The Syriac Orthodox Church of Mār Tūmā; South wall , Old Mosul

(1) Would someone give me tears for the eyes and strength to speak so that I may weep and lament in sadness and with groans, and may compose and pronounce a discourse with a lamenting melody for the virtuous Father, star of his generation, and pillar of the church, Bāsīliōs, speaker of the truthful things, mafriōnō Bihnām, wealth and ornament of the (Church) Fathers? (2) How would I cease from (saying) over you sorrowful lamentations of the shattered and miserable wailing woman, (into whose likeness) you have turned me on account of your death? You were for us a good shepherd who (now) shines in the Kingdom; you were a speaking tongue about the meadows of virtues. You 159 have fulfilled your spiritual course and safeguarded the Faith, and on this account the glorious crown of righteousness is prepared for you. (3) Henceforth, we will take rest from the grief and sorrow over you, O our glorious Father praised in (the rank of) mafriōnūtō. Earnestly, we will all beg from our High Priest to make us worthy that we would praise him in the heavenly Church with you. ([Metre] of St. Ephrem:) Our Father was ordained mafriōnō in the year 1852 of Christ. (4) He drank in the cup of death in the year 1859 in the month of Īlōl (September). (Garsh.) The cost of this epitaph derived from the proceeds of his (=the bishop’s) garden of olive trees located in the village of Bāhzānī, which the one of good memory had endowed for the poor of the congregation. Deacon Ya‛qūb Sa‛īd is in charge of its proceeds, and through his diligence this epitaph was erected during the days of his Excellence Bishop Bihnām.