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Hymns and Homilies

St Ephrem the Syrian, tr. Burgess, 1853

16. Hymn 16: On the Death of a Monk

His lips have sung
The psalms of the Spirit:
Pardon his offences,
And let him shout aloud in Thy kingdom:—
“Glory be to Him who had mercy on me!”

He bore in early youth
Thy pleasant yoke:
Break off and cast from him
The fetters of sin;—
And make him happy in Thy tabernacle!

He voluntarily denied himself
The pleasures of a temporal home;
And desired earnestly the dwelling
Prepared for the perfect:—
Unite him with the perfect ones!

He laboured to reconcile
Brethren who were angry with each other,
And brought them together
For good, in Thy habitation:—
Let his dwelling-place be in Eden.

He ministered to his fellow-servants,
As Thou didst command him;
And made himself to be
The last of all men:—
Let him sit down at Thy table!

He confessed Thee, oh Lord,
Before the children of men;
Confess him also
Before Thy Father:—
According as Thou hast promised.

Do good to him in Thy loving-kindness,
And forgive his trespasses;
Thou who alone art good,
And the pardoner of offences:—
Forgive his trespasses!

Infirmities oppressed him
In the time of his old age;
Do Thou renew his youth
In the Eden of pleasures:—
Give him life in Thy tabernacle!

And as even in old age
And bodily infirmity,
He was constantly devoted
To the service of Thy house:—
Let him praise Thee with the upright!