Hymns and homilies (selections)

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

1. Listen, my brethren, to Death, mocking the Evil One: that caused the head of our race to sin, and its mother.—2. R., To Thee be glory that by Thy humiliation, Satan is subdued: and that Thy abasement has exalted Adam, who was abased.—3. D., Thy great nakedness shall be seen, by the sons of Adam; as thou mockedst his nakedness, when thou madest him sin.—4. Eve will cease from that serpent, and rail at thee: for thou, O Dragon, wast he that beguiled her simpleness.—5. Abel will see him, even, Cain, who has come to thee: the disciple of his wrath will blame his cursed master.—6. S., Noah who conquered the flood, as it were death: by the mouth of Ham I laughed at, when wine overcame him.—7. D., Noah was not harmed, but thy garment, wherewith thou clothedst him: even cursings, he put on, and became a slave.—8. S., Lot who overcame anger which is, thy likeness, Death: to his daughters I gave such counsels, as were pleasing to me.—9. D., And Lot's wife who was thy vessel hearkened, to thy counsel: may half of thee be dried up, as thy whole vessel was dried up!—10. Gehenna be overturned, upon thy head: as thy malice overturned Sodom, its dwellers!—11. Floods of fire be stirred against thee, in the resurrection: who against Moses and Elijah, didst stir the people!—12. Let the just mock thee at the last, and Joseph rejoice! whose brethren mocked him, set on by thee!—13. Let vapour of smoke come in, and choke thy senses: as the waters of the sea choked, the senses of the wicked! —14. Let chaste women also mock thee, by whose counsel: the daughters of Midian mocked, the foolish people!—15. Flame be kindled on thy head, for Samson's sake: for by a woman thou shavedst his locks, that lion of strength!—16. S., Saul whom I conquered by envy, by witchcraft conquered thee: for he asked for and brought up Samuel, out of his grave.—17. D., Slander not the living dead, for he came not up: thou wast he that came up in the phantom for thou wast worthy.—18. Let the commandment hang thee over the flame, thou Evil One! for by thee they hanged Absalom, upon a tree.—19. In the fire mayst thou see thyself humbled, among vile women! for Solomon by thee was degraded, among profane women.—20. Justice be measured to thee, as thou didst inflame her! even Jezebel who devoured the prophets, thou kindledst her.—21. In fire mayst thou justly burn, who madest them drunken! the two whom Elijah burnt up, when they went up and assailed him.—22. On thee also be coals heaped! may he see and rejoice: that Naboth in whom thou heapedst, a pile of stones!—23. Be thou clad in scorn in the day of judgment, before all beholders! who clothedst Gehasi in a leprosy, by means of thy theft.—24. With lightning for a dart be thou pierced, O Satan! who in the heart of Josiah, didst fix thy darts.—25. Sink thou in the dregs of Gehenna, O Satan! who didst sink Jeremiah in the mire of the pit.—26. Daniel escaped from the pit, whither thou didst cast him: may he have comfort in seeing thee, in the furnace for ever!—27. Be thy wickedness returned on thy head, Hater of man: as his wickedness was returned on the head, of Haman thy fellow! —28. May the King's Bride mock thee, as did Esther: when thou beseechest her in the judgment-day, to plead for thee!—29. Fire released the righteous ones, whom thou hadst bound: a mighty bond be to thee, the flame of fire!—30. Be thou torn in sunder, and may the seven brothers, see thy defeat: the sons of Shemuni who by thy wolves, were torn in sunder!—31. May fire triumph over thy pate, as thou didst mock: the two heads of Nazarites, sons of the barren!—32. May fire make mock of thy head, for mother and daughter: triumphed over John's head, when thou didst madden them!—33. Flame triumphed over thy head, O Evil One: for on the charges thou didst triumph, over John's head!

1. Lo! Death was prompt beforehand, to mock Satan: him who was doomed to become a mockery at the last.—2. R., Glory to Thee Who by Thy crucifixion, didst conquer the Evil One: and by Thy resurrection gain victory, likewise over Death!—3. And for our Lord's sake Death spake curses on him: who was the cause of His shame, and crucifixion.—4. D., The fiery pit be thy grave, O Satan: who blasphemedst the Voice from the grave, that rent the graves—5. My Lord I know, and the Son of my Lord, O thou Satan! thou hast denied thy Lord, and crucified the Son of thy Lord.—6. This is the name that fits thee, "Slayer of thy Lord": when He appears Whom thou slewest, He shall slay thee.—7. At thee shall every one shake the head, for by thee the chiefs: shook their heads at Him, the Lord of life.—8. A bruised reed under the feet, of the just shalt thou be: for through thee they put a reed in His hand, Who upholds all.—9. With a crown of thorns was He crowned, to signify: that He took the diadem of the kingdom, of the house of David.—10. With a crown of thorns was He crowned, the King of kings: but He took the diadem of the king, of those that shamed him.—11. In the robes of mockery that they gave him, in those He mocked them: for He took the raiment of glory, of priests and kings.—12. To vinegar is thy memory akin, O thou Satan: who didst offer vinegar for the thirst, of the Fount of Life.—13. The hand shall every man lift against thee who strengthenedst the hand that smote Him by Whose hand, all creatures stand.—14. He was smitten by the hand and He cut off the hand, of Caiaphas: the hand of the priesthood is cut off, in the cutting off of the unction.—15. On the pillar again they stretched Him, as for scourging: Him Whose pillar went before, to guide their tribes.—16. The pillar on the pillar, He was scourged: He removed Himself from out of Zion, and its fall came.—17. When they put two beams together, to form the Cross: He broke them, even the two staves, the guardians of them.—18. Ezekiel put together the sticks, the two in one: in the two beams of the Cross, their staves have ceased.—19. The two sticks, as it were wings, bore the people: lo! his two staves were broken, even as his wings.—20. The bosom and wings of the Cross, He opened in mercy: its pinions bowed and bore the nations, to go to Eden.—21. It is akin to the Tree of Life, and unto the son of its stock: it leads its beloved that on its boughs, they may feed on its fruits.—22. Go howl and weep, Evil One, for me and for you: for not one of us shall enter the "Garden of Life."—23. S., Now that thou hast confessed O Death, come let me tell thee: that all this discourse of thine, to me is idle talk.—24. I will go and watch the snares, which I have set: thou too, Death, fly and look after, all that are sick.—25. Our Lord has brought both to nought, on either hand: the Evil One shall be brought to nought here, and Death hereafter there.

1. Lo! Death for us on Satan, inflicts vengeance: come let us hear his shame and rejoice, for he rejoiced in our shame.—2. R., To Thee be glory from Thy flock, from Thee: are subdued both Death and Satan, under Thy Feet!—3. D., Evil ones shall be hung upright, but thou, head downward: for, reversely, thou crucifiedst, Simon on the tree.—4. S., Touching all else I am silent, Death, for my time wanes: Simon himself conjured me, "Crucify me thus."—5. Were it the just that cursed me, I had not grieved: the curse of Death unto me, is worse than hell.—6. D., The shame of our Lord I have not spoken of, it is too great for my mouth: that I should weigh and compare His Passion, with Thy torment.—7. Twelve judgment thrones shall He set, for His Twelve: for by the twelve tribes thou, even thou, shall be condemned.—8. A halter unbought shalt thou hang thee, O thou Satan: as that Thy disciple hung him, a halter for a price.—9. Haply yon hell in mercy, shall be emptied: and thou shalt dwell there alone, with Thy ministers.—10. Manifold are Thy curses, and how shall I count them? Lo! the sum of all thy curses, is on thy members.—11. The evil in the fire shall stab thee, who madest them evil: they shall upbraid thee "wherefore, broughtest thou us hither?"—12. Sinners shall rail against thee, and haply their threats: shall be worse to thee than the torment, of yonder hell.—13. These shall be unto thee there, all of them Satans: as thou hast been to them here, the one Satan.—14. The Watchers shall seize and hurl thee down, calling to mind: how through thee men hurled their Lord, from the height to the depth.—15. All men will run to stone thee, not forgetting that through thee the maddened people ran, to stone their Maker.—16. On thee, Evil One, from all mouths shall be, the spitting of wrath: for through thee they spat on Him Whose spittle, gave sight to the blind.—17. On thee, Evil One, from all tongues, shall be all curses: for through thee men blasphemed Him, Who opened dumb mouths.—18. Blessed is He Who avenged our wrong, though in silence: and stirred up Death against the Evil One, to fall upon him!—19. Sound we Hosannas, my brethren, as did Gideon:¹ who when he sounded, the oppressors, fell on one another!

1. O what amazement befel the Evil One, of a sudden, my brethren: when the sinful woman was corrected, and gained Wisdom!—2. R., Glory to the One Who alone, conquered the Evil One; and to Him yea Him be also confession, Who vanquished Death!—3. The Evil One marvelled "Where is her laughter? where her perfumes? where her dancing and outward ornament, and inward wickedness?"—4. Instead of that light laughter, she is given up to tears: She has cut off her hair to wipe the dust, off the feet of Jesus.—5. Naught lasts in her of any doctrine, nor abides in her: from our instruction she has escaped and cast away, all that I taught her.—6. She has denied us and our acquaintance, and even as though: she had never seen me she has blotted my image, out of her mind.—7. The living leaven of Jesus flew to her, Jesus was silent: but she made bold to press and enter, though none called her.—8. She forgot our love of many years, and in the twinkling of an eye: from between me and her she removed it, and set Death there.—9. For instead of laughter weeping delights her, and instead of paint: a shower of tears, and instead of ornament, a sad countenance.—10. Zaccheus I made chief of extortioners, and her I made: chief of wantons; my two wings, Jesus has broken.—11. If so be Zaccheus becomes his disciple, and if so be she: becomes his hearer, henceforth they fetter, my craftiness.—12. Carved images henceforth are a mockery and the carvers: a derision, and the worshippers a laughing-stock.—13. I shut men's eyes that they might not perceive, that they are carved images: Jesus opens their eyes to see that they are the works of men's hands.—14. If Jesus has chosen for Himself preachers, then our preaching: whereof the whole world is full, is put to silence.—15. For lo! the Chaldeans with the soothsayers, and lo! the wizards: with the diviners they are smitten and the priests, with all evil ones!—16. Ye priests are ended and have given up the Ghost from henceforth, depart ye diviners! become husbandmen, the Chaldeans likewise, shall close their books.—17. If the Hebrews have become His disciples, who by all miracles: were not subdued, who of the nations, shall not obey him?—18. If he begins to set straight the reverse, He brings to naught our speech: henceforth He will not hesitate against us, He who rebukes all men.—19. In that I was worshipped in all temples, our disgrace is greater: than our honour was, for all men spit, upon our altars.—20. Flesh of sacrifice becomes abhorred, into fragments: idols are broken, and carven images burn, under their pots.—21. All our work becomes a laughing-stock, and a ruin: all that we have built, and a mockery, all that we have taught.—22. The secret mysteries that I taught them, laboriously: are about to be spread abroad, on the housetops.—23. Of the Egyptians I was more proud, than of any nation: for they used to worship even, the onions and garlic.—24. Lo! I fear lest even here, where delusion was so great: truth shall prevail that there exceedingly, Jesus may reign.—25. And if when He was an infant, and fled and went down, Egypt marvelled: yea lulled him—this strangler of babes, loved their Babe.—26. Was it a pledge He went down to give her, as a betrother: giving assurance that when of full age, He will also take her to wife?—27. Pharaoh cannot set his foot firm, for this is no stammerer: that he should deceive Him, and no bondman, that he should lie unto Him.—28. Moses smote and the Egyptians rebelled, and he chastised the people: and the Hebrews rebelled—Jesus is smitten, and gives life to all.—29. This is hard to understand that not by force; lays He His yoke: on the rebellious: He was rebuked, and He instructs others.—30. The spittle of His mouth, wiped off and took away, the shame of Adam: by the smiting of His cheeks, He rooted out our wrathfulness, from His disciples.—31. By the nails which he received, He made me to suffer. I rejoiced when I crucified Him: and I knew not that He was crucifying me, in His crucifixion.