i
LHHI rom Mandaean liturgical texts, collected together under the rubric
I Mandaean Liturgies, come the lovely songs for the poor, the perse-
JL. cuted, and the soul given here. Particularly poignant is the song of
the poor man from the fruit (the pleroma), who is dragged from the dwelling
of the good to the world of the wicked, "where all is malice and fire." He suf-
fers, a stranger in this strange and terrible world, "like a fatherless child," until
a messenger from the realm of life and light arrives to deliver the poor man.
The messenger promises splendid clothing, an exalted seat, and freedom.
Thus, "Welcome to anyone life knows, and sorrow to whomever life ignores."
All of this is reminiscent of the Song of the Pearl, in Part Two of this volume.
