Berlin, Staatsbibliothek MS 134 (Sachau 336), fol. 17b–57b (Ahiqar)
Metadata
- Genres
-
- Narrative (ܬܫܥܝܬܐ) (Ancient)
- Narrative
- Narrative | Autobiography
- Narrative | Legend
- Narrative | Scribal Conflict Narrative
- Languages
- Syriac, arabic
- Scripts
- Syriac, arabic
- Created by
- James D. Moore
- Material
- Vellum
- Updated by
- James D. Moore, 2026-01-18
- References
-
- Birol, Simon . https://ahiqar.uni-goettingen.de/syriac.html?tido=m6_i0_p0.0-1.0-2.0-3.0.
General Notes
One wonders what "an exemplary report/recitation of Saint Ephrem" means? I suspect it refers to a manuscript tradition ascribed to Ephrem. Furthermore, the date 1252 (Greeks) which is presumably in the 10th century CE, is far too late for the life of J.o.E., who is dies at the beginning of the 8th century CE. Syntactically, "who died in a Chaldean land" is not marked as connecting with "Year 1252 of the Greeks," so I would take this as the date of the manuscript from which the current scribe is writing (Moore).
Birol, Simon. “TIDO | Ahiqar | Syriac.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://ahiqar.uni-goettingen.de/syriac.html?tido=m6_i0_p0.0-1.0-2.0-3.0.
External Viewer
Textual Notes
Readings are clear and agree with Birol, I suspect, however, that the final word BGW on fol. 17v is not an error, as indicated in Birol's edition, but rather a resumptive word to ensure the order of the following folios (Moore).
Text and Translation
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James Moore Last updated 17 December, 2025 by James D. Moore
James Moore Last updated 17 December, 2025 by James D. Moore
In the name of the living god, a sinful servant begins to write the Ninevite legend "Ahiqar the Assyrian," that Jacob of Edessa copied(?) in the Syriac language, that was from an exemplary report/recitation of the earlier Saint Ephrem, (and Jacob) who died in a Chaldean land. Year 1252 of the Greeks.
From here it is the Chaldean language that you know. [But] what is not needed for translation shall be erased (according to Birol).
He said: "When it was, I, Ahiqar, was (=lived) in the days of Sennacherib
king of Assyria–when I, Ahiqar, verily was steward,
scribe, and civil servant, they said to me,
namely, the sorcerers, magicians, and wise men, that you would not have
a son. When I had acquired great wealth,
and I was advising on the greatest wealth, so I married
about sixty women and I built for them sixty
great, amazing, and marvelous palaces, and grand houses.
I was about sixty years old, but no
son had been born to me. But I, Ahiqar, went and offered
sacrifices and offerings to the gods. And I burned
frankincense and incense, and I said to them: 'O gods,
give me one son that I might rejoice in him before
I die, so that he is heir to me and will close my eyes
and bury me. From the day of my death to his death,
every day he withdraws a kor of gold and spends
it from my riches, without end. My wealth
shall not decrease." But the idols did not answer him
at all. So, he left them and was sorrowed
and greatly saddened. So, indeed, he turned
against his principles. He prayed to god
and believed. He pray to Jesus (and) gave (him) his heart.
He said: "O God of the sky and earth
Moore, James D.. 'Berlin, Staatsbibliothek MS 134 (Sachau 336), fol. 17b–57b (Ahiqar).' DEAPS. 12 Dec, 2025. https://deaps.osu.edu/text_objects/12384. Accessed: 19 Jan, 2026.