ܟܘܪܝܐ ܦܛܪܘܣ ܒܪ ܡܫܡܫܢܐ ܬܐܘܡܐ ܒܪ ܥܝܣܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܪܡܘ ܟܘܫܐܒܐ ܡܪܝܐ

V. Rev. Cor-Episcopo . Fr. Boutros the son of Deacon Touma Issa Ramo Khoshaba Marya

الاب الخوراسقف بطرس ابن الشماس توما عيسى من عائلة رمو خوشابا مريا

What influenced V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa's thoughts?

These verses are provided hereunder in three languages (Syriac, English, and Arabic):

What influenced V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa's thoughts?

Boutros read the Holy Bible and was always fascinated by the wisdom derived from every page of the Holy Bible (the Old and the New Testaments). He was always repeating the story of the conference of trees that he derived from the Book of Judges.

Prior to sharing these verses, it is worthwhile to share first what Boutros refers to them when he mentions these verses:

“Wisdom from the Holy Bible” "حكمة من الكتاب المقدس" "ܚܟܡܬܐ ܡ݂ܢ ܟܬܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ"
“False Glory” “المجد الباطل" "ܫܘܒܚܐ ܣܪܝܩܐ"
“The trees conference” "مؤتمر الاشجار" "ܟܢܘܫܝܐ ܕܐܝܠܢ̈ܐ"

To follow, these verses in three languages:

ܡܺܐܙܰܠ ܐܶܙܰܠܘ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ ܕܢܶܡܫܚܽܘܢ ܥܠܰܝܗܽܘܢ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ. ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܠܙܰܝܬܳܐ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ݂ ܥܠܰܝܢ. ܐܳܡܰܪ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܙܰܝܬܳܐ. ܠܳܐ ܫܳܒܶܩ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܕܽܘܗܢܝ. ܕܒܺܝ ܡܶܬ݂ܝܰܩܪܺܝܢ ܐܰܠܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܘܐ̱ܢܳܫ̈ܳܐ. ܘܳܐܙܶܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܡܢܳܕ݂ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ. ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ ܠܬܺܬܳܐ. ܬܳܝ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܝ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ݂ܝ ܥܠܰܝܢ. ܐܳܡܪܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܬܺܬܳܐ. ܠܳܐ ܫܳܒܩܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܚܰܠܝܽܘܬ݂ܝ. ܘܶܐܒܝ ܛܳܒܳܐ. ܘܳܐܙܳܠ̱ܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܡܢܳܕ݂ ܥܰܠ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ. ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ ܠܰܓܦܶܬܳܐ. ܬܳܝ ܐܰܢ̱ܬܝ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ݂ܝ ܥܠܰܝܢ. ܐܳܡܪܳܐ ܠܗܽܘܢ ܓܦܶܬܳܐ. ܠܳܐ ܫܳܒܩܳܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܐܳܕ݂ܫܝ ܕܰܡܚܰܕ݂ܶܐ ܠܶܒܳܐ ܕܰܐܠܳܗ̈ܶܐ ܘܰܕ݂ܐ̱ܢܳܫ̈ܳܐ. ܘܳܐܙܠ̱ܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܐ ܠܰܡܢܳܕ݂ ܥܰܠ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ. ܐܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ ܟܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܠܗܰܛܛܳܐ. ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܐܰܡܠܶܟ݂ ܥܠܰܝܢ. ܐܳܡܰܪ ܗܰܛܛܳܐ ܠܺܐܝ̈ܠܳܢܶܐ. ܐܶܢ ܒܰܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܡܳܫܚܺܝܢ ܐ̱ܢܬܽܘܢ ܠܺܝ ܕܰܐܡܠܶܟ݂ ܥܠܰܝܟܽܘܢ. ܬܰܘ ܐܶܣܬܰܬܰܪܘ ܒܛܶܠܳܠܝ.

(ܼ ܕܰܝܳܢ̈ܶܐ: ܛ̄ : ܚ̄ - ܝܗ̄).

…Once upon a time the trees went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fertility, by which gods and men are honoured, to be abominated for reigning over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us. But the fig tree said to them, I am not going to leave my sweetness and my good fruit, to be abominated for reigning over the trees. Then the trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us. But the vine said to them, I am not going to leave my wine which cheers the hearts of gods and men, to be abominated for reigning over the trees. Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us. And the bramble said to the trees, if in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade…

(Judges 9: 8-15)

مَرَّةً ذَهَبَتِ الأَشْجَارُ لِتَمْسَحَ عَلَيْهَا مَلِكًا. فَقَالَتْ لِلزَّيْتُونَةِ: امْلِكِي عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَتْ لَهَا الزَّيْتُونَةُ: أَأَتْرُكُ دُهْنِي الَّذِي بِهِ يُكَرِّمُونَ بِيَ اللهَ وَالنَّاسَ، وَأَذْهَبُ لِكَيْ أَمْلِكَ عَلَى الأَشْجَارِ؟ ثُمَّ قَالَتِ الأَشْجَارُ لِلتِّينَةِ: تَعَالَيْ أَنْتِ وَامْلِكِي عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَتْ لَهَا التِّينَةُ: أَأَتْرُكُ حَلاَوَتِي وَثَمَرِي الطَّيِّبَ وَأَذْهَبُ لِكَيْ أَمْلِكَ عَلَى الأَشْجَارِ؟ فَقَالَتِ الأَشْجَارُ لِلْكَرْمَةِ: تَعَالَيْ أَنْتِ وَامْلِكِي عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَتْ لَهَا الْكَرْمَةُ: أَأَتْرُكُ مِسْطَارِي الَّذِي يُفَرِّحُ اللهَ وَالنَّاسَ وَأَذْهَبُ لِكَيْ أَمْلِكَ عَلَى الأَشْجَارِ؟ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ جَمِيعُ الأَشْجَارِ لِلْعَوْسَجِ: تَعَالَ أَنْتَ وَامْلِكْ عَلَيْنَا. فَقَالَ الْعَوْسَجُ لِلأَشْجَارِ: إِنْ كُنْتُمْ بِالْحَقِّ تَمْسَحُونَنِي عَلَيْكُمْ مَلِكًا فَتَعَالَوْا وَاحْتَمُوا تَحْتَ ظِلِّي.

(القضاة 9 : 8 – 15).

These verses are provided hereunder in three languages (Syriac, English, and Arabic):

ܡܗܰܝܡܢܳܐ ܗ݈ܝ ܡܶܠܬ݂ܳܐ ܕ݁ܶܐܢ ܐ݈ܢܳܫ ܪܳܐܶܓ݂ ܩܰܫܺܝܫܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ ܥܒ݂ܳܕ݂ܶ̈ܐ ܛܳܒ݂ܶܐ̈ ܪܳܐܶܓ݂܂ܘܳܠܶܐ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܕ݁ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܩܰܫܺܝܫܳܐ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܡܽܘܡܳܐ ܠܳܐ ܡܶܫܬ݁ܟ݂ܰܚ ܒ݁ܶܗ ܘܰܗܘܳܐ ܒ݁ܰܥܠܳܐ ܕ݁ܰܚܕ݂ܳܐ ܐܰܢ݈ܬ݁ܬ݂ܳܐ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܥܺܝܪ ܪܶܥܝܳܢܶܗ ܘܰܢܟ݂ܶܦ݂ ܘܰܡܛܰܟ݁ܰܣ ܘܪܳܚܶܡ ܐܰܟ݂ܣܢܳܝܶ̈ܐ ܘܡܰܠܦ݂ܳܢ܂ܘܠܳܐ ܥܳܒ݂ܰܪ ܥܰܠ ܚܰܡܪܳܐ ܘܠܳܐ ܪܳܗܛܳܐ ܐܺܝܕ݂ܶܗ ܠܡܶܡܚܳܐ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܡܰܟ݁ܺܝܟ݂ ܘܠܳܐ ܢܰܨܳܝ ܘܠܳܐ ܪܳܚܶܡ ܟ݁ܶܣܦ݁ܳܐ܂ܘܰܡܕ݂ܰܒ݁ܰܪ ܒ݁ܰܝܬ݁ܶܗ ܫܰܦ݁ܺܝܪ ܘܰܐܚܺܝܕ݂ ܒ݁ܢܰܘ̈ܗ݈ܝ ܒ݁ܫܽܘܥܒ݁ܳܕ݂ܳܐ ܒ݁ܟ݂ܽܠܳܗ ܕ݁ܰܟ݂ܝܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ܂ ܐܶܢ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܒ݁ܰܝܬ݁ܳܐ ܕ݁ܢܰܦ݂ܫܶܗ ܠܳܐ ܝܳܕ݂ܰܥ ܕ݁ܰܢܕ݂ܰܒ݁ܰܪ ܫܰܦ݁ܺܝܪ ܐܰܝܟ݁ܰܢܳܐ ܡܶܫܟ݁ܰܚ ܥܺܕ݈݁ܬ݁ܶܗ ܕ݁ܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܕ݁ܰܢܕ݂ܰܒ݁ܰܪ܂ܘܠܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܛܠܶܐ ܬ݁ܽܘܠܡܳܕ݂ܶܗ ܕ݁ܠܳܐ ܢܶܬ݁ܪܺܝܡ ܘܢܶܦ݁ܶܠ ܒ݁ܕ݂ܺܝܢܶܗ ܕ݁ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ܂ܘܳܠܶܐ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܕ݁ܳܐܦ݂ ܣܳܗܕ݁ܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ ܫܰܦ݁ܺܝܪܬ݁ܳܐ ܐܺܝܬ݂ ܠܶܗ ܡܶܢ ܒܰܪ̈ܝܶܐ ܕ݁ܠܳܐ ܢܶܦ݁ܶܠ ܒ݁ܚܶܣܕ݁ܳܐ ܘܰܒ݂ܦ݂ܰܚܶ̈ܐ ܕ݁ܣܳܛܳܢܳܐ܂

(ܕܛܝܡܬܐܘܣ ܩܕܡܝܬܐ ܓ̄: ܐ̄ - ܙ̄)

“This is a true saying: If a man desires the office of an elder, he aspires to a good work. He who becomes an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, alert mentally, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, and apt at teaching; not given to wine, not hasty to strike, not quarrelsome, but meek, not greedy of filthy lucre; One who rules well his own household and keeps his children under submission to bring them up with all purity. For if a man does not know how to rule well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God? He should not be a recent convert, lest he become proud and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report from outsiders, lest he fall into reproach and the snares of the devil.”

(1 Timothy 3: 1-7)

صادقة هي الكلمة: إن ابتغى أحد الأسقفية، فيشتهي عملا صالحا فيجب أن يكون الأسقف بلا لوم، بعل امرأة واحدة، صاحيا، عاقلا، محتشما، مضيفا للغرباء، صالحا للتعليم غير مدمن الخمر، ولا ضراب، ولا طامع بالربح القبيح، بل حليما، غير مخاصم، ولا محب للمال يدبر بيته حسنا، له أولاد في الخضوع بكل وقار وإنما إن كان أحد لا يعرف أن يدبر بيته، فكيف يعتني بكنيسة الله غير حديث الإيمان لئلا يتصلف فيسقط في دينونة إبليس ويجب أيضا أن تكون له شهادة حسنة من الذين هم من خارج، لئلا يسقط في تعيير وفخ إبليس.

(رسالة بولس الرسول الأولى إلى تيموثاوس الاصحاح الثالث : 1 – 7 )

Boutros was aware of the extremely demanding tasks of a priest, in addition to the challenges that he and his young family would face moving to a different country with a dissimilar culture. Nonetheless, Boutros was always strengthened by the contents of the Holy Bible through his ongoing readings, becoming attached to a verse from St. Paul’s Second Epistle to Timothy, which happens to be the motto of his father the late Deacon Touma. This verse is what Deacon Boutros took as his guiding beacon and benchmark as he prepared for his ordination as a priest in the year 1959. This verse is shared hereunder in Syriac, English, and Arabic:

"ܘܟ݂ܽܠܗܽܘܢ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܠܶܝܢ ܕ݁ܨܳܒ݂ܶܝܢ ܒ݁ܕ݂ܶܚܠܰܬ݂ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܕ݁ܢܺܚܽܘܢ ܒ݁ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܡܶܬ݂ܪܰܕ݂ܦ݁ܺܝܢ"܂

(ܐܶܓܰܪܬ̣ܳܐ ܬܪܰܝܳܢܺܝܬ̣ܳܐ ܕܦܰܘܠܽܘܤ ܫܠܺܝܚܳܐ ܕܰܠܘܳܬ̣ ܬܰܠܡܺܝܕܶܗ ܛܺܝܡܳܬ݂ܶܐܳܘܣ ܓ:ܝܐ)

“Likewise, all those who wish to live a godly life in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution.”

(2 Timothy 3:12)

"وجميع الذين يريدون أن يعيشوا بالتقوى في المسيح يسوع يضطهدون" .

(رسالة القديس بولس الى تيموثاوس 3:12)