The Nisibene Hymns · Part 15

Hymn LXVI.

1. Hold your peace, O mortals (said Death), a little while: and be like me who am so silent, in the midst of Sheol.--2. R., To Thee be glory, Watcher, that didst come down, after them that slept: and utter the voice from the Tree, and waken them!--3. Ye are grieving, yea, weeping, for him that has gone: as though he came to grind for me, the mill in Sheol.--4. Great is the peace I give, unto the wearied: I wax not weary as you, nor weary them.--5. I hear all manner of curses, from thankless men: the sons of Adam are like Adam, who was thankless to his Lord.--6. Contrary one to the other are your voices, and your doings: with your voices ye weep and in your doings, ye fight daily.--7. I heard weeping and I thought to myself, that none labours: I saw toiling and I thought to myself, that no man dies.--8. The struggles of man made me think, that he is not mortal: his great weeping made me think, that to-morrow he is not.--9. Hear and let me be your counsellor, if ye be willing: for these two, these burdens, are very bitter.--10. Cease a little while from this toil, and from this weeping: toil ye and weep as mortals, who to-morrow vanish.--11. Ye are frantic with weeping, for your departed: and ye struggle in toiling, for your possessions.--12. It is well with the infants that die, and blessed are they: for they are freed from the misery, whereunto ye are cast.--13. Suffer me to go to Sheol, and there to say: "Happy are ye silent dead, how tranquil are ye!"--14. Hear the conclusion of our own words, If there be a resurrection: weep not ye, neither labour as though strangers.--15. Ye straggle as one who was to live, here forever: and ye weep as one who never, should rise again.--16. Hear my words, if there be with you place for hearing: and prepare you provision that when I call ye may answer.--17. For I hearken even I, to Him that calls me: and will restore your bodies, with your treasures.--18. Let there be peace between us, until that day: and when ye come forth I will cry and say, "Depart in peace!"--19. Come ye, you and I even now, shall give glory: to Him that brings to death and to life, that He may give aid.--20. Praise from us all be to thee, O Lord, the living Sacrifice! Who by the sacrifice of Thy Body hast given life to quick and dead.--21. Praise to Him Who clothed Himself in our body, and died and rose again: He died in us and we live in Him, blessed be He Who sent Him!

Hymn LXVII.

1. Come ye, let us hear how Death convicts the People: that harsher than Death was their sword, against the just.--2. R., To Thee be glory, Who by Thy sacrifice, hast redeemed our disgrace: and Whose death was instead of all deaths, that Thou mightst raise all!--3. It was not Death indeed that crucified Jesus, but it was the People: how hateful then the People, that are yet more hateful than I!--4. Into the pit they cast Jeremiah, the miry pit: but I in Sheol allotted, honour to his bones.--5. Naboth they bruised to death with stones, as though he were a dog: how good am I who have never stoned, even a dog!--6. The Hebrew women in famine, ate their children: Sheol is good who delivers and gives them up, without difficulty.--7. To the widow I gave her son, by the hand of Elijah: to the Shunamite her beloved, by the hand of Elisha.--8. The Hebrew women in greed, ate their children: Sheol gave up the dead and learned, to fast soberly.--9. Sheol was not indeed Sheol, but its semblance: Jezebel was the true Sheol, who devoured the just.--10. The sons of the prophets and the prophets, she slew and cast down: to heaven Elijah escaped, from her fury.--11. How many deaths instead of one Death, were among the People! and how many Sheols instead of one, were there also!--12. Samaria and Jezrael her daughters, in Israel: and Zion and Jerusalem her sister, in Judea.--13. Prophets and just men in Judea, and in Israel: in these two abysses, they were drowned.--14. Why then is Sheol hated, and she alone: though there be many that are hateful, rather than she?--15. The dead of the men of Judah, to me are right hateful: yea, abhorred by me are their bones, in the midst of Sheol.--16. Would that then I had a way to cast them out: to cast their bones thence from Sheol, for they cause her to rot.--17. I wonder at the Holy Spirit, that He thus dwelt: in the midst of a People whose savour stank, as their conversation.--18. Onions and garlic are the heralds of their doings: as is the food so is the understanding, of this defiled people.--19. Through the supplication of all that bow, and worship Thy Father: have mercy on Thy worshipper, who is thankless for Thy love.--20. From Hebrews and Aramæans, and also from the Watchers: to Thee be praise and through Thee to Thy Father, be also glory!--21. For that I have a mouth to Death, who is without mouth: may the Son Who is all mouths, hold back my offence from His Father!

Hymn LXVIII.

1. Man., O, Death, be not thou boastful, over the just: the sons of thy Lord who at His command, come to dwell with thee.--2. R., To thee be glory that by Thy command, Death has reigned: and by Thy Resurrection has been humbled to low estate!--3. Death., Herein am I exceeding great, according to thy saying: that though I be bond-man I trample on them that are free.--4. M., Adam was chosen and ruler, and under his yoke: thou, Death, and the Evil One, thy fellow, became bondmen.--5. D., This is our pride that lo! the slaves have become lords: Death, and Satan, his fellow, have trampled on Adam.--6. M., Lo! the humbling of thee and thy fellow, accurst servants! how Enoch trampled on you both, and rose aloft and reigned.--7. D., If so be Enoch made me grieve, yet have I comfort for on Noah's dust in Sheol, lo! I trample.--8. M., Tremble, O Death, before man, for though a servant, the yoke of his dominion reigns on all creatures.--9. D., I rejoice then that they are no mean foes that I have overcome: for according to the greatness of the vanquished, he is great that overcomes.--10. M., Well does thy voice sing triumph, O Death, over the just: for Enoch and Elijah have broken thy pair of wings.--11. D., I know how to weigh my sorrows with my comforts: in place of two, lo! many are come and coming.--12. M., All that are come and coming to thee dwell as sojourners, and depart from thy abode as Lazarus.--13. D., This thy saying hurts me not, rather it heals me: for Lazarus who rebelled against me, I again subdued.--14. M., Make answer, O Death, and argue what constrained him, to be raised unless it were a mystery, showing forth his resurrection.--15. D., Ye are famous in arguing as idle ones, while I labour in my task to discern and perform--16. M., Thou wast well prepared for argument, what has checked thee? The truth of our resurrection has constrained thee by its reputations.--17. D., Ye have made me hated by you, though I be not hateful: I am he that gives rest to your aged, and your afflicted.--18. Ye have made me as one that troubles, O ye mortals: Adam brought death upon you, and I bear the blame.--19. Gently will I expose you, for I am a slave, and ye are they that by your sins have made me king.--20. The will of Adam roused me for I was at rest: I was dead and ye quickened me, that ye might die by me.--21. I accuse the lying ones, who slew and denied it: for Adam slew himself and charges me.--22. The beginning of strife was the accursed serpent which has rightly been crippled: which crept, entered, and set enmity between me and you.--23. Satan is passed by and it is against me that ye are roused: go, strive with the Evil One who made you transgress.--24. He is my comrade and I deny it not, but though he be much hated, what need that I be blamed for him. I deny him henceforth.--25. Hearken to my words, O mortals, and I will console you: I have afflicted you and I confess the life from the dead.--26. For there begins to steal into my ears a voice of preparation: of the trumpet that holds itself ready to sound.--27. Hear my words and put much oil into your lamps: for hindrance from my part there is none for you.--28. Yet, Know ye that even although I have said these things, dear is the sound of your voice in the solitude of Sheol.--29. For man has been weighed by me, and great is his peace: for snakes and fishes and birds come to meet him.--30. But it is a marvel that to the Watchers, too, his converse is dear: yea, the Evil One in Gehenna, desires his presence.--31. Ye shall have life from the dead, O ye mortals, and I who am bereft shall be bereft in the midst of Sheol.--32. Let praise ascend from all to Thee Who quickenest all, and from every quarter gatherest the dust of Adam!

Nineteen Hymns

on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh.

Translated, I.-XIII., By

REV. J. B. Morris, M.A.,

[Oxford Library of the Fathers];

XIV.-XIX. By

REV. A. Edward Johnston, B.D.