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Hymns and Homilies

St Ephrem the Syrian, tr. Burgess, 1853

6. Hymn 6: On the Death of a Private Person

“I am going away, and fear not,
For my Lord calleth to me, ‘Come, and I will crown thee!’
He placeth a wreath of glory on my head
And maketh me happy.”

The angels who removed thee from us
Have conducted thee to Eden;
They have given thee as an offering to thy Creator,
Depart in peace!

An abundant treasure
Full of good things, make ready for thy servant,
And let his spirit rest in peace
In the midst of the kingdom.

The cornet sounds
And the voice of the trumpet waxeth loud,
And the dead live again, and rise up
From their sepulchres.

The righteous fly
Upon the clouds to meet their Lord,
And enter with Him into the habitation
Which is full of joys.

Thy garland is twined
In Eden, O thou blessed one,
From amaranthine flowers,
In the midst of the Kingdom.

Glory be to the living voice
Which speaks in thunders in the midst of Hades;
And the dead hear it and arise again
From their burial places.

In the day when the trumpet sounds,
Make me meet, O Lord,
To sing Thy praise worthily—
In the day of the resurrection.

Depart in peace,
O beloved fruit which Death hath plucked!
Abraham comes forth to meet thee,
And bids thee welcome.

The gate of Paradise
Opens and expects thee to enter,
That thou mayest rest and be happy
To all eternity.

Let praise ascend, O Lord,
To Thee from all Thy creatures,
For Thou gatherest from every place
The rebellious children of Adam.