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

1.&#160; The Evil One perceived his great humiliation, and boasted himself in the presence of his servants:&#160; he spoke great words to persuade them and said:&#160; &#8220;The knowledge which I possess, little of it is by nature; and much of it, yea all of it, is by learning.&#160; I to myself have been master, and have exercised my understanding.&#160; Without a teacher I have learnt all; I have armed myself with every weapon, and have won by it the crown which I desired among mankind.&#8221;&#160; R., Blessed is He that has come and undone the snares of sin!

2.&#160; Among the Pharisees I clothed myself in hatred, that I might contend with Him, even the Son of Mary.&#160; Wrath like a bow rained shafts; boldness railed upon Him; fury rebelled against Him; ingratitude slandered Him; envy and jealousy in their wrath, strove with Him; and blasphemy took up stones.&#160; The Healer came in and stood among the sick, and I stirred up the diseased in contention against Him.

3.&#160; Because He fell not under reproach, it was in questions that I took refuge.&#160; Many times did I stir up occasions, but I saw that my falsehood was rebuked, and my impudence was made known, and my vain babbling was despised.&#160; To the windings of contention I betook myself.&#160; Everywhere that I disputed with Him, all my labor was as chaff, and the word of truth scattered it on every side.

4.&#160; I saw that there is a warrior and a mighty lord, in cunning within man:&#160; [and the snake that is without makes it fear.]&#160; His lusts within him is coiled continually; his jealousy hisses like a serpent.&#160; Deadly desires he begets, and of a fever he is in dread.&#160; Command as a drug, is able to quell derision, which smites unto destruction.&#160; It is love that avails to break the sting secret and bitter of the tongue.

5.&#160; Who is more foolish than men, who rather than for himself cares for his dwelling!&#160; The garments that are in his chest he examines daily, and a worm is lurking in his members.&#160; The rents that are in his clothes he mends, but a rent is made in his soul.&#160; His house is lighted up but his heart is dark.&#160; He shuts up his senses but opens his windows.&#160; He closes his door and guards his money; his mouth is open and the treasure of his thought is stolen.

6.&#160; The fool makes more of his beasts than of himself, for he cares for his possessions rather than for his soul.&#160; Good seed he sows in his ground; in his heart he sows tares.&#160; His understanding is thrown open and cast down; but at the fences of his vineyard he labours.&#160; He chooses and plants vine-plants; while his mind is a vine of the vines of Sodom.&#160; He keeps off the wild ass from his sowing; but the wild boar of the wood devours his thoughts.

7.&#160; I am a furnace to the sons of men, and in me are tried their counsels.&#160; Therefore is it lawful to me to weave deceit.&#160; I teach the Chaldean art:&#160; by reason of the true things that befall, the false things are believed.&#160; In the midst of Egypt I closed men&#8217;s eyes; I showed insects, men thought they were though they were not.&#160; By closing men&#8217;s eyes I teach the signs of the Zodiac, though they are not in the heavens.

8.&#160; By reason of my swiftness I fly and see, and I show beforehand to the soothsayer; they who err concerning me count me a prophet.&#160; But sometimes I make bold; and I ask that for an hour, secret things be revealed to me, that true men may be proved by me even as Job, likewise deceivers as Saul.&#160; For the one I revealed his sorcery; and for the other I purged his truth and he was praised.