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Early Christian Music: Syriac. Odes of Solomon (c. 100 CE). Ode 11 My heart was pruned and its flower appeared, / then grace sprang up in it, / and it produced fruits for the Lord.
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Odes of Solomon (c. 100 CE) • Ode 11 • My heart was pruned and its flower appeared, / then grace sprang up in it, / and it produced fruits for the Lord. • For the Most High circumcised me by his Holy Spirit, / then he uncovered my inward being toward him, / and filled me with his love. • And his circumcising became my salvation, / and I ran in the Way in his peace, / in the Way of truth.
From the beginning until the end / I received his knowledge. • And I was established upon the rock of truth, / where he had set me. • And speaking waters touched my lips / from the spring of the Lord generously. • And so I drank and became intoxicated, / from the living water that does not die. • And my intoxication was not with ignorance, / but I abandoned vanity; • And turned toward the Most High, my God, / and was enriched by his favors.
And I abandoned the folly cast upon the earth, / and stripped it off and cast it from me. • And the Lord renewed me with his garment, / and possessed me by his light. • And from above he gave me immortal rest; / and I became like the land which blossoms and rejoices in its fruits. • And the Lord [is] like the sun / upon the face of the land.
My eyes were enlightened, / and my face received the dew; • And my breath was refreshed / by the pleasant fragrance of the Lord. • And he took me to his Paradise, / wherein is the wealth of the Lord’s pleasure. • (I contemplated blooming and fruit-bearing trees, / and self-grown was their crown. • Their branches were flourishing / and their fruits were shining; / their roots [were] from an immortal land. • And a river of gladness was irrigating them, / and the region around them in the land of eternal life.)
Then I adored the Lord because of his magnificence. • And I said: “Blessed, O Lord, are they / who are planted in your land, / and who have a place in your Paradise; • And who grow in the growth of your trees, / and have passed from darkness into light. • Behold, all your laborers are fair, / they who work good works, / and turn from wickedness to your kindness. • For they turned away from themselves the bitterness of the trees, / when they were planted in your land.
And everyone was like your remnant / (Blessed are the workers of your water!) / and the eternal memorial of your faithful servants. • Indeed, there is much room in your Paradise. / And there is nothing in it which is barren, / but everything is filled with fruit. • Praise be to you, O God, the delight of Paradise for ever.! • Hallelujah!”
Syriac Acts of Thomas 27 (c. 250 CE) • Come, holy name of the Messiah; • Come, power of grace, which is from on high; • Come, perfect mercy; • Come, exalted gift; • Come, sharer of the blessing; • Come, revealer of hidden mysteries; • Come, mother of the seven houses, whose rest was in the eighth house; • Come, messenger of reconciliation, and communicate with the minds of these youths. • Come, Spirit of holiness, and purify their reins and hearts.
Syriac Acts of Thomas 133(c. 250 CE) • Living bread, the eaters of which do not die! • Bread, that fills hungry souls with your blessing! • You are worthy to receive the gift and to be for the remission of sins, • that those who eat you may not die! • We name the name of the Father over you! • We name the name of the Son over you! • We name the name of the Spirit over you, • the exalted name that is hidden from all!
Ephrem the Syrian (306?-373 CE): Hymn on the Nativity 8 • To the melody "Who is able to speak?" • 1. Blessed is the Messenger who came bearing • a great peace. By the mercy of His Father, • He lowered Himself to us. Our own debts • He did not take up to Him. He reconciled • [His] Lordship with His chattels. • Refrain: Glory to Your Dawn, divine and human.
2. Glorious is the Wise One Who allied and joined • Divinity with humanity, • one from the height and the other from the depth. • He mingled the natures like pigments • and an image came into being: the God-man. • 3. O Zealous One who saw Adam • who became dust and the accursed serpent • eating him. Reality dwelt • in what had lost its flavor. He made him salt • by which the cursed serpent would be blinded.
4. Blessed is the Compassionate One Who saw, next to paradise, • the lance that barred the way • to the Tree of Life. He came to take up • the body that would be struck so that by the opening of His side • He might break through the way into paradise. • 5. Glorious is the Compassionate One Who did not use • violence, and without force, • by wisdom He was victorious. He gave a type • to human beings that by power • and wisdom they might conquer discerningly.
6. Blessed is Your flock for You are her gate, • and You are her staff, and You are her shepherd, • and You are her drink; You [are] her pilot • and her overseer. O praise to the Only-begotten • Who was fruitful and multiplied in all [His] benefits. • 7. The farmers who cultivated life • came and worshipped before Him. They prophesied to Him • bursting into song, "Blessed is the Farmer • by Whom is worked the earth of the heart; • He gathers His grains of wheat into the storehouse of life."
8. The laborers came to give glory • to the offshoot that sprang forth from the root • and the stem of Jesse, the virgin cluster • of a parched vine. "Let us be the vessels • for Your new wine that renews all." • 9. "In You may my friend's vineyard that gives sour grapes • find peace. Graft its vines • with Your slips. Let it be laden entirely • with Your blessings. Let its fruit appease • the Lord of the vineyard who threatened him."
10. Carpenters came because of Joseph • to the son of Joseph. "Blessed is your offspring, • the Chief of carpenters, by Whom was drawn • even the Ark. By Him was constructed • the temporal Tabernacle that was [only] for a time. • 11. "Confess in the name of our craft • that You are our pride. May You make the yoke • that is light and easy upon those who bear it. • May You make the measure in which deceit • cannot be, for it is full of truth.
12. "Also may You construct and make a balance • for justice, so that whoever steps • onto it will be judged, and whoever is perfect • will be celebrated on it. O Just One, may You weigh • mercy and sins in it, as a judge." • 13. When Sarah sang lullabyes to Isaac • as to a servant who bore the image • of the King, his Lord: upon his shoulders [was] • the sign of the cross, also upon his hands • bonds and pains, a symbol of the nails.
14. Rachel cried out to her husband; she said, • "Give me sons!" Blessed is Mary • for, without her asking, You dwelt in her womb • chastely, O Gift • Who pours Himself out upon His recipients. • 15. Anna with bitter sobs • asked for a child; Sarah and Rebekah • with vows and words, and even Elizabeth, • again, with her prayer [asked] for a long time. • Although they suffered, afterward they were consoled.
16. Blessed is Mary, who without vows • and without prayer, in her virginity • conceived and brought forth the Lord of all • the sons of her companions who were and will be • pure and just men, priests and kings. • 17. Who will sing a lullabye to the child of her womb • as Mary [did]? Who will dare • to call her son, Son of the Maker, • Son of the Creator? Who has ever existed • who called her son, Son of the Most High?
18. Bridegrooms shouted joyfully with [their] brides, • "Blessed is the Babe whose mother was • bride of the Holy one. Blessed [was] the marriage feast • at which You were present: even though its wine • suddenly was depleted, by You it became plentiful again." • 19. The children cried out, "Blessed [is] He Who was for us • a brother and companion in the streets. • Blessed is the day that with branches • glorified the Tree of Life • Who inclined His height toward our childishness."
20. Women heard that behold a virgin indeed • would conceive and bring forth. Well-born women hoped • that He would shine forth from them, and elegant women • that He would appear from them. Blessed is Your height • that bent down and shone forth from the poor. • 21. Even little girls taken by Him [as brides] • spoke prophetically, "Yours, Lord, let me be, • for if I am ugly, to You I am fair, • and if I am lowly, to You I am noble. • The bridal chamber that passes away I have exchanged for You."
22. Since youth is both bold • and talkative, the young girls gathered, • daughters of the Hebrews, wise women, • and the mourners, and with their soft words • changed dirges into prophecy.