The Nisibene Hymns · Part 6

20. Tears in mine eyes, and in my ears ill rumours,--wailing in my mouth, and mourning in my heart!--Add no more, O my Lord, to me!

Hymn XI.

1. Thy chastening is, as a mother of our infancy:--her rebuke is merciful, in that Thou hast restrained,--the children from folly, and they have been made wise! R., Glory be to thy justice!

2. Let us search out Thy justice; for who is sufficient--to measure its help? since by it the wanton--are oftentimes made chaste.--

3. Oftentimes Thy hand, O my Lord, has made the sick whole,--for it is the healer in secret of their diseases,--and the fount of their life.

4. Exceeding gently, the finger of Thy justice,--in love and compassion, touches the wounds--of him that is to be healed.

5. Exceeding mild and merciful, is her cutting to him that is wise:--her sharp remedy, in its mighty love,--consumes the corrupt part.

6. Exceeding welcome her wrath, to him that is discerning;--but her remedies are hated, of the fool who has delight--in the trouble of his limbs.

7. Exceeding eager is she, to bind the cut she has made;--when she has smitten she pities, that from between these two--she may breed healing.

8. Exceeding welcome her wrath, and her anger pleasant,--and sweet her bitterness, sweetening bitter things--that they may be made pleasant.

9. A cause of negligence is Thy indulgence to the careless;--a cause of profit, is Thy rod among the slothful--so that they become as traffickers.

10. The cause of our affliction, it is Thy justice;--the cause of our carelessness, it is Thy graciousness,--for our understanding has turned foolish.

11. Pharaoh hardened himself, because of Thy graciousness;--for when the plagues were stayed, his cruelties waxed strong,--and he lied to his promises.

12. Justice requited him, because he lied greatly against her,--even Grace her freeborn sister; yea she restrained him again--that he should not again provoke.

13. Rebuke, O my Lord, my guide, for it has been false as Egypt --my prayers testify, that I am not as she,--for Thy door have I not forsaken.

14. Let Thy cross, O my Lord, which stands, in my breaches that are open,--repair again the breaches that are hidden; for instead of those without,--those within have cleft me asunder!

15. A sea has broken through, and cast down, the watch tower wherein I had triumphed.--Iniquity has dared to set up, a temple wherein I am shamed: its drink-offering chokes me.

16. My prayers on my walls, my persecutors have heard:--the sun and his worshippers, are ashamed of their magicians,--for I have triumphed by Thy cross.

17. All creatures cried out, when they saw the struggle,--while Truth with falsehood, on my battered walls, fought and was crowned conqueror.

18. The force of Truth, chastised falsehood:--in its chastisement it felt Truth, and through its own sins, it earned her victory.

19. I have great alarm; for since my deliverance,--the honourable and mighty, who were devoted to my altar, have built in me high places.

20. My seven senses, O my Lord, even though they had been as fountains of tears, yet my tears were too little--to lament our ruin.

21. The streets that were in sackcloth, and ashes cried out,--disturbed by the play, akin to that which was,--in the wilderness before the calf.

22. Poison seeks and wears, the beauty of lilies;--and though their buds may conceal, and hidden disguise it,--it blossoms in their bitter flowers.

Hymn XII.

1. I will call in my affliction, on the Power that subdues all;--that is able to subdue, the Captor in his wrath,--as it overcame Legion. R., Glory to His grace!

2. The Evil One has repaid me my brethren, debts that he borrowed not of me:--the good God likewise has repaid me, mercies that I lent Him not.--Come and marvel ye at these two things!

3. The good God has divided and given, my misdeeds to His grace,--my offences to His justice; His mercy has blotted out my misdeeds--His judgment has requited my offences.

4. Sin was exceeding wroth, and abode in alarm,--when she saw how grace, put restraint on freedom, that she might overcome transgressions.

5. Glow Thou, O my Lord, and send down Thy love, break out and pour forth Thy wrath!--Thy wrath to destroy, Thy love to rescue--the captives from the captor!

6. The days wherein the Evil One, decreed to cast me forth,--as with a sling into perdition, in them the good God has bound up and kept--my soul in the bundle of life.

7. The men of speech who keep not silence, from praising continually,--who have kept me in the midst of waves, and supported me that I fell not, let them give praise in my stead, O my Lord!

8. For who has at any time sufficed, in presence of the grace,--of the mercies which surrounded him, that I should suffice to praise--the mercies that encompass me?

Hymn XIII.

Concerning Mar Jacob and his Companions.

1. Three illustrious priests, after the manner of the two great lights,--have carried on and handed down one to another, the See and the Hand and the Flock.--To us whose mounting was great for the two, this last is wholly a consolation. R., Glory to Thee Who didst choose them!

2. He Who created two great lights, chose for Himself these three Lights,--and set them in the three dark seasons of siege that have been.--When that pair of Lights was quenched, the other shone wholly forth.

3. These three priests were treasures, who held in their faithfulness,--the key of the Trinity; three doors they opened for us;--each one of them with his key, unlocked and opened his door.

4. In the first was opened the door, for the chastisement that befel us;--in the next was opened the door, for the King's power that came down on us,--in the last was opened the door, for the good tidings that came up for us.

5. In the first was opened the door, for battle between two hosts;--in the next were opened doors, for the kings from either wind;--in the last was opened the door, for ambassadors from either side.