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

1.&#160; Under the three pastors,&#8212;there were manifold shepherds;&#8212;the one mother that was in the city,&#8212;had daughters in all regions.&#8212;Since Wrath has destroyed her dwellings,&#8212;Peace shall build up her churches.&#160; R. Blessed be He who chose out those three!

2.&#160; The kindly labour of the first,&#8212;bound up the land in her affliction:&#8212;the bread and wine of the next,&#8212;healed the city when site was broken:&#8212;the sweet speech of the last,&#8212;sweetened our bitterness in affliction.

3.&#160; The first tilled the land with his labour,&#8212;he rooted out of her the briars and thorns:&#8212;the next fenced her round about,&#8212;he made a hedge for her of them that were saved:&#8212;the last opened the garner of his Lord,&#8212;and sowed in her the words of her Lord.

4.&#160; The first priest by means of a fast,&#8212;closed up the doors of men&#8217;s mouths:&#8212;the second priest for the captives,&#8212;opened the mouths of the purse:&#8212;but the last pierced through the ears,&#8212;and fastened in them the ornament of life.

5.&#160; Aaron stripped off from the ears,&#8212;the earrings and made a calf.&#8212;That lifeless calf in secret,&#8212;pierced and slaughtered the camp:&#8212;those who had fashioned his horns, &#8212;he ripped them up with his horns.

6.&#160; But our priest who was the third,&#8212;pierced through the ears of the heart:&#8212;and fastened there the earrings he had fashioned,&#8212;of the nails that were fixed in the cross, &#8212;whereon his Lord was crucified,&#8212;and gave life to His fellow-men.

7.&#160; A son unto death the fire brought forth;&#8212;Death feeds upon all bodies:&#8212;the son of Death who surpassed Death,&#8212;upon the souls of men he fed.&#8212;The calf forsook his provender,&#8212;for men&#8217;s minds were the food for him.

8.&#160; To the first Tree that which killed,&#8212;to it grace brought forth a son.&#8212;O Cross offspring of the Tree,&#8212;that didst fight against thy sire!&#8212;The Tree was the fount of death;&#8212;the Cross was the fount of life.

9.&#160; The son that was born to Death,&#8212;all mouths were opened to curse him.&#8212;He devoured bodies and souls,&#8212;and multiplied the disgrace of his father.&#8212;But the Cross caused to pass away the rebuke,&#8212;of its father that first Tree.

10.&#160; The two sons were even as were&#8212;the two mothers that bare them.&#8212;The calf which the fire brought forth,&#8212;the fire consumed in the midst of the people:&#8212;the Cross the offspring of grace,&#8212;divided good gifts to all creation.

11.&#160; O my tongue hold thy peace and be silent of the histories of the Cross that press to be told!&#8212;for my mind of a sudden has conceived,&#8212;and lo! pangs of travail smite it:&#8212;it has conceived these among the last,&#8212;and they strive to become the firstborn.

12.&#160; The babes struggled in the womb;&#8212;the elder made haste to come forth:&#8212;the younger desiring the birthright,&#8212;laid his hand upon his heel;&#8212;that which he obtained not by birth,&#8212;he obtained by the mess of pottage.

13.&#160; After the like sort these later histories,&#8212;lo! they make light of the former ones,&#8212;that themselves may come forth and take the birthright.&#8212;Let us bring forth the history of our fathers,&#8212;for lo! the histories of the Cross&#8212;are the firstborn of all creatures.

14.&#160; For if that which has no beginning&#8212;is the first of all created things,&#8212;its histories also are the firstborn,&#8212;for they are elder than all creatures.&#8212;Let the histories of Thee, O my Lord, yield place,&#8212;that we may tell of Thy ministers!

15.&#160; The first in degree of doctrine,&#8212;His eloquence was like as was his degree;&#8212;the next who was second in degree,&#8212;his interpretation mounted to the height of his degree;&#8212;the last who was third in degree,&#8212;his eloquence was great as he was.

16.&#160; The first in his simple words,&#8212;gave milk unto his infants;&#8212;the next in his plain sayings,&#8212;gave victual to his children;&#8212;the third in his perfect sayings,&#8212;gave meat to his that were of perfect age.

17.&#160; She too the daughter of instruction,&#8212;mounted from degree to degree,&#8212;along with her teachers and fathers.&#8212;A young child she was with the first; a simple maid was she with the next;&#8212;she came to perfect age in the third.

18.&#160; The first dealing with her as a child,&#8212;loved her and taught her to fear;&#8212;the next as with a damsel, rebuked her and make her glad;&#8212;the third as with one fully instructed,&#8212;was to her a solace of pleasantness.

19.&#160; Even the Most High with the daughter of Jacob,&#8212;gave blandishment and the rod to her childhood;&#8212;and in her frowardness and full age,&#8212;gave part in the sword and the Law;&#8212;and according to her discipline and instruction,&#8212;He came to her in mildness and pleasantness.

20.&#160; The first that begat the flock,&#8212;his bosom bare her infancy;&#8212;the next of glad-some countenance,&#8212;cheered with song and made glad her childhood;&#8212;the last grave of countenance,&#8212;lo! he guards her chastity in her youth.

21.&#160; The first priest who begat her,&#8212;gave milk to her infancy;&#8212;the next priest interpreted,&#8212;and gave victual to her childhood;&#8212;the third priest nourished her, and gave meat to her perfect age.

22.&#160; The wealthy father who was first,&#8212;laid up treasures for her childhood;&#8212;the next for her maturity&#8212;multiplied provision for her journey;&#8212;the third the goodly olive tree,&#8212;multiplied oil in her vessels.

23.&#160; When she comes before Him who is rich,&#8212;she will show the treasure of the first;&#8212;when she comes before the Saviour, she will show the saved ones of the next;&#8212;when she goes forth to meet the Bridegroom,&#8212;she will show the oil of her lamps.

24.&#160; Before Him who rewards the weary toilworn,&#8212;she will offer the labour of the first;&#8212;before Him who loves cheerful givers,&#8212;she will show the almsgiving of the next;&#8212;before Him who judges doctrines,&#8212;she will offer the discourse of the last.

25.&#160; And I the sinner who have striven to be&#8212;the disciple of these three,&#8212;when they shall see Him of the Third Day,&#8212;that he has closed the door of His chamber,&#8212;may these three pray Him for me, that He keep the door open a little while for me!

26.&#160; May the sinner press into and enter&#8212;rejoicing and fearing to behold!&#8212;May the three masters call in&#8212;the one disciple in their grace!&#8212;May he gather up under the table&#8212;the crumbs that are full of life!