Left Ginza

Left Ginza
Information
ReligionMandaeism
LanguageMandaic language

The Left Ginza (Classical Mandaic: ࡂࡉࡍࡆࡀ ࡎࡌࡀࡋࡀ, romanized: Ginza Smala) is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Right Ginza.

As of 2024, a critical edition that includes an annotated translation of the Left Ginza is being prepared by Bogdan Burtea and Christoph Markschies.

Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (2007), are provided below. Translated excerpts are from Gelbert (2011), which is mostly based on Lidzbarski (1925), while Mandaic transliterations are derived from Gelbert (2011, 2021).

Opening lines of each chapter are provided below, since Mandaeans often refer to Mandaic prayers by their opening lines.