Yazidism

Yazidism is a monotheistic ethnic religion followed by the Yazidi people.

Quotes

 * (Quotes of all hymns below are from Kreyenbroek (2005) unless noted other otherwise.)

This section provides quotes from sacred hymns in Yazidism (see Yazidi literature on Wikipedia for a comprehensive list).

Creation

 * Oh Lord, in the world there was darkness
 * There were neither mice nor snakes
 * You freshly brought it to life
 * Flowers almost burst from it.


 * Oh Lord, you are the generous master
 * You opened the way and the road in the darkness
 * You are the master of all things
 * You created paradise, many-coloured.
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 1-2


 * Our Lord had a thing in mind
 * He established the Pearl of the Cup from it
 * From it he created the holy men He said:
 * This is still not enough.


 * The Pearl burst open in its awe of God
 * It could not bear it (any longer),
 * it was carried upwards
 * It became adorned with such colours
 * Red and white became visible in it.
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 7-8


 * He threw into the ocean
 * The ocean coagulated because of it
 * Smoke appeared from it
 * He built heaven and earth, fourteen spheres
 * Our God brought the Pearl out.
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 10


 * Water flowed from the Pearl
 * It became an ocean without end, without beginning
 * Without road and without gate Our God circled over the water.
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 12


 * He brought down from above
 * Lalish became pleasant everywhere
 * On earth, plants began to grow
 * With them he adorned the existing things.
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 22


 * Lalish came (down) from heaven
 * The earth became green, plants came
 * How many beings grazed on it!
 * Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 28


 * My King is concealed inside it
 * By himself, he was contented with himself
 * No world had yet appeared
 * By himself, he knew himself.


 * He worshipped himself
 * Love was always one, and conscious
 * He became light, worshipping himself
 * Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 2-3


 * Before scripture, before writing
 * Before the Pen, before Truth
 * Men had come to know this love.
 * Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 8


 * The King was lonely in the Pearl
 * There was no earth, no sky
 * No mountains, no foundation
 * One name for faith was ‘God’.


 * The King was inside the Pearl
 * Solemnly he gave himself 3,003 names
 * He added ‘Belief’ as one of those names.


 * God created belief
 * He gave it 99 colours
 * By means of that faith he removed himself
 * from inside the Pearl.
 * Dûʿa Bawiriyê — The Prayer of Belief, 1-3

Pilgrimage

 * Drive directly to the Doorway (at Lalish)
 * Take the Lord’s path without fail
 * Serve and perform religious duties!
 * Oh Sheikh Adi, give (religious) wages and freedom
 * from sin to the Yezidis of East and West
 * Those who are present and listen, from the treasury of power.
 * We are deficient, God and Sheikh Adi are perfect.
 * Qewlê Îmanê — The Hymn of the Faith, 45


 * Let us make pilgrimage to those robes of honour
 * The mystery of Lalish came from above
 * So many created things were adorned with it
 * Men received from it a responsibility, freedom from sin and robes of honour.


 * We will make pilgrimage to (the wearers of) those robes
 * The angels stand at the gate of heaven
 * The holy men of God have taken their places at the assembly and the gathering:
 * The mystery of the Tradition, which is belief in righteousness and in the foundations
 * The whole mystery of God is faith.
 * Dûʿa Tifaqê — The Prayer of Agreement, 14-15

Sheikhs and angels

 * The Leader of the Saints appeared
 * He was ,
 * Before him, the holy men were saying ‘God is greatest’.
 * We are deficient, God is perfect.
 * Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 14


 * is the lord of kindness
 * He appeared among Arabs and non-Arabs.
 * He appeared in Beyt el-Far
 * He migrated, he came to Hakkari


 * At Lalish holy men gathered around him.
 * He migrated to the Cavern, he came to Lalish
 * A rumour had reached their ears
 * They became happy, their hearts were pleased about it.
 * Qewlê Şêxadî û Mêra — The Hymn of Sheikh Adi and the Holy Men, 1-3


 * My is (made) of light
 * He sits on the golden Throne
 * Many keys are in his hands
 * He opens doors to many treasuries
 * The House of Tradition has hopes of him
 * Yoe are a remedy for all wounds.
 * From here on the text becomes a Qewl:


 * All snakes, all mice
 * All that is wet, all that is dry
 * That too shall have a share and a part
 * in (the sphere of) Sheikh Shems.


 * All tortoises, all snakes
 * All that is hidden, all that is open
 * Its refuge too is with Sheikh Shems.
 * Duʿa û Qewlê Şêşims — The Prayer and Hymn to Sheikh Shems, 20-22


 * is the King.
 * is the Lord.
 * Nasirdin is the Sheikh of.
 * Duʿa û Qewlê Şêşims — The Prayer and Hymn to Sheikh Shems, 36


 * (Our) longing is for the King in the Pearl
 * His light has 3,003 forms
 * Any one of God’s names is the object of (our) wishes.


 * My King created the wish
 * He created the angel Ezrail from light
 * He adorned the vault of heaven with it.
 * Dûʿa Mirazê — The Prayer of Wishes, 1-2


 * The angel Ezrail stood at the Gate of Wishes
 * Night and day he was wishing
 * Until he attained (his) wish: the Presence.
 * Dûʿa Mirazê — The Prayer of Wishes, 4


 * Amen, amen, amen
 * (By) the greatness of
 * , and Nasirdin
 * is the strength of the religion
 * Qadi il-Ban is ancient
 * Sultan has the first and last crown
 * Truth, Praise be to God, oh Lord of both worlds
 * Sheikh Adi, peace be upon you!
 * Diroze, 1


 * Amen, amen,
 * The blessing of the faith.
 * God is the best of Creators.
 * Through the miraculous power of ,
 * Fekhr el-Dîn, ,
 * Naşir el-Dîn and Babadîn,
 * is the strength of the faith,
 * Sultan is the crown, from first to last.
 * Truth, Praise be to God.
 * Oh Lord of the Worlds,
 * Give good things, avert evil.
 * We long for a (moment of the) Presence.
 * Du‘aya Sibeykê — The Morning Prayer, 1 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

Community

 * We are deficient, God is perfect
 * The village we are in is protected by God
 * The house we are in is maintained by God
 * Mercy upon the mothers and fathers of those who are present and those who listen, and upon my masters.
 * Diroze, 15

Jesus

 * Jesus and Simeon
 * Went to a desert
 * They came across a skull.


 * The head that belonged to the skull
 * When Jesus spoke to it
 * Began speaking at once.


 * Jesus talked to it and greeted it
 * The head answered his greeting
 * Saying: Prophet Jesus
 * You are most welcome!
 * Qewlê Cumcumî Siltan — The Hymn of the Sultan’s Skull, 1-3

God

 * My King has 1,001 names
 * In his eyes the world is a matter of an hour, an instant
 * Sultan Ezi knows how many masses of water there are in the ocean
 * How many stones are scattered over dry river-beds
 * Sultan Ezi made Eve a bride, Adam a groom.
 * Qewlê Hezar û Yek Nav — The Hymn of the Thousand and One Names, 1


 * One day I was pondering night and day,
 * I seek protection with God.


 * What a great ocean he is!
 * He is also an endless light.
 * Four streams have sprung from it.


 * What a gigantic ocean he is!
 * Its foundation consists of four cornerstones,
 * The four foundations are a cornerstone for the holy men,
 * The assembly of Sheykh Adi, which must observe the prescribed way of dressing.


 * What an endless ocean he is!
 * He is the everlasting King of the good men.
 * I am the supporter of my Sheykh,
 * I give much praise to my Sheykh.


 * What a deep ocean he is!
 * He is the compassionate King of the good men.
 * I was far away, I came near.
 * Qewlê Behra — The Hymn of the Oceans, 1-5 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)


 * You are the eternal one,
 * you dwelt in the source of light,
 * You are the eternal one,
 * you are the living one, the glorious.
 * You are one, praise is due to you.
 * Qewlê Ṭawûsî Melek — The Hymn Of Melek Tawus, 5 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)


 * Oh my Lord, you are higher than the sky,
 * You have no attributes,
 * you are everywhere,
 * You do not give birth,
 * you are alive without having been born.
 * Qewlê Ṭawûsî Melek — The Hymn Of Melek Tawus, 8 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

Faith

 * My declaration of Faith is: (there is) One God.
 * Melek Sheykh Hesen is Truth, (he is) the Friend of God.
 * (God) bless Mount Meqlûb and the Sanctuary.


 * Salutations to the holy men, to and to Meqlûb.
 * Our point of orientation on this earth are the Twin Spires.
 * The Yezidi nation turns towards Sheykh Adi,
 * In the worship of prostration.


 * Sultan is my King,
 * is my Lord, is my King.
 * Şehda Dînî — The Declaration of Faith, 1-3 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)


 * God willing, we are Yezidis,
 * Followers of the name of Sultan Êzîd.
 * Praise be to God, we are content with our religion and ṭarīqa.
 * Şehda Dînî — The Declaration of Faith, 10 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)


 * That intercession is like this:
 * On one side of the Sirat Bridge is paradise,
 * on one there is darkness,
 * and on the third there is hell
 * There is help from the Friends and Brothers of the Hereafter
 * for their brothers, the sinners.
 * Qewlê Seremergê — The Hymn of the Moment of Death, 69