Ephraim Syrus Search This Resource     in this Authorin this Sectionin all Sections   Navigator (Page 1 of 4) Previous Next   Page2   Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany. (Translated by Rev. A. Edward Johnston, B.a.) I. Resp.-To Thee be praise from Thy flock in the day of Thy Epiphany! 1. The heavens He has renewed, for that fools worshipped all the luminaries:-He has renewed the earth, for that in Adam it was wasted.(1) -That which He fashioned has become new by His spittle:-and the All-Sufficing has restored bodies with souls. 2. Gather yourselves again ye-sheep and without labour receive cleansing!-for one needs not as Elisha-to bathe seven times in the river, nor again to be wearied as the priests are wearied with sprinklings. 3. Seven times Elisha purified himself in a mystery of the seven spirits;-and the hyssop and blood are a mighty symbol.-There is no room for division;-He is not divided from the Lord of all Who is Son of the Lord of all. 4. Moses sweetened in Marah the waters that were bitter,-because the People complained and murmured:-Thus he gave a sign of baptism,-wherein the Lord of life makes sweet them that were bitter. 5. The cloud overshadowed and kept off the burning heat from the camp;-it showed a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which overshadows you in baptism-tempering the flaming fire that it harm not your bodies. 6. Through the sea the People then passed, and showed a symbol-of the baptism wherein ye were washed. The People passed through that and believed not:-the Gentiles were baptized in this and believed and received the Holy Ghost. 7. The Word sent the Voice to proclaim before His Coming,-to prepare for Him the way by which He came,-and to betroth the Bride till He should come,-that she might be ready when He should come and take her from the water. 8. The voice of prophecy stirred the son of the barren woman,-and he went forth wandering in the desert and crying,-"Lo! the Son of the Kingdom comes!-prepare ye the way that He may enter and abide in your dwellings!" 9. John cried, "Who comes after me, He is before me:-I am the Voice but not the Word;-I am the torch but not the Light;-the Star that rises before the Sun of Righteousness." 10. In the wilderness this John had cried and had said,-"Repent ye sinners of your evils,-and offer the fruits of repentance;-for lo! He comes that winnows the wheat from the tares." 11. The Lightgiver has prevailed and marked a mystery, by the degrees he ascended:-Lo! there are twelve days since he ascended,-and to-day this is the thirteenth:-a perfect mystery of Him, the Son, and His twelve! 12. Darkness was overcome to make it manifest that Satan was overcome;-and the Light prevailed that he should proclaim-that the Firstborn triumphs: darkness was overcome-with the Dark Spirit, and our Light prevailed with the Lightgiver. 13. In the Height and the Depth the Son had two heralds.-The star of light proclaimed Him from above;-John likewise preached Him from beneath:-two heralds, the earthly and the heavenly. 14. The star of light, contrary to nature, shone forth of a sudden;-less than the sun yet greater than the sun.-Less was it than he in manifest light;-and greater than he in secret might because of its mystery. 15. The star of light shed its rays among them that were in darkness,-and guided them as though they were blind;-so that they came and met the great Light:-they gave offerings and received life and adored and departed. 16. The herald from above showed His Nature to be from the Most High;-likewise he that was from beneath showed His Body to be from humankind, mighty marvel!-that His Godhead and His Manhood by them were proclaimed! 17. Thus whoso reckons Him as of earth, the star of light-will convince him that He is of Heaven: and whoso reckons Him as of spirit,-this John will convince him that He is also bodily. 18. John drew near with his parents and worshipped the Sun,-and brightness rested on His Face.-He was not moved as when in the womb.-Mighty marvel! that here he worships and there he leaped! 19. The whole creation became for Him as one mouth and cried out concerning Him.-The Magi cry out in their gifts;-the barren cry out with their children;-the star of light, lo! it cries out in the air, "Behold the Son of the King!" 20. The heavens are opened, the waters break forth, the dove is in glory!-The voice of the Father is stronger than thunder,-as it utters the word, "This is My Beloved";-the Watchers brought the tidings, the children acclaimed Him in their Hosannas. II. (Nearly identical with Hymn XIII. On the Nativity.) (Resp.-To Thee be praise Who in this feast makest all to exult!) 1. In the time of the King whom they called by the name Semha(2) -our Lord was manifested among the Hebrews.-Thus Semha and Denha reigned together,-the King on earth and the Son on high-blessed be His power! 2. In the days of the King who wrote down men in the taxing,-our Saviour came down and wrote down men in the Book of Life; He wrote and was written;-on high He wrote us, on earth He was written; glory to His Name! 3. His Birth was in the days of the King whose name was Semha.-Symbol and truth met one another;-King and King, Semha and Denha.-That kingdom bore His Cross; blessed be He Who took it up! 4. Thirty years abode He on earth in poverty.-Voices of praise in all measures,-let us weave my brethren for our Lord's years;-thirty crowns for thirty years; Blessed be His number! 5. In the first year, mistress of treasure and filled with blessings,-let the Cherubin give thanks with us, they who bear-the Son in glory Who gave up His glorious state,-and toiled and found the sheep that was lost;-to Him be thanksgiving! 6. In the second year let the Seraphin multiply thanksgiving with us;-they who cried "Holy" to the Son, and turned and saw Him-among unbelievers put to shame.-He endured scorn and taught us glory; to Him be glory given! 7. In the third year let Michael and his hosts give thanks with us;-they who were wont to serve the Son on high,-and saw Him on earth doing service.-He washed men's feet and cleansed men's souls; blessed be His meekness! 8. In the fourth year let all the heavens give thanks with us! Too narrow for the Son it shall burst to see-how He lay on the couch of despised Zaccheus.-He filled the couch and had filled the heavens;-to Him be thanksgiving! 9. In the fifth year let the Sun that burns the carth with its heat-give thanks to our Sun that He straitened His largeness,-and tempered His force that the eye might endure to see Him;-the inward eye of a pure soul; blessed be His radiance! 10. In the sixth year again let all the air give thanks with us,-in the vastness whereof all things exult.-It saw its great Lord that He became-a little babe in a lowly bosom; blessed be His honour! 11. In the seventh year let the clouds and winds sound the trumpet with us,-they whose dew sprinkles the faces of the flowers,-yet saw they the Son that He subdued His brightness,-and endured scorn and shameful spitting;-blessed be His salvation! 12. Yet again in the eighth year let Creation give glory,-from whose fountain the fruits draw nurture.-She adored when she saw the Son at the breast,-pure babe nurtured by pure milk; blessed be His good pleasure! 13. In the ninth year let the earth give glory, which when her lap is watered then brings forth the root.-She saw Mary an unwatered soil-whose fruit that she yielded isa mighty sea; to Him be exultation! R., To Thee be glory, Son of the Lord of all, Who givest life to all! 14. In the tenth year let Mount Sinai give glory, which melted-before its Lord! It saw against its Lord-stones taken up: but He took stones-to build the Church upon the Rock; blessed be His building! 15. In the eleventh year let the great sea give thanks-to the hand of the Son Who measured it! And it wondered to see how He came down and was washed-in humble waters, He that cleanses Creation; blessed be His triumph! 16. In the twelfth year let the holy Temple give thanks-which beheld the Child as He sat-among the elders: the doctors were silenced-as the Lamb of the feast bleated in the feast; blessed be His atonement! 17. In the thirteenth year let diadems with us give thanks-to the King Who triumphed and was crowned-with a crown of thorns: He wove for man-a mighty diadem at His right hand; blessed be He That sent Him! 18. In the fourteenth year let the Passover of Egypt give thanks-to the Passover that came and made passover for all,-and instead of Pharaoh overwhelmed Legion,-and instead of horsemen drowned demons; blessed be His retribution! 19. In the fifteenth year let the lamb of the flock give thanks,-that our Lord slew it not as did Moses,-but redeemed by His Blood mankind.-He the Shepherd of all died for all; blessed be He That begat Him! 20. In the sixteenth year let the seed-corn in mystery give thanks-to that Husbandman Who gave His Body for seed-in a barren soil that corrupts all things.-It proved fertile and yielded new bread; blessed be He that is pure! 21. In the seventeenth year let the Vine give thanks to our Lord,-the Vineyard of truth, wherein souls were-as the scions. He gave peace to this vineyard, but laid waste that vineyard which bare wild grapes; blessed be the Uprooter! 22. In the eighteenth year let our leaven give thanks-to the leaven of truth that penetrates and draws-all minds and makes them to become-one mind in one doctrine; blessed be His doctrine! 23. In the nineteenth year let the Salt give thanks for Thy Body.-O blessed Babe it is the soul-that is the salt of the Body, and Faith-the salt of the soul whereby it ispreserved; blessed be Thy preservation! R., Glory to Thy Epiphany, 0 God and Man.! 24. In the twentieth year let temporal wealth with us give thanks,-which men that are perfect have cast off and abandoned-because of the "Woe"; and have gone and loved-poverty because of its beatitude; blessed be He Who desired it! 25. In the one-and-twentieth year let the waters give thanks that were sweetened-in a mystery of the Son. In the honey of Samson-the nations tasted bitterness therein that destroyed them:-they had life in the Cross that redeemed them; blessed be its pleasantness! 26. In the two-and-twentieth year let arms and the sword give thanks,-for they could not slay our Adversary.-Thou art He Who slew him as Thou art He Who restored-the ear that Simon's sword cut off; blessed be Thy healing! 27. In the three-and-twentieth year let the ass likewise give thanks,-that gave the colt whereon He should ride;-He opens likewise the mouth of wild asses,-the offspring gave Him praise; blessed be the praise of Thee! 28. In the font-and-twentieth year let wealth give thanks to the Son!-Treasures were amazed at the Lord of treasures,-how He grew up among the poor.-He made Himself poor that He might make all rich; blessed be His participation! 29. In the five-and-twentieth year let Isaac give thanks to the Son-Who in the mount saved him from the knife,-and became in his stead the lamb to be slain.-The mortal escaped, and He died Who gives life to all; blessed be His offering! 30. In the six-and-twentieth year let Moses with us give thanks,-who feared and fled from the slayers;-let him give thanks to the Son, for He it was Who on His feet -entered Sheol and spoiled it and came forth; blessed be His Resurrection! [31. In the seven-and-twentieth year let the eloquent Orators-give thanks to the Son, for they could not find-means whereby we should prevail in our judgment:-He was silent in judgment and made our judgment prevail; to Him be applause> 32. In the seven and twentieth year let all Judges give thanks,-who as being just have put to death illdoers;-let them give thanks to the Son Who instead of the evil -died as being good, though He was Son of the Just One; blessed be His mercies! 33. In the eight-and-twentieth year let them give thanks to the Son,-all the mighty men who saved us not-from the captors. One is to be worshipped,-Who was slain and laid hold and saved us; blessed be His deliverance! 34. In the nine-and-twentieth year let Job with us give thanks,-who bare sufferings in his own behalf:-but our Lord bare on our behalf-the spitting and the stripes, the thorns and the nails; blessed is His compassion! 35. In the year that is the thirtieth let them give thanks with us;-the dead that have lived through His dying,-the living that were converted in His Crucifixion,-and the height and the depth that have been reconciled in Him! Blessed be He and His Father! III. (Resp.-Christ with chrism, lo! lie is sealing the newborn lambs in His flock!) 1. Christ and chrism are conjoined; the secret with the visible is mingled: the chrism anoints visibly,-Christ seals secretly, the lambs newborn and spiritual, the prize of His twofold victory; for He engendered it of the chrism, and He gave it birth of the water. 2. How exalted are your Orders! For she that was a sinner anointed, as a handmaid, the feet of her Lord. But for you, as though His minister, Christ by the hand of His servants, seals and anoints your bodies. It befits Him the Lord of the flock, that in His own person He seal His sheep. 3. Since then she, that sinner, stood in need of forgiveness, the anointing was for her an offering, and by it her love reconciled her Lord. But you who are the flock, among the profane and unbelievers, the Truth by the chrism is your seal, to separate you from the strayed. 4. From the peoples he separated the People, by the former seal of circumcision; but by the seal of anointing, the peoples He separates from the People. When the peoples were in error, the People He separated from the peoples; now when the People has erred from Him, He separates the peoples from thence. 5. Of the dust of the pure soil, Naaman bore away and returned to his place; that he by this holy dust, might be separated and known from the unclean. The chrism of Christ separates, the sons of the mystery from strangers: and by it they that are within are separated, and known from them that are without. 6. The oil which Elijah multiplied, might be tasted with the mouth; for the cruse was that of the widow, it was not that of the chrism. The oil of our Lord that is in the cruse, it is not food for the mouth: the sinner that was a wolf without, it makes him a lamb in the flock. 7. The chrism of the meek and lowly One, changes the stubborn to be like its Lord. The Gentiles were wolves and feared, the severe rod of Moses. Lo! the chrism sealsthem and makes, a flock of sheep out of the wolves! And the wolves that had fled from the rod, lo! they have taken refuge in the Cross! 8. The leaf of olive arrived, brought as a figure of the anointing; the sons of the Ark rejoiced to greet it, for it bore good tidings of deliverance. Thus also ye rejoiced to greet it, even this holy anointing. The bodies of sinners were glad in it, for it brought good tidings of deliverance. 9. The oil again that Jacob poured, upon the stone when he sealed it, that it should be between him and God, and that he might offer there his tithes; lo! in it is a symbol of your bodies, how by chrism they are sealed as holy, and become temples for God, where He shall be served by your sacrifices. 10. When Moses had sealed and anointed, the sons of Aaron the Levite, the fire consumed their bodies; the fire spared their vestments. But ye my brethren blessed are ye, for the fire of grace has come down, has consumed utterly your offences, and cleansed and hallowed your bodies! 11. As for the anointing of Aaron my brethren, it was the vile blood of beasts, that it sprinkled in the horns of the altar. The anointing of truth is this; wherein the living and all-lifegiving Blood, is sprinkled inwardly in your bodies. is mingled in your understandings, is infused through your inmost chambers.12. The anointed priests used to offer, the slain bodies of beasts; Ye, O anointed and excelling, your offerings are your own bodies. The anointed Levites offered, the inward parts taken, from beasts: ye have excelled the Levites, for your hearts ye have Consecrated. 13. The anointing of the People was-a foreshadowing of Christ; their rod a mystery of the Cross; their lamb a type of the Only begotten; their tabernacle a mystery of your Churches; their circumcision a sign of your sealing. Under the shadow of your goodly thing, sat the People of old. 14. Thus the truth is likened, to a great shadowing tree: it cast its shade on the People; it struck its root among the peoples. The People abode under its shadows, whose shadows were its mysteries; but the Gentiles lodged on its bough, and plucked and ate of its fruits. 15. As for the anointing of Saul to be king; the sweeter was its savour, so much fouler was the savour of his heart. The Spirit struck him and fled. Your anointing which ye have is greater; for your minds are censers, in your temples the Spirit exults, a chamber forever shall ye be unto Him. 16. As for the anointing of David my brethren; the Spirit came down and made sweet savour, in the heart of the man wherein He delighted; the savour of his heart was as the savour of his action. The Spirit dwelt in him and made song in him. Your anointing which ye have is greater, for Father and Son and Holy Ghost, have moved and come down to dwell in you. 17. When the leper of old was cleansed, the priest used to seal him with oil, and to lead him to the waterspring. The type has passed and the truth is come; lo! with chrism have ye been sealed, in baptism ye are perfected, in the flock ye are intermixed, from the Body ye are nourished. 18. What leper when he has been cleansed, turns again and desires his leprosy? Ye have put off transgressions-forsake it! None puts on the leprosy he had put off. It has fallen and sunk-let it not be drawn out! It is wasted and worn-let it not be renewed! Let not corruption come out upon you, whom the chrism of Christ has anointed! 19. The vessel moulded of clay, gains beauty from the water, receives strength from the fire; but if it slips it is ruined, it cannot be afresh renewed. Ye are vessels of grace; be ye ware of it, even of justice, for it grants not two renewals. 20. How like are ye in comparison, with the Prophet whom the fish yielded up! The Devourer has given you back for he was constrained, by the Power Which constrained the fish. Jonah was for you as a mirror, since not again did the fish swallow him, let not again the Devourer swallow you: being yielded up be ye like Jonah! 21. Goodly ointment on the head of our Lord did Mary pour; its savour was fragrant through all the house. Likewise the savour of your anointing, has been fragrant and perfumed the heavens, to the Watchers on high; doing pleasure to Satan its savour is overpowering; to God its odour is sweet. 22. The crowds in the desert were like unto sheep that have no shepherd. The Merciful became their shepherd, and multiplied to them the pasture of bread. Yea, blessed are ye that are perfect, that are sealed as lambs of Christ, that of His Body and Blood are made worthy; the Pastor Himself is become pasture for you! 23. Out of water He made the wine, He gave it for drink to the youths in the feast. For you who are keeping the fast, better is the unction than drink. In His wine the betrothed are wedded, by His oil the wedded are sanctified. By His wine is union; by His oil sanctification.24. The sheep of Christ leaped for joy, to receive the seal of life, that ensign of kings which has ever put sin to flight. The Wicked by Thy ensign is routed, iniquities by Thy sign are scattered. Come, ye sheep, receive your seal, which puts to flight them that devour you! FOOTNOTES: See p. 177. Equivalent to Augustus.