Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIII/Ephraim the Syrian and Aphrahat/Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany/Hymn XV

1.&#160; In the Birth of the Son light dawned,&#8212;and darkness fled from the world,&#8212;and the earth was enlightened; then let it give glory&#8212;to the brightness of the Father Who has enlightened it!

2.&#160; He dawned from the womb of the Virgin,&#8212;and the shadows passed away when He was seen,&#8212;and the darkness of error was strangled by Him,&#8212;and the ends of the earth were enlightened that they should give glory.

3.&#160; Among the peoples there was great tumult,&#8212;and in the darkness the light dawned,&#8212;and the nations rejoiced to give glory&#8212;to Him in Whose Birth they all were enlightened.

4.&#160; His light shone out over the east;&#8212;Persia was enlightened by the star:&#8212;His Epiphany gave good tidings to her and invited her,&#8212;&#8220;He is come for the sacrifice that brings joy to all.&#8221;

5.&#160; The star of light hasted and came and dawned&#8212;through the darkness, and summoned them&#8212;that the peoples should come and exult&#8212;in the great Light that has come down to earth.

6.&#160; One envoy from among the stars&#8212;the firmament sent to proclaim to them,&#8212;to the sons of Persia, that they might make ready&#8212;to meet the King and to worship Him.

7.&#160; Great Assyria when she perceived it&#8212;called to the Magi and said to them,&#8212;&#8220;Take gifts and go, honour Him&#8212;the great King Who in Judea has dawned.&#8221;

8.&#160; The princes of Persia, exulting,&#8212;carried gifts from their region;&#8212;and they brought to the Son of the Virgin&#8212;gold and myrrh and frankincense.

9.&#160; They entered and found Him as a child&#8212;as He dwelt in the house of the lowly woman;&#8212;and they drew near and worshipped with gladness,&#8212;and brought near before Him their treasures.

10.&#160; Mary said, &#8220;For whom are these?&#8212;and for what purpose? and what is the cause&#8212;that has called you to come from your country&#8212;to the Child with your treasures?&#8221;

11.&#160; They said, &#8220;Thy Son is a King,&#8212;and He binds crowns and is King of all;&#8212;and great is His power over the world,&#8212;and to His Kingdom shall all be obedient.&#8221;

12.&#160; &#8220;At what time did this come to pass,&#8212;that a lowly woman should bring forth a King?&#160; I who am in need and in want,&#8212;how then could a king come forth from me?&#8221;

13.&#160; &#8220;In thee alone has this come to pass&#8212;that a mighty King from thee should appear;&#8212;thee in whom poverty shall be magnified,&#8212;and to thy Son shall crowns be made subject.&#8221;

14.&#160; &#8220;Treasures of Kings I have not;&#8212;riches have never fallen to my lot.&#8212;My house is lowly and my dwelling needy;&#8212;why then proclaim ye that my Son is King?&#8221;

15.&#160; &#8220;Great treasure is in thy Son,&#8212;and wealth that suffices to make all rich;&#8212;for the treasures of kings are impoverished,&#8212;but He fails not nor can be measured.&#8221;

16.&#160; &#8220;Whether haply some other be for you&#8212;the King that is born, enquire ye concerning Him.&#8212;This is the son of a lowly woman,&#8212;of one who is not meet to look on a King.&#8221;

17.&#160; &#8220;Can it be that light should ever miss&#8212;the way whereon it has been sent?&#160; It was not darkness that summoned and led us;&#8212;in light we walked, and thy Son is King.&#8221;

18.&#160; &#8220;Lo! ye see a babe without speech,&#8212;and the house of His mother empty and needy,&#8212;and of that which pertains to a king nought is in it:&#8212;how then in it is a king to be seen?&#8221;

19.&#160; &#8220;Lo! we see that without speech and at rest&#8212;is the King, and lowly as thou hast said:&#8212;but again we see that the stars&#8212;in the highest He bids haste to proclaim Him.&#8221;

20.&#160; &#8220;It were meet, O men, that ye should enquire&#8212;who is the King, and then adore him;&#8212;lest haply your way has been mistaken,&#8212;and another is the King that is born.&#8221;

21.&#160; &#8220;It were meet, O maiden, that thou shouldst receive it,&#8212;that we have learned that thy Son is King,&#8212;from the star of light that errs not,&#8212;and plain is the way, and he has led us.&#8221;

22.&#160; &#8220;The Child is a little one, and lo! he has not&#8212;the diadem of a king and of a throne;&#8212;and what have ye seen that ye should pay honour to Him,&#8212;as to a king, with your treasures?&#8221;

23.&#160; &#8220;A little one, because He willed it for quietness&#8217; sake,&#8212;and meek now until He be revealed.&#8212;A time shall be for Him when all diadems&#8212;shall bow down and worship Him.&#8221;

24.&#160; &#8220;Armies he has none;&#8212;nor has my Son legions and troops:&#8212;in the poverty of His mother He dwells;&#8212;why then King is He called by you?&#8221;

25.&#160; &#8220;The armies of thy Son are above;&#8212;they ride on high, and they flame,&#8212;and one of them it was that came and summoned us,&#8212;and all our country was dismayed.&#8221;

26.&#160; &#8220;The Child is a babe, and how is it possible&#8212;He should be King, unknown to the world?&#8212;And they that are mighty and of renown,&#8212;how can a babe be their ruler?&#8221;

27.&#160; &#8220;Thy babe is aged, O Virgin,&#8212;and Ancient of Days and exalted above all and Adam beside Him is very babe,&#8212;and in Him all created things are made new.&#8221;

28.&#160; &#8220;It is very seemly that ye should expound&#8212;all the mystery and explain it;&#8212;who it is that reveals to you the mystery of my Son,&#8212;that He is a King in your region.&#8221;

29.&#160; &#8220;It is likewise seemly for thee to accept this,&#8212;that unless the truth had led us we had not wandered hither from the ends of the earth,&#8212;nor come for the sake of thy Son.&#8221;

30.&#160; &#8220;All the mystery as it was wrought&#8212;among you there in your country,&#8212;reveal ye to me now as friends.&#8212;Who was He that called you to come to me?&#8221;

31.&#160; &#8220;A mighty Star appeared to us&#8212;that was glorious exceedingly above the stars,&#8212;and our land by its fire was kindled;&#8212;that this King had appeared it bore tidings to us.&#8221;

32.&#160; &#8220;Do not, I beseech you, speak of&#8212;these things in our land lest they rage,&#8212;and the kings of the earth join together&#8212;against the Child in their envy.&#8221;

33.&#160; &#8220;Be not thou dismayed, O Virgin!&#8212;Thy Son shall bring to nought all diadems, and set them underneath his heel;&#8212;and they shall not subdue Him Whom they envy.&#8221;

34.&#160; &#8220;Because of Herod I am afraid,&#8212;that unclean wolf, lest he assail me,&#8212;and draw his sword and with it cut off&#8212;the sweet cluster before it be ripe.&#8221;

35.&#160; &#8220;Because of Herod fear thou not;&#8212;for in the hands of thy Son is his throne placed:&#8212;and as soon as He shall reign it shall be laid low,&#8212;and his diadem shall fall on the earth beneath.&#8221;

36.&#160; &#8220;A torrent of blood is Jerusalem,&#8212;wherein the excellent ones are slain;&#8212;and if she perceives Him she will assail Him.&#8212;In mystery speak ye, and noise it not abroad.&#8221;

37.&#160; &#8220;All torrents, and likewise swords,&#8212;by the hands of thy Son shall be appeased;&#8212;and the sword of Jerusalem shall be blunted,&#8212;and shall not desire at all to kill.&#8221;

38.&#160; &#8220;The scribes of the priests of Jerusalem&#8212;pour forth blood and heed not.&#8212;They will arouse murderous strife&#8212;against me and against the Child; O Magi, be silent!&#8221;

39.&#160; &#8220;The scribes and the priests will be unable&#8212;to hurt thy son in their envy;&#8212;for by Him their priesthood shall be dissolved,&#8212;and their festivals brought to nought.&#8221;

40.&#160; &#8220;A Watcher revealed to me, when I received&#8212;conception of the Babe, that my Son is a King;&#8212;that His diadem is from on high and is not dissolved,&#8212;he declared to me even as ye do.&#8221;

41.&#160; &#8220;The Watcher, therefore, of whom thou hast spoken&#8212;is he who came as a star,&#8212;and was shown to us and brought us good tidings&#8212;that He is great and glorious above the stars.&#8221;

42.&#160; &#8220;That Angel declared to me&#8212;in his good tidings, when he appeared to me,&#8212;that to His Kingdom no end shall be&#8212;and the mystery is kept and shall not be revealed.&#8221;

43.&#160; &#8220;The Star also declared again to us&#8212;that thy Son is He that shall keep the diadem.&#8212;His aspect was something changed,&#8212;and he was the Angel and made it not known to us.&#8221;

44.&#160; &#8220;Before me when the Watcher showed himself,&#8212;he called Him his Lord before He was conceived;&#8212;and as the Son of the Highest announced Him to me:&#8212;but where His Father is he made not known to me.&#8221;

45. &#160;&#8220;Before us he proclaimed in the form of a star&#8212;that the Lord of the Highest is He Who is born;&#8212;and over the stars of light thy Son is ruler,&#8212;and unless He commands they rise not.&#8221;

46.&#160; &#8220;In your presence, lo! there are revealed&#8212;other mysteries, that ye may learn the truth;&#8212;how in virginity I bare my Son,&#8212;and He is Son of God; go ye, proclaim Him!&#8221;

47.&#160; &#8220;In our presence the Star taught us&#8212;that His Birth is exalted above the world and above all beings is thy Son,&#8212;and is Son of God according to thy saying.&#8221;

48.&#160; &#8220;The world on high and the world below bear witness to Him,&#8212;all the Watchers and the stars,&#8212;that He is Son of God and Lord.&#8212;Bear ye His fame to your lands!&#8221;

49.&#160; &#8220;All the world on high, in one star,&#8212;has stirred up Persia and she has learnt the truth,&#8212;that thy Son is Son of God,&#8212;and to Him shall all peoples be subject.&#8221;

50.&#160; &#8220;Peace bear ye to your lands:&#8212;peace be multiplied in your borders!&#8212;As apostles of truth may ye be believed&#8212;in all the way that ye shall pass through.&#8221;

51.&#160; &#8220;The peace of thy Son, it shall bear us&#8212;in tranquillity to our land, as it has led us hither;&#8212;and when His power shall have grasped the worlds,&#8212;may He visit our land and bless it!

52.&#160; &#8220;May Persia rejoice in your glad tidings!&#8212;may Assyria exult in your coming&#8212;And when my Son&#8217;s Kingdom shall arise,&#8212;may He plant His standard in your country!&#8221;

53.&#160; Let the Church sing with rejoicing,&#8212;&#8220;Glory in the Birth of the Highest,&#8212;by Whom the world above and the world below are illumined!&#8221;&#8212;Blessed be He in Whose Birth all are made glad!