Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIII/Ephraim the Syrian and Aphrahat/Nisibene Hymns/Hymn LV

1. Lo! the Evil One reproached Death, and was in turn reproached:&#160; from each and to each and against each, were their taunts.&#8212;2. R., To Thee be glory, Son of the Lord of All, Who diedst for all:&#160; for He was raised to give life to all, in the day of His Coming!&#8212;3. S., Jonah who conquered thee, and returned back from Sheol, became my advocate in asking, why sinners were spared?&#8212;4. D., Slander not, O Evil One, the son of Amittai:&#160; he showed a face of anger, that they might praise thee more.&#8212;5. S., Quite powerless is all thy persuasion, O tyrant Death:&#160; for there pleases me nothing, of all thou hast said.&#8212;6. D., For when was the word of truth pleasing to thee?&#160; A gulf is between thee and truthfulness, O lying one.&#8212;7. I am righteous all my days, with nought to repent:&#160; I am he that rescues from thee the sons of men.&#8212;8. S., Proclaim thy repentance, Death, thou art well come:&#160; lo! Saul also among the prophets, great cause of scorn.&#8212;9. If thou, Death, be justified, then for myself:&#160; I cut not off hope, likewise, of repentance.&#8212;10. D., No idol with my Lord have I made, O hater of thy Lord! lo! thou by dead idols, slayest the living.&#8212;11. S., That thou, Death, art half of me, I know, and I half of thee:&#160; if half of me repents, it repents, but I marvel.&#8212;12. D., Thy partner am I in share, but not in sin:&#160; mine are the slain and thine the slayers, whom thou madest sin.&#8212;13. S., My craftiness weeps for itself, when I dispute with thee:&#160; my wiles mourn over me, when I meet thee.&#8212;14. D., Workers of witchcraft and soothsayers, with all their offences:&#160; the fire that thou kindledst in the world, in Sheol I have quenched.&#8212;15. S., Thou penitent who strainest out gnats, and swallowest the just:&#160; the chaste shall rend thee, who cry, from within thy belly.&#8212;16. D., It is the treasure-house where I keep all the righteous:&#160; their resurrection threatens ill to thee, who didst persecute them.&#8212;17. S., The greedy one who carries all creatures, in his bowels:&#160; lo! he casts up to me that I am robbed, of my possessions.&#8212;18. D., Before the stroke lament not, for it has not yet reached thee:&#160; the day will come when thou shalt cry out, and I shall hear and rejoice.&#8212;19. The fire will come that shall strip off thee thy very skin:&#160; as by the potsherd thou didst strip the skin of Job.&#8212;20. D., The savour of sloth begins, as if to hover on me; it is then a dream that I ceased, for a short space.&#8212;21. It was not that words failed me, and therefore I was silent:&#160; it is for the time I grieve, that has passed idly.&#8212;22. The hurt done by thy speech is very great:&#160; would I had not heard it!&#160; For my whole mind is intent upon my work.&#8212;23. This humankind that is lost, was undone by wandering thought:&#160; slothfulness, with negligence, brought it under yoke.&#8212;24. The madness of desire bid for wealth, and bought it:&#160; contention with boastfulness, were the sureties.&#8212;25. With persistence for strength, I wage my war:&#160; and if I neglect but a little, my sway is naught.&#8212;26. By continual dropping, I clean the rocks:&#160; for continual dropping can dissolve even a mountain.&#8212;27. Habit even over nature, becomes master:&#160; it trains and leads even lions, as beasts of burden.&#8212;28. Habit, repose, and increase, with persistence; by these is freedom conquered, though stubborn above all.&#8212;29. If its will be firmly set, it breaks the fetters; but if lax, a fragile net, can capture it.&#8212;30. If so be that Freedom shouts, we are scattered:&#160; but if she be silent we gather together, to mock at her.&#8212;31. Let us cease from much speaking, lest it lead to much sloth:&#160; with one mind let us assail the wall, and lo! it is broken down.&#8212;32. S., Go thou and see to diseases, and I to snares:&#160; for to me sins and to thee pestilences, are great solace.&#8212;33. And even though I have paused, I have not paused from my cares:&#160; for my will at no time rests, but is ready.