Those lie there who wrought uncleanness,
And have become abominable clay;
Those lie there who loved arrogancy,
And are as though they existed not.

Those lie there who loved pride,

And are become a loathsome spectacle;
Those lie there who loved to have dominion,
And they are prostrate on their faces.

The cultivators of letters lie there,

But their wit has failed them

;

There lie the lovers of despicable riches,

And are without daily bread.

There lie those who were enemies,

And their bones are mingled together!

THE above is perhaps more a metrical homily than a hymn, partaking however of the character of both kinds of composition. It is heptasyllabic, in strophes of four verses, intermixed, without any apparent rule, with some of only two. The translator has followed the exact arrangement of the printed text, in the absence of manuscript authority. It is however to be suspected that the whole piece is intended to be uniform, and that the order has been disarranged by a transcriber. But it would be unwise to speak too positively on this subject, while the whole subject of the Syrian hymnology is so little understood.

a "Impartial justice."-This is a somewhat paraphrastic expression for the Syriac word 120 although its exact meaning would not be conveyed by the English justice. Its precise signification is rectitudo, rectitude, or uprightness, involving the idea

of impartiality. Benedict gives more precision and life to the Prosopopæia, by translating "Justitiam sepulcro assidentem contemplatus, rogabam,”—probably using assidentem in a forensic sense. (See Hymn XXXV., strophe 1.)

¿ “ And on his head was great sadness.”—Sy., li Pl a great mourning. As the Latins use luctus in the sense of funeral weeds,-in luctu esse, to be in mourning, so same meaning. There will then be an allusion to the web which the spider had woven on the skull.

с

may have the ܐܟܠܐ

"His teeth were loosened from the gums."-Literally, were divested of their skin. The words in Job xix. 20, "the skin of my teeth," literally agree, in the Peschito, with those in Ephraem.

d

“Devouring_grave.”—Jo sheol, here and in other places in this hymn, is not rendered by Hades, because the connexion seems to demand the more limited signification. The physical, not the moral condition of the dead is the topic of dis

course.

e "Gehennah keeps watch over him-Paradise expects him."By these two bold personifications Ephraem strongly states the doctrine of Holy Scripture, that no moral change takes place after death; but that however long the final award may be deferred, it will take its character from the state of the soul on leaving the world.

the word used ܙܕܩܬܐ

f "The poor is buried with his alms."for alms, is from O】 justum, æquum fuit; and is used by the Peschito for dialoovvŋ in Matt. vi. 1; the ideas of justice, and clemency, or benevolence being used as cognate in many languages.

g "Clothed in white raiment."- Bo white (garments.) The same word is used in John xx. 12. Benedict renders it byssus, fine linen; and probably the quality as well as the colour is here alluded to.

h "Turned to blackness."-Literally, are become the colour of coals. i "Improved their complexions."-Sy., polished. The word is tersit, expolivit, and in Aphel, lavit. The two ideas together describe the care taken to improve the skin by cosmetics.

Artfully disguised their faces”—i.e., by the use of pigments,

intended to heighten or lessen the colour, according to the conventional standard of beauty. One meaning of

is fraudulenter egit in aliquem. Benedict translates this and the former verse,-" Qui pigmentis formam mentiri solebant."

“Painted their eyelids.”—Sy. adorned

their eyes. Benedict, "Oculos stibio ante renidentes."

m

"And the worm corrodes their eyes."-Literally, sucks, derives nourishment from. Benedict, " Serpente tinea corrosos ac populatos oculos."

XV.

Christ the Companion of the
Disembodied Soul.

(CANON LXXXI., tom. vi., p. 355.)

As my provision for my journeya I have taken Thee, Oh Thou Son of God!

And when I am hungry I will eat of Thee,

Thou Saviour of the world!

The fire will keep far off from my members, Perceiving in me the savour of Thy body and blood. Baptism shall become to me

A ship which cannot sink ;'

And I shall see Thee there, oh Lord,
In the day of the resurrection.

I was living in my place of sojourn (Thus speaks the soul),

But the Master of the house sent to me,

And I am not permitted to continue.

The messenger thus addressed me :—

"Depart from the house and vacate its chambers!"

Oh my body, my temporary home,

Remain here in peace!

And in the day of the resurrection

I shall see thee rejoicing.

The lictors came with speed,

But I was ignorant of it;

The messenger stood at the door,

But I did not perceive him;

Deliver me, Lord, from the judgment of the devil,
Who hateth Thy renowned children;
And with Thy holy ones may I attain

To the house of the kingdom;

That I may utter a song of praise,
And with them glorify Thee.

How bitter is this cup

Which death hath mingled! And how terrible is the time, And how grievous the hour, Which calleth for Thee!

The soul saith to the body, "Remain thou here in peace, O much loved habitation,

In which I once dwelt

While the Lord was willing."

How saddened is the sinner

In his heart at that hour, When the king Messiah shall sit

Upon His dreadful judgment-seat;

And all tribes shall stand before Him,

And all secrets of the heart shall be revealed.