Hymn 2

Chapter 2

1(Nearly identical with Hymn XIII. On the Nativity .)

2(Resp.— To You be praise Who in this feast makes all to exult! )

3In the time of the King whom they called by the name Semha — our Lord was manifested among the Hebrews. — Thus Semha and Denha reigned together — the King on earth and the Son on high — blessed be His power!

4In the days of the King who wrote down men in the taxing — our Saviour came down and wrote down men in the Book of Life; He wrote and was written — on high He wrote us, on earth He was written; glory to His Name!

5His Birth was in the days of the King whose name was Semha.— Symbol and truth met one another — King and King, Semha and Denha.— That kingdom bore His Cross; blessed be He Who took it up!

6Thirty years abode He on earth in poverty. — Voices of praise in all measures — let us weave my brethren for our Lord's years — thirty crowns for thirty years; Blessed be His number!

7In the first year, mistress of treasure and filled with blessings, — let the Cherubin give thanks with us, they who bear — the Son in glory Who gave up His glorious state — and toiled and found the sheep that was lost — to Him be thanksgiving!

8In the second year let the Seraphin multiply thanksgiving with us — they who cried Holy to the Son , and turned and saw Him — among unbelievers put to shame.— He endured scorn and taught us glory ; to Him be glory given!

9In the third year let Michael and his hosts give thanks with us — they who were wont to serve the Son on high — and saw Him on earth doing service.— He washed men's feet and cleansed men's souls ; blessed be His meekness!

10In the fourth year let all the heavens give thanks with us! Too narrow for the Son it shall burst to see — how He lay on the couch of despised Zaccheus.— He filled the couch and had filled the heavens;— to Him be thanksgiving!

11In the fifth year let the Sun that burns the earth with its heat — give thanks to our Sun that He straitened His largeness — and tempered His force that the eye might endure to see Him — the inward eye of a pure soul ; blessed be His radiance!

12In the sixth year again let all the air give thanks with us — in the vastness whereof all things exult.— It saw its great Lord that He became — a little babe in a lowly bosom; blessed be His honour !

13In the seventh year let the clouds and winds sound the trumpet with us — they whose dew sprinkles the faces of the flowers — yet saw they the Son that He subdued His brightness — and endured scorn and shameful spitting — blessed be His salvation !

14Yet again in the eighth year let Creation give glory — from whose fountain the fruits draw nurture. — She adored when she saw the Son at the breast — pure babe nurtured by pure milk; blessed be His good pleasure!

15In the ninth year let the earth give glory , which when her lap is watered then brings forth the root.— She saw Mary an unwatered soil — whose fruit that she yielded is a mighty sea; to Him be exultation!

16R., To You be glory , Son of the Lord of all, Who gives life to all!

17In the tenth year let Mount Sinai give glory , which melted — before its Lord! It saw against its Lord — stones taken up: but He took stones — to build the Church upon the Rock; blessed be His building!

18In the eleventh year let the great sea give thanks — to the hand of the Son Who measured it! And it wondered to see how He came down and was washed — in humble waters, He that cleanses Creation; blessed be His triumph!

19In the twelfth year let the holy Temple give thanks — which beheld the Child as He sat — among the elders: the doctors were silenced — as the Lamb of the feast bleated in the feast; blessed be His atonement!

20In the thirteenth year let diadems with us give thanks — to the King Who triumphed and was crowned — with a crown of thorns: He wove for man — a mighty diadem at His right hand; blessed be He That sent Him!

21In the fourteenth year let the Passover of Egypt give thanks — to the Passover that came and made passover for all — and instead of Pharaoh overwhelmed Legion — and instead of horsemen drowned demons ; blessed be His retribution!

22In the fifteenth year let the lamb of the flock give thanks — that our Lord slew it not as did Moses — but redeemed by His Blood mankind .— He the Shepherd of all died for all; blessed be He That begot Him!

23In the sixteenth year let the seed-grain in mystery give thanks — to that Husbandman Who gave His Body for seed — in a barren soil that corrupts all things.— It proved fertile and yielded new bread; blessed be He that is pure!

24In the seventeenth year let the Vine give thanks to our Lord, — the Vineyard of truth , wherein souls were — as the scions. He gave peace to this vineyard, but laid waste that vineyard which bare wild grapes; blessed be the Uprooter!

25In the eighteenth year let our leaven give thanks — to the leaven of truth that penetrates and draws — all minds and makes them to become — one mind in one doctrine; blessed be His doctrine!

26In the nineteenth year let the Salt give thanks for Your Body. — O blessed Babe it is the soul — that is the salt of the Body, and Faith — the salt of the soul whereby it is preserved; blessed be Your preservation!

27R., Glory to Your Epiphany, O God and Man !

28In the twentieth year let temporal wealth with us give thanks — which men that are perfect have cast off and abandoned — because of the Woe ; and have gone and loved — poverty because of its beatitude; blessed be He Who desired it!

29In the one-and-twentieth year let the waters give thanks that were sweetened — in a mystery of the Son. In the honey of Samson — the nations tasted bitterness therein that destroyed them:— they had life in the Cross that redeemed them; blessed be its pleasantness!

30In the two-and-twentieth year let arms and the sword give thanks — for they could not slay our Adversary.— You are He Who slew him as You are He Who restored — the ear that Simon's sword cut off; blessed be Your healing!

31In the three-and-twentieth year let the ass likewise give thanks — that gave the colt whereon He should ride — He opens likewise the mouth of wild asses — the offspring gave Him praise; blessed be the praise of You!

32In the four-and-twentieth year let wealth give thanks to the Son! — Treasures were amazed at the Lord of treasures — how He grew up among the poor.— He made Himself poor that He might make all rich; blessed be His participation!

33In the five-and-twentieth year let Isaac give thanks to the Son — Who in the mount saved him from the knife — and became in his stead the lamb to be slain. — The mortal escaped, and He died Who gives life to all; blessed be His offering!

34In the six-and-twentieth year let Moses with us give thanks — who feared and fled from the slayers;— let him give thanks to the Son , for He it was Who on His feet — entered Sheol and spoiled it and came forth; blessed be His Resurrection!

35[31. In the seven-and-twentieth year let the eloquent Orators — give thanks to the Son , for they could not find — means whereby we should prevail in our judgment:— He was silent in judgment and made our judgment prevail; to Him be applause!]

36In the seven and twentieth year let all Judges give thanks — who as being just have put to death illdoers;— let them give thanks to the Son Who instead of the evil — died as being good, though He was Son of the Just One; blessed be His mercies!

37In the eight-and-twentieth year let them give thanks to the Son — all the mighty men who saved us not — from the captors. One is to be worshipped, — Who was slain and laid hold and saved us; blessed be His deliverance!

38In the nine-and-twentieth year let Job with us give thanks — who bare sufferings in his own behalf:— but our Lord bare on our behalf — the spitting and the stripes, the thorns and the nails; blessed is His compassion!

39In the year that is the thirtieth let them give thanks with us — the dead that have lived through His dying — the living that were converted in His Crucifixion — and the height and the depth that have been reconciled in Him! Blessed be He and His Father!