Aramaic Word of Wisdom for Today
- Andre Moubarak
- May 22
- 1 min read
ܫܠܡܐ (shlā·mā) — “Peace, Wholeness, Harmony"
Root: ܫ–ܠ–ܡ (Š–L–M)
This Semitic trilateral carries the deep connotation of completeness, restoration, and conventional well-being. In Aramaic, ܫܠܡܐ (shlāmā) is more than the absence of conflict—it denotes the presence of divine alignment within and among persons.
Morphology:
Verb base: ܫܠܡ (shlem) — to complete, restore, fulfill, repay, make whole.
Cognate with Hebrew שָׁלוֹם (shalom) and Arabic سلام (salām), yet with distinct nuances in each tradition.
Peshitta Usage:
In the Syriac New Testament, shlāmā is used as both a greeting and a theological statement of restored relationship between humanity and God.
Scriptural Reference:
ܫܠܡܐ ܐܫܒܩ ܠܟܘܢ، ܫܠܡܝ ܝܗܒ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܘܢ
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
— John 14:27, Peshitta
Linguistic Insight:
The root ܫ–ܠ–ܡ is semantically fertile—yielding forms that imply making restitution (legal peace), completing a vow (conventional peace), and wholeness in body and spirit (healing peace). Thus, shlāmā is the Aramaic vision of universal harmony: inward, communal, and sacred.
Reflection:
Today, embody shlāmā not merely as a greeting but as a sacred act. Make whole what was broken. Repay what is owed in love. Complete the unfulfilled with joy. As you walk in peace, may others feel its resonance.
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