Background information   from Drower Various sections of the Canonical Prayerbook Copyists BOOK OF SOULS  Prayers  1-31    MASIQTA  Prayers  32-72   The Letter ('ngirta)  Prayer 73    COLOPHON  #74    HYMNS OF PRAISE  Prayers 75-77   The Responses ('niania)  Prayers 78-103 The Rusma (Daily Ablution Prayers)--Prayer 104 ASIET MALKIA  Prayer 105   Rahmia (Daily Devotional Prayers)--Prayers 106-168      Colophon 169     Tab Taba Ltabia (the full Commemoration prayer forthe dead and living--Prayer  170      Hymns of Praise--Prayers 171-172      Sumhata (The Names)--Prayers 173-176      Little New Year's Feast Prayer--Prayer 177      Prayers for honoring the crown--Prayer 178     Hymns of marriage and a new priest (including the series Kt Azil Bhira Dakia--  Prayer 179-198      Colophon 199     Prayers 200-283    Colophon 284      Prayers 285-304     Coronation Prayers and hymns (including two for  myrtle)-- Prayers 305-328       Colophon 329 BANNER HYMNS  Prayers 330- 347     Blessed Oblation Prayers and Hymns--Prayers 348- 374   Blessings on the chief celebrant after Blessed Oblation--                     Prayers 375-381     Myrtle prayers and hymns--Prayers 382-385      Various prayers 386-409      Prayer of Yahia--Prayer 410      Odd hymns--411- 412

THE CANONICAL PRAYERBOOK OF THE MANDAEANS

RAHMIA

Prayers 161-162 Prayers 163-164 Prayers 165-169 Colophon

Prayers 161-162

Pray these two prayers in the Rahmia (Devotions) for candidiates for priesthood, on Saturday evening after “It revealed itself and came”. Then recite “Poor am poor I! From the fruits”.

161

In the name of the Great Life Sublime Light be magnified The outgoing of the sabbath with its night Is the entry of Sunday for good. (At) the outgoing of the sabbath with its night The Life summoned me, from amongst Them, And some of His serenity He imparted to my mind. He issued a command, and they clothed me with radiance, Brought me light that was powerful And covered me (therewith). They armed me with their armour And gave command; to the earth they sent me To voice the Call of the Life, To found a society in the House To found abodes and to build in them sanctuaries, To ordain priests’) who are fit for And worthy of the Place of Light, To smoothen a road for the good, To prepare a path for the believing, To make plain and lift up Probity to its place And to leave dross behind at its proper place, To deliver the whole congregation of souls, (The souls) of Nasoraeans and Mandaeans, So that the sinner may have no power over them. I set forth: with my radiance that is great I came to this world, I called with the voice of Life, And I caused a society to dwell in the House. I founded škintas, I built in them sanctuaries, And I instructed priests (or disciples) Who were fit for and worthy of The Place of Light. I levelled a road for the good And prepared a path for the believing, I made plain and set up probity In its place And left the dross behind at its place. I delivered the whole congregation of souls, (Those) of Nasoraeans and Mandaeans, So that the sinner should have no power over them. Who told the sons of the Evil One That they should go forth towards me? They say, “Man, give us some of thy radiance Which is great, and some Of thy light which is boundless!” I answer them, “Efface yourselves, Be banished from before me (Ye) dead ones, evil ones Who have not beheld Life!” Who giveth the portion of light To Darkness, or truth to the wicked? The truth which was mine I have given To Nasoraeans, righteous and believing men. Behold, they dedicated themselves to goodness, They will rise and will behold The Place of Light. Life is extolled and victorious And victorious the man who went hence.

Background information   from Drower Various sections of the Canonical Prayerbook Copyists BOOK OF SOULS  Prayers  1-31    MASIQTA  Prayers  32-72   The Letter ('ngirta)  Prayer 73    COLOPHON  #74    HYMNS OF PRAISE  Prayers 75-77   The Responses ('niania)  Prayers 78-103 The Rusma (Daily Ablution Prayers)--Prayer 104 ASIET MALKIA  Prayer 105   Rahmia (Daily Devotional Prayers)--Prayers 106-168      Colophon 169     Tab Taba Ltabia (the full Commemoration prayer forthe dead and living--Prayer  170      Hymns of Praise--Prayers 171-172      Sumhata (The Names)--Prayers 173-176      Little New Year's Feast Prayer--Prayer 177      Prayers for honoring the crown--Prayer 178     Hymns of marriage and a new priest (including the series Kt Azil Bhira Dakia--  Prayer 179-198      Colophon 199     Prayers 200-283    Colophon 284      Prayers 285-304     Coronation Prayers and hymns (including two for  myrtle)-- Prayers 305-328       Colophon 329 BANNER HYMNS  Prayers 330- 347     Blessed Oblation Prayers and Hymns--Prayers 348- 374   Blessings on the chief celebrant after Blessed Oblation--                     Prayers 375-381     Myrtle prayers and hymns--Prayers 382-385      Various prayers 386-409      Prayer of Yahia--Prayer 410      Odd hymns--411- 412

162

In the name of the Great Life, Sublime Light be magnified. At the going-out of sabbath, On the eve of the first day of the week, for good. —The going-out of the sabbath — At eventide Miriai went to the door of the sanctuary To pray her prayers and to praise the ‘uthras. All the evil ones who saw Miriai wore the qulab (tunic) All of them had put on clothing, Wearing weapons they go forth toward Miriai, Saying to her, “We adjure thee, Miriai, By the Word, by truth and troth, Moreover we adjure thee, Miriai. By the Being from whom thy enlightenment proceeded, The Being whom thine eyes beheld, (Tell us,) What is He like?” I do thus; I say to them, “Be blotted out, be banished from my presence, (Ye) dead, (ye) wicked men “Who beheld not the Life Nor have ye seen that which mine eyes have seen, Nor heard that which my ears heard." The Being whom mine eyes’ beheld — There is not His peer in the world (Though one were) to lift eyeballs From bank to bank of the world! At His tread and at His footsteps The earthly world was alarmed. The dead heard Him and lived. The sick heard Him and were cured, Lepers heard Him and were healed, They got up, they arose, they were healed By the healing of Manda-d-Hiia Which, in His goodness, He bestowed upon them. And Life is victorious.