Hymn 11.

Chapter 7

1Your chastening is, as a mother of our infancy:— her rebuke is merciful, in that You have restrained — the children from folly, and they have been made wise! R., Glory be to your justice !

2Let us search out Your justice ; for who is sufficient — to measure its help? Since by it the wanton — are oftentimes made chaste. —

3Oftentimes Your 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.

4Exceeding gently, the finger of Your justice — in love and compassion, touches the wounds — of him that is to be healed.

5Exceeding mild and merciful, is her cutting to him that is wise:— her sharp remedy, in its mighty love — consumes the corrupt part .

6Exceeding 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.

7Exceeding 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.

8Exceeding welcome her wrath , and her anger pleasant — and sweet her bitterness, sweetening bitter things — that they may be made pleasant.

9A cause of negligence is Your indulgence to the careless — a cause of profit, is Your rod among the slothful — so that they become as traffickers.

10The cause of our affliction, it is Your justice — the cause of our carelessness, it is Your graciousness — for our understanding has turned foolish.

11Pharaoh hardened himself, because of Your graciousness;— for when the plagues were stayed, his cruelties waxed strong — and he lied to his promises.

12Justice requited him, because he lied greatly against her — even Grace her freeborn sister; yea she restrained him again — that he should not again provoke.

13Rebuke, O my Lord, my guide, for it has been false as Egypt — my prayers testify, that I am not as she — for Your door have I not forsaken.

14Let Your 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!

15A 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.

16My prayers on my walls, my persecutors have heard:— the sun and his worshippers, are ashamed of their magicians — for I have triumphed by Your cross.

17All creatures cried out, when they saw the struggle — while Truth with falsehood , on my battered walls, fought and was crowned conqueror.

18The force of Truth, chastised falsehood :— in its chastisement it felt Truth , and through its own sins , it earned her victory.

19I have great alarm; for since my deliverance — the honourable and mighty, who were devoted to my altar, have built in me high places.

20My seven senses, O my Lord, even though they had been as fountains of tears, yet my tears were too little — to lament our ruin.

21The streets that were in sackcloth, and ashes cried out — disturbed by the play, akin to that which was — in the wilderness before the calf.

22Poison seeks and wears, the beauty of lilies — and though their buds may conceal, and hidden disguise it — it blossoms in their bitter flowers.