Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany

Ephrem the Syrian (306–373)

(Translated by Rev. A. Edward Johnston, B.a.)

I.

Resp.- To Thee be praise from Thy flock in the day of Thy Epiphany!

1. The heavens He has renewed, for that fools worshipped all the luminaries:-He has renewed the earth, for that in Adam it was wasted. -That which He fashioned has become new by His spittle:-and the All-Sufficing has restored bodies with souls.

2. Gather yourselves again ye-sheep and without labour receive cleansing!-for one needs not as Elisha-to bathe seven times in the river, nor again to be wearied as the priests are wearied with sprinklings.

3. Seven times Elisha purified himself in a mystery of the seven spirits;-and the hyssop and blood are a mighty symbol.-There is no room for division;- He is not divided from the Lord of all Who is Son of the Lord of all.

4. Moses sweetened in Marah the waters that were bitter,-because the People complained and murmured:- Thus he gave a sign of baptism,-wherein the Lord of life makes sweet them that were bitter.

5. The cloud overshadowed and kept off the burning heat from the camp;-it showed a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which overshadows you in baptism-tempering the flaming fire that it harm not your bodies.

See also

• More works by Ephrem the Syrian

Enable JavaScript to read the full text and search the library.