Nisibene Hymns

¹ With Freedom is your struggle, O Evil One: it can cast on you a muzzle, if it so please.— 2. R., To You 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 your mightiness (O Freedom).— 4. Your fire is in your nest, O Death, and you perceive not: the fate of the departed, to you is overthrow.— 5.

Lo! Death and the Evil One proclaim your mightiness (O Freedom): yea, the Evil One calls to mind your faith.— 6. If then these that were against you are on your side: this is a great thing that your persecutors have become your 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., Your 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 your mouth, Evil One, who art thus bold: to set yourself, lo! In comparison with the Creator.— 13. S., To me, O Death, it is lawful to dare and speak: your tongue, even yours, is a slave, and under fear.— 14. D., A gulf is henceforth between us, O Satan: for madly against your Lord, lo! You assail.— 15. S., Wherefore do you doubt, 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, you openly, and lo! We end them.— 17. Sin and Sheol they too gave counsel to those two: saying “If you be divided, you are undone.”— 18. See the waters how if dispersed, they run low: but if gathered they gain strength, and thus you likewise.— 19. If divided you perish, as the feeble: but yoked together you 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: Your day, Lord, will gather them, into Gehenna.— 24. Through Your mercy, Lord, will I worship You, when I have risen: at Your trumpet I will praise Your Son, when I am purged.