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

1. With Freedom is thy struggle, O Evil One:&#160; it can cast on thee a muzzle, if it so please.&#8212;2. R., To Thee be glory in whose victory we have gained strength:&#160; and in whose resurrection we defy even Death itself!&#8212;3. Lo! again these two exposed each other, how weak both are:&#160; Death reminded the Evil One of thy mightiness (O Freedom).&#8212;4. Thy fire is in thy nest, O Death, and thou perceivest not:&#160; the fate of the departed, to thee is overthrow.&#8212;5. Lo! Death and the Evil One proclaim thy mightiness (O Freedom):&#160; yea, the Evil One calls to mind thy faith.&#8212;6. If then these that were against thee are on thy side:&#160; this is a great thing that thy persecutors have become thy heralds,&#8212;7. D., I confess, O Evil One, that as usury:&#160; I lay up the King&#8217;s treasures, till His Coming.&#8212;8. S., I, O Death, rather deny that this belongs to God:&#160; this treasure of subtlety, which I have stored.&#8212;9. D., Thy coinage is fraudulent, then, O Satan:&#160; that into the treasuries of God, is not received.&#8212;10. S., A new coinage do I coin, in kingly wise:&#160; lo! my merchantmen bring loss, into the world.&#8212;11. God created everything out of nothing:&#160; and I created great sin out of nothing&#8212;12. D., Closed and bound be thy mouth, Evil One, who art thus bold:&#160; to set thyself, lo! in comparison with the Creator.&#8212;13. S., To me, O Death, it is lawful to dare and speak:&#160; thy tongue, even thine, is a slave, and under fear.&#8212;14. D., A gulf is henceforth between us, O Satan:&#160; for madly against thy Lord, lo! thou assailest.&#8212;15. S., Wherefore doubtest thou, O Death, of our concord?&#160; Be to us comrade and member:&#160; and lo! we reign.&#8212;16. Come, draw we our pair of swords, against mankind:&#160; I secretly, thou openly, and lo! we end them.&#8212;17. Sin and Sheol they too gave counsel to those two:&#160; saying &#8220;If ye be divided, ye are undone.&#8221;&#8212;18. See the waters how if dispersed, they run low:&#160; but if gathered they gain strength, and thus ye likewise.&#8212;19. If divided ye perish, as the feeble:&#160; but yoked together ye reign, as the mighty.&#8212;20. Love melts down many, as in a furnace:&#160; and makes one powerful mass, that overcomes all.&#8212;21. In it are wisdom and cunning, and force and power:&#160; it is greater far than an image of sixty cubits.&#8212;22. Be reconciled, let us assemble and go, against that party:&#160; which if it be at one can never be defeated.&#8212;23. These things the troublers discoursed, and gathered and came:&#160; Thy day, Lord, will gather them, into Gehenna.&#8212;24. Through Thy mercy, Lord, will I worship Thee, when I have risen:&#160; at Thy trumpet I will praise Thy Son, when I am purged.