ܕܸܡܥܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܵܒܘܼܪ Tears of the Khabur دموع الخابور
True stories of the Assyrians of the Khabur River, 1933–2015
by Yonan RoilSecond edition, revised and expanded · Melbourne 2026
Available in Assyrian (Sureth). Arabic and English editions are in the works.
Resettled on a barren riverbank in 1933. Driven out again in 2015.
Tears of the Khabur records the true stories and lived experiences of Assyrians driven from their ancestral homeland in Mesopotamia, in present-day northern Iraq, after the Simele massacre of August 1933.
Under a League of Nations mandate, between 16,500 and 20,000 people were resettled along the banks of the Khabur River in Syria. The land was barren, with nothing but the river's water, yet the resilience of these hard-working people turned it into one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region.
On 23 February 2015 a violent storm struck and history repeated itself. Once again this community faced killing, captivity, destruction and displacement.
Written in Sureth, the Assyrian mother tongue, with difficult words explained in Arabic and English. Four chapters across 356 pages, illustrated with historical photographs.
The book is currently available in Assyrian only. Arabic and English editions are in the works.
- ܫܸܡܵܐ ܕܟܬܵܒܼܵܐ
- ܕܸܡܥܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܵܒ̇ܘܼܪ
- ܓܘܼܫܡܵܐ
- ܡܸܨܥܵܝܵܐ 152 × 229 ܡܡ. – 356 ܦܲܬ̈ܘܵܬܵܐ
- ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ
- ܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ ܕܵܪܵܝܵܐ
- ܛܒܲܥܬܵܐ
- ܬܪܲܝܵܢܝܼܬܵܐ ܒܵܬ݇ܪ ܡܲܨܚܵܢܘܼܬܵܐ ܘܬܵܘܣܲܦܬܵܐ
- ܣܘܼܟܵܡܵܐ ܕܓܸܠܕܵܐ
- ܪܲܡܣܝܼܢܵܐ ܪܘܼܒܼܐܹܝܠ ܥܲܡ ܣܵܝܘܿܡܵܐ
- ISBN
- 978-1-4461-2243-3
- ܛܒܲܥܬܵܐ ܘܦܪܲܣܬܵܐ
- Lulu.com
- ܛܝܼܡܵܐ
- US$38.99 · A$54.95
ܟܠܗܘ̇ܢ ܙܸܕܩܹ̈ܐ ܢܛܝܼܪܝܼܢ. جميع الحقوق محفوظة. All rights reserved.
ܖܸ̈ܢܝܹܐ ܘܲܚܒܼܝܼܫܵܬܵܐ
ܒܸܚܒܼܵܫܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܬܘܼܢܵܝܹ̈ܐ ܫܲܪܝܼܖܹ̈ܐ ܘܢܸܣܝܘܼܢܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܣܲܗܡܵܐ ܕܥܲܡܵܐ ܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ، ܕܗܘܹܐ ܗ݇ܘܵܐ ܠܹܗ ܡܸܬܡܲܨܝܵܢܵܐ ܕܦܵܠܸܛ ܡܓܵܘ ܡܸܨܥܵܐ ܕܓܘܼܢܚܵܐ ܕܣܹܝܡܹܝܠܹܐ ܒܝܲܪܚܵܐ ܕܐܵܒ̇ 1933، ܘܦܝܵܫܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܡܘܼܪܚܸܩܵܐ ܡܸܢ ܐܲܬܪܹܗ (ܒܹܝܬ ܢܲܗܖܹ̈ܝܢ) ܘܗ̇ܘ ܛܥܝܼܢܵܐ ܚܲܫܵܐ ܝܲܩܘܼܪܵܐ، ܘܫܘܼܢܵܩܵܐ ܠܵܐ ܡܸܫܬܲܡܗܵܢܵܐ، ܘܲܒܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܕܘܼܟ݂ܪܵܢܵܐ ܘܡܐܲܫܛܲܪܬܵܐ ܘܡܐܲܪܲܚܬܵܐ ܕ(83) ܫܸܢܹ̈ܐ ܡܸܢ ܣܦܲܪ ܚܲܝܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܥܲܡܵܐ ܒܲܦܢܝܼܬܵܐ ܕܚܵܒ̇ܘܼܪ ܓܵܘ ܣܘܼܪܝܼܵܐ، ܥܲܠ ܗܵܘܿ ܦܪܵܣܵܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܐܵܗܵܐ ܟܬܵܒܼܵܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ ܕܵܪܵܝܵܐ، ܘܒܩܘܼܪܒܵܐ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ ܒܸܕ ܦܵܐܹܫ ܦܪܝܼܣܵܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܥܲܪܒܵܝܵܐ ܘܐܵܦ ܐܸܢܓܠܝܼܫܵܝܵܐ.
ܣܵܝܘܿܡܵܐ
Down the river
The Khabur rises near Ras al-Ain and runs 440 kilometres, 320 of them in Syria, until it joins the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. For some eighty years its banks were home to a chain of Assyrian villages.
Dedication
ܝܵܐ ܡܲܚܒܵܢܵܐ ܕܐܵܗ݇ܐ ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ
ܩܲܒܸܠ ܡܸܢܝܼ ܥܲܡܠܵܐ ܗܵܢܵܐ
ܩܵܐ ܟܠ ܣܵܦܪܵܐ ܘܟܠ ܡܠܲܫܢܵܢܵܐ1
ܩܵܐ ܝܵܠܘܿܦܵܐ ܐܵܦ ܡܲܠܦܵܢܵܐ
ܡܲܩܪܘ݂ܒܼܹܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܐܵܗ݇ܐ ܫܘܼܟܵܢܵܐ
ܕܦܵܐܹܫ ܕܟ݂ܵܪܵܐ ܒܟܠ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ
ܩܵܐ ܩܵܪܘܿܝܵܐ ܘܡܸܫܬܲܡܥܵܢܵܐ
ܘܟܠ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܐܝܼܬܠܹܗ ܚܲܕ݇ ܕܘܼܟܼܪܵܢܵܐ2
ܕܘܼܟ݂ܖ̈ܘܼܢܝܹܐ ܝܢܵܐ ܒܲܩܸܪ ܐܵܢܵܐ
ܠܢܸܫܹ̈ܐ ܘܓܲܒܼܖܹ̈ܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܦܘܼܪܫܵܢܵܐ
ܡܲܩܪܘ݂ܒܼܹܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܐܵܗ݇ܐ ܫܘܼܟܵܢܵܐ
ܕܦܵܐܹܫ ܕܟ݂ܵܪܵܐ ܒܟܠ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ
ܠܣܵܗܕܵܐ ܕܐܘܼܡܬܵܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܛܲܢܵܢܵܐ
ܕܠܹܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܣܒܝܼܪܵܐ ܣܵܟ݂ ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ3
ܒܓܲܢ݇ܒܵܪܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܒܼܝܼܚܠܹܗ ܓܵܢܵܐ
ܠܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܫܦܝܼܥܬܵܐ4 ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܘܚܢܵܢܵܐ
ܡܲܩܪܘ݂ܒܼܹܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܐܵܗ݇ܐ ܫܘܼܟܵܢܵܐ
ܕܦܵܐܹܫ ܕܟ݂ܵܪܵܐ ܒܟܠ ܥܸܕܵܢܵܐ
- ܣܵܦܪܵܐ: ܟܵܬܘܿܒܼܵܐ، ܡܵܚܘܿܪܵܐ ܘܫܲܪܟܵܐ. ܡܠܲܫܢܵܢܵܐ: ܝܵܕܘܼܥܵܐ ܒܝܘܼܠܦܵܢ ܠܸܫܵܢܹ̈ܐ.
- ܕܘܼܟ݂ܪܵܢܵܐ: تذكار · souvenir
- ܣܵܟ݂: ܗܹܟ̰. ܦܘܼܪܥܵܢܵܐ: تعويض · reward
- ܫܦܝܼܥܬܵܐ: تفيض · overflowing
O lover of this language,
accept this work from me,
for every writer and every scholar,
for the student and the teacher too.
For the reader and the listener,
and everyone who holds a memory,
or rather, many memories,
of women and men alike.
For the martyr of the nation, so devoted,
who never looked for any reward,
who in his courage gave his life,
to that overflowing soul, love and tenderness.
This dedication I offer, to remain a memory for all time.
From the author's dedication
Yonan Roil
Yonan, son of the Reverend William Roil, was born in 1955 in a village of the Khabur, in north-eastern Syria. He grew up among the families whose stories fill this book.
He writes in his mother tongue. Where he tells of events he lived through, he says, it is not to turn the book into a memoir but because he was an eyewitness. The rest he gathered in many conversations, above all with the captives of 2015 who are free today.
He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
ܒܫܲܢ݇ܬܵܐ (1955 ܡ.) ܒܸܚܙܵܝܵܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܒܲܗܪܵܐ ܕܐܵܗܵܐ ܒܪܝܼܬܵܐ ܓܵܘ ܡܵܬܵܐ (ܕܐܹܝܸܠ) ܒܲܦܢܝܼܬܵܐ ܕܚܵܒܿܘܼܪ – ܣܘܼܪܝܼܵܐ.
ܒܣܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܝܘܸܢ ܕܦܵܐܹܫ ܐܵܗܵܐ ܣܝܵܡܵܐ، ܚܲܕ݇ ܐܸܫܛܵܪܵܐ ܡܚܲܡܝܵܢܵܐ ܠܐܝܼܬܘܼܬܲܢ ܘܬܲܫܥܝܼܬܲܢ، ܒܡܲܫܩܠܵܐ ܕܟܼܝܼܪܵܐ، ܘܡܲܒܿܘܼܥܵܐ ܒܲܝܢܲܝ ܐܝܼ̈ܕܵܬܵܐ ܘܥܲܠ ܪܲܦܹ̈ܐ ܕܒܹܝܬ ܐܲܖ̈ܟܹܐ، ܕܥܲܡܵܐ ܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ، ܫܲܪܘܵܐܝܼܬ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܐܸܡܗܵܝܵܐ، ܐܵܦ ܠܘܵܬ݂ ܢܘܼܟ݂ܖ̈ܵܝܹܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܐ݇ܚܹܖ̈݇ܢܹܐ ܒܕܲܥܬܝܼܕ ܩܲܪܝܼܒܼܵܐ، ܥܲܡ ܚܘܼܒܵܐ ܥܦܝܼܦܵܐ ܘܐܝܼܩܵܪܵܐ ܣܲܓܝܼܐܵܐ.
From the forewords
ܡܢܵܬܵܐ ܡ݂ܢ ܡܩܲܝܡܵܢܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܣܵܦܪܵܐ ܡܗܝܼܪܵܐ
… ܐܲܠܨܵܝܬܵܐ ܝܠܵܗܿ ܕܡܵܕܥܲܚ ܕܐܵܗܵܐ ܥܘܼܬܪܵܐ ܕܝܑܼܠܹܗ ܒܲܝܢܵܬܼ ܐܝܼܕܵܬ̈ܘܼܟ݂ ܬܚܘܿܬ ܟܘܼܢܵܝܵܐ (ܕܸܡܥܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܵܒܘܼܪ) ܚܲܕ݇ ܓܲܙܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܡܸܬܼܚܵܘܝܵܢܵܐ ܠܟܠ ܡܵܐ ܕܡܲܚܙܘܼ̈ܝܹܐ ܝܢܵܐ ܡܵܬ̈ܘܵܬܵܐ ܡܚܘܼܡܝܹ̈ܐ ܠܫܸܪܫܲܝܗܝ ܐܲܨܠܵܝܹ̈ܐ. ܘܝܲܬܝܼܪ ܫܲܪܘܼܪܹܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܣܵܝܘܿܡܵܐ ܠܚܵܦܘܿܛܘܼܬܹܗ ܥܲܫܝܼܢܬܵܐ ܕܒܸܦܪܵܣܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܓܵܘ ܐܲܪܒܲܥ ܦܵܣܘܿܩܹ̈ܐ ܦܖ̈ܝܼܫܹܐ ܠܡܠܘܿܐܹ̈ܐ ܘܓܵܘ 350 ܦܲܬܘܵܬܹ̈ܐ ܥܲܡ ܦܘܼܫܵܩܵܐ ܕܚܲܒܖܹ̈ܐ ܘܡܸܠܹ̈ܐ ܥܲܣܩܹ̈ܐ ܡܼܢ ܠܸܫܵܢܲܢ ܥܲܠ ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܥܲܪܒܼܵܝܵܐ ܘܐܸܢܓܠܝܼܫܵܝܵܐ ܠܢܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܡܲܡܛܵܝܬܵܐ ܕܣܘܼܟܵܠܵܐ ܬܪܝܼܨܵܐ ܘܡܸܣܬܲܟܠܵܢܵܐ. ܘܐܵܗܵܐ ܦܵܨܘܿܠܬܵܐ ܫܲܪܘܼܪܹܐ ܝܠܵܗܿ ܠܝܲܨܝܼܦܘܼܬܵܐ ܕܣܵܝܘܿܡܵܐ ܘܲܡܣܲܝܒܪܵܢܘܼܬܹܗ ܘܝܕܵܥܬܹܗ …
ܡܢܵܬܵܐ ܡ݂ܢ ܡܲܩܪܲܒܼܬܵܐ ܟܬܹܒܼܬܵܐ ܒܝܲܕ ܣܵܦܪܵܐ ܛܲܪܩܵܐ
ܡܵܚܘܿܪܵܐ ܘܣܵܦܪܵܐ ܛܒ̣ܝܼܒ̣ܵܐ ܪܵܒܝܼ ܝܵܘܢܵܢ ܘܸܠܝܲܡ ܪܘܼܒ̣ܐܹܝܠ
ܫܠܵܡܵܐ ܘܐܝܼܩܵܪܵܐ:… ܬܵܘܕܝܼ ܘܒܲܣܝܼܡܵܐ ܪܵܒܵܐ ܠܐܵܗܵܐ ܕܲܫܢܘܼܟ݂ ܝܲܩܝܼܪܵܐ ܗܵܘ̇ ܕܝܼܠܹܗ ܟܬ̣ܵܒ̣ܘܼܟ݂ – ܕܸܡܥܹ̈ܐ ܕܚܵܒ̇ܘܼܪ – ܟܬ̣ܵܒ̣ܵܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܐܵܫܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ ܕܒܸܚܒ̣ܵܫܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܬܘܼܢܵܝܹ̈ܐ ܫܲܪܝܼܖܹ̈ܐ ܘܩܸܨܸ̈ܬܵܬ̣ܵܐ ܘܫܲܪ̈ܒܹܐ ܘܓܸܕܫܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܡܩܘܿܘܸܡ ܠܗܘܿܢ ܓܵܘ ܡܵܬ̈ܘܵܬܵܐ ܕܐܵܫܘܿܖ̈ܵܝܹܐ ܥܲܡ ܪܸܕܼܝܵܐ ܕܢܲܗܪܵܐ ܕܚܵܒ̇ܘܼܪ ܓܵܘ ܐܲܬ̣ܪܵܐ ܕܣܘܼܪܝܼܵܐ، ܓܵܘ ܡܸܬ̣ܚܵܐ ܕܙܲܒ̣ܢܵܐ 1933–2016، ܘܐܵܦ ܒܸܚܒ̣ܵܫܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܫܲܪ̈ܒܹܐ ܘܨܸܒ̣̈ܘܵܬ̣ܵܐ ܒܘܼܕ ܝܵܪܬܘܼܬ̣ܵܐ ܘܚܲܝܘܼܬ̣ܵܐ ܘܟܲܫܝܼܪ̈ܘܵܬ̣ܵܐ ܘܦܘܼܠܚܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܘܐܘܼܡܵܢ̈ܘܵܬ̣ܵܐ ܕܥܵܡܘܿܖܹ̈ܐ ܕܡܵܬ̈ܘܵܬܵܐ ܕܚܵܒ̇ܘܿܪ …
This book and this true story will remain a witness for time and for the history of the world, and an unforgettable memory for the new Assyrian generation.
A precious testimony on the shelves of our literary archive.
Get the book
- Format
- Paperback, 6 × 9 in (152 × 229 mm), full colour
- Pages
- 356
- Language
- Assyrian (Sureth), with Arabic and English glosses.
- Edition
- Second, revised and expanded, 2026
- ISBN
- 978-1-4461-2243-3
- Price
- US$38.99 · A$54.95
Printed on demand and shipped worldwide by Lulu.