{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/213/2130209.htm","path":"chr/ecf/213/2130209.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/213/2130209.htm","text":"1. Come, let us hear how they contend for victory: the guilty ones who never have conquered, nor will conquer.\u20142. Death said unto the Evil One, In the end the victory is mine: for Death is master of the close, as a conqueror.\u20143. Satan, This were to be Death indeed, wert thou able: to bring to death a living man, by means of lusts.\u20144. D., Lo! I who behold the dead, both good and bad: the righteous who despise thee, O Evil One, me they despise not.\u20145. S., This dying of the body, is sleep for a time: think not, O Death, that thou art Death, who art as a shadow.\u20146. D., Thee, O Evil One, the just have conquered, yea will conquer: but these that have conquered thee, lo! I conquer.\u20147. S., Even this that thou bringest to death the just, is not of thyself: because of Adam whom I conquered, they drink this cup.\u20148. D., Lo! Sheol is full of the men of Sodom, and the Assyrians: and the giants who were in the flood, who is like me?\u20149. S., These, O Death, all of them, by me were slain: I am he that caused them to sin so that they perished.\u201410. D., Joseph who conquered thee I conquered, O Satan: in the chamber he conquered thee but I conquered, and cast him into the tomb.\u201411. S., Moses who conquered thee, O Death, by sprinkling of blood: he conquered thee in Egypt, but at the rock, who conquered him?\u201412. D., Elijah who feared thee not, O Satan: fled before Jezebel\u2019s face, because he feared me.\u201413. S., Aaron who withstood thee, O Death, with smoke of incense: to him I gave earrings of gold: and he fashioned a calf.\u201414. D., Thou wentest down to contend with Job, and he conquered thee and came up: but I, after he had conquered thee, then conquered him.\u201415. S., David who by his sackcloth stayed that pestilence: him on the house-top I conquered, who had conquered Goliath.\u201416. D., Jehu who destroyed the house of Baal, the temple of the Evil One: was unable to destroy Sheol, the stronghold of my realm.\u201417. S., Solomon who snatched from thy mouth, a child by his judgment: him in his old age I made a builder of idol-altars.\u201418. D., Samuel who in respect of gold scorned thee, O Satan: him I conquered, the conqueror, who conquered bribes.\u201419. S., p. 208 Samson who in respect of the lion\u2019s whelp, scorned thee, O Death: through Delilah, frail vessel, I yoked him to the mill.\u201420. D., Josiah from his childhood despised thee, Evil One: but me not even in his old age, could he withstand.\u201421. S., Hezekiah withstood thee, Death, when he overcame the bound of life: I misled him and he neglected the miracle, and showed his treasures.\u201422. D., John who conquered thee, Evil One, and absolved and baptized: I extinguished that torch, which had disclosed thee.\u201423. S., Simon overcame thee, when he brought to life that blessed woman: in a woman he overcame thee and by a woman I overcame him and made him deny.\u201424. S., Apostles and prophets with one voice, curse thee, O Death: \u201cWhere is the victory of Death, and the sting of Sheol?\u201d\u201425. Thy Lord in Sheol thou hast shut up, O cursed servant: God hates thee and also man, hold then thy peace.\u201426. S., It was the will of Him who gives life to all, that shut him in Sheol: it was thou that called Him to this, when thou madest Adam sin.\u201427. O comrade of Nabal who in the wilderness reproached his lord: abhorred be thy mouth which said to Him, \u201cFall down and worship me!\u201d","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. XIII: Selections from the Hymns and Homilies of Ephraim the Syrian and from the Demonstrations of Aphrahat the Persian Sage.: Hymn LIII.","type":"page"}