medieval copies of third-century texts
trans. Jason Colavito
2026
|
NOTE |
Starting in 1902, the German Turfan (Turpan) Expeditions uncovered caches of documents, many fragmentary, in the caves of Xinjiang in China. By 1914, more than 40,000 fragments had been recovered. Among them were passages from key Manichaean texts, including Mani’s own Shābuhragān and his Evangelion and Epistles. These fragments are historically important because they were the first substantial Manichaean texts discovered in their original Iranian languages, Middle Persian and Parthian. The first of them were translated into German and published by Karl Müller, marking a sea-change in Manichaean studies. Müller's 1904 publication is therefore a landmark in the modern study of Manichaeism. Below, I have translated first set of published fragments along with some of Müller’s introductory text. Because of the fragmentary nature of the texts, often with disconnected or missing words, the translation is not literal but rather gives the sense of the text as much as is reasonable. The final texts are too fragmentary to do more than give Müller’s terse word-for-word translation. A more literal description and partial translation of the fragments can be found on my Letters and Fragments of Mani page.
|
TURPAN MANICHAEAN FRAGMENTS
|
The printing of the first part of this essay in the Sitzungsberichte had just been completed when the undersigned succeeded in discovering—amidst a chaos of paper scraps—several passages from the famous Shābuhragān (authored by Mani himself) as well as from his no less famous Gospel. Since then, additional citations—unfortunately in a very poor state of preservation—from the Manichaean “Epistles” (letters of Mani) and other sources have come to light, elevating the conjectures put forward in the first part to the level of certainty. In the meantime, the publication of the St. Petersburg fragment by His Excellency Salemann has provided further evidence. Thus, the 10th-century accounts by al-Mas’ūdī regarding the Manichaean Turks in Küsän (cf. Flügel, Mani, pp. 387 ff.) and those by the Chinese envoy Wang Yen-tö concerning the “Persian religious figures” and their “Mani temples” in Gaochang have received striking confirmation. […] There follow the remains of a book with eschatological content in which, as the page headings indicate, passages from the Shabuhragan are cited. […] The book evidently contained, first, a description of the Last Judgment according to the Christian account (Matthew 25:31–46), followed by a Manichaean description of the end of the world. A fortunate coincidence allowed the author to discover the lower halves of M. 475 and M. 477, meaning that the Christian version—augmented by certain additions not found in the New Testament—is preserved largely intact. The sequence of the fragments M. 475, 477, 482, and 472 was determined by the fact that the red headings had left imprints on the facing pages when the leaves were previously stacked together. The sequence of fragments M. 470 and 473 could not yet be established. It is likely that one or another additional fragment will be found later. |
M. 475 — “The Coming of the Son of Man”
The righteous one — they will speak thus:
“Our Lord, when you come,
we will say before you:
‘To them God will give answer.’
He will say: ‘You see me and rejoice.
The evil that has been done to you
will be judged;
I will make it so, and I will hold an assembly --
everything that you have desired.’
Then they will say to me: ‘I know that.’
Then he blesses them;
he calms their hearts,
he sets them on the right side,
and the gods (angels) in joy will protect them.
And the evildoers will be separated from the righteous.’
He separates them, setting them on the left side.
He places them there and curses them.
Then he speaks thus:
‘What has become of you?’
The sin which you have committed --
violently, wickedly...”
(Last line illegible.)
On the Judgment
To the righteous who stand at the right hand,
he will say:
“You — I was hungry and thirsty,
and you gave me food and drink;
I was naked, and you clothed me;
I was sick, and you healed me;
I was bound, and you freed me;
I was a stranger and wanderer,
and you received me into your house.”
Then the righteous, the helpers,
will show reverence and say:
“Lord, you are God and immortal;
desire and longing do not overcome you,
nor hunger or thirst,
nor sorrow or grief come upon you.
When was it that we rendered this service?”
Then the Lord will say to them:
“That which you have done --
what you have done for me,
you have done for one another.”
M. 477 — And the Decision
“The reward of Paradise I will give --
to them great joy.”
Further, to the evildoers,
those who stand on the left side,
he will say:
“You, evildoers --
sensual and lustful in your desires,
given to wicked deeds and worldly ways --
was I thereby helped by you?
I was hungry and thirsty,
and you gave me no food or drink;
I was naked, and you did not clothe me;
I was sick, and you did not heal me;
I was a prisoner and a stranger,
and you did not receive me into your house.”
Then the evildoers will speak to him:
“Our God and Lord, when was it
that you were so afflicted and
we did not free you?”
Then the Lord will say to them:
“That which you did not do
for the righteous,
you did not do for me --
and by that you condemned yourselves.”
The Two Great Principles
You are sinners,
for you have been violent enemies of the righteous.
You have not been forgiven,
nor has mercy been shown to you.
Your sinfulness is great.
He will appoint the angels over you --
they will take the sinners
and cast them into hell.
And when the Lord God guards the kingdom,
then day, month, and year will be measured,
and lust and desire will cease.
Sorrow and pain will come,
and distress and need will vanish.
Wind, water, and fire will be renewed in the world --
all things will be purified.
M.482 Šābūhragān
The seed of the earth will arise,
the elements will be renewed,
the good seed will sprout,
the earth will bring forth fruit.
He will say to them:
“The great ones have died,
their heads are bowed low.”
The righteous will rejoice,
and their deeds will be purified.
[Red title:] “The coming of the Reviver is ended.”
[New red title:] “The Ascension.”
The Lord God will raise up the world.
(Rest missing.)
Reverse of M. 482 —The Two Principles
The earth and the heavens,
the year and the seasons,
the whole world and the righteous.
Wind, water, and fire in the world --
from the lowest earth,
where the guardian Mānbed dwells,
the god of the wind’s ascent will stand upon it.
That realm will be destroyed,
and the dwelling of the demons will be renewed.
The god Šahrāpūr will show forth,
and the god of the moon will shine.
(Rest missing.)
M. 472 — Šābūhragān
That light will be lifted up,
and the ship will ascend.
They will make the heavens,
the highest heaven above that one.
From the lowest earth completely,
he will seize and be washed.
Then the Sun-God Mithra will come forth from his chariot,
and the whole earth will be illuminated by the sun.
A call will be raised, and the gods --
those who guard every heaven and every land,
the household guardians, village guardians, lineage guardians,
the overseers and watchmen --
will preserve the ordered realm.
And Āz and Ahriman and the demons
will not be invoked;
all will be purified,
the Mazanians and all others.
(Rest missing.)
Reverse — Abar Hambahišn (“Concerning Creation”)
Then that guardian god who stands upon the lowest earth
and maintains the order of the lands --
that wind-ascending god,
with whom wind, water, and fire rise upward --
he will lift up the elements,
and that guardian god will stand upon this earth.
He will subdue Azdahāg (the dragon) among the Mazanians,
and draw him down from the depths.
The helpers will go together to Paradise,
and the earth will be wholly renewed.
Then the four foundations of the dwelling of the demons
will be purified one after another.
(Rest missing.)
M. 470 —The Great Fire of the World Conflagration
(This passage has also been preserved for us as an excerpt from al-Nadim.)
Four hundred and sixty-eight years will pass,
and then they will turn and change.
And that power and might --
the light and the joy of the gods,
who are upon earth and in heaven --
will strike Az and the demons.
The whole world will be purified,
and those who remain in it will be cleansed.
From hell, brightness will arise;
it will become pure and go to the sun and the moon.
It will be lifted up to the essence of the divine Ormazd,
and from the sun and moon together it will go to Paradise.
They will be raised up,
and God Ormazd will come forth from the northern region and the realm of light.
From the east and the new kingdom,
from the south God and the Sun-God Mihr,
and from the west the region of glory --
all the holy places will be renewed.
Together over that realm,
the new Paradise will shine.
Hell will be below,
and the righteous will look down upon it,
those who dwell in Paradise.
Reverse
The gods will come,
and they will stand around this Hell.
The sinners will enter the Hell,
and they will turn about within it.
They will suffer greatly,
while the righteous stand around them.
Now the fire, the sun, and the moon
shine upon them.
And when those sinners,
turning and wandering in Hell,
look out and behold the righteous,
they recognize them.
They beseech them and say:
‘May your goodness be upon us.
This burning [consumes us.]’
[End of page.]
M.473a
Of the moon and of the (planets),
of the stars a great sign will become visible.
Then the Lord of Wisdom, God, that one who
is the first—he, the man, the creature, the original--
the first intellect and knowledge,
and then again…
the second intellect and knowledge…
(Fragmentary)
Reverse
He will send that one,
the last one, to the Lord of Wisdom.
[The rest is missing.]
They will receive him, and the human being, the greedy one,
the sinners and (the wicked).
He will become repentant, and then
the Lord of Wisdom, God, (will send) the angels
to the East and to the West.
He will send them, and they will go, and the human being
with the helpers and those sinners
in the midst
before the Lord of Wisdom.
[The rest is missing.]
M.473b
…and a great proclamation
will resound, and the entire world will receive the message.
the gods who are in…
the heavens and the earth of the whole world,
the household‑keepers, village‑keepers, clan‑keepers, and…
the district‑keepers, watch‑keepers, and the demons,
are heralds/callers; they will praise that one, the Aeon of Wisdom,
and the human beings…
will become rulers in the realm,
and the demons will come before him,
will show reverence and obey,
[the rest is missing].
Reverse
… and say thus: ‘our …’
‘I am the gods’ herald.’
with this counsel which we (to him?) …
sent to the human being — all (of it).
… them in sinfulness.
Desire will move them, and the righteous one who …
will not believe in the Religion; and that one also will join them.
he will associate himself (with them), and at the time when …
the kingdom will be in such a condition …
… earth and heaven and …
[The rest is missing.]
M. 17
Upper half of a small leaf.
Blue heading: ‘ARAB NICÏHĒD’ (“The Letter Aleph is Taught.”)
Red text:
the virginal Light, the chief of all excellences.
Second column:
and over the speakers and the hearers of the Word, the renowned (holy) one.
[Large gap.]
Red text:
Praised was, and praised shall be the holy Religion in
Black text:
the power of the Father, in the praise of the Mother.
Second column, red:
Blessed be, praise and glory to the Father,
Black:
and to the Son, and to the Spirit, the Holy, and...
[remainder missing]
Reverse
Blue heading: ‘EVANGELIYŌNĪG’ (“From Mani’s Gospel.”)
Red:
...is taught? and the food of Truth is presented.
Second column, red:
...then everything
Black:
is, and everything, which was and shall be, exists through His power.
[Large gap.]
Red text:
“I, Mani, the Apostle of Jesus,
Black:
the Friend, in the love of the Father, of God...”
(The remainder is missing.)
Second column, red:
The blessed shall receive this offering...
Black:
they will receive; the wise will know. The strong will put on the goodness of the knowing ones.
[remainder missing]
The righteous one — they will speak thus:
“Our Lord, when you come,
we will say before you:
‘To them God will give answer.’
He will say: ‘You see me and rejoice.
The evil that has been done to you
will be judged;
I will make it so, and I will hold an assembly --
everything that you have desired.’
Then they will say to me: ‘I know that.’
Then he blesses them;
he calms their hearts,
he sets them on the right side,
and the gods (angels) in joy will protect them.
And the evildoers will be separated from the righteous.’
He separates them, setting them on the left side.
He places them there and curses them.
Then he speaks thus:
‘What has become of you?’
The sin which you have committed --
violently, wickedly...”
(Last line illegible.)
On the Judgment
To the righteous who stand at the right hand,
he will say:
“You — I was hungry and thirsty,
and you gave me food and drink;
I was naked, and you clothed me;
I was sick, and you healed me;
I was bound, and you freed me;
I was a stranger and wanderer,
and you received me into your house.”
Then the righteous, the helpers,
will show reverence and say:
“Lord, you are God and immortal;
desire and longing do not overcome you,
nor hunger or thirst,
nor sorrow or grief come upon you.
When was it that we rendered this service?”
Then the Lord will say to them:
“That which you have done --
what you have done for me,
you have done for one another.”
M. 477 — And the Decision
“The reward of Paradise I will give --
to them great joy.”
Further, to the evildoers,
those who stand on the left side,
he will say:
“You, evildoers --
sensual and lustful in your desires,
given to wicked deeds and worldly ways --
was I thereby helped by you?
I was hungry and thirsty,
and you gave me no food or drink;
I was naked, and you did not clothe me;
I was sick, and you did not heal me;
I was a prisoner and a stranger,
and you did not receive me into your house.”
Then the evildoers will speak to him:
“Our God and Lord, when was it
that you were so afflicted and
we did not free you?”
Then the Lord will say to them:
“That which you did not do
for the righteous,
you did not do for me --
and by that you condemned yourselves.”
The Two Great Principles
You are sinners,
for you have been violent enemies of the righteous.
You have not been forgiven,
nor has mercy been shown to you.
Your sinfulness is great.
He will appoint the angels over you --
they will take the sinners
and cast them into hell.
And when the Lord God guards the kingdom,
then day, month, and year will be measured,
and lust and desire will cease.
Sorrow and pain will come,
and distress and need will vanish.
Wind, water, and fire will be renewed in the world --
all things will be purified.
M.482 Šābūhragān
The seed of the earth will arise,
the elements will be renewed,
the good seed will sprout,
the earth will bring forth fruit.
He will say to them:
“The great ones have died,
their heads are bowed low.”
The righteous will rejoice,
and their deeds will be purified.
[Red title:] “The coming of the Reviver is ended.”
[New red title:] “The Ascension.”
The Lord God will raise up the world.
(Rest missing.)
Reverse of M. 482 —The Two Principles
The earth and the heavens,
the year and the seasons,
the whole world and the righteous.
Wind, water, and fire in the world --
from the lowest earth,
where the guardian Mānbed dwells,
the god of the wind’s ascent will stand upon it.
That realm will be destroyed,
and the dwelling of the demons will be renewed.
The god Šahrāpūr will show forth,
and the god of the moon will shine.
(Rest missing.)
M. 472 — Šābūhragān
That light will be lifted up,
and the ship will ascend.
They will make the heavens,
the highest heaven above that one.
From the lowest earth completely,
he will seize and be washed.
Then the Sun-God Mithra will come forth from his chariot,
and the whole earth will be illuminated by the sun.
A call will be raised, and the gods --
those who guard every heaven and every land,
the household guardians, village guardians, lineage guardians,
the overseers and watchmen --
will preserve the ordered realm.
And Āz and Ahriman and the demons
will not be invoked;
all will be purified,
the Mazanians and all others.
(Rest missing.)
Reverse — Abar Hambahišn (“Concerning Creation”)
Then that guardian god who stands upon the lowest earth
and maintains the order of the lands --
that wind-ascending god,
with whom wind, water, and fire rise upward --
he will lift up the elements,
and that guardian god will stand upon this earth.
He will subdue Azdahāg (the dragon) among the Mazanians,
and draw him down from the depths.
The helpers will go together to Paradise,
and the earth will be wholly renewed.
Then the four foundations of the dwelling of the demons
will be purified one after another.
(Rest missing.)
M. 470 —The Great Fire of the World Conflagration
(This passage has also been preserved for us as an excerpt from al-Nadim.)
Four hundred and sixty-eight years will pass,
and then they will turn and change.
And that power and might --
the light and the joy of the gods,
who are upon earth and in heaven --
will strike Az and the demons.
The whole world will be purified,
and those who remain in it will be cleansed.
From hell, brightness will arise;
it will become pure and go to the sun and the moon.
It will be lifted up to the essence of the divine Ormazd,
and from the sun and moon together it will go to Paradise.
They will be raised up,
and God Ormazd will come forth from the northern region and the realm of light.
From the east and the new kingdom,
from the south God and the Sun-God Mihr,
and from the west the region of glory --
all the holy places will be renewed.
Together over that realm,
the new Paradise will shine.
Hell will be below,
and the righteous will look down upon it,
those who dwell in Paradise.
Reverse
The gods will come,
and they will stand around this Hell.
The sinners will enter the Hell,
and they will turn about within it.
They will suffer greatly,
while the righteous stand around them.
Now the fire, the sun, and the moon
shine upon them.
And when those sinners,
turning and wandering in Hell,
look out and behold the righteous,
they recognize them.
They beseech them and say:
‘May your goodness be upon us.
This burning [consumes us.]’
[End of page.]
M.473a
Of the moon and of the (planets),
of the stars a great sign will become visible.
Then the Lord of Wisdom, God, that one who
is the first—he, the man, the creature, the original--
the first intellect and knowledge,
and then again…
the second intellect and knowledge…
(Fragmentary)
Reverse
He will send that one,
the last one, to the Lord of Wisdom.
[The rest is missing.]
They will receive him, and the human being, the greedy one,
the sinners and (the wicked).
He will become repentant, and then
the Lord of Wisdom, God, (will send) the angels
to the East and to the West.
He will send them, and they will go, and the human being
with the helpers and those sinners
in the midst
before the Lord of Wisdom.
[The rest is missing.]
M.473b
…and a great proclamation
will resound, and the entire world will receive the message.
the gods who are in…
the heavens and the earth of the whole world,
the household‑keepers, village‑keepers, clan‑keepers, and…
the district‑keepers, watch‑keepers, and the demons,
are heralds/callers; they will praise that one, the Aeon of Wisdom,
and the human beings…
will become rulers in the realm,
and the demons will come before him,
will show reverence and obey,
[the rest is missing].
Reverse
… and say thus: ‘our …’
‘I am the gods’ herald.’
with this counsel which we (to him?) …
sent to the human being — all (of it).
… them in sinfulness.
Desire will move them, and the righteous one who …
will not believe in the Religion; and that one also will join them.
he will associate himself (with them), and at the time when …
the kingdom will be in such a condition …
… earth and heaven and …
[The rest is missing.]
M. 17
Upper half of a small leaf.
Blue heading: ‘ARAB NICÏHĒD’ (“The Letter Aleph is Taught.”)
Red text:
the virginal Light, the chief of all excellences.
Second column:
and over the speakers and the hearers of the Word, the renowned (holy) one.
[Large gap.]
Red text:
Praised was, and praised shall be the holy Religion in
Black text:
the power of the Father, in the praise of the Mother.
Second column, red:
Blessed be, praise and glory to the Father,
Black:
and to the Son, and to the Spirit, the Holy, and...
[remainder missing]
Reverse
Blue heading: ‘EVANGELIYŌNĪG’ (“From Mani’s Gospel.”)
Red:
...is taught? and the food of Truth is presented.
Second column, red:
...then everything
Black:
is, and everything, which was and shall be, exists through His power.
[Large gap.]
Red text:
“I, Mani, the Apostle of Jesus,
Black:
the Friend, in the love of the Father, of God...”
(The remainder is missing.)
Second column, red:
The blessed shall receive this offering...
Black:
they will receive; the wise will know. The strong will put on the goodness of the knowing ones.
[remainder missing]
|
Source: Friedrich W. K. Müller, "Handschriften-Reste in Estrangelo-Schrift aus Turfan," Abhandlungen der Königlich Preußischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (Berlin: Verlag der Königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1904).
|
