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

1. In wisdom let us hearken to Death, O my beloved:&#160; how he accuses us for our weeping, and for our mourning.&#8212;2. R., To thee be praise Who cameth down, to follow Adam:&#160; and foundest Adam and also in the children of Adam.&#8212;3. And rightly perhaps he says, &#8220;Ye slay:&#160; without mercy and lo! ye weep, as though merciful.&#8221;&#8212;4. Ye have made me as a cruel one, O ye murderers:&#160; for ye slay one another, without my help!&#8212;5. While Death was but desiring to come, the sword came before him:&#160; let us see then against whom cries out, the blood of the slain.&#8212;6. Against you cry out the strangled, who were suffocated:&#160; for it shames me of the rope, of their strangulations.&#8212;7. They take away from me even my rest, for without me:&#160; how could the strangled and the slain, enter Sheol?&#8212;8. Lo! your infants are cast out, as those in Egypt:&#160; your sons have ye sacrificed to demons, O demoniacs!&#8212;9. While Death was but desiring to taste, of your corpses:&#160; Cain refreshed me beforehand, with blood of man.&#8212;10. While I was but desiring to wait patiently, till Adam should die:&#160; before I had power ye gave me power, over your bodies.&#8212;11. Cain with his sword overthrew, the gate of Sheol:&#160; for it was closed and before the time, he first opened it.&#8212;12. He by treading made the way of Sheol, without my help:&#160; for in the way ye have trodden out for me, lo! I walk therein.&#8212;13. Nine hundred years I sat and waited, for Adam to die:&#160; but Cain not even a day, endured his brother.&#8212;14. Robbers upon the highways, are worse than I:&#160; I am slumbering while they, are watching to slay.&#8212;15. Lo! your slaughtered in the graves, and your murdered in your ways; and your strangled upon your stakes!&#8212;16. &#8220;If I rebelled against my lord, yea and slew him:&#160; who was he that slew these here,&#8221; said Jehu.&#8212;17. And if I Death have taken, your departed:&#160; the strangled, the slain, and the slaughtered, who was it slew them?&#8212;18. Ye are Satan to each other, and the Evil One is abhorred:&#160; ye are pestilence to each other, and Death is blamed!&#8212;19. Your own will to you is Satan, yea and a murderer:&#160; but of Death and of Satan, all men complain.&#8212;20. Poison of Death ye give also to drink, each to other:&#160; lo! how many Deaths have ye, beside me.&#8212;21. Wiles, stratagems, yea and snares, sword and poison:&#160; how many Deaths from you and in you, lo! are there born.&#8212;22. The judge in the judgment-hall, is a second Death:&#160; he slays for secret reward, but I for naught.&#8212;23. I have seen bribery and marvelled at it, that ran and outran me:&#160; how many slain does bribery, slay, and none perceives!&#8212;24. I am ashamed that so unskilfully, I conduct myself:&#160; if I take even one corpse, all men perceive it.&#8212;25. In the houses weeping and in the streets, also wailing:&#160; and even unto the gates of Sheol, they groan over me.&#8212;26. Groan over yourselves that ye are thus hateful, and ye hate me:&#160; Sheol henceforth shall groan over you, O murderers!&#8212;27. With torture, scourging and fire, yea with stoning:&#160; ye put to death the sons of men, and ye are proud!&#8212;28. I am more modest than you and merciful, also reverent:&#160; for with reverence I bear away, your departed.&#8212;29. On the bed I deal gently, with him that is sick:&#160; and quietly I lay him to sleep, for but a while.