The Mandaean Book of John the Baptizer

The Mandaean Book of John the Baptizer

Chapter 4.

John the Ascetic

Yahya proclaims in the nights, Yôhânâ on the Night`s evenings.

Yahya proclaimed in the nights and speaks:
Stand not I here alone? I go to and fro.
Where is a prophet my equal?
Who makes proclamation
equal to my proclamations?
And who doth discourse with the like of my wondrous voice!

When Yahya thus spake, the two women weep.
Miryai and Enishbhai weep, and for both tears flow.
They say:
We will go hence, and do thou stay here ; see that thou dost
not bring us to stumble. I (M.) will go hence, and do thou
stay here; see that thou doest not bring me to stumble.
I (E.) will go hence, and do thou stay here ; see that thou
doest not fill me with Sorrow.

Then Yahya opened his mouth and spake to Enishbhai in Jerusalem:
Is there any who could take my place in the height?
Is there any who could take my place in the height, so that
thou mayest pay for me ransom? If thou canst pay for me
ransom, then bring thy jewels and ransom me.
If thou canst pay for me ransom, then bring thy gold and ransom me.

Thereupon Enishbhai opened her mouthand spake to Yahya in
Jerusalem:
Who is thy equal in Judea, who is thy equal in Jerusalem,
that I should look on him and forget thee?

Yahya continued, saying:
Who is my equal? Who is my equal, that thou shouldst look
on him and forget me? Before my voice and the voice
of my proclamations the Torah disappeared in Jerusalem.
Before the voice of my discourse the readers read no more in Jerusalem.
The Wantons cease from their lewdness, and the women go not forth to the...
Hither to me come the brides in their wreaths, and their tears flow
down to the earth. The child in the womb of his mother
heard my voice and did weep. The merchants trade not in Judea
and the fishers fish not in Jerusalem. The women of Israel dress
not in dresses of colour, the brides wear no gold and
the ladies no jewels. Women and men look no more at their face
in a mirror. Before my voice and the voice of my proclamations
the water rose up to the pillars. Because of my voice and
the voice of my proclamations the fish brought to me their greetings.
Before my voice and the voice of my proclamations the birds
made obeisance and said :" Well for thee, and again well
for thee, Yahya, and well for the Man whom thou dost worship.
Thou hast set thyself free and won thy release, O Yahya,
and left the world empty. The women has not led thee away
with their lewdness, and their words habe not made thee distracted.
Through sweet savours and scents thou hast not forgotten thy Lord
from thy mind. Thou hast not made thyself drunken with wine
and hast done no deeds of impiety.
No backsliding has seized
on thee in Jerusalem.
Thou hast set thyself free and won thy release, and
set up thy throne for thee in Life`s House.

And Life is Victorious.

Index