diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 429baa6..718a11b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ add_library(lib${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
         src/assembler/assembler.cc
         src/assembler/assembler.hh
         src/assembler/as_exceptions.hh
+        src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh
 )
 
 target_compile_options(lib${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${warnings})
diff --git a/src/assembler/assembler.cc b/src/assembler/assembler.cc
index e5b0792..f5fe59f 100644
--- a/src/assembler/assembler.cc
+++ b/src/assembler/assembler.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #include "assembler.hh"
 
+#include <unordered_map>
+
 #include "as_exceptions.hh"
 #include "../bytecode/bytecode.hh"
+#include "../vm/instruction.hh"
 
 using namespace std::string_literals;
 
@@ -49,13 +52,25 @@ ByteArray Assembler::assemble()
 
         } else if (section == Section::Function && t.type == TokenType::Instruction) {
             std::string instruction = std::get<std::string>(t.token);
-            int oper = 0;
+            std::optional<int> oper = {};
             Token tt = lexer_.ingest();
             if (tt.type == TokenType::Integer) {
                 oper = std::get<int>(tt.token);
                 tt = lexer_.ingest();
             }
-            emit_instruction(function_id, instruction, oper);
+
+            auto oinst = vm::translate_instruction(instruction, oper);
+            if (!oinst)
+                throw AssemblyError("Invalid or misused instruction '" + instruction + "'", tt.line, tt.column);
+
+            bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_byte((uint8_t) *oinst);
+            switch (vm::instruction_operand_type(*oinst)) {
+                case vm::OperandType::Int8:  bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int8((int8_t) *oper); break;
+                case vm::OperandType::Int16: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int16((int16_t) *oper); break;
+                case vm::OperandType::Int32: bp.functions.at(function_id).code.append_int32(*oper); break;
+                case vm::OperandType::NoOperand: default:
+            }
+
             if (tt.type != TokenType::Enter)
                 throw AssemblyError("Expected enter", tt.line, tt.column);
 
@@ -70,11 +85,6 @@ ByteArray Assembler::assemble()
     return bc::Bytecode::generate(bp);
 }
 
-void Assembler::emit_instruction(uint32_t function_id, std::string const& inst, int oper)
-{
-
-}
-
 TokenValue Assembler::expect_token(TokenType type)
 {
     Token t = lexer_.ingest();
diff --git a/src/assembler/assembler.hh b/src/assembler/assembler.hh
index 492c714..00f87e5 100644
--- a/src/assembler/assembler.hh
+++ b/src/assembler/assembler.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef TYCHE_ASSEMBLER_HH
 #define TYCHE_ASSEMBLER_HH
 
+#include <optional>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "lexer.hh"
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ private:
     Lexer lexer_;
 
     TokenValue expect_token(TokenType type);
-    void       emit_instruction(uint32_t function_id, std::string const& inst, int oper);
 };
 
 } // tyche
diff --git a/src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh b/src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5a83c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bytecode/bc_exceptions.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#ifndef TYCHE_BC_EXCEPTIONS_HH
+#define TYCHE_BC_EXCEPTIONS_HH
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace tyche::bc {
+
+class BytecodeParsingError : public std::runtime_error {
+public:
+    explicit BytecodeParsingError(std::string const& str) : std::runtime_error(str.c_str()) {}
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif //TYCHE_BC_EXCEPTIONS_HH
diff --git a/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc b/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
index 1dd8d02..996ba2e 100644
--- a/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
+++ b/src/bytecode/bytecode.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #include "bytecode.hh"
+
+#include "bc_exceptions.hh"
 #include "../common/overloaded.hh"
 
 namespace tyche::bc {
diff --git a/src/common/bytearray.hh b/src/common/bytearray.hh
index 5f7a2fd..c20a011 100644
--- a/src/common/bytearray.hh
+++ b/src/common/bytearray.hh
@@ -53,11 +53,6 @@ private:
     std::vector<uint8_t> data_ {};
 };
 
-class BytecodeParsingError : public std::runtime_error {
-public:
-    explicit BytecodeParsingError(std::string const& str) : std::runtime_error(str.c_str()) {}
-};
-
 }
 
 #endif //TYCHE_BYTEARRAY_HH
diff --git a/src/vm/instruction.cc b/src/vm/instruction.cc
index 5508962..f719fb8 100644
--- a/src/vm/instruction.cc
+++ b/src/vm/instruction.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,62 @@
 #include "instruction.hh"
 
+#include <limits>
+#include <unordered_map>
+
 namespace tyche::vm {
 
+const std::unordered_map<std::string, vm::Instruction> instruction_names = {
+    { "pushi", vm::Instruction::PushInt8 },
+    { "pushc", vm::Instruction::PushConstant8 },
+    { "pushz", vm::Instruction::PushZero },
+    { "pusht", vm::Instruction::PushTrue },
+    { "newa",  vm::Instruction::NewArray },
+    { "newt",  vm::Instruction::NewTable },
+    { "pop",   vm::Instruction::Pop },
+    { "dup",   vm::Instruction::Duplicate },
+    { "setl",  vm::Instruction::SetLocal8 },
+    { "getl",  vm::Instruction::GetLocal8 },
+    { "setg",  vm::Instruction::SetGlobal8 },
+    { "getl",  vm::Instruction::GetGlobal8 },
+    { "call8", vm::Instruction::Call8 },
+    { "ret",   vm::Instruction::Return },
+    { "retn",  vm::Instruction::ReturnNil },
+    { "getkv", vm::Instruction::GetKeyValue },
+    { "setkv", vm::Instruction::SetKeyValue },
+    { "geta",  vm::Instruction::GetArrayItem },
+    { "seta",  vm::Instruction::SetArrayItem },
+    { "appnd", vm::Instruction::Append },
+    { "next",  vm::Instruction::Next },
+    { "smt",   vm::Instruction::SetMetatable },
+    { "mt",    vm::Instruction::GetMetatable },
+    { "sum",   vm::Instruction::Sum },
+    { "sub",   vm::Instruction::Subtract },
+    { "mul",   vm::Instruction::Multiply },
+    { "div",   vm::Instruction::Divide },
+    { "idiv",  vm::Instruction::DivideInt },
+    { "eq",    vm::Instruction::Equals },
+    { "neq",   vm::Instruction::NotEquals },
+    { "lt",    vm::Instruction::LessThan },
+    { "lte",   vm::Instruction::LessThanEq },
+    { "gt",    vm::Instruction::GreaterThan },
+    { "gte",   vm::Instruction::GreaterThanEq },
+    { "and",   vm::Instruction::And },
+    { "or",    vm::Instruction::Or },
+    { "xor",   vm::Instruction::Xor },
+    { "len",   vm::Instruction::Len },
+    { "type",  vm::Instruction::Type },
+    { "cast",  vm::Instruction::Cast },
+    { "ver",   vm::Instruction::Version },
+    { "bz",    vm::Instruction::BranchIfZero8 },
+    { "bnz",   vm::Instruction::BranchIfNotZero8 },
+    { "jmp",   vm::Instruction::Jump8 },
+    { "cmpl",  vm::Instruction::Compile },
+    { "asmbl", vm::Instruction::Assemble },
+    { "load",  vm::Instruction::Load },
+};
+
+
+
 std::pair<std::string, size_t> debug_instruction(Instruction inst, int oper)
 {
     std::string out;
@@ -142,4 +197,27 @@ OperandType instruction_operand_type(Instruction inst)
     return OperandType::NoOperand;
 }
 
+std::optional<Instruction> translate_instruction(std::string const& txt, std::optional<int> op)
+{
+    auto it = instruction_names.find(txt);
+    if (it == instruction_names.end())
+        return {};
+    Instruction inst = it->second;
+    OperandType optype = instruction_operand_type(inst);
+
+    if (optype == OperandType::NoOperand && op)
+        return {};
+    if (optype != OperandType::NoOperand && !op)
+        return {};
+
+    if (optype == OperandType::NoOperand)
+        return inst;
+
+    if (op >= std::numeric_limits<int8_t>::min() && op <= std::numeric_limits<int8_t>::max())
+        return inst;
+    if (op >= std::numeric_limits<int16_t>::min() && op <= std::numeric_limits<int16_t>::max())
+        return (Instruction) ((uint8_t) inst + OPCODE_NEXT_SIZE);
+    return (Instruction) ((uint8_t) inst + (OPCODE_NEXT_SIZE * 2));
+}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/vm/instruction.hh b/src/vm/instruction.hh
index 1710cdf..e87622a 100644
--- a/src/vm/instruction.hh
+++ b/src/vm/instruction.hh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define TYCHE_INSTRUCTION_HH
 
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <optional>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -9,6 +10,8 @@
 
 namespace tyche::vm {
 
+constexpr uint8_t OPCODE_NEXT_SIZE = 0x20;
+
 enum class Instruction : uint8_t {
 
     // stack operations
@@ -101,6 +104,8 @@ std::pair<std::string, size_t> debug_instruction(bc::Bytecode const& bt, uint32_
 enum class OperandType { NoOperand, Int8, Int16, Int32 };
 OperandType instruction_operand_type(Instruction instruction);
 
+std::optional<Instruction> translate_instruction(std::string const& txt, std::optional<int> op);
+
 }
 
 #endif //TYCHE_INSTRUCTION_HH