Miryai Saga
Miryai is Expelled from Jewry
A Variant of the Above from the Oxford Manuscript
The Exiled Community Settle on the Euphrates
The Jews Persecute the Mandaeans
They Beg Then to Return
Yahi-Yohanna Saga
Portents of John`s Birth
John`s Proclamation concerning himself
and his assumption of the Prophet's mantle
John`s Light-Ship
John the Ascetic
Of Judgement Day
The Letter of Truth
John`s Invulnerability
John and the Baptism of Jesus
John's Marriage
John on His own Passing
John's Birth , Uprising, and First Appearance
John's Answer to Jesus Concerning the Angel of Death
Fisher Saga
The Fisher of Souls Saga
The Light Ship of the Fisher
The Good Fisher Rejects the Overtures
of the Evil Ones and Overwhelms Them
The Final Submission of the Evil Fishers
Good Shepherd Prayers
THE LOVING SHEPHERDS
OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Odds and Ends
The Song of the Poor's Exhaltation
Exhortations
In the Beginning
The Treasury of Life
" If I leave the world, tell me, what wilt thou do after me? "
" I will not eat and will not drink." she answered him," until I se thee again."
" A lie hast thou spoken, Anhar, and thy word has come forth in deception. If a day comes and a day goes, thou eatest and drinkest end forgettest me out of thy mind. I asked thee rather, by Great Life and by the eve of the Day whose name is dear : If I leave the world, tell me, what wilt thou do after me ? "-
"I will not wash and I will not comb me," says she to him," until I see thee again."
--" Again hast thou spoiien a lie and thy word has come forth in deception. If a month comes and a month goes, thou washest and combest thee and forgettest me out of thy mind. Again did I ask thee, Anhar by the first bed in which we both lie. If I leave my body, tell me, what wilt thou do after me?"--
"I will put an no new garments." She answers him, " until I see thee again."-
-" again hast thou spoken a lie Anhar and thy word has come forth in deception. If a year comes and a year goes, thou puttest new garments on thee and forgotten me out of thy mind."
"Why dost not tell me all Yahya" says she to him: "and how sorely thou bruisest the whole of my body! If thou dost depart, when wilt thou return that my eyes may fall upon thine?"
" If a woman in labor descends into Sheol and a bell is hung up in the graveyard. If they paint a picture in Sheol and she goes forth and they give a feast in the graveyard. If a bride parades around Sheol and they celebrate marriage in the graveyard. If the wedding companions borrow in Sheol and the paying back takes place in the graveyard."
Then answered she him: "My lord how shall it be that a woman in labor descends into Sheol and a bell is hung up in the graveyard. If they paint a picture in Sheol and she goes forth and they give a feast in the graveyard. If a bride parades around Sheol and they celebrate marriage in the graveyard. If the wedding companions borrow in Sheol and the paying back takes place in the graveyard."
"If thou knowest " he makes answer unto her "that this does never happen, why dost thou press me when asking: When dowst thou return? I go hence and return not. Happily the day when thou dost still see me. If there were a going away and a returning, then no widow be found in this world. If there was a going away and returning there would be no fatherless be in the world. If there were a going away and returning then no Nazoraeans would be found n the world."
There upon Anhar opened her mouth and spake to Yahya in Jerusalem: "I will buy for thee dear gold a brick grave and have a boxing of wood joinered together for thee in the graveyard."
But Yahya opened his mouth and spake to Anhar in Jerusalem: "Why wilt thou buy a brick grave for dear gold and a have a boxing of wood joinered for me in the graveyard? Art sure that I am returning, that thou dost say-- No dust shall fall on him? Instead of buying a brick grave for dear gold, go rather and share out for me bread. Instead of getting a boxing joinered together, go rather and read for me masses for the departed."
Thereon Anhar opened her mouth and spake to Yahya in Jerusalem: " Thou dost go hence and forget me, and shall be cut off in the Sinners' Dwelling."
[But Yahya answered her:] "If I forget thee, may the Light Dwelling forget me. If I forget thee, may my eyes not fall on Abathur. If I ascend to Life's house, thy wailing will arise in the graveyard."
Praised be Life, and Life is Victorious.
Mandaean John-Book by G.R.S. Mead pages 54 - 56
