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EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN
THE NISIBENE HYMNS

1. THE SIEGE OF NISIBIS (I.-III.).
2. THE PERSIAN INVASION (IV.-XII.).
3. THE BISHOPS OF NISIBIS (XIII.-XVI.).
4. ABRAHAM THEIR SUCCESSOR (XVII.-XXI.).
5. CONCERNING SATAN AND DEATH (XXXV.-XLII., LXII,--LXVIII.).

NISIBENE HYMNS

1. O God of mercies Who didst refresh Noah, he too refreshed Thy mercies. He offered sacrifice and stayed the flood; he presented gifts and received the promise. With prayer and incense he propitiated Thee: with an oath and with the bow Thou wast gracious to him; so that if the flood should essay to hurt the earth, the bow should stretch itself over against it, to banish it away and hearten the earth. As Thou hast sworn peace so do Thou maintain it, and let Thy bow strive against Thy wrath!

R. Stretch forth Thy bow against the flood, for lo! it has lifted up its waves against our walls!

2. In revelation, Lord! it has been proclaimed, that that lowly blood which Noah sprinkled, wholly restrained Thy wrath for all generations; how much mightier then shall be the blood of Thy Only Begotten, that the sprinkling of it should restrain our flood! For lo! it was but as mysteries of Him that those lowly sacrifices gained virtue, which Noah offered, and stayed by them Thy wrath. Be propitiated by the gift upon my altar, and stay from me the deadly flood. So shall both Thy signs bring deliverance, to me Thy cross and to Noah Thy bow! Thy cross shall cleave the sea of waters; Thy bow shall stay the flood of rain.

3. Lo! all the billows trouble me; and Thou hast given more favour to the ark: for waves alone encompassed it, mounds and weapons and waves encircle me. It was unto Thee a storehouse of treasures, but I have been a storehouse of debts: it in Thy love subdued the waves; I in Thy wrath, am left desolate among the weapons; the flood bore it, the river threatens me. O Helmsman of that ark, be my pilot on the dry land! To it Thou gavest rest in the haven of a mountain; to me give Thou rest also in the haven of my walls!

4. The Just One has chastened me abundantly, but it He loved even among the waves. For Noah overcame the waves of lust, which had drowned in his generation the sons of Seth. Because his flesh revolted against the daughters of Cain, his chariot rode on the surface of the waves. Because women defiled him not, he coupled the beasts, whereof in the ark he joined together, all pairs in the yoke of wedlock. The olive which with its oil gladdens the face, with its leaf gladdened their countenances: for me the river whereof to drink is wont to make joyful, lo! O Lord, by its flood it makes me mournful.

5. The foulness of my guilt. Thy righteousness has seen, and Thy pure eyes abhor me. Thou hast gathered the waters by the hand of the unclean, that Thou mightest make for me purification of my guilt; not that in them Thou mightest baptize and purify me, but that in them Thou mightest chasten me with fear. For the waves will stir up to prayer, which shall wash away my guilt. The sight of them which is full of repentance, has been to me a baptism. The sea, O Lord, which should have drowned me, in it let Thy mercies drown my guilt. In the Red Sea Thou didst drown bodies; in this sea drown Thou my guilt instead of bodies!

6. An ark in Thy mercy Thou didst prepare, that Thou mightest preserve in it all the remnants. That Thou shouldest not desolate the earth in Thy wrath, Thy compassion made an earth of wood. Thou didst empty them one into the other; Thou didst render them back one unto the other. But my lands have thrice been filled and emptied again; and now against me the waves rebel, to overwhelm the remnant that has escaped in me. In the ark Thou didst save a remnant; save in me, O Lord, yea in me a leaven. The ark upon the mountain brought forth; let me in my lands bring forth my imprisoned ones!

7. O Lord, gladden Thou in me the imprisoned ones of my fortresses, Thou Who didst gladden those prisoners with the olive leaf! Thou sentest healing by means of the dove to the sick ones that were drowning in every wave; it entered in and drove out all their pains. For the joy of it swallowed up their sorrow, and mourning vanished away in its consolation. And as the chief of a host gives heartening to the fugitives, so the dove disseminated courage among the forsaken. Their eyes tasted the sight of peace, and their mouth hasted to open in Thy praise. As the olive leaf in the waves, save Thou me, that Thou mayest gladden in me the prisoners of my fortresses!

8. The flood assails, and dashes against our walls: may the all-sustaining might uphold them! It falls not as the building of the sand, for I have not built my doctrine upon the sand: a rock shall be for me the foundation, for on Thy rock have I built my faith; the secret foundation of my trust, shall support my walls. For the walls of Jericho fell, because on the sand she had built her trust. Moses built a wall in the sea, for on a rock his understanding built it. The foundation of Noah was on a rock; the dwelling place of wood it bore up in the sea.

9. Compare the souls which are in me, with the living things that were in the ark; and instead of Noah who mourned in it, lo! Thy altar mourning and humbled. Instead of the wedded wives that were in it, lo! my virgins that are unmarried. Instead of Ham who went forth from it and uncovered his father's nakedness, lo! workers of righteousness, who have nourished and clothed apostles. In my pains, O my Lord, I rave in my speech; blame me not if my words provoke Thee! Thou puttest to silence the prosperous when they murmured: have mercy on me as on them that were silenced aforetime!

10. Before Thy wrath Thou madest a house of refuge, and all the nations rebelled against it. Noah was refreshed in rest, that his dwelling-place should give rest according to his name. Thou didst close the doors to save the righteous one; Thou didst open the floods to destroy the unclean. Noah stood between the terrible waves that were without, and the destroying mouths that were within: the waves tossed him and the mouths dismayed him. Thou madest peace for him with them that were within; Thou broughtest down before him them that were without: Thou didst speedily change his troubles, for light to Thee, O Lord, are hard things.

11. Hear and weigh the comparison of me with Noah, and though my suffering be light beside his, let Thy mercy make our deliverance alike; for lo! my children stand like him, between the wrathful and the destroyer. Give peace, 0 Lord, among them that are within, and humble before me them that are without; and give me twofold victory! And whereas the slayer has made his rage threefold, may He of the three days show me threefold mercy! Let not the Evil One overcome Thy lovingkindness: seeing he has assailed me twice and thrice overcome Thou him! Let my victory fly abroad through the world, that it may earn Thee praise in the world! 0 Thou who didst rise on the third day, give us not over to death in our third peril!

II.

1. This day are opened, our mouths to give thanks. They who opened the breaches, have opened my sons' mouths. Thank the Merciful, who has delivered the men of our city, nor thought at that time of exacting the debts that were due by us. When they rose up they that took us captive, the worlds in our deliverance, tasted of Thy graciousness.

R. From all that have mouths, glory be to Thy grace!

2. He has saved us without wall, and taught us that He is our wall: He has saved us without king and made us know that is our king: He has saved us, in each and all, and showed us that He is All: He has saved us in His grace and again reveals, that freely He has mercy and quickens. From every boaster, He takes away his boasting, and gives it to His own grace.

3. The sound of all mouths, is too little for Thy praise: for lo! in the hour when our light was smoking, and was at the point to be quenched (seeing that all is easy to Thee) of a sudden it awoke and shone! Who has seen these two marvels, that for him whose hope was cut off, hope has sprung up and increased; the hour of mourning has been turned into good tidings?

4. This is a festival day, whereon hang the feasts: for if wrath had taken us captive, lo! our feasts too had ceased. Whereas our peace has conquered and triumphed, lo! I our festivals resound. This blessed day supports all: upon it depends the city, on the city depends the people, on the people depends peace, on peace depends all.

5. Out of these breaches, Thou hast multiplied triumphs. Praise unto the Triune God goes up from the three breaches; for that He descended and repaired them, in His mercy which restrains wrath. He smote the enemy who understood not that He was teaching us. He taught those within, for in His justice He made the breaches; He taught those without, for in His goodness He repaired them.

6. Speak and give glory, my delivered ones on this day; old men and boys, young men and maidens, children and innocents, and thou, O Church, mother of the city! For the old men have been rescued from captivity, the youths from torture, the sucklings from being dashed in pieces, the women from dishonour, and the Church from mockery.

7. He came to us with hardness; we were afraid for a moment: He came in gentleness, and we rejoiced for an hour. He turned and left us for a little, we wandered without end; like a beast of prey which is trained by blandishments and by fear, but if so be that men turn from it, rebels and strays and becomes savage in the midst of peace.

8. He punished us and we feared not; He rescued us, and we were not shamed: He straitened us and our vows were multiplied; He enlarged us and our crimes were multiplied. When He constrained there was a covenant, when He gave breathing-space there was straying. Though He knew us He lowered Himself to establish us. In the evening we exalted Him; in the morning we rejected Him. When necessity left us, faithfulness left us.

9. He afflicted us by the breaches, that He might punish our crimes: He raised the mounds that thereby, He might humble our boasting. He made a breach for the seas that thereby, He might wash away our pollution. He shut us in that we might gather together in His Temple. He shut us in and we were quenched; He set us free and we went astray. We are like unto wool, which passes into every colour.

10. We know that when the blessed sons of Nineveh repented, it was not because of mounds they repented, nor yet by means of waters, nor was it by reason of a breach, nor yet by reason of bows; it was not at the sound of the bowstring they feared and repented. They harkened to a feeble voice; they caused their little ones to fast; they made their youths chaste, they made their kings humble.

11. Thou smotest us and we justified Thee, for it befel not by chance; Thou deliveredst us and we gave thanks, for it was not that we were worthy. Thou hadst mercy on us not because Thou erredst, in hoping that we should repent. It was manifest to Thee that when Thou hadst mercy on us we strayed. Thou knewest that we had sinned; Thou knewest that we are sinners: with our iniquity that has been and is, Thou wast acquainted when Thou hadst mercy on us.

12. Weigh our repentance, that it may outbalance our crimes! But not in even balance, ascends either weight; for our crimes are heavy and manifold, and our repentance is light. He had commanded that we should be sold for our debt: His mercy became our advocate; principal and increase, we repaid with the farthing, which our repentance proffered.

13. Ten thousand talents for that little payment, our debt He forgave us. He was bound to exact it, that He might appease His justice: He was constrained again to forgive, that He might make His grace to rejoice. Our tears for the twinkling of an eye we gave Him; He satisfied His justice, in exacting and taking a little; He made His grace to rejoice, when for a little He forgave much.

14. Ten thousand are the crimes that He has pardoned; ten thousand tongues, are unable to suffice, in presence of His goodness. He has pardoned us and we have not pardoned; we have requited to Him contrariwise; the guilt committed we write up afresh. "Pardon, O Lord," we cry; "Requite, O Lord," we pray: "pardon" verily when we have done wrong; "requite" verily when wrong is done us.

15. Yea not as those without, have we laboured for our lives. They have raised their mounds, but we not even our voices: they have broken through the wall, but we--not even the chains, the frail chains on our heart within have we broken. God has rejected the diligent, for the sake of the slothful; He has rejected the labour done without, though He was rejected from within.

16. He has set free them that talked, and smitten the silent; the wall was beaten, and the people were instructed: He spared them that can suffer, He smote that which knows no suffering. For instead of souls that feel, He smote the stones that feel not, that He might chasten us. In His love He spared our bodies, and hasted to smite our wall.

17. Who has ever seen, that a breach became as a mirror? Two parties looked thereinto; it served for those without and those within. They saw therein as with eyes, the Power that breaks down and builds up: they saw Him who made the breach and again repaired it. Those without saw His might; they departed and tarried not till evening: those within saw His help; they gave thanks yet sufficed not.

18. Let the day of thy deliverance, arouse thee from sloth! When the wall was broken through, when the elephants pressed in, when the javelins showered, when men did valiantly, then was there a sight for the heavenly ones. Iniquity fought there; mercy triumphed there; lovingkindness prevailed below; the watchers shouted on high.

19. And thine enemy wearied himself, striving to smite by his wiles, the wall that encompassed thee, a bulwark to thine inhabitants. He wearied himself and availed not; and in order that he might not hope, that if He broke through He should also enter and take us captive, he broke it through and not once only; and was put to shame, nor was that enough, even unto three times, that he might be shamed thrice in the three.

20. Let my happiness by God's grace, be also multiplied in thy midst! Whereas in thee my crimes have been many, many be in thee my fruits! Whereas in thee I have sinned in my youth, in thee let there be mercy for my old age! By the mouth of thy sons pray for thy son, for I have sinned beyond my ability, and have repented below my ability; I have scattered above measure, and have gathered below measure.

III.

1. Fix thou our hearing, that it be not loosed and wander! For it is a-wandering if one enquire, who He is and what He is like. For how can we avail, to paint in us the likeness, of that Being which is like to the mind? Naught is there in it that is limited, in all of it He sees and hears; all of it as it were speaks; all of it is in all senses.

R., Praise to the One Being, that is to us unsearchable!

2. His aspect cannot be discerned, that it should be portrayed by our understanding: He hears without ears; He speaks without mouth; He works without hands, and He sees without eyes. Because our soul ceases not nor desists, in presence of Him Who is such; in His graciousness He put on the fashion of humankind and gathered us into His likeness.

3. Let us learn in what way that Being is spiritual and appeared as corporeal; and how it also is tranquil and appears as wrathful. These things were for our profit; that Being in our likeness was made like to us that we may be made like Him. One there is that is like Him, the Son Who proceeded from Him, Who is stamped with His likeness.

4. O Nisibis, hear these things, for, for thy sake these things were written and spoken. Both to thyself and to others, thou hast been in the world a cause of strife and of disputations. Mouths over thee, O thou that wast shut up, even over thee mouths sang; when thou didst triumph and wast enlarged, in thee mouths were opened, for lamentation and for thanksgiving.

5. The prayer of thy inhabitants, sufficed for thy deliverance; it was not that they were righteous, but that they were penitent: according as they were disgraced, so did they haste to submit to the rod. In transgressions and in triumphs they had like part. They whose crimes were great, so be their fruit great; they who triumphed in their sackcloth, have triumphed also in their crowns.

6. The day of thy deliverance, is king of all days, The Sabbath overthrew thy walls, it overthrew the ungrateful; the day of the Resurrection of the Son, raised again thy ruins; the day of Resurrection raised thee according to its name, it glorified its title. The Sabbath relaxed its watch; for the making of the breaches, it took blame to itself.

7. In Samaria hunger prevailed, but in thee fulness prevailed. In Samaria there broke in and came on her, abundance of a sudden; but in thee there roared and came in on thee a sea of a sudden. In her was eaten a child, and it saved her alive; in thee was eaten the body, living and all life-giving; of a sudden He delivered them, the Eaten delivered the eaters.

8. We know that the Blessed wills not the afflictions, that have been in all ages; though He has wrought them, it is our offences that are the cause of our troubles. No man can complain against our Creator; it is for Him to complain against us, who have sinned and constrained Him, to be wrathful though He wills it not, and to smite though He desires it not.

9. The Earth, the vine, and the olive, are in need of chastisement. When the olive is bruised, then its fruit smells sweet; when the vine is pruned, then its grapes are goodly; when the soil is ploughed its yield is goodly. When water is confined in channels, desert places drink of it; brass, silver and gold, when they are burnished shine.

10. If then it be that man, by chastening makes all things goodly; and if he who despises and rejects chastening, is hated and all rebels against him; then by that which he chastens, let him learn Him that chastens him; since whoso chastens does so that he may profit thereby. For whoso chastens his servants, does so that he may possess them; the good God chastens His servants that they may possess themselves.

11. Let thy afflictions be, books to admonish thee, for the thrice-besieged, suffice to become for thee, books to meditate therein, every hour on their histories. Because thou despisedst the two Testaments, wherein thou mightest read thy life, therefore He wrote for thee, three hard books wherein thou shouldst read thy chastisements.

12. Let us avert by that which has been, the thing that is yet to be; let us be taught by that which has come, to escape that which is coming; let us remember that which is past, to avoid that which is future. Because we had forgotten the first stroke, the second fell on us; because we forgot the second, the third bore heavy on us. Who will yet again forget!

IV.

1. My God, without ceasing, I will tread the threshold of Thy house; I who have rejected all grace, I will ask with boldness. that I may receive with confidence.

R., Our hope, be thou our Wall!

2. For if, O Lord, the earth, enriches manifold, a single grain of wheat, how then shall my prayers, be enriched by Thy grace!

3. Because of the voices of my children, their sighs and their groans, open to me the door of Thy mercy! Make glad for their voices, the mourning of their sackcloth!

4. O firstborn that wast a weaned child, and wast familiar with the children, the accurst sons of Nazareth, hearken to my lambs that have seen the wolves, for lo! they cry.

5. For a flock, O my Lord, in the field, if so be it has seen the wolves, flees to the shepherd, and takes refuge under his staff, and he drives away them that would devour it.

6. Thy flock has seen the wolves, and lo! it cries loudly. Behold how terrified it is! Let thy Cross be a staff, to drive out them that would swallow it up!

7. Accept the cry of my little ones, that are altogether pure. It was He, the Infant of days, that could appease, O Lord, the Ancient of days.

8. The day when the Babe came down, in the midst of the stall, the Watchers descended and proclaimed, peace--may that peace be, in all my streets for all my offspring.

9. Seventy and two old men, the elders of that people, sufficed not for its breaches. The Babe it was, the Son of Mary, that gave peace on every side.

10. Have mercy, O Lord, on my children! in my children call to mind Thy childhood, Thou Who wast a child! Let them that are like Thy childhood, be saved by Thy grace!

11. Mingled in the midst of the flock, are the cry of the innocents, and the voice of the sheep, that call on the Shepherd of all, to deliver them from all.

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13. There is a joy that is affliction, misery is hidden in it; there is a misery that is profit, it is a fountain of joys, in that new world.

14. The happiness that my persecutor has gained, woes are hidden in it; therefore I rejoice. The wretchedness that I have gained from him, happiness is concealed for me in it.

15. Who will not give praise, to Him that has begotten us, and can beget again, from the midst of evil rumours the voices of glad tidings!

16. Thou Healer of all, hast visited me in my sicknesses! Payment for Thy medicines, I cannot give Thee, for they are priceless.

17. Thy mercies in richness, surpass Thy medicines: they cannot be bought, they are given freely, it is for tears they are bartered.

18. How, O my Master, can a desolate city, whose king is far off, and her enemy nigh, stand firm without aid of mercy?

19. A harbour and refuge, art Thou at all times. When the seas covered me, Thy mercy descended and drew me out. Again let Thy help lay hold on me!

20. Apply to my afflictions, the medicine of Thy salvation, and the passion of Thy help! Thy sign can become, a medicine to heal all.

21. I am greatly oppressed, and I hasten to complain, against him that troubles me. Let Thy mercy, my Lord, take the bitterness from the cup, that my sins have mixed.

22. I look on all sides, and weep that I am desolate. Very many though be my chiefs and my deliverers, one is He that has delivered me.

23. My young men have fled, O Lord, and gone forth, and are like chickens, which an eagle pursues; lo! they hide in a secret place: may Thy peace bring them back!

24. The sound of my grape-gatherers, lo! my ears miss it, for their voices fail. Let it resound with the glad tidings, O Blessed One of Thy salvation!

25. A voice of terror, I have heard on my towers; as my defenders cry, while they guard my walls. Still Thou it with the voice of peace!

26. The noise of my husbandmen, shall speak peace without my walls: the shouting of my dwellers shall speak peace within my walls, that I may give peace without and within.

27. Make an end, O Lord, of the mourning, of this Thy pure altar, and of Thy chaste priest, who stands clothed in mourning, covered over with sackcloth!

28. The Church and her ministers shall give praise for Thy salvation; the city and its dwellers. Be the voice of peace, O Lord, the reward of their voices!

V.

1. Cause to be heard in Thy grace, the tidings of Thy salvation: for an hearing has been made, a path of passage; our minds have been downtrodden, by messages of terror.

R., Praises to Thy victory! Glory to Thy Dominion!

2. Comfort Thou with profits, though small and scanty, those that have had harvest, of hurt by their labour: at a time of profit, they have gained but loss.

3. It is manifest that He has stood, portioning wrath upon earth: loss and profit in anger He divided. There are whom He has cast down of a sudden, and there are whom He has puffed up of a sudden.

4. To teach us that He can, chastise in all ways; when He saw the persecutors, were terrible before mine eyes, He laid me out before my children, and they my beloved chastised me.

5. Lo! He taught me to fear, Himself and not man: for when there was none to smite us, His wrath gave command of a sudden, and every man stretched himself out, and chastised himself.

6. In like manner that Babylonian, who struck down all kings when he was confident and hoped that there was none to smite him, God caused that by his own hands. he should strike himself down.

7. His majesty and his mind, of a sudden became mad together: he rent and cast off his garments; he went forth and wandered in the desert; he drove himself out first, and then his servants drove him out.

8. He showed to all kings, whom he had led captive and brought down, that not by his own power, could he have overcome: the power that struck him down, was that which punished them.

9. I have stood and borne, O my Lord; the blows of my deliverers. Thou art able in Thy grace, to make me profit by the smiters: Thou art able in Thy justice to punish me by my helpers.

10. The day when the host was bold, to come up against Samaria; their plenty and their pleasure, their treasures and their possessions, they cast away and forsook and fled. He crowned her by her persecutors.

11. My beloved ones crowned me, and my deliverers healed me. Through the guilt of my dwellers, my helpers chastised me, give me drink from Thy vines, of the cup of consolation!

12. The corn and the vine, preserve, O my Lord, by Thy grace! Be the husbandman cheered, by the vine of the grape-gatherer; be the vinedresser glad, in the corn of the husbandman!

13. They are joined each to each, the corn and the grape. In the field the reapers, wine can make cheerful, in the vineyard the dressers, bread strengthens in turn.

14. These two things have power, to comfort my troubles: the Trinity has power, to comfort more exceedingly; whom I will praise because of a sudden, I was delivered through grace.

15. But the man whose life, is preserved through grace, if he goes away to murmur, at the loss of his goods, he is thankless for the grace, of Him who had pity on him.

16. Of His own will He destroys, one thing instead of another. He destroys possession, and spares the possessor: He destroys our plants, instead of our lives.

17 Let us fear to murmur, lest His own wrath be roused, and He spare the possessions, and smite the possessor; that we may learn in the end, His mercy in the beginning.

18. Let us learn against whom, it is meet for us to murmur. Learn thou to murmur, not against the Chastener, but against thine own will, that made thee sin and thou wast punished.

19. Let us put away murmuring, and turn unto prayer: for it the possessor dies, his possessions also cease for him; but while he survives, he seeks to recover his losses.

20. Let consolations be multiplied, in mercy to my dwellers: let the remainder and residue, console us in the midst of wrath; and cause Thou us to forget in the residue, the mourning of our devastation!

21. Heal and increase O my Lord, the fruits Thy wrath has left! They seem to me like sick ones, that have escaped in pestilence. Make me to forget in these weak ones, the suffering of the many!

22. While I speak, O my Lord, I call to mind that this too is the month, when the blossom pined, and dropped off in blight, may it return to soundness, to be a consolation!

23. For these escaped the pestilence, that carried off their brethren. The vines though voiceless, wept when before them, a multitude was cut down and felled, of trees that they loved.

24. The company of plants, lo! the earth misses! The roots for the husbandmen, weep and cause them to weep. Their beauty had spread and gave shade, and it was torn away in one hour.

25. The axe came nigh and struck; and struck the husbandman; the blow was on the trees, and it caused the husbandman to suffer; every axe that smote, he bore the pain of it.

VI.

1. I will run in my affections, to Him who heals freely. He who healed my sorrows, the first and the second, He who cured the third, He will heal the fourth.

R., Heal me, Thou Son the First Born!

2. My sons, O my Lord, drank and were drunken, of the tidings which wrath had mixed; and they rushed on my adornments, and spoiled and cast away my ornaments; they rent and spared not, my garments and my crowns.

3. They uncovered me and I was made bare. Because I was shamed a little, by means of that stripping, the first and the second, because I was shamed a third time, lo! they have stripped me a fourth time.

4. For they have seized and taken away my garments, my ornaments and my gardens. On the sackcloth that girds my altar, look Thou, O my Lord, and have pity on me! Let the sackcloth be to me, O my Lord, the breastplate of salvation!

5. Lo! it is not by the hand of the chaste, that Thou hast chastised me, O my Master! For lo! his shame is before him, and behind him his disgrace; for as to his marriage, adultery is better than it.

6. Lo! his daughter is his wife. and his sister his consort; and his mother whence he came forth, he turns again and takes her to wife! The heavens are astonished that thus, he provokes Thee, and lo! he prospers.

7. And though, O my Lord, my crimes are many, are my offences so heavy, that Thou shouldst make over a chaste woman, mother of chaste daughters, to foul Assyria, mother of defiled daughters?

8. Restrain him that he come not, and wag at me his head, and stamp on me his heel, and rejoice that the voice of his fame, thus troubles the world; and be uplifted yet a little!

9. My sons, O my Lord, have seen my nakedness, yea have uncovered me and wept. Uncover Thou me before my children, who are pained by my pain, and let not those mock at me, the accursed that have no pity!

10. My lands had brought forth fruits and pleasant things; good things in the vineyard, abundance in the fields. But as I rested secure, of a sudden wrath overtook me.

11. The husbandmen were plundered, the spoilers heaped the grain; what thou had borrowed and sown these destroyed. With one's debt his hunger, haply will also remain unsatisfied, for his bread is snatched from him.

12. The husbandman, O my Lord, is plundered, for he lent to the earth; she has received the deposit, and given it to a stranger; she has borrowed it of the husbandman; and paid it to the spoiler.

13. Be jealous over me who am Thine, and to Thee, O my Lord: am I betrothed! The Apostle who betrothed me to Thee, told me that Thou art jealous. For as a wall to chaste wives is the jealousy of their husbands.

14. Samson stirred up seas, because he was mightily jealous over Iris wife, though she was greatly defiled, and was divided against him. Keep Thy Church, for no other, has she beside Thee!

15. Whoso is not jealous, over his spouse despises her. Jealousy it is that can make known, the love that is within. Thou art called jealous, that thou mayest show me Thy love.

16. The nature of woman is this; it is weak and rash: it is jealousy keeps it, under fear every hour. Thou hast been named among the jealous, that Thou mightest make known Thy solicitude.

17. Every man has been master, of something that was not his own; every man has gone forth gathering, something that he scattered not. The day of confusion, I have prepared for myself by my crimes.

18. How shall they bear the suffering, the labourers and tillers? In the face of the vinedresser, they have cut down the vines and driven away the flocks of the husbandman; his sowing they have reaped and carried off.

19. They had yoked cattle sown and harrowed, they had ploughed, planted. nurtured. They stood afar and wept; and they went away bereft of all. The labour was for the toilers, the increase for the spoilers.

20. The rulers, O my Lord, maintained not, order in the midst of Thy wrath. If they had willed it they might have kept order, but our iniquity suffered it not. Though wrath had greatly abated, wrath compelled them to spoil.

21. To whom on any side, shall I look for comfort, for my plantations that are laid low, and my possessions that are laid waste? Let the message of the voice of peace, drive away my sadness from me!

22. Give me not over; lest it be thought that Thou, hast given me a writing of divorce, and sent me away and driven me out! Let them not call me, O my Lord, the forsaken and the disgraced!

23. I have not anything, to call to mind before Thine eyes, for I am wholly despised. Call Thou to mind for me, O my God, this only that none other, have I set before me beside Thee!

24. Who would not weep for me, with voice and wailing? for before the days of full moon I was chaste and crowned; and after the days of full moon, I was uncovered and made bare.

25. My chaste daughters of the chambers, wander in the fields; for the wrath that makes all drunken, has caused my honourable women to be despised. Let Thy mercy which gives peace to all, restore these beloved ones to honour!

26. My elder daughters and my younger, lo! they cry before Thee; the damsels with their voices, they that are aged with their tears; my virgins with their fasts, my chaste ones with their sackcloth!

27. Mine eyes to all the streets, I lift up and lo! they are deserted. There are left of a hundred ten, and a thousand of ten thousand. Give Thou peace and fill my streets, with the tumult of my dwellers!

28. Bring back them that are without, and make them glad that are within! Mighty is Thy grace, that Thou extendest it within and without. Let the wings of Thy grace gather my chickens together!

29. Let the prayer of my just men, save my fugitives! The unbelievers have plundered me, and the believers have sustained me. In them that believe put Thou to shame them that believe not!

30. There came together on one day, two festivals as one: the Feast of Thine Ascension, and the Feast of Thy Champions; the feast that wove Thy Crown, and the memorial of the crowning of Thy servants.

31. Have thou mercy because there were doubled for us, these feasts on one day; and there were doubled for us instead of them, even the two feasts in one, suffering from the voice of ill tidings, and mourning from desolation!

32. Give peace to my festivals! for both my feasts have ceased; and instead of rejoicing, of my remnants in festivals, tremblings and desolations meet me in every place.

33. Bring home mine that are far off, make glad mine that are nigh; and in the midst of our land shall be preached, good tidings of joy; and I shall render in return for peace, praise from every mouth!

VII.

1. Wrath came to rebuke, the greedy who in the midst of peace, bargained, defrauded and plundered. In calamity the greedy have waxed rich: lo! what was theirs they have scattered, what was not theirs they have gathered.

R., Give peace, O Son, to our land!

2. Twenty years my troubles, have been like branches, O my Saviour! which are kept back throughout winter, but when it is time to shoot forth, my troubles shoot forth: with our fruit our heart ripens.

3. Nisan is the time of buds: in it the ill tidings budded. When our delights crowded on us, then crowded on us our ills. At the time of winnowing of wheat, came the winnowing of cities,

4. For the three brethren in Babylon fled not from the fire that men kindled, because they were steadfast: from lust they fled, because they were perfect.

5. The fire of them that have triumphed, is able to turn the black kids into white: the fire of vain men is able to make the lambs into spotted leopards.

6. How great will be my cries, to be cried at any alarm! How great my indignation to ripen at every ill tidings! How great my harvests, to perish every mouth!

7. For the crimes of my sons He has chastened me, in their struggling for my deliverance. The people who deliver me, bring chastisement upon me. Restrain ye your sins, and lo! my chastisements are restrained!

8. In ill tidings they are afflicted; in time of wrath they are tortured; in time of peace they are distressed; for when every man breathes freely, and all are unthankful for grace, they render thanks on behalf of every man.

9. Their sackcloth is humble for my sake; their ashes are sprinkled in my affliction; their prayer is for my victory; their fast for my deliverance: Lo! the debt is on my ascetics, the guilt with my nobles.

10. Great is in every age, the folly of the wise; the scribes and eiders envied and killed the teacher, who taught all people the Law of Moses.

11. Wisdom in this age is a possession that brings loss: he who has a little folly, very small is his guilt; but he who has a little prudence, his iniquity passes measure.

12. They build with their words, and overthrow in their deeds; for the teachers were many and foolish, but the mouth of the judge is both of these things, the judge and the accuser.

[Hymn VIII. is wanting, as also the earlier part of IX.]

IX.

... My afflictions are as Job's. Thy justice delivered him; let Thy grace have mercy on me!

2. In these two things is profit; that neither should the just, be weary in supplication, nor should the rebellious, multiply transgression.

3. With the sons Thou labourest, to chastise and help them; and that the fathers should not be grieved, by the sound of the scourge, they left me in peace.

4. Look, O my Lord, on my woods without, how they have been cut down! behold, O my Lord, my breasts within, that they are too weak, for me to bear my beloved ones!

5. With swords they have cut off, my wings that are without; again the fire kindles, in my bosom within, the incense of burnt offering.

6. The sun-worshippers have killed, my sons in the plain: and they that offer to Baal, have sacrificed my bulls in the city, my sheep with my babes.

7. In my fields is lamentation; in my halls wailing; in my vineyards terror; in my streets confusion. Who can suffice for me?

8. The Evil One who dealt treacherously, and disturbed me with his words, stirred up trouble within, so that my inward part, is wholly as my outward part.

9. With what face, O my Lord, shall I call on Thee to send, a camp of holy ones, to guard my bosom, which is full of uncleanness?

10. With Thy new leaven, Thou hast chastened creation. Make Thou the old leaven, which ensnares and humbles, to be like the new leaven!

11. By the manifest striving, of Thy power let us conquer; lest error should crown, those that strive for Thee, cleaving to them with blandishment!

12. If we look into our time, it is like our deceit;(1)--for in the years of truthfulness, we practised divinations,--and secretly used enchantments.

13. If I look into the time, it provokes and into light,--brings secret things, that our deceit may be shamed,--which wore the raiment of Truth.

14. Verily it is truth, that overcomes all;(2)--and the sea with its bitterness, cannot trouble it,--for it is pure in its nature.

15. In wisdom Thou hast made it, O my Lord, that it has laid bare our lust.--That the foolish should come to nought, and should not be encouraged,--Truth has withheld the crown.

16. On the tottering walls, whereon Thou hast given me victory,--the unthankful repay Thee, with sacrifice and libation, which provoke Thee openly.

17. If it were at that time, sacrifices had been offered ;--there had been room even, for delusion to suppose,--that in these I was delivered.

18 Through the multitude of deliverances, Thou hast rebuked two things:--the delusion of graven images, and the teaching of magicians;--for in Thee, O my Lord, have I been delivered!

X.

1. My children have been slain; and my daughters that are without me,--their walls are overthrown, their children scattered,--and their holy places trodden down.

R., Blessed is Thy chastisement!

2. The fowlers have taken, my doves out of my strongholds,--which quilted their nests, and fled to the caves;--in the net have they taken them.

3. After the manner of wax, that melts before the fire,--thus melted and dissolved, the bodies, of my sons before the heat--and the drought of my strongholds.

4. And instead of streams, of milk that used to flow,--for my sons and my little ones, milk fails the sucklings, and water the weaned children.

5. The suckling falls, from its mother and gasps,--because it cannot suck, nor can she give suck:--they breathe out their spirit and die.

6. How is it possible, that Thy grace can refrain--the welling of its stream, when it is not possible to restrain--the abundance of its flow?

7. And why has Thy grace, shut up its mercies,--and withheld its streams, from the people that cry,--for one to moisten their tongue?

8. And there was a pit, between them and their brethren;--like the rich man who cried, and there was none to answer,--to moisten his tongue.

9. And as into the midst of fire, the wretched ones were cast;--and heat in the midst of thirst, the fire was blowing,--and kindling upon them.

10. Their carcases were melted, and dissolved by the heat;--they that had thirsted gave in turn the earth to drink,--of the reek of their bodies.

11. And the fort that with thirst, had killed, its dwellers,--it drank in its turn of the flux from the corpses,--that were melted by thirst.

12. Who has seen a people--that were burning with thirst,--while there surrounded them a wall of water and they could not--moisten their tongue!

13. Surely with the judgment of Sodom, were my beloved judged,--and my children smitten, with the torment of Sodom;--though that was but for one day.

14. The torment of fire, though it be for one hour, O my Lord,--in lingering thirst, is a lingering death, and a subtle punishment.

15. After my sorrows, O my Lord, and my bitter sufferings,--this is the best comfort, wherewith Thou hast comforted me,--that Thou hast multiplied my afflictions.

16. The medicine that I hoped, it is sorrow decreed;--the binding up that I looked for, it is bitter calamity,--that it seeks to work for me.

17. And whereas I hoped to escape, from the midst of the storm;--worse for me is the storm in it, even in the harbour,--than that in the sea.

18. Whereas I thought in my folly, that I should anchor and escape--from the midst of the Gulf; my sins have cast me back--again into the midst of it.

19. Look, O my Lord, on my limbs, how the swords are thick ill me,--and have left their mark on my arms; and the scars of the spears,--are planted in my sides!

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!

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 the 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.

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 :tile 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 tile grace,--of the mercies which surrounded him, that I should suffice to praise--the mercies that encompass me?

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 betel 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.

6. In the first was opened the door, for battle because of misdeeds;--in the next was opened the door,--for the kings because of strife;--in the last was opened the door, for ambassadors because of mercies.

7. Lo in these three successions, as in a mystery and a figure,--wrath is likened to the sun; it began under the first;--it waxed strong under the next; it sank and was quenched under the last.

8. Three figures the Sun also, shows forth in the three quarters:--its rising is keen and bright; its meridian strong and overpowering;--and like a torch that is burnt out, its setting is mild and pleasant.

9. Small yet bright is its rising, when it comes to waken sleepers;--hot and overpowering its meridian, when it comes to ripen the fruits;--tender and pleasant its setting, when it reaches its consummation.

10. Who is this daughter born of vows, enviable above all women,--whose successions thus proceed, and her ranks are thus manifold,--and her degrees thus ascend, and her teachers thus excel.

11. Do these similitudes belong, only to the daughter of Abraham,--or to thee too, O daughter, born of vows, whose adorning is according as thy beauty?--for as thine occasion, so was thy help, and as thy help so was its minister.

12. According to the measure of her need, there came to her the supply of her need.--Her fathers were as was her birth; her teachers were as was her understanding;--her training as was her growth; her raiment as was her stature.

13. Grace weighed out to her and gave all these things as in the scales;--she laid them in her balance, that therefrom there might be profit;--she drew them into succession, that therefrom might be perfection.

14. In the days of him that was first, peace abounded and peace vanished;--in the days of him that was next, kings came down and kings went back;--but in the days of the last, hosts assailed and hosts retreated.--

15. By the first order came in, it came in with him and went out with him;--by the next the diadem that gladdened our churches, came nigh and withdrew far away;--but by the last there dawdled on us, grace that was not thankfully received.

16. Against the wrath that was first, the labour of the first contended;--against the heat that was at noon, the shade of the second stood up;--against peace that was thankless, the last multiplied warnings.

17. For the first invader of the land was the first and illustrious priest;--for the second invader of the land, was the second and merciful priest:--but the prayers of him that was last, repaired our breaches secretly.

18. Nisibis is set(3) upon waters, waters secret and open:--living streams are within her; a noble river without her. The river without deceived her; the fountain within has saved her.

19. The first priest was her vinedresser; he made her branches to grow even unto heaven.--Lo! being dead and buried within her, he has become fruit in the midst other bosom:--when therefore the pruners came, the fruit that was in her midst preserved her.

20. The time of her pruning came; it entered and took from her her vinedresser,-that there should not be one to pray for her. She made haste in her subtlety;--He laid in her bosom her vinedresser, that she should be delivered through her vine-dresser.

21. Be ye wise like Nisibis, O ye daughters of Nisibis,--for that she laid the body within her, and it became a wall without her.--Place ye within you the living body, that it be a wall for your lives!

XIV.

1. Under the three pastors,--there were manifold shepherds;--the one mother that was in the city,--had daughters in all regions.--Since Wrath has destroyed her dwellings,--Peace shall build up her churches.

R. Blessed be He who chose out those three!

2. The kindly labour of the first,--bound up the land in her affliction:--the bread and wine of the next,--healed the city when site was broken:--the sweet speech of the last,--sweetened our bitterness in affliction.

3. The first tilled the land with his labour,--he rooted out of her the briars and thorns:--the next fenced her round about,--he made a hedge for her of them that were saved:--the last opened the garner of his Lord,--and sowed in her the words of her Lord.

4. The first priest by means of a fast,--closed the the doors of men's mouths:--the second priest for the captives,--opened the mouths of the purse:--but the last pierced through the ears,--and fastened in them the ornament of life.

5. Aaron stripped off from the ears,--the earrings and made a calf.--That lifeless calf in secret,--pierced and slaughtered the camp:--those who had fashioned his horns, --he ripped them up with his horns.

6. But our priest who was the third,--pierced through the ears of the heart:--and fastened there the earrings he had fashioned,--of the nails that were fixed in the cross, --whereon his Lord was crucified,--and gave life to His fellow-men.

7. A son unto death the fire brought forth;--Death feeds upon all bodies:--the son of Death who surpassed Death,--upon the souls of men he fed.--The calf forsook his provender,--for men's minds were the food for him.

8. To the first Tree that which killed,--to it grace brought forth a son.--O Cross offspring of the Tree,--that didst fight against thy sire!--The Tree was the fount of death;--the Cross was the fount of life.

9. The son that was born to Death,--all mouths were opened to curse him.--He devoured bodies and souls,--and multiplied the disgrace of his father.--But the Cross caused to pass away the rebuke,--of its father that first Tree.

10. The two sons were even as were--the two mothers that bare them.--The calf which the fire brought forth,--the fire consumed in the midst of the people:--the Cross the offspring of grace,--divided good gifts to all creation.

11. O my tongue hold thy peace and be silent of the histories of the Cross that press to be told!--for my mind of a sudden has conceived,--and lo! pangs of travail smite it:--it has conceived these among the last,--and they strive to become the firstborn.

12. The babes struggled in the womb;--the elder made haste to come forth:--the younger desiring the birthright,--laid his hand upon his heel;--that which he obtained not by birth,--he obtained by the mess of pottage.

13. After the like sort these later histories,--lo! they make light of the former ones,--that themselves may come forth and take the birthright.--Let us bring forth the history of our fathers,--for lo! the histories of the Cross--are the firstborn of all creatures.

14. For if that which has no beginning--is the first of all created things,--its histories also are the firstborn,--for they are eider than all creatures.--Let the histories of Thee, O my Lord, yield place,--that we may tell of Thy ministers!

15. The first in degree of doctrine,--His eloquence was like as was his degree;--the next who was second in degree,--his interpretation mounted to the height of his degree;--the last who was third in degree,--his eloquence was great as he was.

16. The first in his simple words,--gave milk unto his infants;--the next in his plain sayings,--gave victual to his children;--the third in his perfect sayings,--gave meat to his that were of perfect age.

17. She too the daughter of instruction,--mounted from degree to degree,--along with her teachers and fathers.--A young child she was with the first; a simple maid was she with the next;--she came to perfect age in the third.

18. The first dealing with her as a child,--loved her and taught her to fear;--the next as with a damsel, rebuked her and make her glad;--the third as with one fully instructed,--was to her a solace of pleasantness.

19. Even the Most High with the daughter of Jacob,--gave blandishment and the rod to her childhood;--and in her frowardness and full age,--gave part in the sword and the Law;--and according to her discipline and instruction,--He came to her in mildness and pleasantness.

20. The first that begat the flock,--his bosom bare her infancy;--the next of glad-some countenance,--cheered with song and made glad her childhood;--the last grave of countenance,-lo! he guards her chastity in her youth.

21. The first priest who begat her,--gave milk to her infancy;--the next priest interpreted,--and gave victual to her childhood;--the third priest nourished her, and gave meat to her perfect age.

22. The wealthy father who was first,--laid up treasures for her childhood;--the next for her maturity--multiplied provision for her journey;--the third the goodly olive tree,--multiplied oil in her vessels.

23. When she comes before Him who is rich,--she will show the treasure of the first;--when she comes before the Saviour, she will show the saved ones of the next;--when she goes forth to meet the Bridegroom,--she will show the oil of her lamps.

24. Before Him who rewards the weary toilworn,--she will offer the labour of the first;--before Him who loves cheerful givers,--she will show the almsgiving of the next;--before Him who judges doctrines,--she will offer the discourse of the last.

25. And I the sinner who have striven to be--the disciple of these three,--when they shall see Him of the Third Day,--that he has closed the door of His chamber,--may these three pray Him for me, that He keep the door open a little while for me!

26. May the sinner press into and enter--rejoicing and fearing to behold!--May the three masters call in--the one disciple in their grace!--May he gather up under the table--the crumbs that are full of life!

XV.

1. If the head had not been right,--haply the members had murmured:--for when because of a perverse head--the course of the members is put astray,--they are wont to lay the blame on the head.

R. Blessed be He who chose thee the pride of our people!

2. If now on one that is all goodly,--on it we lay our hatred;--how much more if we were hateful!--Yea even God though He is kind,--bitter men complain against Him.

3. Be like the head O ye members!--Get repose in his purity--and pleasantness in his tranquillity;--in his sanctity renown,--and in his wisdom learning!

4. Get discernment in his mildness,--and chastity in his gravity,--and bounty in his poverty!--As he is fully and altogether fair,--let us be altogether fair with him!

5. See ye how meted and weighed--are his words and his actions!--Take heed how even his steps--keep the measure of peace!--With all his might he holds the bridle of all himself.

6. He was master over his youth;--he bound it in the yoke of chastity:--his members were not enticed by lust;--for they were kept under the rod:--his will he had in subjection.

7. For he was ready beforehand for his degree,--as he was ready beforehand in his conversation,--as he laid his foundations securely.--He became Head in his youth,-when they made him preacher to the people.

8. Excellent was he among preachers,--learned was he among scholars,--and understanding was he among the wise:--chaste was he among his brethren,--and grave among his familiar friends.

9. In two abodes was he--a solitary recluse from his early days;--for he was holy within his body,--and solitary within his dwelling;--openly and secretly was he chaste.

10. But although we my brethren--have put astray those measures,--and we have lost that savour,--and have become teachers to ourselves,--unto the perfection that called us.

11. Yet that measure of Truth--preserves itself in its vessel:--Truth chose it because she saw it chose her;--she has preserved in it her fragrance and savour,--from the beginning to the end.

12. The Head both chaste and grave,--that was not wrathful nor hard,--nor transgressed even as we did,--set and kept his own measures,--and cast a bridle on his thoughts.

13. He gave example in his person,--that as he kept the measure of his time,--so was it meet that we should know our time.--We have become strangers to our time,--for we have been witless in the time of discernment.

14. In the beginning the blast of the wind--in its might chastens the fruit;--then in the meantime the might of the sun:--but when its mightiness is passed,--its end gathers his sweetness.

15. But we--they that were first chastened us;--and also they that came next rebuked us;--and they that were last added sweetness to us:--then when the time of tasting us arrives,--great was our savourlessness.

16. For we came to maturity,--that we might wean the children from wantonness,--and lead them to gravity:--but our old age stood in need--that we should be rebuked as youths.

17. Accordingly he in kindness endured, nor did he make use of force,--that he might increase honour to our old age:--and even if it knew not its degree,--let him be magnified who knew its time!

18. And if one say that for the multitude,--force and the rod should govern it;-even as for the thief fear,--and for the spoiler threatening,--and for fools open shaming.

19. Yet if with the head as first,--the members had hasted to move as second,--they would have drawn that which was third,--and the whole body from the end--would have followed after them.

20. They that were second despised those that were first,--and that were third those that were second:--the degrees were set at naught one by another.--While these within despised one another,--they were trodden down likewise by those without.

XVI.

1. Herein is a mirror to be blamed,--if its clearness is darkened--because there are spots on its substance;--for the foulness that is on it becomes--a covering before them that look on it.

R. Blessed be He Who polished our mirror!

2. For that comeliness is not adorned in it,--and blemishes are not brought to view in it,--it is altogether a damage to comely things;--seeing that their comeliness gain not--adornments as their profit.

3. Blemishes are not rooted out by it,--likewise adornments are not multiplied by it.--A blemish that remains is as a loss;--that there is no adornment is a defect:--loss is met together with defect.

4. If our mirror be darkness,--it is altogether joy to the hateful;--because their blemishes are not reproved:--but if polished and shining,--it is our freedom that is adorned.

5. Twofold is the loss in defect,--for the hateful and for the goodly;--in that the goodly gain no crown,--and likewise the hateful get no adorning:--the mirror divides the loss.

6. Never does the mirror drive--by compulsion him that looks therein:--so likewise grace which followed--upon the righteousness of the Law,--does not possess the compulsion of the Law.

7. Righteousness was unto childhood,--its adorner of compulsion;--for when mankind was in childhood,--she adorned it by compulsion,--while she robbed it not of its freedom.

8. Righteousness used blandishment,--and the rod to deal with childhood;--when she smote it she roused it; her rod restrained frowardness, her blandishment softened the minds.

* * * * * * * *

9. [If one turn from the Gospel,] wherewith we are adorned to-day, my brethren,--to another gospel he is a child:--in a time of greatness of understanding,--he is become without understanding.

10. For in the degree of full age,--he has gone down to childhood;--and he loves the law of bondmen,--which when he is confident smites him,--and when he rejoices buffets him.

11. Whatsoever ornament is compulsion,--is not true but is borrowed.--This is a great thing in God's eyes,--that a man should be adorned by himself:--therefore took He away compulsion.

12. For even as of His prudence--in its own time He employed compulsion,--so likewise of His prudence,--He took it away at a time--when gentleness was desired in its stead.

13. For as it is befitting to Youth,--that it should be made to haste under the rod;--so is it very hateful that under the rod--Wisdom should be brought to serve,--that compulsion should be lord over her.

14. Behold therefore how likewise--God has ordered my successions--in the pastors I have had,--and in the teachers He has given me,--and in the fathers He has reckoned unto me!

15. For weighed out according to their times--were the helps of their qualities;--namely in him in whom it was needful, fear; and in whom it was profitable, heartening; and in whom it was becoming, meekness.

16. By measure He made my steps advance:--to my childhood He assigned terror; likewise to my youth, fear;--to my age of wisdom and prudence,--He assigned and gave meekness.

17. In the frowardness of the degree of childhood,--my instructor was a fear to me:--his rod restrained me from wantonness,--and from mischief the terror of him,--and from indulgence the fear of him.

18. Another father He gave to my youth:--what there was in me of childishness,--that was there in him of hardness; what there was in me of maturity,--that was in him as meekness.

19. When I rose from the degrees--of childhood and of youth,--there passed away the terror that was first,--there passed away the fear that was second;--He gave me a kind pastor.

20. Lo! for my full age his food;--and for my wisdom his interpretations;--and for my peace his meekness;--and for my repose his kindness;--and for my chastity his gravity!

21. Blessed is He who as in a balance--weighed out and gave me fathers:--for according to my times were my helps;--and according to my sicknesses my medicines;--and according to my comelinesses my adornments!

22. We then are they that have disturbed--the succession and fair order;--for in a time of mildness--lo! we crave for hardness,--that Thou should rebuke us as though we were children!

XVII.

CONCERNING ABRAHAM, BISHOP OF NISIBIS.

1. Suffer, O Lord, that even my lowliness, should cast into Thy treasury its farthing, even as the merchant of our flock, who made increase of his talent of Thy doctrine, and has departed and entered Thy haven. I will speak of the shepherd, under him who has become head of the flock; who was disciple of the Three, and has become our fourth master.

R., Blessed be He Who has made him our comfort!

2. In one love will I cause them to shine, and as a crown will I weave them, the splendid blossoms, and the fragrant flowers of the teacher and of his disciple, who remained after him as Elisha; for the horn of his election and he was consecrated and became head, and he was exalted and became master.

R., Blessed be He Who made him chief!

3. And they in heaven rejoiced for the flock, that by the pastor whom they fed, they feed it; the abode of the shepherds under him rejoiced, because they saw the succession of their degrees. He took and set him as a mind in the midst of the great body of the church, and his members came round him to buy of him life, doctrine, new bread.

R., Blessed be He Who made him their treasury!

4. He chose him from the multitude of shepherds, because he had given trial of his stedfastness; the time tested him in the midst of the flock, and length of days proved him as a crucible; for that he gave proof in his person, He made him a wall for many. Let thy fasting be armour to our country, thy prayer a shield to our city, let thy censer purchase reconcilement.

R., Blessed be He Who has hallowed thy sacrifices!

5. The Pastor who has been parted from his flock, fed them on spiritual pastures, and by his exalted staff, he defended them from secret wolves. Fill thou up the room of thy master, which thirsts for the sound of his melody; set up thyself as a pillar, in the city of the trembling people; support her with thy prayers.

R., Blessed be He Who has marie thee our pillar!

6. He has committed the Hand to his disciple, the Throne to one that is worthy of it, the Key to one that is proved faithful, the Flock to one that has excelled. To thy hand belongs the laying-on, to thy offering propitiation, and to thy tongue consolation. May peace adorn thy Dominion; be the watchmen within and the congregations without.

R., Blessed be He Who has chosen thee for rejoicings!

7. May thy doctrine abound, in deeds more than words! In saying few words, till Thou our land with labour, that by much tillage the scanty seed may become rich, the increase of the old seed, may come among us thirtyfold, and thy new seed sixtyfold.

R., Blessed be He Who multiplies an hundredfold!

8. The wrath that was against thee ceases, because peace flows over thee altogether; the jealousy against thee is quenched, for thy love hourly flames forth: thou hast broken the string of envy, that it should smite none in secret; slander that confounds, to it thy ear turns not, for open truth is pleasing to thee.

R., Blessed be He Who adorned thy members!

9. Thou shalt give counsel in the midst of thy people, like Jethro among the Hebrews; thou shalt altogether go with him, who for thy profit counsels thee, thou shalt altogether flee from him, who otherwise counsels thee: Rehoboam shall be a sign to thee; thou shalt choose counsels of profit, thou shalt refuse counsels of envy.

R., Blessed be He Who has counselled comfort!

10. The gift that has been given thee, from on high it flew and came down: thou shall call it by a name of man, thou shall not bear it in another power, lest haply to its place there should come, Satan in his guile, supposing, that the sons of men have given it to thee, so that this freeborn gift should serve in bondage to man.

R., Blessed be He Who has handed down his gift!

11. Thy master is painted in thy person; lo! his likeness is on thee altogether; parted from us one with us is he. In thee we shall see those three, the excellent ones who are parted from us. Thou shall be unto us a wall as Jacob, and full of tenderness as Babu, and a treasury of speech as Valgesh.

R., Blessed be He Who in one has painted them!

12. I, too, the offscouring of the flock, have not withholden aught that was meet: I have painted the similitude of these two, in the colours of these two; that the sheep may see their adornment, and the flock their beauties. And I who have become a lamb endowed with speech, unto Thee, O God of Abraham, in the posture of Abram will give Thee praise.

R., Blessed be He Who has made me His harp!

XVIII.

1. O thou who art made priest after thy master, the illustrious after the excellent, the chaste after the grave, the watchful after the abstinent, thy master from thee has not departed; in the living we see the deceased: for lo! in thee is his likeness painted; and impressed upon thee are his footprints, and all of him shines from all of thee.

R., Blessed be He Who in His stead has given us thee!

2. The fruit wherein its tree is painted, bears witness concerning the root. Hitherto there has not failed us, the savour of his sweetness. His words thou showest forth in bodily act, for thou hast fulfilled them in deed. In thy conversation is painted his doctrine, in thy conduct his exposition, in thy fulfilment his interpretation.

R., Blessed be He Who has made thy lustre to excel!

3. The last pastor who was exalted, and became head unto the members, the younger who obtained the birthright, not for price like Jacob, not in jealousy like Aaron, whose brethren the Levites envied him, but by love obtained he it like Moses, though he was older than Aaron. In thee thy brethren rejoiced as in him.

R., Blessed be He Who chose thee in unanimity!

4. There is no envy or jealousy, among the members of the body; for in love they give ear unto him, with tenderness they are visited by him. A watch tower is the head unto the members, for on every side he looks forth. Exalted is he yet meek in his graciousness, even to the feet he humbleth himself, that he may turn away harm from them.

R., Blessed be He Who instilled thy love into us!

5. A small thing verily had this been, if by an old man apostasy were overcome. Old age in its prudence submitted; youth in its season conquered; for a youthful combatant endured, the hateful conflict waged, by force that was full of apostacy, which like smoke waxed and passed: with its beginning was its end.

R., Blessed be He Who blew upon it that it vanished!

6. The voice of the cornet on a sudden amazed and called Thee to battle. Thou wentest up like a new David, by Thee was subdued a second Goliath. Thou wast not untried in combat, for a secret warfare day by day, Thou art waging against the Evil One. Exercise in secret is wont to attain the crown openly.

R., Blessed be He Who chose Thee for our glory!

7. In face of trial Job trained his body and his mind, and in temptation he was victorious. And Joseph conquered in the chamber; Ananias and his company in the furnace, and in the midst of the den Daniel. Satan did foolishly, when in tempting, he confirmed their victory openly.

R., Blessed be He Who has multiplied shame on him!

8. And the husbandman who apostatized and was urgent, to sow thorns with his left hand; zealous against him was the righteous husbandman, stopped and cut off his left hand. He filled His own right hand and sowed in the heart the words of life; and lo! our understanding is tilled, by His prophets and His apostles. By Thee may our souls be tilled!

R., Blessed be He Who chose Thee for our husbandman!

9. And if so be Thy words are too little, till Thou our land with deeds, that amid much tillage, stock and root may be strengthened. Better is a goodly deed, than the hearing of ten thousand words. Thy seed shall yield an hundredfold, and the after crop sixtyfold, yea that which grows of itself thirtyfold.

R., Blessed be He Who multiplied Thy increase!

10. That light should be darkened it is not meet, that salt should lose its savour it is not right; defilement for the head is not seemly, nor yet foulness for the mirror. Nor if medicines have lost their savour sicknesses also are not cured; and if so be the torch is quenched, the stumbling also are many. Thy light shall chase away our darkness.

R., Blessed be He Who hath made Thee our lamp!

11. Appoint for thee scribes and judges, exactors also and dispensers, overseers also and officers: to each assign his work, lest haply by care should be rusted, or by anxiety should be distracted, the mind and the tongue, wherewith thou offerest supplication, for the expiation of all the people.

R., Blessed be He Who makes illustrious Thy ministry!

12. That he should purge his mind, and cleanse also his tongue; that he should purify his hands, and make his whole body to shine; this is too little for the priest and his title, who offers the Living Body. Let him cleanse all himself at all hours; for he stands as mediator, between God and mankind.

R., Blessed be He Who has cleansed His ministers!

XIX.

1. Thou who answerest to the name of Abraham, in that Thou art made father of many; but because to Thee none is spouse, as Sarah was to Abraham,--lo! Thy flock is Thy spouse; bring up her sons in Thy truth; spiritual children may they be to Thee, and the sons be sons of promise, that they may become heirs in Eden.

R., Blessed be He Who foreshowed Thee in Abraham!

2. Fair fruit of chastity, in whom the priesthood was well pleased, y