Earth groans out of season and is sent a-whirl through the heaven-spheres. Earth opens her mouth and speaks to Elizar: "Go to Lilyukh, that he may interpret the dreams you have seen," Thereon Elizar opened his mouth and spake unto all of the priests: "Who goes to Lilyukh, that he may interpret the dreams you have seen?" Then wrote they a letter and put it in the hand of Ṭāb-Yōmīn. Ṭāb-Yōmīn took the letter and betook himself to Lilyukh, Lilyukh lay on his bed; sleep had not yet flown from him. A quaking came into his heart, shivered his heart and brought it down from its stay, Ṭāb-Yōmīn drew near to Lilyukh, Ṭāb-Yōmīn stepped up to Lilyukh, shook him out of his sleep and spake to him: "The priests saw dreams, fire burned in Old Father (Abā Sābā) Zakhriā; three heaven-lights appeared. The sun sank and the lights rose. Fire lit up the house of the people (synagogue), smoke rose over the temple. A quaking quaked in the Throne-chariot, so that Earth removed from her seat. A star flew down into Judæa, a star flew down into Jerusalem. The sun appeared by night, and the moon rose by day." When Lilyukh heard this, he cast dust on his head. Naked, Lilyukh rose from his bed and fetched the dream-book. He opens it and reads in it and looks for what stands there written. He opens it and reads therein and interprets the dreams in silence without reading aloud. He writes them in a letter and expounds them on a leaf. In it he says to them: "Woe unto you, all of you priests, for Enishbai shall bear a child. Woe unto you, ye rabbis, for a child shall be born in Jerusalem. Woe unto you, ye teachers and pupils, for Enishbai shall bear a child, woe unto you, Mistress Torah (the Law), for Yōhānā shall be born in Jerusalem."Lilyukh writes unto them in the letter and says to them: "The star, that came and stood over Enishbai: A child will be planted out of the height from above; he comes and will be given unto Enishbai. The fire, that burned in Old Father Zakhriā: Yōhānā will be born in Jerusalem."

A fire burned in Zakhria (Zechariah). Enishbai (Elizabeth) shall bear a child. Yohana (John) will be born in Jerusalem.

The birth is preceded by cosmic shifts and terrestrial tumult. A new age is arriving with the birth of the child.

In the Mandaean text the birth of John will bring woe to the priests, rabbis, and even to Mistress Torah: to the very heart of Jewish life.

The tale's opening reminds us of the Bible, Gilgamesh, Tolkien, and Battlestar Galatica. From current conflict will arise complete consilience.

Even as we so often fear change, we also yearn for a new beginning.

Above is a photograph of a Mandaean child being baptized in 2006. More information is available from Dr. April D. DeConick.