܝܬ ܩܫܢ. ܘܚܙܩܘܢܝ ܒܐܕܡܘܣ. ܕܠܦܪܙܠܐ ܗܼܝ ܫܚܩܐ. ܘܐܫܠܚܘܢܝ ܠܙܗܝܘܬܐ. ܕܒܚܘܒܗܘܢ ܥܒܕܘܗܿ ܠܝ. ܘܠܛܘܓܝ ܕܙܚܘܪܝܬܐ. ܕܥܠ ܩܘܡܬܝ ܡܡܫܚ ܙܩܝܼܪ.
Stanza 3 - The Covenant: Sent to Egypt
ܘܥܒܼܕܘ ܥܡܝ ܚܘܪܩܢܐܼ. ܘܟܬܒܘܗܝ ܒܠܒܝܼ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܛܥܐ. ܘܐܢ ܬܚܘܬ ܠܓܘ ܡܨܪܝܢ: ܘܬܚܬܝܗܿ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ ܚܕܐ : ܗܿܝ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܒܓܘ ܝܡܢܐ. ܚܕܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܚܘܝܐ ܣܝܩܐܼ. ܬܠܒܫܝܗܿ ܠܙܗܝܘܬܟ܆ ܘܠܛܘܓܟ ܕܥܠܝܗܿ ܡܢܚ. ܘܥܡ ܐܚܘܟ ܬܪܝܢܢ. ܝܪܘܬ ܒܡܿܠܟܘܬܢ ܬܗܘܼܐ.
Stanza 4 - Descent into Egypt
ܫܿܓܪܬ ܡܕܢܚܐ ܢܚܿܬܬ. ܟܕ ܥܡܝ ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܦܪ̈ܘܩܝܢ. ܕܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܚܝܼܠܐ ܘܥܼܛܠܐ. ܘܐܢܐ ܫܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܡܪܕܝܗܿ. ܥܿܒܪܬ ܬܚ̈ܘܡܝ ܡܝܫܢ. ܨܘܒܐ ܕܬܓܪ̈ܝ ܡܕܢܚܐ. ܘܡܿܛܝܬ ܠܐܪܥ ܒܒܠ. ܘܥܿܠܬ ܒܫܘܪܗܝܗܿ ܕܣܪܒܘܓ. ܢܚܿܬܬ ܠܝ ܠܓܘ ܡܨܪܝܢ. ܘܡ̈ܠܘܝܢܝ ܡܢܝ ܦܪܫܘ.
Stanza 5 - Forgetting and Falling Asleep
ܬ݀ܪܨܬ ܠܘܬ ܚܘܝܐ. ܚܕܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܐܫܦܙܗ ܫܿܪܝܬ. ܥܕ ܢܢܘܡ ܘܥܕ ܢܫܟܚܒ. ܘܡܢܗ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܝ ܐܫܩܠܝܗܿ. ܘܕܚܕ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܫܘܚܕ ܗܘܝܬ. ܠܒ̈ܢܝ ܐܫܦܝܙܝ ܢܘܟܪܝ ܗܘܝܬ. ܠܒܪ ܓܢܣܝ ܒܪ ܚܐܪ̈ܐ : ܡܢ ܡ̈ܕܢܚܝܐ ܬܡ̇ܢ ܚ̇ܙܝܬ ܠܛܠܝܐ ܦܐܝܐ ܚܣܝܕܐ ܒܪ ܡ̈ܫܚܐ. ܘܠܝ ܐܬܼܐ ܘܢܩܼܦ. ܘܥܿܒܕܬܗ ܒܪ ܥܝܢܝܢܝ. ܚܒܪܐ ܕܬܐܓܘܪܬܝ ܠܗ ܫܿܘܬܦܬ. ܙܗܪܬܗ ܡܢ ܡܨܪ̈ܝܐ. ܘܡܢ ܢܩܦܗܘܢ ܕܡ̈ܣܝܒܐ. ܘܐܝܟ ܠܒܘܫܗܘܢ ܠܒܿܫܬ. ܕܠܐ ܢܫܟܪܘܢܢܝ ܕܡܢ ܠܒܪ ܐܬ݀ܝܬ. ܕܐܣܒܝܗܿ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ. ܘܢܥܝܪܘܢܝܗܝ ܠܚܘܝܐ ܥܠܝ.
Stanza 6 - Egyptian Garments
ܘܒܐܝܿܕܐ ܡܢ ܥܗܠܼܠܬܐ. ܪܓܫܘ ܒܝ ܕܠܐ ܗܿܘܝܬ ܒܪ ܡܬܗܘܢ. ܘܚܠܛܘ ܥܡܝ ܒ̈ܢܟܠܝܗܘܢ. ܐܦ ܐܛܥܡܘܢܝ ܡܐܟܘܠܬܗܘܢ. ܛܿܥܝܬ ܕܒܪ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܐܢܐ. ܘܦܿܠܚܬ ܠܡܿܠܟܐ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ. ܘܛܿܥܝܬܗܿ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ. ܕܥܝܠܗܿ ܐܒ̈ܗܝ ܫܕܪܘܢܝ. ܘܒܝܘܩܪܐ ܕܛܘܪܗܝܗܘܢ. ܫܿܟܒܬ ܒܫܼܢܬܐ ܥܡܩܝܬܐ.
Stanza 7 - The Letter from Parents
ܘܒܗܠܝܢ ܟܠܗܝܢ ܕܓܕܫܢܝ. ܐܒ̈ܗܝ ܪܓܫܼܘ ܘܚܫܼܘ ܥܠܝ. ܘܐܬܟܪܙ ܒܡܿܠܟܘܬܢ. ܕܟܠܢܫ ܠܬܪܥܢ ܢܫܬܓܪ. ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܘܪ̈ܫܝ ܦܪܬܘ. ܘܟܠ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܝ ܡܕܢܚܐ. ܘܩܛܪܘ ܥܠܝ ܐܦܪܣܢܐ. ܕܐܢܐ ܒܡܨܪܝܢ ܠܐ ܐܫܬܒܩ. ܘܟܬܒܘ ܠܝ ܐܝܓܪܬܐ. ܘܟܠ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܐ ܫܡܗ ܒܗܿ ܐܪܡܿܝ. ܡܢ ܐܒܘܟ ܡܼܠܟ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ. ܘܐܡܟ ܐܚܝܼܕܬ ܡܕܢܚܐ. ܘܡܢ ܐܚܘܟ ܬܪܝܢܢ. ܠܟ ܒܪܢ ܕܒܡܨܪܝܢ ܫܠܡ. ܢܘܕ ܘܩܘܡ ܡܢ ܫܢܬܟ. ܘܡ̈ܠܐ ܕܐܓܪܬܢ ܫܡܼܥܼ. ܐܬܥܿܗܕ ܕܒܪ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܐܢܬ. ܚܙܝ ܥܒܼܕܘܬܐ ܠܡܿܢ ܦܠܚܼܬ. ܥܗܝܕܝܗܿ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ. ܕܥܠܝܗܿ ܠܡܨܪܝܢ ܐܫܬܓܪܬ.
Stanza 8 - Awakening and Remembering
ܐܬܕܟܪܝܗܿ ܠܙܗܝܬܟ. ܘܠܛܘܓܟ ܓܐܿܝܐ ܥܿܗܕ. ܕܬܠܿܒܫ ܘܬ݀ܨܒܬ. ܕܒܣܦܼܪ ܚ̈ܠܝܨܐ ܫܡܟ ܐܬܩܪܝ. ܘܥܡ ܐܚܘܟ ܦܨܥܪܝܒܢ ܥܡܗ ܒܡܿܠܟܘܬܢ ܬܗܘܼܐ. ܘܐܝܓܪܬܝ ܐܝܓܪܬܐ ܗܝ. ܕܡܿܠܟܐ ܒܝܡܝܢܗ ܚܬܡܗܿ. ܡܢ ܒ̈ܝܫܼܐ ܒ̈ܢܝ ܒܒܠ. ܘܕܝ̈ܘܐ ܡܪ̈ܝܪܐ ܕܣܪܒܘܓ. ܦܪܚܼܬ ܘܫܟܼܢܬ ܨܐܝܕܝ. ܘܟܠܗܿ ܗܘܼܬ ܠܗ ܡܠܬܐ. ܠܩܠܗܿ ܘܠܩܠ ܪܓܫܬܗܿ. ܢܿܕܬ ܘܩܿܡܬ ܡܢ ܫܿܢܬܝ. ܫܿܩܠܬܗܿ ܘܢܫܩܬܗܿ. ܘܫܿܪܝܬ ܐܢܐ ܠܝܬܗܿ ܩܿܪܝܬ. ܘܥܠ ܗܿܘ ܕܒܠܒܝ ܪܫܝܡ. ܡ̈ܠܝܗܿ ܕܐܝܓܪܬܝ ܐܬܟܬܼܒ.
Stanza 9 - Charming the Serpent
ܥܿܗܕܬ ܕܒܪ ܡܗܠܟܐ ܐܢܐ. ܘܚܐܪܘܬܝ ܟܝܢܗܿ ܦܩܕܐ. ܥܗܕܬ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ. ܕܥܠܝܗܿ ܠܡܨܪܝܢ ܐܿܫܬܕܪܬ. ܘܫܿܪܝܬ ܡܡܓܫ ܐܢܐ ܠܗ. ܠܚܘܝܐ ܕܚܝܠܐ ܘܣܝܩܐ. ܐܢܝܡܬܗ ܘܐܫܟܒܬܗ. ܕܫܡ ܐܒܝ ܥܠܘܝ ܐܢܐ ܐܬ݀ܕܟܪܬ. ܘܫܡܗ ܕܬܪܝܢܢ. ܘܕܐܡܪܝ ܡܿܠܟܬ ܡܕܢܚܐ.
Stanza 10 - Stripping Off Garments
ܘܚܛܦܬܗܿ ܠܡܪܓܢܝܬܐ. ܘܥܿܛܦܬ ܕܐܦܢܐ ܠܒܝܬ ܐܒܝ. ܘܠܒܘܫܗܘܢ ܨܐܐ ܘܛܡܐܐ. ܫܿܠܚܬ ܘܫܿܒܩܬܗ ܒܐܬܪܗܘܢ. ܘܬܪܨܬܗܿ ܠܡܪܕܝܬܝ ܕܬܐܬܐ. ܠܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܡܬܢ ܡܕܢܚܐ. ܘܠܐܝܓܪܬܝ ܡܥܝܪܢܝܬܝ. ܩܕܡܝ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܐܿܫܟܚܬ. ܘܐܝܟ ܕܒܩܠܗܿ ܐܥܝܪܬܢܝ ܬܘܒ ܒܢܘܗܪܗܿ ܠܝ ܡܒܕܪܐ. ܕܫܪܝܐ ܒܣܠܝܩܘܢ. ܩܕܡܝ ܒܚܘܪܗܿ ܡܦܪܓܐ. ܘܒܩܠܗܿ ܘܒܗܕܝܘܬܗܿ. ܬܘܒܢ ܪܗܝܒܘܬܝ ܡܠܒܒܐ. ܘܒܚܘܒܗܿ ܢܿܓܕ ܠܝ. ܢܿܦܩܬ ܥܒܪܬܗܿ ܠܣܪܒܘܓ. ܫܒܩܬ ܠܒܒܠ ܠܣܡܠܝ. ܘܡܿܛܝܬ ܠܡܝܫܢ ܪܒܬܐ. ܠܠܡܐܢܗܘܢ ܕܬܓܪ̈. ܘܒܥܒܼܪܗ ܕܝܡܼܿܐ ܝܬܒܐ.
Stanza 11 - Robe of Glory Sent
ܘܠܙܗܝܬܝ ܕܫܿܠܚܬ ܗܘܝܬ. ܘܠܛܓܝ ܕܒܗܿ ܡܥܛܦܐ. ܡܢ ܪܡܬܐ ܘܪܩܢ ܠܬܡܿܢ ܐܒܗܗܝ ܫܕܪܘܗܿ. ܒܐܝܕܐ ܕܓܙܒܪܗܝܗܘܢ. ܕܒܫܪܪܗܘܢ ܥܠܝܗܿ ܡܗܝܡܢܝܢ. ܘܕܠܐ ܥܿܗܕ ܗܘܝܬ ܬܓܡܗܿ. ܕܒܫܒܘܬܝ ܫܒܩܬܗܿ ܒܝܬ ܐܒܝ. ܡܢ ܫܠܝܐ ܟܕ ܐܒܩܠܬܗܿ. ܠܡܚܙܝܬܝ ܠܒܘܫܐ ܕܡܬ ܠܝ.
Stanza 12 - Reunion with the Robe
ܟܠܗܿ ܒܟܘܠ ܚܿܙܝܬ. ܘܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܘܠ ܒܗܿ ܐܩܒܠܬ. ܕܬܪܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܒܦܘܪܫܢܐ. ܘܚܕ ܬܘܒ ܚܢܢ ܒܚܕܐ ܕܡܘ. ܘܐܦ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܓܙܒܪ̈ܐ. ܕܠܝ ܐܝܬܝܘܗܿ ܗܟܢ ܚܿܙܝܬ. ܕܬܪܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܚܕܐ ܕܡܘ ܐܢܘܢ. ܕܚܕ ܢܝܫ ܡܿܠܟܐ ܪܫܝܡ ܒܗܘܢ. ܕܐܝܼ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܕܦܢܝ ܠܝ. ܠܓܘܥܠܢܝ ܘܥܘܬܪܝ ܒܐܝܼܕܗܘܢ. ܠܙܗܝܬܝ ܡܨܒܬܬܐ. ܕܒܓ̈ܘܢܐ ܓܐܝ̈ܐ ܡܨܒܬܐ. ܒܕܗܒܐ ܘܒܒܪ̈ܘܠܐ. ܘܩܪ̈ܟܕܢܐ ܘܦܬܘ̈ܬܟܐ. ܘܣܪ̈ܕܘܟܐ ܦܪܝܫܬ ܓܘܢܐ. ܐܦ ܗܼܝ ܒܪܘܡܗܿ ܡܬܩܢܐ. ܘܒܟܐ̈ܦܐ ܕܐܕܡܘܣ ܟܘܠ ܫܪܗܝܬܗܿ ܡ̈ܩܒܥܢ. ܘܨܠܡܗ ܕܡܠܼܟ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ. ܟܠܗ ܒܟܠܗܿ ܡܣܩܼ ܘܨܝܪ. ܘܐܦ ܟܐܦܐ ܕܣܦܝܠܐ. ܬܘܒܢ ܟܪ̈ܘܡܝܗܿ ܡ̈ܦܬܟܐ.
Stanza 13 - Return to the Kingdom
ܘܚܿܙܝܬ ܬܘܒ ܕܒܟܠܗܿ. ܙܘܥ̈ܝ ܝܕܥܬܐ ܪ̈ܦܬܝܢ. ܘܐܝܟ ܕܠܡܡܠܠܘ. ܬܘܒ ܚܿܙܝܬܗܿܕ ܡܬܥܬܕܐ. ܩܠ ܢܥ̈ܡܬܗܿ ܫܡܿܥܬ. ܕܥܡ ܡ̈ܝܚܬܝܗܿ ܡܪܬܡܐ. ܕܗܘܼ ܐܢܐ ܙܪܝܙ ܥܒܼ̈ܕܐ. ܕܠܗ ܪܒܝܘܢܝ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ ܕܐܒܝ. ܘܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܡܪܓܫ ܗܘܝܬ ܒܝ. ܕܩܘܡܬܝ ܐܝܟ ܥ̈ܡܠܘܗܝ ܪܒܝܐ. ܘܒܙܘ̈ܥܝܗܿ ܡ̈ܠܟܝܐ. ܟܘܠܗܿ ܠܘܬܝ ܡܫܬܦܥܐ ܘܥܠ ܐܝܼܕܝܐ ܕܝܗ̈ܘܒܝܗܿ ܡܣܬܪܗܒܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܫܩܠܝܗܿ. ܘܐܦ ܠܝ ܚܘܒ ܙܩܿܬ ܗܘܐ. ܕܐܿܪܗܛ ܠܐܪܘܥܗܿ ܘܐܩܒܠܝܗܿ. ܘܐܬ݀ܦܫܛܬ ܘܩܿܒܠܬܗܿ. ܒܫܘܦܪܐ ܕܓܘ̈ܢܝܗܿ ܐܨܿܛܒܬܬ. ܘܠܛܘܓܝ ܢܨܝܚ ܓ̈ܘܢܐ. ܟܠܗܿ ܠܟܠܗܿ ܐܬ݀ܥܛܦܬ. ܠܒܿܫܬ ܒܗܿ ܘܐܬ݀ܥܠܝܬ. ܠܬܪܥ ܫܿܠܡܐ ܘܣܓܕܬܐ. ܟܿܦܬ ܪܝܫܝ ܘܣܓܿܕܬ ܠܗ. ܠܙܝܘܗ ܕܐܒܝ ܠܝ ܫܕܪܗܿ. ܕܥܿܒܕܬ ܠܦܘ̈ܩܕܢܘܗܝ. ܘܐܦ ܗܼܘ ܕܐܫܼܬܘܕܝ ܥܼܒܕ. ܘܒܬܪܥܐ ܕܘܣܦܪ̈ܘܗܝ. ܥܡ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܘܗܝ ܐܬܚܾܛܬ. ܕܚܕܝ ܒܝ ܘܩܒܠ ܝܬܝ. ܘܥܡܗ ܒܡܿܠܟܘܬܗ ܗܿܘܝܬ. ܘܒܩܠܐ ܕܕܪ̈ܘܣܐ. ܟܘܠ ܦܠܚܼ̈ܘܗܝ ܠܗ ܡܫܒܚܝܢ.. ܘܐܫ̣ܬܘܕܝ ܕܠܬܪܥܐ ܬܘܒ ܕܡ̣ܠܟ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܥܡܗ ܐܫܬܓܪ. ܘܒܩܘܪܒܢܝ ܘܒܡܪܓܢܝܬܝ. ܥܡܗ ܠܡܿܠܟܢ ܐܬ݀ܚܙܐ.