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Ginza Rabba

The Ginza Rabba (Great Treasure) is the longest and most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. It is composed of two parts: the Right Ginza (18 tractates on theology, cosmology, and ethics) and the Left Ginza (3 tractates on the fate of the soul after death).|||Mandaic manuscripts, none older than the 16th century, most from the 18th–19th centuries. The Drower Collection at Oxford and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris hold significant copies.|||Colophons in the Left Ginza identify an uninterrupted chain of copyists to the late 2nd or early 3rd century CE. The final compilation dates to Islamic times (after the 7th century).|||Canonical in Mandaeism. Not recognized by any other religious tradition.|||The central scripture of the Mandaeans. Contains cosmology, theology, ethics, prayers, and hymns. The Left Ginza is the primary source for Mandaean beliefs about the ascent of the soul.|||Lidzbarski, M. Ginzā: Der Schatz oder das grosse Buch der Mandäer. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1925.|||Al-Saadi, Q. & Al-Saadi, H. Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. Drabsha, 2012.|||Gelbert, C. The Great Treasure: Ginza Rabba. Amazon, 2011.|||Ginza Rabba — Internet Archive|https://archive.org/details/ginza-rabba|Full English translation by Ram Al Sabiry.;; Ginza Rabba — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginza_Rabba|Background and scholarly discussion.;; Mandaean Scriptures — Sacred Texts|https://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/|Selections from Mandaean texts.|||" If you see anyone hungry, feed him; if you see anyone thirsty, give him a drink." — Right Ginza I.105

Collection: Mandaean & Manichaean Canon: varies

Canon Status

Canonical in Mandaeism. Not recognized by any other religious tradition.

Date & Provenance

Colophons in the Left Ginza identify an uninterrupted chain of copyists to the late 2nd or early 3rd century CE. The final compilation dates to Islamic times (after the 7th century).

Language & Manuscripts

Mandaic manuscripts, none older than the 16th century, most from the 18th–19th centuries. The Drower Collection at Oxford and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris hold significant copies.

Why It Matters for Study

The central scripture of the Mandaeans. Contains cosmology, theology, ethics, prayers, and hymns. The Left Ginza is the primary source for Mandaean beliefs about the ascent of the soul.

" If you see anyone hungry, feed him; if you see anyone thirsty, give him a drink." — Right Ginza I.105

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Lidzbarski, M. Ginzā: Der Schatz oder das grosse Buch der Mandäer. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1925.
Al-Saadi, Q. & Al-Saadi, H. Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. Drabsha, 2012.
Gelbert, C. The Great Treasure: Ginza Rabba. Amazon, 2011.