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

1.&#160; Three illustrious priests, after the manner of the two great lights,&#8212;have carried on and handed down one to another, the See and the Hand and the Flock.&#8212;To us whose mounting was great for the two, this last is wholly a consolation.&#160; R., Glory to Thee Who didst choose them!

2.&#160; He Who created two great lights, chose for Himself these three Lights,&#8212;and set them in the three dark seasons of siege that have been.&#8212;When that pair of Lights was quenched, the other shone wholly forth.

3.&#160; These three priests were treasures, who held in their faithfulness,&#8212;the key of the Trinity; three doors they opened for us;&#8212;each one of them with his key, unlocked and opened his door.

4.&#160; In the first was opened the door, for the chastisement that befel us;&#8212;in the next was opened the door, for the King&#8217;s power that came down on us,&#8212;in the last was opened the door, for the good tidings that came up for us.

5.&#160; In the first was opened the door, for battle between two hosts;&#8212;in the next were opened doors, for the kings from either wind;&#8212;in the last was opened the door, for ambassadors from either side.

6.&#160; In the first was opened the door, for battle because of misdeeds;&#8212;in the next was opened the door,&#8212;for the kings because of strife;&#8212;in the last was opened the door, for ambassadors because of mercies.

7.&#160; Lo! in these three successions, as in a mystery and a figure,&#8212;wrath is likened to the sun; it began under the first;&#8212;it waxed strong under the next; it sank and was quenched under the last.

8.&#160; Three figures the Sun also, shows forth in the three quarters:&#8212;its rising is keen and bright; its meridian strong and overpowering;&#8212;and like a torch that is burnt out, its setting is mild and pleasant.

9.&#160; Small yet bright is its rising, when it comes to waken sleepers;&#8212;hot and overpowering its meridian, when it comes to ripen the fruits;&#8212;tender and pleasant its setting, when it reaches its consummation.

10.&#160; Who is this daughter born of vows, enviable above all women,&#8212;whose successions thus proceed, and her ranks are thus manifold,&#8212;and her degrees thus ascend, and her teachers thus excel.

11.&#160; Do these similitudes belong, only to the daughter of Abraham,&#8212;or to thee too, O daughter, born of vows, whose adorning is according as thy beauty?&#8212;for as thine occasion, so was thy help, and as thy help so was its minister.

12.&#160; According to the measure of her need, there came to her the supply of her need.&#8212;Her fathers were as was her birth; her teachers were as was her understanding;&#8212;her training as was her growth; her raiment as was her stature.

13.&#160; Grace weighed out to her and gave all these things as in the scales;&#8212;she laid them in her balance, that therefrom there might be profit;&#8212;she drew them into succession, that therefrom might be perfection.

14.&#160; In the days of him that was first, peace abounded and peace vanished;&#8212;in the days of him that was next, kings came down and kings went back;&#8212;but in the days of the last, hosts assailed and hosts retreated.&#8212;

15.&#160; By the first order came in, it came in with him and went out with him;&#8212;by the next the diadem that gladdened our churches, came nigh and withdrew far away;&#8212;but by the last there dawned on us, grace that was not thankfully received.

16.&#160; Against the wrath that was first, the labour of the first contended;&#8212;against the heat that was at noon, the shade of the second stood up;&#8212;against peace that was thankless, the last multiplied warnings.

17.&#160; For the first invader of the land was the first and illustrious priest;&#8212;for the second invader of the land, was the second and merciful priest:&#8212;but the prayers of him that was last, repaired our breaches secretly.

18.&#160; Nisibis is set upon waters, waters secret and open:&#8212;living streams are within her; a noble river without her.&#160; The river without deceived her; the fountain within has saved her.

19.&#160; The first priest was her vinedresser; he made her branches to grow even unto heaven.&#8212;Lo! being dead and buried within her, he has become fruit in the midst of her bosom:&#8212;when therefore the pruners came, the fruit that was in her midst preserved her.

20.&#160; The time of her pruning came; it entered and took from her her vinedresser,&#8212;that there should not be one to pray for her.&#160; She made haste in her subtlety;&#8212;He laid in her bosom her vinedresser, that she should be delivered through her vinedresser.

21.&#160; Be ye wise like Nisibis, O ye daughters of Nisibis,&#8212;for that she laid the body within her, and it became a wall without her.&#8212;Place ye within you the living body, that it be a wall for your lives!