Hymn LXII.
1. Lo! Death, the King of silence, complains, my brethren: that we have filled his abode with the wailing, of Hope cut off.--2. R., To Him be great praise Who comest down, to us here below: and suffered and rose again and in His Body, raises our bodies!--3. While we weep like madmen, at the gates of Sheol: hearken what Death says, reproaching us.--4. It shames me, says Death, that ye, have overcome me: the half of Sheol suffices not, to contain your slain.--5. For alien corpses together, lie heaped in Sheol: there are two divisions there, the dead, the slain.--6. Whereas I should complain that ye have wronged me, lo! ye are weeping: ye have burst the gate of Sheol, and done me hurt.--7. For ye are like unto an infant, which while yet weeping: laughs again as ye also, over your dead.--8. For there is no discretion in your mourning, and no understanding: in your laughter--for to me ye seem like, to a weaned babe.--9. One hour weeping and wailing, and after a little: both jesting and wantonness, as of children.--10. For ye are unable to become, perfect men: that weep not yea and laugh not, as the discreet.--11. Touching your books we are grieved, that they have toiled over them: who should read them unto you, even the divine Scriptures.--12. The readers are crying aloud, for ye are deaf: this their crying proves concerning you, that ye are as stocks.--13. For since the reader and the interpreter, are crying aloud: your ears therefore are heavy, or else your hearts.--14. For if there were with you an ear, open to persuasion: it were meet to hear little, and to do much.--15. But because its hearing is closed, whoso knocks at it: the voice returns back to him, who sent it forth.--16. There is no crying with me of mine, I am not deaf: none that reads or interprets for me, I am not dull.--17. The breath that is from Him commands me, sons the God of truth: and with the command there follows, also the fulfilment.--18. With me is no holding back, no turnings aside: I wot no arrow even, could outstrip me.--19. But your voices are scorned by me, when ye are weeping: over the graves of your departed, in the cutting off of hope.--20. Were it possible or permitted, when ye are weeping: I would go forth and tell you, to your faces.--21. "I am endeavouring to give, an account of the death: and your voices disturb me, that I err in my count."--22. Ye nations, let not your understanding, become childish: like that nation whose intelligence, was never great.--23. In which prudence bestows not itself, as in a fool: for its thoughts are darkness, without discernment.--24. For your infants and your sons, in the resurrection: they shall be foremost to come forth, as the first fruits--25. Then after them shall come the just, as victorious: last shall come forth the sinner, as put to shame.--26. For although in the twinkling of an eye, they be quickened: yet is it in order that their ranks, come forth from Sheol.--27. Prophets come forth and Apostles, and holy Fathers: following them in due array, according to command.--28. Lo! that which now is sown, in random mixture: is yielded back in great order, as garden-herbs.--29. For though one in the sowing, should mix all seeds: that which is earlier than its fellow, prevents its fellow,--30. And not as their going down was confused, so disordered shall be: their coming up from the earth, for its order is fixed.--31. Lo! I have been against myself, in what I have said: for secret things which ye comprehended not, from me ye have learned.--32. Instead of the tears that profit not, which are at the tomb: pour them forth in your prayer, in the midst of the Church.--33. For to the dead there is profit in these, and likewise to the living: weep not with a weeping that afflicts, both dead and living!
Hymn LXIII.
1. Who shall weigh the recompense of Abraham? whom I marvelled at when he bound, his only son.--2. R., To thee be glory, Voice that bringest to life the dead in Sheol: and they have come up as preachers, of His Son Who quickens all!--3. At that time I came forth in haste, to see the marvel: how that his knife was drawn out, against his beloved.--4. I gathered my manifold memories, from all quarters: and I collected my spirit to marvel, at that illustrious one.--5. How therefore can ye read, that great story? ye have despised the reading of it, in your very ears.--6. The sword of Jephthah rebukes, him that laments: his daughter was to him a mirror of life from the dead.--7. She gave herself for her father, so commend ye: your life to the Father of all, in the hope of your end.--8. In the womb then did ye not make trial, of a mystery of Sheol? yet in Sheol ye had more rest, than in the womb.--9. It is stubborn in you to stand up against, my mighty will: for lo! to succour them I take away, your departed.--10. By the king of Moab who slew, his son with his hands: he is put to shame who laments, for the departed one.--11. He was a profane man, lo! according, to what you read: but ye are doctors and teachers, as ye suppose.--12. He endured, but ye are furious, in your mourning: against the will of the Lord of all, while ye are weeping.--13. I fear however to let pass, the story of Job: through this feeble mouth of mine, for I am unworthy.--14. So in like manner I turn aside, from mention of their bones: though I praise Him who granted, that they should come to me.--15. Dishonour not your members, by your sins: for in Sheol the bones are despised, of evildoers.--16. Whenever I see the body of one of the evil: I trample on it and curse, even his memory.--17. But wherever I see a bone, of one of the just; I set it apart and honour it, and do it worship.--18. Ye feeble ones understand not, all my ordinances: with you orders are confused, for ye are blind.--19. It is Moses alone that I know, to have honoured like me: the bones of that Joseph whom I magnify.--20. But Moses did such honour, to one pure body: but I to the body and the bones, of all the righteous.--21. Brightly shine the bones of Prophets, and of Apostles: a lamp to me in darkness, are all the righteous.--22. I worship Him Who lightens for me, the darkness of Sheol: the splendour of Moses who was so great, was as the sun to me.
Hymn LXIV.
1. O feeble ones, why weep ye, over your dead: who in death are at rest from sorrows and sins?--2. R., Glory to Him Who endured all, for the sake of all men: yea tasted death for the sake of all, to bring all to life--3. I reveal unto you, that even Satan, though much content: at your weeping, yet laughs much, at your mourning.--4. In mockery he winks at me and nods to me, as a jester: "Come let us laugh at sinners, for lo! they are mad."--5. Truly they have given up remembrance of that fire, which I have hidden for them: and lo! the fools are drunken with weeping, for their departed.--6. Instead of weeping as though, without provision: I had plundered and sent forth their dead, lo! they are mad.--7. The souls of the evil are to be afflicted, till the judgment day: and these weep over the graves, like to madmen.--8. They care not for their own sins, that haply to-morrow: they must go in shame of face, to join their dead.--9. And thus shall all be put to shame alike, family by family: in Sheol the wretches shall repent without avail.--10. Leave the drunken and the madman, until that day: wherein each shall shake off his wine wherewith he was maddened.--11. I will go to gather them, like children: that they may play the wanton and the madman, until they perish.--12. Lo! I have revealed to you the mystery, the secret of my comrade: go forth therefore, depart, amend, in repentance.--13. Leave me, I too will depart, I will see to my affairs: that with open face I may give my account to my Lord.--14. I know that the wind as it blew, has borne away my words: for ye are the same whom I, ofttimes have proved.--15. I remember Jeremiah how he, compared boldness: to the Indian who changes not his skin, though it is of freedom.--16. For this too belongs to it, even to freedom: that it binds itself by the will, as though by nature.--17. For so powerful is the will, in them that are free: that it may be likened to nature, through its workings. [354]
[354] I.e. though boldness is matter of free will, it becomes a second nature.
Hymn LXV.
1. Man, O Death, despise thou it not, that image of Adam: which like a seed is committed to earth, till the Resurrection.--2. R., To thee be glory Who didst descend and plunge, after Adam: and draw him out from the depths of Sheol, and bring him into Eden!--3. Death, I marvel at this seed, and at your words: for lo! after five thousand years, it springs not yet.--4. M., Its present state passes away, as winter does: and as a handful of corn it comes in the resurrection, to the garner of life.--5. D., That there is vintage-time, lo! I know, but I have not seen: the dead at any time sown, or yet reaped.--6. M., There is coming a reaping, O Death, that will leave thee bare: and the Watchers shall go forth as reapers, and make thee desolate.--7. D., When did I become husbandman, instead of vine-dresser? who has turned Sheol the wine-press, into a tilled field?--8. M., Does not the seed then teach thee, which decays and dies: and is cut off from hope, yet from the rain, recovers hope?--9. D., A dream have ye seen ye feeble ones, of life from the dead: for in waking time the resurrection, ye do not see.--10. M., Thy drowsiness hinders thee, that thou seest not: the multitudes of mysteries which cry aloud, of the resurrection.--11. D., I know that seeds come to life, but I have not seen: bones that grew in Sheol, and sprang and came up.--12. M., All thy discourse is like thyself, for lo! Ezekiel: has taught thee how in the valley, the dead come to life.--13. D., Trees have I seen how in summer, they put on their garments: but bones in their nakedness, are cast into Sheol.--14. M., Moses broke by his splendour, thy heart, O Death: the son of Adam has regained and put on, the glory of Adam.--15. D., Our law in Sheol is this, to keep silence: for you are words and for me deeds, O feeble ones.--16. M., How are the aged passed over if thou be vinedresser? He Who hindered thee from taking their lives, the same quickens all.--17. The babe in the womb confutes thee, which is as buried there: to me it proclaims life from the dead, but to thee despoiling.--18. The despised flower despises thee, for it is shut up and passed over: yet though lost it is not lost, but blossoms again.--19. The chick cries out from the egg, wherein it is buried: and the graves are rent by a Voice, and the body arises.--20. For a body too is the chick, that is in the egg: lo! its body to our body proclaims, the life from the dead.--21. With the locust thy plea is overthrown, and ended, O Death: for in coming forth from the dust it teaches, the life from the dead.--22. D., I had been content if already, the resurrection had been: for the day of resurrection had disturbed me less, than your judgments.--23. Merciful is the Son of the Highest, yea good and just: and will not harshly avenge on me, the death of Adam.--24. Have ye then no understanding, to perceive this: that your father laid on you, this retribution?
Hymn LXVI.
1. Hold your peace, O mortals (said Death), a little while: and be like me who am so silent, in the midst of Sheol.--2. R., To Thee be glory, Watcher, that didst come down, after them that slept: and utter the voice from the Tree, and waken them!--3. Ye are grieving, yea, weeping, for him that has gone: as though he came to grind for me, the mill in Sheol.--4. Great is the peace I give, unto the wearied: I wax not weary as you, nor weary them.--5. I hear all manner of curses, from thankless men: the sons of Adam are like Adam, who was thankless to his Lord.--6. Contrary one to the other are your voices, and your doings: with your voices ye weep and in your doings, ye fight daily.--7. I heard weeping and I thought to myself, that none labours: I saw toiling and I thought to myself, that no man dies.--8. The struggles of man made me think, that he is not mortal: his great weeping made me think, that to-morrow he is not.--9. Hear and let me be your counsellor, if ye be willing: for these two, these burdens, are very bitter.--10. Cease a little while from this toil, and from this weeping: toil ye and weep as mortals, who to-morrow vanish.--11. Ye are frantic with weeping, for your departed: and ye struggle in toiling, for your possessions.--12. It is well with the infants that die, and blessed are they: for they are freed from the misery, whereunto ye are cast.--13. Suffer me to go to Sheol, and there to say: "Happy are ye silent dead, how tranquil are ye!"--14. Hear the conclusion of our own words, If there be a resurrection: weep not ye, neither labour as though strangers.--15. Ye straggle as one who was to live, here forever: and ye weep as one who never, should rise again.--16. Hear my words, if there be with you place for hearing: and prepare you provision that when I call ye may answer.--17. For I hearken even I, to Him that calls me: and will restore your bodies, with your treasures.--18. Let there be peace between us, until that day: and when ye come forth I will cry and say, "Depart in peace!"--19. Come ye, you and I even now, shall give glory: to Him that brings to death and to life, that He may give aid.--20. Praise from us all be to thee, O Lord, the living Sacrifice! Who by the sacrifice of Thy Body hast given life to quick and dead.--21. Praise to Him Who clothed Himself in our body, and died and rose again: He died in us and we live in Him, blessed be He Who sent Him!