AF.01.01 — The Syriac Orthodox Monastery of Mār Mattā, the Church, gate to the sanctuary.

Transcription

ܦܣܘܠܐstonecutternounroot ܦܣܠ ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܕܗܠܝܢof thesepronoun ܟܐܦ̈ܐ ܒܗܢܐܢܝܘܣBihnāniōsproper-noun ܒܪson ofnounroot ܒܪ ܬܘܡܐTūmōproper-noun ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܐܚܘܗܝhis brothernounroot ܐܚ ܕܚܣܝܐof the virtuousadjectiveroot ܚܣܐ ܕܗܘܿwho ispronounroot ܗܘܐ ܡܬܝܘܿܣ.Mattēiōsproper-noun
ܦܣܠcut (stones)verbroot ܦܣܠ ܗܘܐhe wasverbalso he becameroot ܗܘ ܠܟܐܦ̈ܐthe stonesnounroot ܟܐܦ ܘܥܒܕand have/makeverbroot ܥܒܕ ܐܢܘܢthempronoun ܒܚܝܠwith the might ofnounroot ܚܝܠ ܐܬܐܘܣGodnoun ܘܫܟܠܠand completedverbroot ܟܠܠ ܠܬܪܥܐthe gatenounroot ܬܪܥ ܗܘܿhepronounalso itroot ܗܘ ܐܪܕܟܠܐarchitectnoun ܐܢܛܘܢܝܘܣ.Antōniōsproper-noun
ܒܢܝܫܐin the metrenounroot ܢܝܫ ܐܦܪܡܝܐof Ephremadjective
ܒܫܢܬin the yearphraseroot ܫܢ ܐܦܢܚ̄ ܡܫܝܚܝܬܐof Christadjectiveroot ܡܫܚ ܐܬܒܢܝܬwas builtverbroot ܒܢܐ ܗܕܐthis (f.)demonstrativeroot ܗܢܐ ܥܕܬܐ.the churchnounroot ܥܕܬ ܒܝܨܝܦܘܬܝ!through my diligencenounroot ܝܨܦ ܐܒܘܢour Fathernounroot ܐܒ ܡܝܩܪܐhonourableadjectiveroot ܝܩܪ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐbishopnoun ܕܗܘܕܢܚܐ܀Denhōproper-noun ܒܗܝܡܢܘܬܐin faithnounroot ܗܝܡܢ ܣܘܪܝܝܐSyrianadjective ܒܪson ofnounroot ܒܪ ܓܒܪܐܝܠGabriēlproper-noun ܚܒܒܝܐ.of Habābadjective ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܛܘܪܐmountain (Tūr)nounroot ܛܘܪ ܥܒܕܝܢܝܐof ʿAbdīnadjective ܢܛܝܪprotectedverbroot ܢܛܪ ܒܐܬܐܘܣܐܝܬܝܝܐ ܀ ܐܬܣܪܚwas ordainedverbroot ܣܪܚ ܒܗܕܐin thispronoun ܫܢܬܐyearnounroot ܫܢ ܡܘܗܒܬthe gift ofnounroot ܝܗܒ
ܥܕܬܐthe churchnounroot ܥܕܬ ܐܢܛܘ݂ܢܝܘܿܣAntōniōsproper-noun ܒܪson ofnounroot ܒܪ ܝܥܩܘܒJacob (Ya'qūb)proper-noun ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܗܘhepronounalso itroot ܗܘ ܟܢܫܐcongregationnounroot ܟܢܫ [ܕ]ܬܘܡܐ ܫܠܝܚܐ.the Apostlenounroot ܫܠܚ ܡܪܝܐthe Lordnounalso Lordroot ܡܪ ܢܢܛܪܝܘܗܝmay protect himverbroot ܢܛܪ ܡܢܢܟܝ̈ܢܐfrom treacheriesnounroot ܢܟܠ ܘܦܚܐand the trapnounroot ܦܚ ܕܒܝܫܐ.of the Evil onenounroot ܒܐܫ ܢܬܠmay he giveverbroot ܝܗܒ ܐܓܪܗhis rewardnounroot ܐܓܪ ܗ̇ܝ ܡܠܟܘܬܐthe Kingdomnounroot ܡܠܟ ܫܡܝܢܝܬܐheavenlyadjectiveroot ܫܡܝ ܀ ܡܪܝܐthe Lordnounalso Lordroot ܡܪ ܕܝܗܒwho gaveverbroot ܝܗܒ ܗܘܐhe wasverbalso he becameroot ܗܘ ܚܝܠܐܠܣܗܕܐ
ܡܠܦܢܐteachernounroot ܝܠܦ ܚܦܝܛܐindustriousadjectiveroot ܚܦܛ ܡܪܝmy Lordnounalso saint (title)root ܡܪ ܩܘܪܝܠܠܘܣQūrillōs (Cyril)proper-noun ܣܘܪܝܝܐSyrianadjective ܕܗܘܿwho ispronounroot ܗܘܐ ܡܬܝܘܣMattēiōsproper-noun ܡܘܨܠܝܐ.of Mosuladjective ܗܘܬshe wasverbalso she becameroot ܗܘ ܗܕܐthis (f.)demonstrativeroot ܗܢܐ ܒܝܘܡܥܘܗܕܢܐ. ܕܐܒܘܢof our Fathernounroot ܐܒ ܡܥܠܝܐloftyadjectiveroot ܥܠܐ ܛܘܒܬܢܐBeatitudenounroot ܛܘܒ ܡܪܝmy Lordnounalso saint (title)root ܡܪ ܐܝܓܢܐܛܝܘܣIgnatius (Īġnātiōs)proper-noun ܢܘܪܢܐthe Seraphnounroot ܢܘܪ ܝܥܩܘܒܝܘܣYa‛qūbiōsproper-noun ܬܪܝܢܐthe Secondnumeralroot ܬܪܝܢ
ܒܐܓܘܢܝ̈ܗܘܢthrough their strugglesnoun ܢܬܒܪmay breakverbroot ܬܒܪ ܦܚܐsnarenounroot ܦܚ ܕܒܝܫܐof the Evil onenounroot ܒܐܫ ܣܐܢܐ!hatefuladjectiveroot ܣܢܐ ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ.before themprepositionroot ܩܕܡ ܒܨܠ̈ܘܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܡof Maryproper-noun ܒܬܘܠܬܐthe Virginnounroot ܒܬܠ ܘܕܡܪܝܡܬܝ.and of Mōr Mattaiproper-noun ܘܕܩܕܝ̈ܫܐand of the holy mennounroot ܩܕܫ ܕܡܛܟܣܝܢwho are laidverbroot ܛܟܣ ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܒܗܢܐin thispronoun ܥܘܡܪܐ܀monasterynounroot ܥܡܪ ܕܛܟܣwho composedverbroot ܛܟܣ ܘܟܬܒand wroteverbroot ܟܬܒ ܠܗܠܝܢthesepronoun ܡܠܐfull ofadjectiveroot ܡܠܐ ܚܕoneadjectiveroot ܚܕ ܚܛܝܐthe sinnernounroot ܚܛܐ
ܒܡܪܝin (the metre of) Saintnounroot ܡܪܐ ܝܥܩܘܒ܀Jacob (Ya'qūb)proper-noun ܐܫܬܘܬܦܘparticipatedverbroot ܫܘܬܦ ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܒܗܕܐin thispronoun ܥܕܬܐthe churchnounroot ܥܕܬ ܡܘܨܠMosulproper-noun ܘܩܘܪ̈ܝܐ.and the villagesnounroot ܩܪܝ ܘܥܡܠܘand laboredverbroot ܥܡܠ ܘܠܐܝܘܗܝ!and toiled at itverbroot ܠܐܐ ܣܓܐܝܬ!extensivelyadverbroot ܣܓܐ ܒܥܘܕܪܢwith the help ofnounroot ܥܕܪ ܡܪܝܐ܀the Lordnounalso Lordroot ܡܪ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬparticularlyadverbroot ܝܬܪ ܩܪܝܬܐthe villagenounroot ܩܪܐ ܒܪܝܟܬܐblessedadjectiveroot ܒܪܟ ܘܡܫܡܗܬܐand renownedadjectiveroot ܫܡ ܕܫܡܗܿwhose namenounroot ܫܡ ܒܪܛܠܗBartellāproper-noun ܟܢܫܐcongregationnounroot ܟܢܫ ܒܪܝܟܐblessedadjectiveroot ܒܪܟ ܒܢܝ̈ܣܘܪ̈ܝܝܐ܀of Syrian membersnoun ܒܢܝܐbuiltverbroot ܒܢܐ ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܕܗܕܐof thispronoun
ܓܘܪܓܝܣGōrgīs (George)proper-noun ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܒܫܡin the name ofnounroot ܫܡ ܩܫܝܫܐthe priestnounroot ܩܫ ܐܦalsoparticlealso evenroot ܐܦ ܚܒܒܝܐ.of Habābadjective ܒܪson ofnounroot ܒܪ ܬܪܒܝܬܗthe foster-child ofnounroot ܪܒܐ ܕܡܛܪܘof Metropolitannoun ܡܬܝMattīproper-noun ܕܗܘwho ispronounroot ܗܘܐ ܡܘܨܠܝܐܢܢܝܚܘܗܝ ܡܪܝܐthe Lordnounalso Lordroot ܡܪ ܒܐܬܪܗin his placenounroot ܐܬܪ ܕܡܠܝܐ!that is fulladjectiveroot ܡܠܐ ܒܢܘܗܪܗwith his lightnounroot ܢܗܪ ܓܐܝܐ܀magnificentadjectiveroot ܓܐܐ ܩܕalready (perfective)particleroot ܩܕܫ ܬܓܕܕܗ̈was renovatedverbroot ܔܕܕ ܗܕܗthispronoun ܐܠܒܝܥܐthe churchnoun ܣܢܗ̈yearnounroot ܣܢܐ
ܐܫܬܘܬܦparticipatedverbroot ܫܘܬܦ ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܒܗܢܐin thispronoun ܥܡܠܐworknounroot ܥܡܠ ܛܠܝܐboynounalso youthroot ܛܠܝ ܐܒܪܐܗܝܡIbrāhīmproper-noun ܚܢܐHannāproper-noun ܕܝܢandparticlealso but, nowroot ܕܝܢ ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܫܪܒܬܐfamilynounroot ܫܪܒ ܕܢܥܡܘof Ni‛mōproper-noun ܒܪܨܘܡBarsūmproper-noun
ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܗܘhepronounalso itroot ܗܘ ܟܢܫܐcongregationnounroot ܟܢܫ ܕܡܪܝܡof Maryproper-noun ܒܬܘܠܬܐthe Virginnounroot ܒܬܠ ܒܡܫܪܝܬin the settlement ofnounroot ܫܪܐ ܚܣܢܝܐ.Hesnōproper-noun ܢܬܠmay he giveverbroot ܝܗܒ ܡܪܝܐthe Lordnounalso Lordroot ܡܪ ܐܓܪܐrewardnounroot ܐܓܪ ܕܝܠܗhispronoun ܡܠܟܘܬthe kingdom ofnounroot ܡܠܟ ܪܘܡܐheavennounroot ܪܘܡ
ܗܢܐthis (m.)demonstrativeroot ܗܢܐ ܬܪܥܐthe gatenounalso the doorroot ܬܪܥ ܘܠܓܘand insideadverbroot ܓܘ ܡܢܗfrom itprepositionroot ܡܢ ܥܘܠgo inverbroot ܥܠܠ ܚܛܝܐthe sinnernounroot ܚܛܐ ܡܢfromprepositionalso ofroot ܡܢ ܡܪܟyour Lordnounroot ܡܪܐ
ܡܠܐfull ofadjectiveroot ܡܠܐ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܐܝܬthere isparticleroot ܐܝܬ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܒܥܝask forverbroot ܒܥܐ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܕܡܠܐwho is full ofadjectiveroot ܡܠܐ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ

Hover a word for its meaning. Glosses draw on Amir Harrak’s translations and the SEDRA 3 Syriac lexicon (Beth Mardutho), used for academic purposes.

English Translation

(1) The stonecutter of these stones is Bihnāniōs son of Tūmō, the brother of Bishop Mattēiōs. (2) The architect Antōniōs cut the stones, shaping them to complete this gate with the might of God.
(1’) In the metre of (St.) Ephrem: (3a) In the year 1858 of Christ this church was built, through the diligence of our Reverend Father Bishop Denhō, Syrian (Orthodox) in Faith, son of Gabriēl of Habāb, of Tūr-‛Abdīn, and protected by eternal God. In this year, the gift of (4a) the Church, Antōniōs son of Ya‛qūb, from the congregation [of] Thomas the Apostle, (3b) was ordained—(4b) may God protect him from treacheries and the trap of the Evil one, and may he give him the heavenly Kingdom as his reward. God had given the might to the martyr,
B
(1) the industrious teacher Mōr Qūrillōs the Syrian, Mattēiōs of Mosul. This has taken place on the day of the remembrance of our esteemed Father Beatitude Mōr Īġnātiōs the Seraph, Ya‛qūbiōs the Second. (2) May the snare of the hateful Evil break before them through their struggles and the prayers of the Virgin Mary, Mōr Mattai, and the holy men who are laid in this monastery. The one who composed these words, writing them down, is a sinner.
C
(1) In the metre of St. Jacob: Mosul and the villages participated in (the building of) this church, working hard and labouring extensively with the help of the Lord, particularly the blessed and renowned village the name of which is Bartellā—a blessed congregation of Syrian members. The builder of this (church) (2) is Gōrgīs, priest in name only and native of Habāb. He was the foster-child of Metropo(litan) Mattai of Mosul—may the Lord give him rest in his place full of his splendid light. (Garsh.) This church was renovated in the year 2170 of Greece. (Syr. 3b) The young man Ibrāhīm Hannā of the family Ni‛mō Barsūm (4a) and of the congregation of the Virgin Mary in the settlement of Hesnō, (3a) participated in this work—(4b) may the Lord give him the heavenly Kingdom as his reward.
D (1-2)
(a) This gate is full of mercy (b) inside which there is mercy. (c) Go in sinner and ask for mercy (d) from your Lord full of mercy.

Context

Location Detail	The Church, gate to the sanctuary.
Dimensions	4.15m x 3.0m
Poetic Metre	Metre of (St.) Ephrem and metre of St. Jacob
Patriarch	Ignatios Ya'qub II (Mor Ignatios the Seraph, Ya'qubios the Second)

People & Roles

Bishops	Qurillos Matteios Matta III of Mosul; Bishop Denho
Builders	Gorgis priest of Habab; Mosul and villages, Bartella participated
Professions	Stonecutter Bihnanios; architect Antonios
Ecclesiastical Titles	Bishop; Metropolitan; Patriarch; priest; deacon

Religion & Practice

Prayer	Gate formula; prayers of Virgin Mary
Curses	May God protect him from treacheries and trap of the Evil one
Monasteries	Monastery of Mar Matta; Mor Mattai
Churches & Shrines Named After	Church built 1858

Material & Physical

Architecture	Monumental gate to the sanctuary
Building Materials	Stones
Tools	Stonecutting of stones
Calendar & Horoscope	Year 1858 of Christ; year 2170 of Greece

History & Context

Countries & Cities (Foreign)	Mosul; Bartella; Habab; Tur-'Abdin; Hesno

Personal Names

Bihnanios son of Tumo Bishop Matteios (Qurillos Matta III of Mosul) Antonios the architect Bishop Denho son of Gabriel of Habab Antonios son of Ya'qub Ignatios Ya'qub II Gorgis son of Malke priest of Habab Mattai of Mosul Ibrahim Hanna of family Ni'mo Barsum Mary

References

Harrak 2010, p.354-358

The Syriac Orthodox Monastery of Mār Mattā, the Church, gate to the sanctuary. , Jabal Alfāf

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The Syriac Orthodox Monastery of Mār Mattā, the Church, gate to the sanctuary. , Jabal Alfāf

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