Die griechische Ephraem-Paraenesis gegen das Lachen in arabischer Übersetzung

Willi Heffening publishes here the Arabic version of the “sermon against laughter” attributed to Ephrem. Heffening accompanies the Arabic text with a brief introduction, a German translation, and a critical apparatus with variants from the Greek version.

Amadeus became a monk of Clairvaux in 1125, just about the time its abbot, Bernard, began to be noticed by the Church at large. After twenty years in the cloister, Amadeus became bishop of the troubled diocese of Lausanne. Reform and renewal did not come easily. Amid political skullduggery, as well as the demands of pastoral and administrative duties, Bishop Amadeus managed to write–perhaps to preach–these eight homilies in praise of Mary. Formed as a monk under the charismatic influence of Saint Bernard, Amadeus retained a distinctive piety which finds eloquent expression in this series of sermons, almost all that survives from his pen.