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TOPIC: Post-Nicene Fathers Vol 13 (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 33.03.02 Nisibene Hymns Part II
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1. My children have been slain; and my daughters that are without me,-their walls are overthrown, their children scattered,-and their holy places trodden down. R., Blessed is Thy chastisement!
2. The fowlers have taken, my doves out of my strongholds,-which quilted their nests, and fled to the caves;-in the net have they taken them.
3. After the manner of wax, that melts before the fire,-thus melted and dissolved, the bodies, of my sons before the heat-and the drought of my strongholds.
4. And instead of streams, of milk that used to flow,-for my sons and my little ones, milk fails the sucklings, and water the weaned children.
5. The suckling falls, from its mother and gasps,-because it cannot suck, nor can she give suck:-they breathe out their spirit and die.
6. How is it possible, that Thy grace can refrain-the welling of its stream, when it is not possible to restrain-the abundance of its flow?
7. And why has Thy grace, shut up its mercies,-and withheld its streams, from the people that cry,-for one to moisten their tongue?
8. And there was a pit, between them and their brethren;-like the rich man who cried, and there was none to answer,-to moisten his tongue.
9. And as into the midst of fire, the wretched ones were cast;-and heat in the midst of thirst, the fire was blowing,-and kindling upon them.
10. Their carcases were melted, and dissolved by the heat;-they that had thirsted gave in turn the earth to drink,-of the reek of their bodies.
11. And the fort that with thirst, had killed, its dwellers,-it drank in its turn of the flux from the corpses,-that were melted by thirst.
12. Who has seen a people-that were burning with thirst,-while there surrounded them a wall of water and they could not-moisten their tongue!
13. Surely with the judgment of Sodom, were my beloved judged,-and my children smitten, with the torment of Sodom;-though that was but for one day.
14. The torment of fire, though it be for one hour, O my Lord,-in lingering thirst, is a lingering death, and a subtle punishment.
15. After my sorrows, O my Lord, and my bitter sufferings,-this is the best comfort, wherewith Thou hast comforted me,-that Thou hast multiplied my afflictions.
16. The medicine that I hoped, it is sorrow decreed;-the binding up that I looked for, it is bitter calamity,-that it seeks to work for me.
17. And whereas I hoped to escape, from the midst of the storm;-worse for me is the storm in it, even in the harbour,-than that in the sea.
18. Whereas I thought in my folly, that I should anchor and escape-from the midst of the Gulf; my sins have cast me back-again into the midst of it.
19. Look, O my Lord, on my limbs, how the swords are thick ill me,-and have left their mark on my arms; and the scars of the spears,-are planted in my sides!
20. Tears in mine eyes, and in my ears ill rumours,-wailing in my mouth, and mourning in my heart!-Add no more, O my Lord, to me!
2. Let us search out Thy justice; for who is sufficient-to measure its help? since by it the wanton-are oftentimes made chaste.-
3. Oftentimes Thy hand, O my Lord, has made the sick whole,-for it is the healer in secret of their diseases,-and the fount of their life.
4. Exceeding gently, the finger of Thy justice,-in love and compassion, touches the wounds-of him that is to be healed.
5. Exceeding mild and merciful, is her cutting to him that is wise:-her sharp remedy, in its mighty love,-consumes the corrupt part.
6. Exceeding welcome her wrath, to him that is discerning;-but her remedies are hated, of the fool who has delight-in the trouble of his limbs.
7. Exceeding eager is she, to bind the cut she has made;-when she has smitten she pities, that from between these two-she may breed healing.
8. Exceeding welcome her wrath, and her anger pleasant,-and sweet her bitterness, sweetening bitter things-that they may be made pleasant.
9. A cause of negligence is Thy indulgence to the careless;-a cause of profit, is Thy rod among the slothful-so that they become as traffickers.
10. The cause of our affliction, it is Thy justice;-the cause of our carelessness, it is Thy graciousness,-for our understanding has turned foolish.
11. Pharaoh hardened himself, because of Thy graciousness;-for when the plagues were stayed, his cruelties waxed strong,-and he lied to his promises.
12. Justice requited him, because he lied greatly against her,-even Grace her freeborn sister; yea she restrained him again-that he should not again provoke.
13. Rebuke, O my Lord, my guide, for it has been false as Egypt -my prayers testify, that I am not as she,-for Thy door have I not forsaken.
14. Let Thy cross, O my Lord, which stands, in my breaches that are open,-repair again the breaches that are hidden; for instead of those without,-those within have cleft me asunder!
15. A sea has broken through, and cast down, the watch tower wherein I had triumphed.-Iniquity has dared to set up, a temple wherein I am shamed: its drink-offering chokes me.
16. My prayers on my walls, my persecutors have heard:-the sun and his worshippers, are ashamed of their magicians,-for I have triumphed by Thy cross.
17. All creatures cried out, when they saw the struggle,-while Truth with falsehood, on my battered walls, fought and was crowned conqueror.
18. The force of Truth, chastised falsehood:-in its chastisement it felt Truth, and through its own sins, it earned her victory.
19. I have great alarm; for since my deliverance,-the honourable and mighty, who were devoted to my altar, have built in me high places.
20. My seven senses, O my Lord, even though they had been as fountains of tears, yet my tears were too little-to lament our ruin.
21. The streets that were in sackcloth, and ashes cried out,-disturbed by the play, akin to that which was,-in the wilderness before the calf.
22. Poison seeks and wears, the beauty of lilies;-and though their buds may conceal, and hidden disguise it,-it blossoms in their bitter flowers.
2. The Evil One has repaid me my brethren, debts that he borrowed not of me :tile good God likewise has repaid me, mercies that I lent Him not.-Come and marvel ye at these two things!
3. The good God has divided and given, my misdeeds to His grace,-my offences to His justice; His mercy has blotted out my misdeeds-His judgment has requited my offences.
4. Sin was exceeding wroth, and abode in alarm,-when she saw how grace, put restraint on freedom, that she might overcome transgressions.
5. Glow Thou, O my Lord, and send down Thy love, break out and pour forth Thy wrath!-Thy wrath to destroy, Thy love to rescue-the captives from the captor!
6. The days wherein the Evil One, decreed to cast me forth,-as with a sling into perdition, in them the good God has bound up and kept-my soul in the bundle of life.
7. The men of speech who keep not silence, from praising continually,-who have kept me in the midst of waves, and supported me that I fell not, let them give praise in my stead, O my Lord!
8. For who has at any time sufficed, in presence of tile grace,-of the mercies which surrounded him, that I should suffice to praise-the mercies that encompass me?
Concerning Mar Jacob and his Companions.
8. Three figures the Sun also, shows forth in the three quarters:-its rising is keen and bright; its meridian strong and overpowering;-and like a torch that is burnt out, its setting is mild and pleasant.
9. Small yet bright is its rising, when it comes to waken sleepers;-hot and overpowering its meridian, when it comes to ripen the fruits;-tender and pleasant its setting, when it reaches its consummation.
10. Who is this daughter born of vows, enviable above all women,-whose successions thus proceed, and her ranks are thus manifold,-and her degrees thus ascend, and her teachers thus excel.
11. Do these similitudes belong, only to the daughter of Abraham,-or to thee too, O daughter, born of vows, whose adorning is according as thy beauty?-for as thine occasion, so was thy help, and as thy help so was its minister.
12. According to the measure of her need, there came to her the supply of her need.-Her fathers were as was her birth; her teachers were as was her understanding;-her training as was her growth; her raiment as was her stature.
13. Grace weighed out to her and gave all these things as in the scales;-she laid them in her balance, that therefrom there might be profit;-she drew them into succession, that therefrom might be perfection.
14. In the days of him that was first, peace abounded and peace vanished;-in the days of him that was next, kings came down and kings went back;-but in the days of the last, hosts assailed and hosts retreated.-
15. By the first order came in, it came in with him and went out with him;-by the next the diadem that gladdened our churches, came nigh and withdrew far away;-but by the last there dawdled on us, grace that was not thankfully received.
16. Against the wrath that was first, the labour of the first contended;-against the heat that was at noon, the shade of the second stood up;-against peace that was thankless, the last multiplied warnings.
17. For the first invader of the land was the first and illustrious priest;-for the second invader of the land, was the second and merciful priest:-but the prayers of him that was last, repaired our breaches secretly.
18. Nisibis is sethyperlink upon waters, waters secret and open:-living streams are within her; a noble river without her. The river without deceived her; the fountain within has saved her.
19. The first priest was her vinedresser; he made her branches to grow even unto heaven.-Lo! being dead and buried within her, he has become fruit in the midst other bosom:-when therefore the pruners came, the fruit that was in her midst preserved her.
20. The time of her pruning came; it entered and took from her her vinedresser,-that there should not be one to pray for her. She made haste in her subtlety;-He laid in her bosom her vinedresser, that she should be delivered through her vinedresser.
21. Be ye wise like Nisibis, O ye daughters of Nisibis,-for that she laid the body within her, and it became a wall without her.-Place ye within you the living body, that it be a wall for your lives!
2. The kindly labour of the first,-bound up the land in her affliction:-the bread and wine of the next,-healed the city when site was broken:-the sweet speech of the last,-sweetened our bitterness in affliction.
3. The first tilled the land with his labour,-he rooted out of her the briars and thorns:-the next fenced her round about,-he made a hedge for her of them that were saved:-the last opened the garner of his Lord,-and sowed in her the words of her Lord.
4. The first priest by means of a fast,-closed up the doors of men's mouths:-the second priest for the captives,-opened the mouths of the purse:-but the last pierced through the ears,-and fastened in them the ornament of life.
5. Aaron stripped off from the ears,-the earrings and made a calf.-That lifeless calf in secret,-pierced and slaughtered the camp:-those who had fashioned his horns, -he ripped them up with his horns.
6. But our priest who was the third,-pierced through the ears of the heart:-and fastened there the earrings he had fashioned,-of the nails that were fixed in the cross, -whereon his Lord was crucified,-and gave life to His fellow-men.
7. A son unto death the fire brought forth;-Death feeds upon all bodies:-the son of Death who surpassed Death,-upon the souls of men he fed.-The calf forsook his provender,-for men's minds were the food for him.
8. To the first Tree that which killed,-to it grace brought forth a son.-O Cross offspring of the Tree,-that didst fight against thy sire!-The Tree was the fount of death;-the Cross was the fount of life.
9. The son that was born to Death,-all mouths were opened to curse him.-He devoured bodies and souls,-and multiplied the disgrace of his father.-But the Cross caused to pass away the rebuke,-of its father that first Tree.
10. The two sons were even as were-the two mothers that bare them.-The calf which the fire brought forth,-the fire consumed in the midst of the people:-the Cross the offspring of grace,-divided good gifts to all creation.
11. O my tongue hold thy peace and be silent of the histories of the Cross that press to be told!-for my mind of a sudden has conceived,-and lo! pangs of travail smite it:-it has conceived these among the last,-and they strive to become the firstborn.
12. The babes struggled in the womb;-the elder made haste to come forth:-the younger desiring the birthright,-laid his hand upon his heel;-that which he obtained not by birth,-he obtained by the mess of pottage.
13. After the like sort these later histories,-lo! they make light of the former ones,-that themselves may come forth and take the birthright.-Let us bring forth the history of our fathers,-for lo! the histories of the Cross-are the firstborn of all creatures.
14. For if that which has no beginning-is the first of all created things,-its histories also are the firstborn,-for they are eider than all creatures.-Let the histories of Thee, O my Lord, yield place,-that we may tell of Thy ministers!
15. The first in degree of doctrine,-His eloquence was like as was his degree;-the next who was second in degree,-his interpretation mounted to the height of his degree;-the last who was third in degree,-his eloquence was great as he was.
16. The first in his simple words,-gave milk unto his infants;-the next in his plain sayings,-gave victual to his children;-the third in his perfect sayings,-gave meat to his that were of perfect age.
17. She too the daughter of instruction,-mounted from degree to degree,-along with her teachers and fathers.-A young child she was with the first; a simple maid was she with the next;-she came to perfect age in the third.
18. The first dealing with her as a child,-loved her and taught her to fear;-the next as with a damsel, rebuked her and make her glad;-the third as with one fully instructed,-was to her a solace of pleasantness.
19. Even the Most High with the daughter of Jacob,-gave blandishment and the rod to her childhood;-and in her frowardness and full age,-gave part in the sword and the Law;-and according to her discipline and instruction,-He came to her in mildness and pleasantness.
20. The first that begat the flock,-his bosom bare her infancy;-the next of glad-some countenance,-cheered with song and made glad her childhood;-the last grave of countenance,-lo! he guards her chastity in her youth.
21. The first priest who begat her,-gave milk to her infancy;-the next priest interpreted,-and gave victual to her childhood;-the third priest nourished her, and gave meat to her perfect age.
22. The wealthy father who was first,-laid up treasures for her childhood;-the next for her maturity-multiplied provision for her journey;-the third the goodly olive tree,-multiplied oil in her vessels.
23. When she comes before Him who is rich,-she will show the treasure of the first;-when she comes before the Saviour, she will show the saved ones of the next;-when she goes forth to meet the Bridegroom,-she will show the oil of her lamps.
24. Before Him who rewards the weary toilworn,-she will offer the labour of the first;-before Him who loves cheerful givers,-she will show the almsgiving of the next;-before Him who judges doctrines,-she will offer the discourse of the last.
25. And I the sinner who have striven to be-the disciple of these three,-when they shall see Him of the Third Day,-that he has closed the door of His chamber,-may these three pray Him for me, that He keep the door open a little while for me!
26. May the sinner press into and enter-rejoicing and fearing to behold!-May the three masters call in-the one disciple in their grace!-May he gather up under the table-the crumbs that are full of life!
R. Blessed be He who chose thee the pride of our people!
2. If now on one that is all goodly,-on it we lay our hatred;-how much more if we were hateful!-Yea even God though He is kind,-bitter men complain against Him.
3. Be like the head O ye members!-Get repose in his purity-and pleasantness in his tranquillity;-in his sanctity renown,-and in his wisdom learning!
4. Get discernment in his mildness,-and chastity in his gravity,-and bounty in his poverty!-As he is fully and altogether fair,-let us be altogether fair with him!
5. See ye how meted and weighed-are his words and his actions!-Take heed how even his steps-keep the measure of peace!-With all his might he holds the bridle of all himself.
6. He was master over his youth;-he bound it in the yoke of chastity:-his members were not enticed by lust;-for they were kept under the rod:-his will he had in subjection.
7. For he was ready beforehand for his degree,-as he was ready beforehand in his conversation,-as he laid his foundations securely.-He became Head in his youth,-when they made him preacher to the people.
8. Excellent was he among preachers,-learned was he among scholars,-and understanding was he among the wise:-chaste was he among his brethren,-and grave among his familiar friends.
9. In two abodes was he-a solitary recluse from his early days;-for he was holy within his body,-and solitary within his dwelling;-openly and secretly was he chaste.
10. But although we my brethren-have put astray those measures,-and we have lost that savour,-and have become teachers to ourselves,-unto the perfection that called us.
11. Yet that measure of Truth-preserves itself in its vessel:-Truth chose it because she saw it chose her;-she has preserved in it her fragrance and savour,-from the beginning to the end.
12. The Head both chaste and grave,-that was not wrathful nor hard,-nor transgressed even as we did,-set and kept his own measures,-and cast a bridle on his thoughts.
13. He gave example in his person,-that as he kept the measure of his time,-so was it meet that we should know our time.-We have become strangers to our time,-for we have been witless in the time of discernment.
14. In the beginning the blast of the wind-in its might chastens the fruit;-then in the meantime the might of the sun:-but when its mightiness is passed,-its end gathers his sweetness.
15. But we-they that were first chastened us;-and also they that came next rebuked us;-and they that were last added sweetness to us:-then when the time of tasting us arrives,-great was our savourlessness.
16. For we came to maturity,-that we might wean the children from wantonness,-and lead them to gravity:-but our old age stood in need-that we should be rebuked as youths.
17. Accordingly he in kindness endured, nor did he make use of force,-that he might increase honour to our old age:-and even if it knew not its degree,-let him be magnified who knew its time!
18. And if one say that for the multitude,-force and the rod should govern it;-even as for the thief fear,-and for the spoiler threatening,-and for fools open shaming.
19. Yet if with the head as first,-the members had hasted to move as second,-they would have drawn that which was third,-and the whole body from the end-would have followed after them.
20. They that were second despised those that were first,-and that were third those that were second:-the degrees were set at naught one by another.-While these within despised one another,-they were trodden down likewise by those without.
R. Blessed be He Who polished our mirror!
2. For that comeliness is not adorned in it,-and blemishes are not brought to view in it,-it is altogether a damage to comely things;-seeing that their comeliness gain not-adornments as their profit.
3. Blemishes are not rooted out by it,-likewise adornments are not multiplied by it.-A blemish that remains is as a loss;-that there is no adornment is a defect:-loss is met together with defect.
4. If our mirror be darkness,-it is altogether joy to the hateful;-because their blemishes are not reproved:-but if polished and shining,-it is our freedom that is adorned.
5. Twofold is the loss in defect,-for the hateful and for the goodly;-in that the goodly gain no crown,-and likewise the hateful get no adorning:-the mirror divides the loss.
6. Never does the mirror drive-by compulsion him that looks therein:-so likewise grace which followed-upon the righteousness of the Law,-does not possess the compulsion of the Law.
7. Righteousness was unto childhood,-its adorner of compulsion;-for when mankind was in childhood,-she adorned it by compulsion,-while she robbed it not of its freedom.
8. Righteousness used blandishment,-and the rod to deal with childhood;-when she smote it she roused it; her rod restrained frowardness, her blandishment softened the minds.
9. [If one turn from the Gospel,] wherewith we are adorned to-day, my brethren,-to another gospel he is a child:-in a time of greatness of understanding,-he is become without understanding.
10. For in the degree of full age,-he has gone down to childhood;-and he loves the law of bondmen,-which when he is confident smites him,-and when he rejoices buffets him.
11. Whatsoever ornament is compulsion,-is not true but is borrowed.-This is a great thing in God's eyes,-that a man should be adorned by himself:-therefore took He away compulsion.
12. For even as of His prudence-in its own time He employed compulsion,-so likewise of His prudence,-He took it away at a time-when gentleness was desired in its stead.
13. For as it is befitting to Youth,-that it should be made to haste under the rod;-so is it very hateful that under the rod-Wisdom should be brought to serve,-that compulsion should be lord over her.
14. Behold therefore how likewise-God has ordered my successions-in the pastors I have had,-and in the teachers He has given me,-and in the fathers He has reckoned unto me!
15. For weighed out according to their times-were the helps of their qualities;-namely in him in whom it was needful, fear; and in whom it was profitable, heartening; and in whom it was becoming, meekness.
16. By measure He made my steps advance:-to my childhood He assigned terror; likewise to my youth, fear;-to my age of wisdom and prudence,-He assigned and gave meekness.
17. In the frowardness of the degree of childhood,-my instructor was a fear to me:-his rod restrained me from wantonness,-and from mischief the terror of him,-and from indulgence the fear of him.
18. Another father He gave to my youth:-what there was in me of childishness,-that was there in him of hardness; what there was in me of maturity,-that was in him as meekness.
19. When I rose from the degrees-of childhood and of youth,-there passed away the terror that was first,-there passed away the fear that was second;-He gave me a kind pastor.
20. Lo! for my full age his food;-and for my wisdom his interpretations;-and for my peace his meekness;-and for my repose his kindness;-and for my chastity his gravity!
21. Blessed is He who as in a balance-weighed out and gave me fathers:-for according to my times were my helps;-and according to my sicknesses my medicines;-and according to my comelinesses my adornments!
22. We then are they that have disturbed-the succession and fair order;-for in a time of mildness-lo! we crave for hardness,-that Thou should rebuke us as though we were children!
Concerning Abraham, Bishop OF Nisibis.
R., Blessed be He Who has made him our comfort!
2. In one love will I cause them to shine, and as a crown will I weave them, the splendid blossoms, and the fragrant flowers of the teacher and of his disciple, who remained after him as Elisha; for the horn of his election and he was consecrated and became head, and he was exalted and became master.
R., Blessed be He Who made him chief!
3. And they in heaven rejoiced for the flock, that by the pastor whom they fed, they feed it; the abode of the shepherds under him rejoiced, because they saw the succession of their degrees. He took and set him as a mind in the midst of the great body of the church, and his members came round him to buy of him life, doctrine, new bread.
R., Blessed be He Who made him their treasury!
4. He chose him from the multitude of shepherds, because he had given trial of his stedfastness; the time tested him in the midst of the flock, and length of days proved him as a crucible; for that he gave proof in his person, He made him a wall for many. Let thy fasting be armour to our country, thy prayer a shield to our city, let thy censer purchase reconcilement.
R., Blessed be He Who has hallowed thy sacrifices!
5. The Pastor who has been parted from his flock, fed them on spiritual pastures, and by his exalted staff, he defended them from secret wolves. Fill thou up the room of thy master, which thirsts for the sound of his melody; set up thyself as a pillar, in the city of the trembling people; support her with thy prayers.
R., Blessed be He Who has made thee our pillar!
6. He has committed the Hand to his disciple, the Throne to one that is worthy of it, the Key to one that is proved faithful, the Flock to one that has excelled. To thy hand belongs the laying-on, to thy offering propitiation, and to thy tongue consolation. May peace adorn thy Dominion; be the watchmen within and the congregations without.
R., Blessed be He Who has chosen thee for rejoicings!
7. May thy doctrine abound, in deeds more than words! In saying few words, till Thou our land with labour, that by much tillage the scanty seed may become rich, the increase of the old seed, may come among us thirtyfold, and thy new seed sixtyfold.
R., Blessed be He Who multiplies an hundredfold!
8. The wrath that was against thee ceases, because peace flows over thee altogether; the jealousy against thee is quenched, for thy love hourly flames forth: thou hast broken the string of envy, that it should smite none in secret; slander that confounds, to it thy ear turns not, for open truth is pleasing to thee.
R., Blessed be He Who adorned thy members!
9. Thou shalt give counsel in the midst of thy people, like Jethro among the Hebrews; thou shalt altogether go with him, who for thy profit counsels thee, thou shalt altogether flee from him, who otherwise counsels thee: Rehoboam shall be a sign to thee; thou shalt choose counsels of profit, thou shalt refuse counsels of envy.
R., Blessed be He Who has counselled comfort!
10. The gift that has been given thee, from on high it flew and came down: thou shall call it by a name of man, thou shall not bear it in another power, lest haply to its place there should come, Satan in his guile, supposing, that the sons of men have given it to thee, so that this freeborn gift should serve in bondage to man.
R., Blessed be He Who has handed down his gift!
11. Thy master is painted in thy person; lo! his likeness is on thee altogether; parted from us one with us is he. In thee we shall see those three, the excellent ones who are parted from us. Thou shall be unto us a wall as Jacob, and full of tenderness as Babu, and a treasury of speech as Valgesh.
R., Blessed be He Who in one has painted them!
12. I, too, the offscouring of the flock, have not withholden aught that was meet: I have painted the similitude of these two, in the colours of these two; that the sheep may see their adornment, and the flock their beauties. And I who have become a lamb endowed with speech, unto Thee, O God of Abraham, in the posture of Abram will give Thee praise.
R., Blessed be He Who has made me His harp!
R., Blessed be He Who in His stead has given us thee!
2. The fruit wherein its tree is painted, bears witness concerning the root. Hitherto there has not failed us, the savour of his sweetness. His words thou showest forth in bodily act, for thou hast fulfilled them in deed. In thy conversation is painted his doctrine, in thy conduct his exposition, in thy fulfilment his interpretation.
R., Blessed be He Who has made thy lustre to excel!
3. The last pastor who was exalted, and became head unto the members, the younger who obtained the birthright, not for price like Jacob, not in jealousy like Aaron, whose brethren the Levites envied him, but by love obtained he it like Moses, though he was older than Aaron. In thee thy brethren rejoiced as in him.
R., Blessed be He Who chose thee in unanimity!
4. There is no envy or jealousy, among the members of the body; for in love they give ear unto him, with tenderness they are visited by him. A watch tower is the head unto the members, for on every side he looks forth. Exalted is he yet meek in his graciousness, even to the feet he humbleth himself, that he may turn away harm from them. R., Blessed be He Who instilled thy love into us!
5. A small thing verily had this been, if by an old man apostasy were overcome. Old age in its prudence submitted; youth in its season conquered; for a youthful combatant endured, the hateful conflict waged, by force that was full of apostacy, which like smoke waxed and passed: with its beginning was its end.
R., Blessed be He Who blew upon it that it vanished!
6. The voice of the cornet on a sudden amazed and called Thee to battle. Thou wentest up like a new David, by Thee was subdued a second Goliath. Thou wast not untried in combat, for a secret warfare day by day, Thou art waging against the Evil One. Exercise in secret is wont to attain the crown openly.
R., Blessed be He Who chose Thee for our glory!
7. In face of trial Job trained his body and his mind, and in temptation he was victorious. And Joseph conquered in the chamber; Ananias and his company in the furnace, and in the midst of the den Daniel. Satan did foolishly, when in tempting, he confirmed their victory openly.
R., Blessed be He Who has multiplied shame on him!
8. And the husbandman who apostatized and was urgent, to sow thorns with his left hand; zealous against him was the righteous husbandman, stopped and cut off his left hand. He filled His own right hand and sowed in the heart the words of life; and lo! our understanding is tilled, by His prophets and His apostles. By Thee may our souls be tilled!
R., Blessed be He Who chose Thee for our husbandman!
9. And if so be Thy words are too little, till Thou our land with deeds, that amid much tillage, stock and root may be strengthened. Better is a goodly deed, than the hearing of ten thousand words. Thy seed shall yield an hundredfold, and the after crop sixtyfold, yea that which grows of itself thirtyfold.
R., Blessed be He Who multiplied Thy increase!
10. That light should be darkened it is not meet, that salt should lose its savour it is not right; defilement for the head is not seemly, nor yet foulness for the mirror. Nor if medicines have lost their savour sicknesses also are not cured; and if so be the torch is quenched, the stumbling also are many. Thy light shall chase away our darkness.
R., Blessed be He Who hath made Thee our lamp!
11. Appoint for thee scribes and judges, exactors also and dispensers, overseers also and officers: to each assign his work, lest haply by care should be rusted, or by anxiety should be distracted, the mind and the tongue, wherewith thou offerest supplication, for the expiation of all the people.
R., Blessed be He Who makes illustrious Thy ministry!
12. That he should purge his mind, and cleanse also his tongue; that he should purify his hands, and make his whole body to shine; this is too little for the priest and his title, who offers the Living Body. Let him cleanse all himself at all hours; for he stands as mediator, between God and mankind.
R., Blessed be He Who has cleansed His ministers!
R., Blessed be He Who foreshowed Thee in Abraham!
2. Fair fruit of chastity, in whom the priesthood was well pleased, youngest among Thy brethren as was the son of Jesse; the horn overflowed and anointed Thee, the hand alighted and chose Thee, the Church desired and loved Thee; the pure altar is for Thy ministry, the great throne for Thy honour, and all as one for Thy crown.
R., Blessed be He Who multiplied Thy crowning!
3. Lo! thy flock, O blessed one, arise and visit it, O diligent one! Jacob ranged the flocks in order; range Thou the sheep that have speech, and enlighten the virgin-youths in purity, and the virgin-maids in chastity; raise up priests in honour, rulers in meekness, and a people in righteousness.
R. Blessed be He Who filled Thee with understanding!
4. Guard thou the sheep that are whole, and visit them that are sick, and bind up them that are broken, and seek out them that are lost; feed them in the pastures of the Scriptures, and give them drink or the spring of doctrine: let the truth be a wall unto thee, let the cross be a staff unto thee, and truthfulness be peace unto thee.
R., Blessed be He Who multiplied Thy virtues!
5. Let there be with Thee in Thy flock, the power that was with David; for if he plucked a straying lamb, from the mouth of the lion, how meet is it for Thee, O exalted one, to be zealous to snatch from the Evil One the souls that are precious above all, for by nothing can they be bought, save by the blood of Christ!
R., Blessed be He Who was sold and bought all!
6. Unto Moses Joshua ministered, and for the reward of his ministry, from him received the right hand. Because to an illustrious old man thou hast ministered, he too gave thee the right hand. Moses committed unto Joshua, a flock of which half were wolves; but to thee is delivered a flock, whereof a fourth yea a third is sanctified.
R., Blessed be He who adorned thy flock!
7. Let the love of Moses abide in thee, for his love was a discerning love, his zeal a discreet zeal. When Korah and Dathan sundered themselves, he sundered the earth from beneath them; by sundering he made the sundering to cease. In Eldad and Medad he made known, that his good will was altogether this that all the people should prophesy.
R., Blessed be He who in His good will was reconciled!
8. The poor estate of Elijah, Elisha loved above wealth; a poor man gave to a poor man, a gift that was great above all. Because thou hast loved the poverty, of thy master who in secret was rich, the fountain of his words shall flow from thee, that thou mayst become a harp for the Spirit, and mayst sing to thyself inwardly His good will.
R., Blessed be He who made thee His treasure!
9. There is none that envies thy election, for meek is thy headship; there is none angered by the rebuke, for thy word sows peace; there is none terrified by thy voice, for pleasant in thy visitation; there is none that groans against thy yoke, for it labors instead of our neck, and lightens the burden of our souls.
R., Blessed be He who chose thee for our rest
10. Contend not with the mighty, despair not of the outcast; soften and teach the rich, exhort and win the poor; with the harsh join the forbearing, and the long suffering with the wrathful; catch them that are evil by them that are good, and them that spoil by them that give, and the defiled by means of the sanctified.
R., Blessed be He who made thee our hunter!
11. Take to thee ten thousand medicaments, and arise and go forth among the sick; to the diseased offer medicine, and to him that is sound a preservative; not one medicine only shalt thou offer, for the sickness lest haply it be not meet: offer many remedies, that the sickness may find healing; likewise thou shalt learn experience.
R., Blessed be He who laboured to heat our wounds!
12. May the land be according to thy desire; may the vineyard be according to thy husbandry; may the flock be in the midst of thy dwelling, and the sheep sound under thy staff! Mayest thou be a great Head, and we the jewels of thy crown! May we be beautiful in thee and thou be beautiful in us! for they are goodly each in the other, people and priest when they are at one.
R., Blessed be He who has sowed among us unity!
13. Hearken to the Apostle when he saith, to that virgin whom he had espoused; I am jealous over you with jealousy, with a jealousy verily of God, not of the flesh but of the spirit. Be jealous therewith thou also in pureness, that He may know what she is and whose she is. In thee may she cherish, and in thee may she love, Jesus the Bridegroom in truth.
R., Blessed is he whose zeal is holy!
14. As are her masters, so are her manners: for with the teacher that lags a laggard is she, and with him that is noble, excellent is she. The Church is like unto a mirror, for according to the face that gazes into it, thus does it put on the likeness thereof. For as is the king so also his host, and as is the priest so also his flock; according as these are it is stamped on them.
R., Blessed be He Who stamped her in His likeness!
15. Without a testament they departed, those three illustrious priests; who in Testaments used to meditate, those two Testaments of God. Great gain have they bequeathed to us, even this example of poverty. They who possessed nothing the blessed ones, made us their possessions; the Church was their treasure.
R., Blessed is he who possessed in them his possessions!
16. The priest Jacob the noble, with him she was ennobled as he was: because he joined his love to his jealousy, with fear and love he was clothed. With Babes a lover of bounty, for money she redeemed the captives. With Valgesh a scribe of the law, her heart she opened to the Scriptures. With thee then may her profit be manifold!
R., Blessed be He Who has magnified her merchantmen!