Sunday, October 22, 2023

Depiction of Joseph as Being Sinful and Doubting Mary in "Mary and Joseph" (c. 5th century Syriac Poem)

  

4. Joseph was dumfounded at Mary,
seeing her pregnancy of which he knew nothing.
he began to chide and reproach her,
saying, Listen, girl;

 

5. JOSEPH: Reveal to me the secret of what has
happened to you;
it is greatly shocking, what you speak of:
who has led you astray, virgin,
and snatched away your wealth, chaste girl?

 

6. MARY: I will reveal to you how it happened,
says Mary, So listen, Joseph.
A man of fire came down to me,
he gave me a greeting – and this took place.

 

7. JOSEPH: That I should believe this is hard:

It is not good, so do not repeat it.
if you are willing, speak to me
about what too place: who led you astray?

 

8. MARY: How to tell you any more I do not know,
for I have told you how it actually happened:
the chief of the watchers came down and announced
it to me;
I became pregnant without being aware of it.

 

9. JOSEPH: These words are inappropriate,
Mary, for a virgin; keep silent,
for falsehood will not stand up.
Speak the truth, if you are willing.

 

10. MARY: I repeat the same very words--
I have no others to say.
I remain sealed, as the seals of my virginity,
which have not been loosed, will testify.

 

11. JOSEPH: You ought not to contradict,
but confess that you have been seduced.
now you have fallen into two wrongs:
after getting pregnant, you are telling lies. (Mary and Joseph, 4-11, c. 5th century, in Mary and Joseph, and Other Dialogue Poems on Mary [trans. Sebastian P. Brock; Texts from Christian Late Antiquity 8; Piscataway, N.J. Gorgias Press, 2011], 32, 34)