This continues the First Sermon of the Book of Steps, the first part of which, along with an introduction, can be found here.

In contrast to the above first part, this second and final portion will provide you not with a transcription of the text, but rather the Syriac original as found on the site syriaccorpus.org.1 The division of this second part of the First Sermon into smaller fragments as well as the translations following each of the respective fragments have been done by myself.

(Beginning of the 3rd paragraph of the First Sermon)

ܐ̱ܚܪܺܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܰܘܗܰܒܬܳܐ ܕܦܰܪܰܩܠܺܝܛܳܐ ܘܰܐܚܪܺܬܳܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܒܽܘܪܟܬܳܐ ܕܥܽܘܪܒܳܢܳܐ ܩܰܠܺܝܠ. ܘܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢܰܢ ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܕܰܠܚܰܕ ܚܰܕ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܰܡܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ

For one is a gift2 from the Paraclete, and the other is a blessing through a very short commingling [with the Holy Spirit].3 Nor do not know the commandments which have been delivered to specific persons individually.

ܘܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢܰܢ ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܕܰܠܚܰܕ ܚܰܕ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܰܡܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܘܰܐܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܕܢܶܬܚܰܫܰܚ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܠܶܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܕܺܝܢ̈ܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܚܳܝܶܐ ܒܗܽܘܢ ܡܳܐ ܕܰܢܛܰܪ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܶܠܴܐ ܬܰܫܢܺܝܩܶܗ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܦܫܺܝܚ ܒܗܽܘܢ

Nor do we know the the commandments which have been delivered to specific persons individually, which no other person can make use of. Nor do we know which are the rulings, through which no one is saved even when one observes them, but on account of which one’s torment becomes diminished.4

ܘܠܳܐ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܕܰܢܩܰܪܶܒ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܳܐ ܠܰܓܡܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܐܳܦܠܳܐ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ

It is not appropriate to compare them either to the Perfect or to the Righteous ones.5

ܘܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢܰܢ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܝܳܪܶܒ ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܒܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܦܰܪܰܩܠܺܛܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܡܶܣܬܰܘܣܶܐ ܟܪܺܝܗܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܟܪܺܝܗܳܐ ܒܡܶܐܟܽܘܠܬܳܐ ܕܝܰܪܩܳܐ. ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܫܳܦܰܪ ܝܰܠܽܘܕܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܝܰܠܽܘܕܳܐ ܒܚܰܠܒܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܝܳܪܶܒ ܒܪܺܝܟܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܪܺܝܟܳܐ ܒܦ̈ܽܘܩܕܳܢܶܐ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܐܰܡܺܝܪܺܝܢ. ܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܫܰܡܶܫ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܳܪܰܢ ܦܰܓܪܳܢܳܐܺܝܬ ܘܠܳܐ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܫܰܡܶܫ ܠܶܗ ܠܡܳܪܰܢ ܪܽܘܚܳܢܳܐܺܝܬ. ܘܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܦܫܺܝܚ ܬܰܫܢܺܝܩܶܗ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܶܢ ܕܚܰܒܪܶܗ ܒܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܕܚܰܝܳܒܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܺܝܗܶܒ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܗܶܢܽܘܢ ܨܒܰܘ ܒܩܰܫܝܽܘܬ ܠܶܒܗܽܘܢ ܘܰܢܦܰܠܘ ܡܶܢ ܓܡܺܝܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܡܶܢ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܠܬܰܚܬ ܡܶܢ ܓܡܺܝܪܽܘܬܳܐ܀

We do not know, how one man grows to be more exalted than [another] man through the Paraclete’s Spirit, nor [do we know] how one sick person is healed better than another with herbal foods, nor how one infant grows to become prettier than another thanks to milk, nor how one blessed man is more exalted than another blessed man by virtue of these commandments which have been made known to everyone. Nor [do we know] how some serve our Lord physically, nor how others serve our Lord spiritually. Nor [do we know] how someone’s torment becomes diminished to a greater degree than his fellow’s, on account of a ruling of damnation that has been pronounced against them, inasmuch as they [both] have delighted in the hardness of their heart[s] and [thus] have fallen from Perfection and from Righteousness, which is below Perfection. (End of 3rd Paragraph)

ܐܳܕܳܡ ܐܰܒܽܘܢ ܢܦܰܠ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܕܰܪܓܳܐ ܕܰܓܡܺܝܪܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܩܰܘܺܝ ܒܕܰܪܓܳܐ ܕܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܕܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܗܺܝ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܠܳܐ ܥܳܒܕܳܐ ܘܰܐܝܟ ܕܨܳܒܝܳܐ ܕܢܶܥܒܕܽܘܢ ܠܳܗ ܒܢܰܝ̈ܢܳܫܳܐ ܗܳܟܰܢܳܐ ܥܳܒܕܳܐ ܗܺܝ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܦܳܓܥܺܝܢ ܒܳܗ

Adam, our Progenitor, fell from the grade of Perfection,6 but remained at the grade of Righteousness, for he was not one who did anything that was hateful to anyone, while he did to people who met him in the same way, as he would like people to do to him.

ܚܢܰܢ ܕܶܝܢ ܢܦܰܠܢ ܐܳܦ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܢܳܐ ܕܰܪܓܳܐ: ܕܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܣܳܢܶܝܢܰܢ ܥܳܒܕܺܝܢܰܢ ܚܰܕ ܠܚܰܕ. ܠܟܽܠ ܡܳܐ ܕܒܳܥܶܝܬ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܠܳܟ ܚܰܒܪܳܟ ܥܳܒܶܕ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܶܗ. ܘܰܐܝܟ ܕܨܳܒܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܠܳܟ ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܠܳܐ ܥܳܒܶܕ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܟܽܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ. ܨܳܒܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܘܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܰܛܐܶܒ ܠܰܢ ܡܶܢܳܗ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܕܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܛܶܐܒܺܝܢܰܢ ܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܘܰܠܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܐܒܐܶܫܘ ܠܰܢ: ܦܳܫܢܰܢ ܠܰܢ ܡܶܢ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ. ܣܳܢܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܘܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܕܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܢܰܒܐܶܫ ܠܰܢ ܐܳܦܶܢ ܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܒܐܶܫܢܰܢ ܠܶܗ: ܐܶܢܗܽܘ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܕܰܐܒܐܶܫܢܰܢ ܠܐ̱ܢܳܫ: ܐܰܘ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܒܐܶܫ ܠܰܢ ܢܦܰܠܢܰܢ ܠܰܢ ܡܶܢ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ. ܕܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܰܥܠܰܝܢ ܣܢܶܐ ܥܒܰܕܢܰܢ ܠܰܒܢܰܝ̈ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ. ܘܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܨܳܒܶܝܢܰܢ ܕܢܶܥܒܕܽܘܢ ܠܰܢ ܒܢܰܝ̈ܢܳܫܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܨܳܒܶܝܢܰܢ ܠܡܶܥܒܰܕ ܠܗܽܘܢ

We, however, have fallen even from this grade, for we do things that we hate to one another: Everything that you wish your fellow man will not do to you, you do to him, just as you do not do to anyone what you like everyone to do to you[rself]. I wish that I [myself] and everyone else treat [all of us] well. Due to the fact that we do not treat everybody, including those who have harmed us, well, we have driven ourselves away from Righteousness. I hate, as a matter of fact, everyone and myself included [hate] when someone treats us badly, even if we have treated him badly. So if we treat someone else badly, or someone else treats us badly, [in either case] we fall from [the grade of] Righteousness, for whatever we would hate to see done unto us we do unto [other] people, and whatever we would like [other] people to do for us, we do not like to do for them.

ܐܶܠܴܐ ܥܰܠ ܟܺܐܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܒܕܽܘܟܬܳܐ ܕܘܳܠܶܐ ܡܦܰܫܩܺܝܢܰܢ: ܗܳܫܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܢܶܦܪܽܘܫ ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢ ܟܡܳܐ ܕܰܪ̈ܓܺܝܢ ܐܺܝܬ ܒܰܚܕܳܐ ܚܕܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܡܶܐܟ̈ܠܳܬܳܐ ܘܬܶܫܡ̈ܫܳܬܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܪܳܡ ܕܰܪܓܳܐ ܥܶܠܳܝܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܥܰܡܺܝܩ ܕܰܪܓܳܐ ܬܰܚܬܳܝܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐܶܣܬܰܟܰܠܢܰܢ ܕܣܰܓܺܝܐܺܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܐܰܬܪ̈ܰܘܳܬܳܐ ܒܶܝܬ ܐܰܒܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܕܶܐܡܰܪ ܡܳܪܰܢ܀

But we shall treat Righteousness at [a more] appropriate time. For now we shall explain the commandments as one does without knowledge of how many grades there are in these single types of food stuffs and services, without knowledge of how high the higher grade is, and how humble the lower grade. We could not understand that the Father’s House has so many rooms,7 as our Lord has said. (End of 4th Paragraph)

ܢܫܰܪܶܐ ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܠܰܡܦܰܫܳܩܽܘ ܡܶܕܶܡ ܕܶܐܡܰܪܢ ܡܶܢ ܠܥܶܠ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢ ܒܕܽܘܟܬܶܗ ܐܰܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܕܰܡܚܰܘܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܡܳܪܰܢ܀

We shall begin to expound what we have said above, every single commandment in its [proper] place, as our Lord shows them to us.

ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܕܰܠܚܰܕ ܚܰܕ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܰܡܺܝܪܺܝܢ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܰܐܒܪܳܗܳܡ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܕܰܕܒܰܚ ܠܺܝ ܒܪܳܟ ܕܪܳܚܶܡ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܠܶܗ ܛܳܒ

As for the commandments which have been revealed to single individuals, they are the following:8

To Abraham alone God said: “Bring your son, whom you love so dearly, to Me.”

ܘܰܐܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܕܢܶܥܒܕܶܗ ܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܢ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܳܐܶܬ. ܐܶܠܴܐ ܐܶܢ ܛܽܘܦܣܶܗ ܕܗܳܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܢܶܣܰܒ ܠܶܗ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܕܢܶܪܚܡܶܗ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܒܪܶܗ: ܘܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܚܫܶܒ ܠܶܗ ܒܪܶܗ ܐܰܝܟ ܝܽܘܠܦܳܢܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ܀

No one other person could fulfill this commandment nowadays, no mortal [soul] but someone, who loves God more than his [own] son, and whose son is not deemed as valuable to him as God’s teaching, would take upon himself to carry out such a commandment. (End of 5th Paragraph)

ܬܽܘܒ ܠܗܽܘܫܰܥ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܕܣܰܒ ܠܳܟ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܙܳܢܺܝܬܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܡܶܬܚܰܫܰܚ ܒܶܗ ܒܗܳܢܳܐ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܳܐ ܝܰܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܘܫܳܩܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܬܳܐ ܕܓܳܝܪܳܐ ܟܽܠܝܽܘܡ ܒܰܐܚܪ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܘܶܐܢ ܛܳܒ ܫܳܩܶܠ ܡܳܐ ܕܣܶܠܩܰܬ ܡܶܢ ܫܽܘܩܳܐ ܟܶܢ ܫܳܩܶܠ ܠܳܗ

The Lord furthermore said to Hosea: “Take yourself a harlot as your wife.” No one can use this commandment nowadays: When someone is to marry a woman, notwithstanding her committing adultery with others, he marries her only after she has come up from the town square.9

ܠܗܽܘܫܰܥ ܕܶܝܢ ܟܰܕ ܩܳܝܡܳܐ ܒܫܽܘܩܳܐ ܐܰܦܶܣ ܠܶܗ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܕܢܶܣܒܶܝܗ ܡܶܛܽܠܗܳܕܶܐ ܕܰܢܟܰܘܶܢ ܒܳܗ ܠܰܒܢ̈ܰܝ ܐܺܝܣܪܳܐܶܝܠ ܕܙܰܢܺܝܘ

Hosea, however, was allowed by the Lord to take her as his wife, while she still used to stand in the town square.10 This was so that He might condemn through her the sons of Israel that had been fornicating.

ܕܡܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܰܘ ܕܰܢܕܽܘܢܽܘܢܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܠ ܕܰܫܩܰܠ ܙܳܢܺܝܬܳܐ ܢܕܽܘܢ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܗܽܘ ܘܰܢܚܰܝܶܒ ܐܶܢܽܘܢ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܶܐܢ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܕܳܝܢܺܝܢ ܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ ܥܰܠ ܕܫܶܩܠܶܬ ܙܳܢܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܡܶܠܬܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܢܚܰܝܶܒܟܽܘܢ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܠܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܕܰܙܢܰܝܬܽܘܢ ܒܓܰܘܪܳܐ ܘܰܙܢܰܝܬܽܘܢ ܒܰܦܬܰܟܪ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܫܒܰܩܬܽܘܢ ܦܽܘܩܕܳܢܶܗ ܕܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܐܰܠܳܗܟܽܘܢ܀

In order that, when they11 would come to pass judgment on him12 having married a harlot, He could judge them, condemning them to death: “If you condemn me for having married a harlot on account of the Lord’s Word, [then] how much more [severely] will the Lord condemn you to death? For you have fornicated by [commiting] adultery and you have fornicated by [worshipping] idols and have abandoned the commandment of the Lord, your God.”13 (End of Paragraph 6)

ܫܽܘܒܩܳܢܳܐ ܕܠܚܰܕ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ ܐܶܫܬܒܶܩ ܗܰܘ ܗ̱ܽܘ ܕܶܐܫܬܒܶܩ ܠܓܰܝܳܣܳܐ ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܒ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܬܒܶܩ ܗܳܟܰܢܳܐ ܠܰܐܚܪܺܢܳܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܥܒ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܐܶܠܴܐ ܐܶܢ ܬܳܒ܀

Forgiveness which has been granted to one person alone, is something granted to the culprit alone without any conditions. It is therefore not granted to another person without any conditions, except if [the other also] has repented.

ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܐ̱ܚܪ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܒܕܽܘܟܬܳܐ ܐ̱ܚܪܺܬܳܐ ܡܚܰܘܶܝܢ ܚ̱ܢܰܢ ܕܰܐܝܟܰܢܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܐܶܫܬܒܶܩ ܠܗܳܢܳܐ. ܐܶܢ ܒܳܥܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܕܬܶܣܬܰܟܰܠ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܠܬܰܪܥܶܗ ܟܰܕ ܠܳܐ ܪܓܺܝܫ ܘܩܰܪܶܒ ܠܶܗ ܒܳܥܽܘܬܳܐ ܘܰܫܒܰܩ ܠܶܗ. ܫܰܠܺܝܛ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܒܕܺܝܠܶܗ ܘܠܳܟ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܕܬܽܘܒ ܘܫܳܒܶܩ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܳܟ. ܥܽܘܬܪܳܐ ܗܳܟܺܝܠ ܕܰܡܪܰܚܡܳܢܽܘܬܶܗ ܚܰܘܺܝ ܒܗܰܘ ܚܰܕ ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܢܠܰܒܶܒ ܠܬܰܝ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܕܢܳܛܪܺܝܢ ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܒܰܬܝܳܒܽܘܬܗܽܘܢ ܕܰܟܡܳܐ ܣܰܓܺܝܐܺܝܢ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܕܠܳܐ ܥܒ̈ܳܕܶܐ ܐܶܬܪܰܚܰܡ ܘܰܫܒܰܩ܀

We shall show other commandments elsewhere, but this is how forgiveness is granted, if you wish to know: When the king had come to his palace, while the palace [household] had been caught unaware [of the king’s advent], then the palace [household] offered a supplication [to the king] and he14 granted [the members of] the palace [household] forgiveness. Our Lord has reign over what belongs to Him, and He has said to you: “Repent, and I shall grant you forgiveness.” Thus the abundance of mercy has manifested itself in that one man who shall give heart to the penitents who observe the commandments by virtue of their repentance: For how much compassion has he who has, unconditionally, shown mercy and granted forgiveness?

ܫܠܶܡ ܡܺܐܡܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܕܥܰܠ ܦܽܘܪܳܫ ܦܽܘܩܕ̈ܳܢܶܐ܀

[Here] the first sermon on the interpretation of commandments has come to its end. (End of 7th, and final, paragraph)