From the John-Book of the Mandæans:
Yahyā opened his mouth and spake to Anhar in Jerusalem: “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 see thee again.”
“A lie hast thou spoken, Anhar, and thy word has come forth in deception. If a day comes and goes, thou eatest and drinkest and 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 spoken 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 on 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 forgettest me out of thy mind.”
“Why dost thou not tell me all, Yahyā,” 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 labour descends into Sheōl and a bell is hung up for her in the graveyard. If they paint a picture in Sheōl, and she then goes forth and they give a feast in the graveyard. If a bride parades round in Sheōl, and they celebrate marriage in the graveyard. If the wedding-companions borrow in Sheōl, and the paying-back takes place in the graveyard.“
Then answered she him: “My lord, how shall it be that a woman in labour . . . “[and so on, repeating the above].
“If thou knowest,” he makes answer unto her, “that this does never happen, why dost thou press me with asking: When dost thou return? I go hence and return not. Happy the day when thou dost still see me. If there were a going-away and returning, then would no widow be found in this world. If there were a going-away and returning, then would no fatherless be found in the world. If there were a going-away and returning, then no Nazōræans would be found in the world.”
Thereon Anhar opened her mouth and spake to Yahyā in Jerusalem: “I will buy thee for dear gold a brick grave and have a boxing of wood joinered together for thee in the graveyard.”
But Yahyā opened his mouth and spake to Anhar in Jerusalem: “Why wilt thou buy a brick grave for dear gold and 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 Yahyā in Jerusalem: “Thou dost go hence and forget me, and I shall be cut off in the Sinners’ Dwelling.”
[But Yahyā 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.”
Praisèd be Life, and Life is victorious.
Tagged: dionysos, heroes, john the baptist, may you never thirst
