Nisibene Hymns

¹ Lo! The Evil One reproached Death, and was in turn reproached: from each and to each and against each, were their taunts.— 2. R., To You be glory, Son of the Lord of All, Who died for all: for He was raised to give life to all, in the day of His Coming!— 3. S., Jonah who conquered you, and returned back from Sheol, became my advocate in asking, why sinners were spared?— 4. D., Slander not, O Evil One, the son of Amittai: he showed a face of anger, that they might praise you more.— 5. S., Quite powerless is all your persuasion, O tyrant Death: for there pleases me nothing, of all you have said.— 6. D., For when was the word of truth pleasing to you?

A gulf is between you and truthfulness, O lying one.— 7. I am righteous all my days, with nought to repent: I am he that rescues from you the sons of men.— 8. S., Proclaim your repentance, Death, you are well come: lo! Saul also among the prophets, great cause of scorn.— 9. If you, Death, be justified, then for myself: I cut not off hope, likewise, of repentance.— 10. D., No idol with my Lord have I made, O hater of your Lord! lo! You by dead idols, slay the living.— 11. S., That you, Death, art half of me, I know, and I half of you: if half of me repents, it repents, but I marvel.— 12. D., Your partner am I in share, but not in sin: mine are the slain and yours the slayers, whom you made sin.— 13. S., My craftiness weeps for itself, when I dispute with you: my wiles mourn over me, when I meet you.— 14. D., Workers of witchcraft and soothsayers, with all their offenses: the fire that you kindled in the world, in Sheol I have quenched.— 15. S., You penitent who strainest out gnats, and swallowest the just: the chaste shall rend you, who cry, from within your belly.— 16. D., It is the treasure-house where I keep all the righteous: their resurrection threatens ill to you, who persecuted them.— 17. S., The greedy one who carries all creatures, in his bowels: lo! He casts up to me that I am robbed, of my possessions.— 18. D., Before the stroke lament not, for it has not yet reached you: the day will come when you shall cry out, and I shall hear and rejoice.— 19. The fire will come that shall strip off you your very skin: as by the potsherd you stripped the skin of Job.— 20. D., The savour of sloth begins, as if to hover on me; it is then a dream that I ceased, for a short space.— 21. It was not that words failed me, and therefore I was silent: it is for the time I grieve, that has passed idly.— 22. The hurt done by your speech is very great: would I had not heard it! For my whole mind is intent upon my work.— 23. This humankind that is lost, was undone by wandering thought: slothfulness, with negligence, brought it under yoke.— 24. The madness of desire bid for wealth, and bought it: contention with boastfulness, were the sureties.— 25. With persistence for strength, I wage my war: and if I neglect but a little, my sway is naught.— 26. By continual dropping, I clean the rocks: for continual dropping can dissolve even a mountain.— 27. Habit even over nature, becomes master: it trains and leads even lions, as beasts of burden.— 28. Habit, repose, and increase, with persistence; by these is freedom conquered, though stubborn above all.— 29. If its will be firmly set, it breaks the fetters; but if lax, a fragile net, can capture it.— 30. If so be that Freedom shouts, we are scattered: but if she be silent we gather together, to mock at her.— 31. Let us cease from much speaking, lest it lead to much sloth: with one mind let us assail the wall, and lo! It is broken down.— 32. S., Go and see to diseases, and I to snares: for to me sins and to you pestilences, are great solace.— 33. And even though I have paused, I have not paused from my cares: for my will at no time rests, but is ready.