Step by Step Through the Book of Steps - A Syriac Work with Several Sermons
First part of the first sermon of the Liber Graduum - Kṯāḇâ ḏ-Masqāṯâ - known as the "Book of Steps"
Since I would like to keep showing that I am somewhat proficient in the Aramaic language known as Syriac, I have long had the intention to publish a translation (in multiple posts, as you may expect of me) of a longer text in that language. Truth be told, I first endeavoured to make a somewhat coherent rendition of a text ascribed to St. Severus of Antioch, in which he condemned a heretical teaching that went around in some parts of the Roman Empire, but the writing turned out to be too complicated, probably due to the syntax of its -long!- sentences, for me to make sense of it, let alone to type down a translation that I could present as somewhat faithful to the original. That text, which I have abandoned for the moment, can be found here.
I still would like, however, to present my readership with a translation from Syriac, and therefore I have chosen another Syriac text, not exactly a text for beginners, but still one that literally goes “step-by-step.” I have thus selected the aforementioned “Book of Steps.” This very post will contain the first part of the first sermon, or, if you will, discourse, in this book, which bears witness to a Christian faith. The text, however, cannot be considered as belonging to the spiritual heritage of any contemporary mainstream church within Syriac Christianity. It is even maintained that it would reflect the belief system of the Messalians, a group that, at some point, ceased to exist, and are historically declared heretics by those main churches that have survived up to this very day.
The “Book of Steps” was translated already back in the 1926 by Dr. Michael Kmosko into Latin. Here you can find the file of the work with the translation, and additional commentaries. If I refer to this work, I simply refer to it as “Kmosko.” Dr. Robert Kitchen authored a much more recent translation of the same into English. As much as my translation of the first part of the Book of Steps’ first sermon is to be considered a sample translation, not much more, Dr. Kitchen’s translation of the entire book may be considered actually authoritative, and relatively easily available. Here you can find more information about Kitchen’s relevant work. I could not refer to Dr. Kitchen’s work myself, simply because I do not have it in my possession, nor have I, as yet, found a way to borrow it.
The main takeaway that I personally wish to disseminate to all my followers, readers, and passers-by, is that I am now very enthusiastic about translating Syriac texts of different genres, covering many topics. If you therefore would like me to (try to) translate a specific text from Syriac into English, then I would very much appreciate to be informed of it!
Now I shall therefore present to you the transcript of the sentences and phrases of the first part of this first mi`mrâ, after which the translations follow.1 There will also be a publication on my Substack which will contain the second, and final, part of the same mi`mrâ transcribed and translated in the very same way.
mi`mrâ qadmāyâ
d-`îṯaw(hy) mp̄aršānâ da-mp̄arreš pûqdānê: wa-mḥawwê d-ʿal mānâ `amîrîn pûqdān pûqdān b-ḏuḵteh: w-meṭṭul mānâ wa-l-mannû emar ennûn māran yeššûʿ mšîḥâ l-p̄ûqdānê rawrbê w-ḏaqdqê: w-d-`aykannâ neddaʿ (`)nāš gmîrûṯâ men ki`nûṯâ: da-ḇ-p̄ûqdānê rawrbê nehwê gmîrâ w-ḇa-ʿzûrê nehwê ki`nâ.
First Sermon
On that there is a distinctive difference that distinguishes commandments, and shows immediately about what each single commandment has been pronounced; for what reason and for whom our Lord Jesus Christ has pronounced major commandments and minor ones; and how one may correctly distinguish Perfection from Righteousness, in such a way that what is Perfect is to be found in the major commandments, and what is Righteous - in the minor ones.
gaḇrê aḥayn w-`aḇāhāṯan: aḥayn w-aḥwāṯan d-ḇa-mšîḥâ: zādeq-(h)û lan d-neḇʿê enneyn l-mellaw(hy) d-māran ḥaḏ men ḥaḏ: `aykanna d-`emar šlîḥâ: da-ḇʿaw enneyn yawmānâ wa-mḥār wa-l-ʿālam ʿālmin.
Gentlemen, our brethren and fathers; our brethren and sisters in Christ: It behoves us to seek the words of our Lord one after another, just as the apostle said: “Seek them today and tomorrow, and forever more!”2
w-ṯûḇ `emar: da-ḇʿaw men nap̄šḵûn kullhûn yawmāṯâ: ʿḏammâ l-yawmâ d-meṯqrê yawmānâ: hānaw dên ʿḏammâ l-mappqānâ d-ṯeṯbnûn b-hên wa-ṯbannûn l-`aḥaykûn.
He also said: “Seek [them] from yourselves during all the days, as long as there is a day that is referred to as today,”3 that is to say, until death, so that you may be edified by them, as they may edify your brethren.
w-ṯûḇ `emar: da-hwaytûn pāršîn w-ḥāzên `aynaw ṣeḇyānâ d-`allāhâ mqaḇlâ wa-ḡmîrâ.
He furthermore said: “You should discern and see what is God’s pleasing and perfect will.”4
w-ṯûḇ `emar: da-hwaytûn pāršîn w-yāḏʿîn hālên d-naḵpān w-makkîḵān w-yā`yān wa-l-hên qap̄w
He moreover said: “Recognize and know those [behaviours] that are chaste, humble, and virtuous; strive for those!”5
w-ṯûḇ `emar: d-`emaṯy d-meṯqrên kṯāḇê trên `aw tlāṯâ w-šarkâ: np̄arreš haw man da-mp̄arreš: hānaw dên man d-`eštawtap̄ b-rûḥâ.
He also said: “When two, three, or more [divinely inspired] scriptures are read, then anyone who interprets, may interpret.”6 This pertains to anyone who participates in the [Holy] Spirit.
w-ṯûḇ `emar: d-pi`rê d-rûḥâ b-ḵullāh `ennûn: ṭāḇûṯâ w-makkîḵûṯâ: wa-msaybrānûṯâ w-naggîrûṯ rûḥâ: w-ḇassîmûṯâ wa-rmîsûṯâ: w-ḥaddûṯâ wa-šlāmâ d-ʿam kullnāš w-ḥûbbâ da-lwāṯ kullnāš܀
He also said: “The fruits of the [Holy] Spirit are, in their entirety, the following: Kindness and humility, restraint and forbearance of the mind, agreeableness and composure, merriness and peace with everyone, and love toward everyone.”7 (End of 1st Paragraph)
meṯbʿê lan hāḵîl d-neḇʿêw(hy) la-šrārâ: d-hû šrārâ nḥarran: `ayk d-`emar māran: hānaw dên nammeḵ nap̄šan w-nešḥûq reʿyānan: d-hālên `ennûn deḇḥaw(hy) d-`allāhā w-hānaw ṣeḇyāneh: wa-l-man d-hāḵanna-(h)w gālê šrārâ.
“It is therefore required of us to seek the truth, so that the truth may set us free,”8 thus said our Lord. This means that we are to humble ourselves and exhaust our mind: These are the sacrifices to God9 and such is His will; to the one who acts accordingly He shall reveal the truth.
`îṯ gêr (`)nāšâ d-makkeḵw nap̄šhûn qallîl: lâ qdām kullnāš: w-lâ šḥaqw reʿyānhûn meṭṭul hānâ lâ îḏaʿw šrārâ `aykanna-(h)w. w-`îṯ da-šḥaqw reʿyānhûn: w-lâ `ammeḵw nap̄šhûn men kull d-`îṯ b-`arʿâ: meṭṭulhānâ lâ îḏaʿw.
So there are some who humble themselves [but] a little, not before everyone, and have not exhausted their mind, because of which they have not come to know what the truth is like. There are those who have exhausted their mind, but have not made themselves humble on account of anything that exists in the the world. Because of this, they have not come to know [the truth, either.]
rāmûṯâ gêr saqqûḇlāh-(h)î d-šarrîrṯâ d-lâ neddaʿ: w-qûṭāʿâ saqqûḇla-(h)w d-makkîḵûṯâ d-lâ targeš.
For haughtiness is the opposite is the opposite of veracity, so that we remain ignorant; disdain is the opposite of humility, so that you do not perceive.10
lâ gêr (`)nāš yādaʿ ṣeḇyāneh d-`allāhâ men dyûṯâ: `ellâ `en man d-`eštawtap̄ ʿammeh b-rûḥ. hānaw dên: `ellâ `en (`)nāš hwâ nîḥâ w-makkîḵâ d-kullhûn bnaynāšâ: `ayk d-`emar: da-ḇ-man ḥā`ar-(`)nâ w-sārê-(`)nâ: `ellâ `en b-nîḥâ w-makkîḵ rûḥâ d-nāṭar mellaṯy.
For no one infers God’s will from ink, except the one who is connected with Him in spirit, in other words, except the one who is the meekest and most humble among all the people. As He said: “To whom I heed and for whom I take a moment of pause, is no other but he who is meek, humble of spirit, [and] who observes My word.”11
meṭṭul hānâ lâ yāḏaʿ d-naḏreḵ kṯāḇâ wa-np̄arreš pûqdānê: `ellâ `en gaḇrâ d-`eštawtap̄ b-rûḥ ʿam `allāhâ.
Therefore it is only the man connected in spirit with God who knows how to fathom Scripture and to interpret the commandments.
meṭṭul da-rheṭn lan kullan bāṯar tešmešṯâ: w-lâ bāṯar d-rûḥâ: w-layt ban d-sānê nap̄šeh w-nāseḇ ṣlîḇâ kaḏ mmakkeḵ nap̄šeh: hānaw dên d-lâ nehwê leh masmaḵ b-rîšâ b-`arʿâ.
Because we all have gone for ourselves after the ministration of the flesh, not that of the spirit, and no one of us hates himself and makes the sign of the Cross while professing humility, in other words, he shall not take a position with [his] head [all down] on[to] the ground.12
`ellâ kaššîrâ d-`îṯ ban: zeḏqāṯâ ʿāḇeḏ men qenyāneh: hālên da-ḇnay ʿālmâ zāḏeq-(h)wâ d-neʿbḏûn `ennên w-ni`ḥûn b-hên.
But [every now and then] there is someone assiduous among us, giving alms from his wealth: Such people belong to the sons of a world that ought to be just, who [for the sake of the world to become just] give them and live for the sake of [giving] them.13
wa-ḥnan nešbûq kullmeddem w-ni`zal b-makkîḵûṯâ d-māran w-ḇa-msarqûṯeh: d-`îṯêh pûqdānê w-rawrbê: hālên da-mḥawwênan `aykannâ `ennûn.
But even we shall leave behind everything and depart with the humility of our Lord and His privation,14 as [stipulated] in the Major Commandments, whose characteristics we shall demonstrate.
`ellâ qāymînan b-pûqdānê zʿûrê: hālên d-`îṯayhûn yarqâ w-ḥalbâ: w-lâ rawrbê d-`îṯayhûn me`ḵûlṯâ šarrîrṯâ.
[For the moment,] however, we stay with the Minor Commandments, which are the herbs and the milk, and not [go further to] the Major ones, that [make up] a proper repast.
meṭṭul hānâ lâ yāḏʿînan d-nep̄rûš lâ pûqdānê rawrbê men zʿûrê: w-lâ tešmešṯâ da-lʿel men tešmešṯâ da-l-ṯaḥt: w-lâ me`ḵûlṯâ d-`îṯêh yarqâ da-ḵrîhê: w-lâ ḥalbâ d-yallûḏê: w-lâ `aynaw šûḇqānâ da-l-ḥaḏ (`)nāš `eštḇeq balḥûḏ: w-l-`aḥrinâ lâ `eštḇeq.
We therefore cannot distinguish the Major Commandments from the Minor ones, not the Superior Ministration from the Inferior one, nor the food that is herbs for the sick, not the milk [that is food] for the infants, nor [are we able to discern] what the forgiveness is that has been granted to one person alone, not to any other person.15
hāḵannâ w-lâ b-`aylên pûqdānê mqabbel (`)nāš parraqlîṭâ w-lâ b-`aylên mestawsê (`)nāš `ayk krîhâ: w-lâ b-`aylên rāḇê (`)nāš `ayk yallûḏâ: w-lâ `aylên `ennûn pûqdānê d-`amîrîn l-ḵullnāš: d-hāwê b-hûn (`)nāš brîḵeh d-`abbâ b-ʿûrbānâ d-rûḥâ܀
Likewise [we can distinguish] neither those commandments through which the Paraclete accepts someone, nor those through which someone, as if he were a patient, is healed, nor those thanks to which someone, as if he were a child, grows up, nor those commandments that are issued to everyone, by virtue of which one becomes a blessed one by the Father16 with the commingling of the [Holy] Spirit. (End of 2nd Paragraph)
The text found online used for the transcription and translation here: “Memra 1 - ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ.” In The Syriac Book of Steps, edited by . Syriaca.org, 2016-. Entry published 4th/5th century CE. https://syriaccorpus.org/188.
Kmosko could not specify the writing from which this apostle’s saying has been taken, either verbatim or somewhat edited. He characterized this apostle’s saying as coming from “some apocryphal text.” Since the other sources identified (by Kmosko) as the sources for the same apostle’s statements are all Pauline epistles, we may conclude that “the apostle” mentioned here is, in fact, Saint Paul.
Kmosko identifies this saying of the apostle as either a quotation from or a paraphrase of the verse Hebrews 3:13. Note that, although in the usual English Bible translations a reciprocal pronoun seems to be often used to render this verse (“seek from one another,” “encourage one another,” etc.), this reciprocal element is not present in the Syriac found here, and instead it suggests a reflexive relation to the subject (“seek from yourselves”).
Kmosko identifies this utterance as referring to the verse Romans 12:2.
According to Kmosko, this refers to or resonates with Philippians 4:8.
Kmosko recognized this as a reference to 1 Corinthians, chapter 14. Nicolas Atas (currently PhD Student at KU Leuven in Syriac and Christian Arabic studies) informed me that, according to Kitchen, the actually relevant fragments can be found in verses 27 and 28 of that chapter. It may be worthy to note that these verses do not seem to refer to multiple scriptures, as in this fragment of the Book of Steps, but rather to tongues. It remains mystifying to me what “two, three, or more scriptures” would entail. Was the community convinced that interpreting could only commence if at least two (different) scriptures are or have been read? What would constitute a single scripture? It could be a single chapter, or paragraph, a whole book with multiple chapters, or a manuscript (in the case manuscripts are to be counted, then two different manuscripts of one and the same chapter might count as two scriptures, not one single scripture), etc. In short, the exact meaning or significance of this part eludes me still.
Kmosko finds this quotation a reference to the verse Galatians 5:22 (to that the following verse, Galatians 5:23, may be added, in my opinion).
Reference is made here to John 8:32.
Kmosko has found an allusion to Psalm 51:17 here. In fact, we find the relevant line on “God’s sacrifices” in Psalm 51:19 here on the Mechon Mamre site. I have found the translation “sacrifices to God” better, even though in Syriac, as in the Hebrew psalm verse, a construction is used that could commonly be rendered into a genitive relation. Such constructions, namely the Status Constructus Hebrew and the same Status Constructus as well as d- preposition indicating “possessor” in Syriac are used in their respective languages more broadly than, for instance, the genitive “’s” or “of” in English or the genitive case in Latin: Indeed here the Syriac “genitive” actually could be better be understood as dative in actual meaning, hence my choice for the rendering “sacrifices to God.”
Mystifying to me is that in the first phrase’s main verb neddaʿ, the prefix n-, which could signify the 3rd person masculine or 1st person plural (as you can see in above translation, I have chosen to interpret as the 1st person plural), while all of a sudden the prefix t- is found in the following phrase’s main verb targeš, which may signify either the 3rd person feminine, or 2nd person masculine. Even though I do not think the actual narrative would not need a sudden switch of the grammatical person, and therefore I am not sure what to make of the t- prefix, I have decided to interpret the latter verb as having a grammatical 2nd person subject. If anyone has a clearer idea as to the (in my view, “uncalled for”) appearance of a different prefix in targeš, then I would be eager to know!
Kmosko considers this quotation as having a substantial link with the verse Isaiah 66:2, which reads (in the King James version): “But to this man will I look, even to him that is of poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.”
Kmosko indicates that there is a relation between this phrase and Matthew 8:20.
“Them” here refers to the alms. Salient is the switch of singular in the first clause to the plural in the second. I have added additional words (all in square brackets, as I normally use to indicate words added by me to make the translation make more sense, at least in my opinion) in order to use singular and plural forms, respectively, without making the phrases in English look too awkward idiomatically.
I find it tempting to think that the author actually refers here to everyone’s inevitable death, upon which one becomes a single humble, poor soul. Whether this interpretation is correct, however, I am not quite sure.
Kmosko perceives this final phrase as something related to Luke 23:43. He furthermore indicates that the seventh paragraph of this sermon will prove to be of relevance in this context.
Kmosko recognizes the expression of “blessed by the Father” as being connected to Matthew 25:34, Kmosko adds the remark that it pertains to “the just who give out alms.”