The work is a versified retelling of the Old Testament, the Little Gospel (Nagara Māryām), and the New Testament preserved in two lavishly illustrated volumes donated by ʾIyāsu II to the church of Dabra Bərhān Śəllāse. It begins with a prose incipit: “በስመ፡ … ንዌጥን፡ በረድኤተ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ወንጽሕፍ፡ መጽሐፈ፡ መድበል፡ ዘበትርጓሜሁ፡ ጉባኤ፡ ምሥጢራተ፡ ዘመናት፡ ዘገብረ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ በበ፡ ጊዜሁ፡ ቅድመ፡ በዘመነ፡ ብሉይ፡ እስከ፡ ይመጽእ፡ ዘመነ፡ ሐዲስ፡.” The first volume covers the Old Testament and Little Gospel and the second covers the New Testament.