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Hymns and Homilies
St Ephrem the Syrian, tr. Burgess, 1853
4. Metrical Homily 4: On the Mystery of the Trinity
The standard of the Truth,
Is set up in the Scriptures;
But the blinded have forsaken it,
Who have begun to shoot their arrows,
At the Lord of angels.
Now this is the standard:—
That the Father is One,
Not capable of division;
And that the Son is One,
Who cannot be comprehended.
The standard is revealed,
Exhibited in the light;
But he who lacketh understanding,
Shooteth his darts by night,
In the midst of the darkness.
Let there be stillness
Among the orators;
Let there be silence
Among the investigators,
Respecting hidden mysteries!
Let the mouth learn
In what manner it should speak;
And then let it discourse,
That it may not repent
After it hath spoken.
First, let it receive instruction,
And then teach others;
Lest it should become
A kind of passage boat
For things which are unprofitable.
The Scriptures are exhibited to us
As though they were a mirror;
That he whose eye is single
May perceive in them
The image of the Truth.
There is displayed
The likeness of the Father;
There also is portrayed
The image of the Son,
And of the Holy Ghost.
There are appointed
The names of these Three,
One after the other,
In the confession of Faith
At the rite of baptism.
But an occasion hath arisen,
To throw this into confusion;
“For it is proper,” they say,
“That we should scrutinize these Names,
In order that we may comprehend them.”
Captious enquiry hath now begun:
Disputation hath entered:
War is commenced:
And the truth hath fled away!
* * * * *
It is therefore preferable,
That without research,
We should possess the Truth;
Than that by such research
We should want it altogether.
Again, it is better
That in simplicity
We should inherit life;
Than that by much knowledge
We should inherit death.
It is also preferable
In the time of thirst,
To drink of the waters;
Than, instead of drinking,
To measure the fountain.
It is far better,
For a young child,
To recognize his father,
By actual vision;
Than by investigation.
It is likewise better,
By the constant guidance
Of a true faith,
To learn the Truth,
Without curious enquiry.
Then let the favoured congregation
Take pleasure in these things:—
Lay aside contention,
Be clothed with charity,
And preach the Truth.
God in old time opened
The treasure of His loving-kindness;
And fashioned Adam,
Who then had no existence,
From the dust of the ground.
He next quickly unbarred
The gate of Hades;
And caused to arise from it
The body of Adam,
Which was but ashes.
He then hasted to open
The door of Paradise,
By means of His promises;
And caused him to dwell
By the tree of life.
Glory be to Him
Who devised this key;
Which, although it is but one,
Could yet unlock
All these treasure-houses.
Glory be to the Father,
Who is concealed in His own being;—
Glory be to the Son,
Who is concealed in His generation;—
By the seal of silence.
Give thanks to the Father,
Who cannot be circumscribed;
Give thanks to the Son,
Who is unsearchable;
With the Holy Ghost!
Increase in me, oh Lord!
Both silence and the gift of speech;
That by them I may be saved;
While I put away enquiry respecting Thee,
And utter Thy praise!