A Jewish Bowl with an Adjuration of Jesus

This curse text, written in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic, invokes the Jewish God alongside Jesus and the Trinity on behalf of Isha son of Ifra Hormiz. The practitioner was probably Jewish, and his cultural background included syncretistic elements. To read more rabbinic texts about Ifra Hormiz, see The Sasanian Monarchs.

This press and binding is for the name of Isha son of Ifra Hormiz, that he may be pressed and fall—he, his lot, his destiny, his stars, his bindings, his words and his hateful thoughts—under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran sons of Mirdukh. Shamish the king of gods!

Just as all countries have been pressed—just so press this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz, in every name he has, under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and [this] Baran sons of Mirdukh. Under this white cock that [is appointed on your behalf], just so may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz be pressed in every name he has under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran, sons of Mirdukh.

Just as the heavens are pressed upon the sun, and the sun is pressed upon the earth, and the earth is pressed upon the waters, and the waters are pressed upon the darkness and the lower foundation, where there dwell these sons of gods who know seven powerful words by which the heavens and the earth are pressed: One word—the name: md’ the name: md’; and one word—the name gyšmwn; and one word—the name dbḥyl, the name dybḥyl; and one word—the name mškbh, the name mkbšh; and one word—the name zdyn, the name myzywn and zyw‘yn; and one word—the name dbḥyl, and the name ’rkdyl; and one word—the name kybšwn. By this (unit of) seven words, the universe and that which is over them is pressed. (Just so) may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz be pressed and trodden under in every name he has under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran sons of Mirdukh, and may all his hateful and evil words and thoughts be pressed and perish within him and not go out of his mouth.

By the name of the angels sons of glory I press you, Isha son of Ifra Hormiz, in every name that is yours under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran sons of Mirdukh. And by the names of kybšwn dyšwn and ddykwn, by the name of Kabshiel and Kabshiil the angel, Gamudiil and Mudiil and Amudiel the angel who pressed the column of the earth. By the name Gabibiel the beginning Gabael the angel, these angels by which presses are being pressed, large and small . . . shortened, and all virgins are led astray. By them, by their names and by their dignity, by their greatness and by the greatness of God—these holy ones serve. By the name of these angels I press this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz in every name that he has. And I press him, his lot, his fortune, his stars, his star signs and all his hateful words and thoughts under the feet and command and authority and under the lot and fate and star signs and stars of this Mihlad and (this) Baran sons of Mirdukh.

Just as those ‘z’l and ‘z’l and ‘zzy’l, who transgressed against the command of their lord, were pressed, and angels were sent against them from the presence of God and pressed them upon the mountain [of darkness] and their faces were turned towards the face of darkness. And just as the primordial rymwn bull was pressed—just so may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz be pressed. And may his hateful words and hateful thoughts and stars and star signs and lot and magic be pressed . . . under the feet and under the command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran, sons of Mirdukh.

Just as the . . . seven . . . of the great house and the builders of the great house of the world were pressed, and the lords of (greatness) pressed and bound them by the strength . . . [And ju]st as ’mwr the great man of the end was pressed—just so may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz be pressed, and may his lot and fate and star signs and stars and magic acts and idols and mysteries and evil thoughts be pressed under the feet and under the command and authority of this Mihlad and (this) Baran, sons of Mirdukh.

And just as ’mws the primal man was pressed, and there were pressed upon him mountains, hills and river courses—just so may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz be pressed and trod under. And may his heart be pressed from the vision of his eyes under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and [this] Baran, sons of Mirdukh. Again, just so may the heart of this Isha be pressed from the vision of his eyes.

Just as ḥrwm’ḥrwm was pressed, and there came against him on sixty-seven thousand clouds, there came against him angels of the great one who committed the sin, (namely alleging) that he is the primeval lord. And they grabbed him by the fringes of his side and, taking them apart, they beat him with a continuous beating. And they hurled seven to the heavens and eight to the midst of the clouds until his brain was bespattered upon the rocks. And just as the house of Korah and Dathan and Abiram was pressed—just so may this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz, by any name he has, be crushed and trod under. And may his lot and fortune and star signs and stars and magic acts and idols and commands and hateful words and evil thoughts be pressed and trod under the feet and command and authority of this Mihlad and [this] Baran, sons of Mirdukh. And may this Isha be pressed, [and may] all his words and evil thoughts that he thinks about this Mihlad and [this] Baran, sons of Mirdukh, for evil and hatefulness be pressed. And may his thoughts and hateful words perish within him and not come out of his mouth.

By the name of Balmiel who is the one that gags humans within their hearts. And by the name of . . . these angels who pressed and brought to rest and struck dumb the primal war. You press, bring to rest, and strike dumb the heart and strong desires and hateful thoughts and all hateful and evil words that he thinks about this Mihlad and (this) Baran, sons of Mirdukh for evil and hatefulness. And . . . (may) his words and his thoughts, evil and hateful, perish within him and not come out of his mouth from this day and for ever. Amen amen selah, true and established.

This press is in the name of . . . who presses all presses and is victorious over all, and rules over all the world. And also this Mihlad and also this Baran, sons of Mirdukh, to all . . . and may they reign upon the earth, and may they press and trample under and be victorious over this Isha son of Ifra Hormiz. And may they block up his lot and his fate and his stars and his star signs and his bindings and his idols. By the name of I-am-that-I-am yhwh ṣb’wt, and by the name of Jesus, who conquered the height and the depth by his cross, and by the name of his exalted father, and by the name of the holy spirits for ever and eternity. Amen amen selah. This press is true and established.