{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/213/2130217.htm","path":"chr/ecf/213/2130217.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/213/2130217.htm","text":"1. In wisdom let us hearken to Death, O my beloved: how he accuses us for our weeping, and for our mourning.\u20142. R., To thee be praise Who cameth down, to follow Adam: and foundest Adam and also in the children of Adam.\u20143. And rightly perp. 214 haps he says, \u201cYe slay: without mercy and lo! ye weep, as though merciful.\u201d\u20144. Ye have made me as a cruel one, O ye murderers: for ye slay one another, without my help!\u20145. While Death was but desiring to come, the sword came before him: let us see then against whom cries out, the blood of the slain.\u20146. Against you cry out the strangled, who were suffocated: for it shames me of the rope, of their strangulations.\u20147. They take away from me even my rest, for without me: how could the strangled and the slain, enter Sheol?\u20148. Lo! your infants are cast out, as those in Egypt: your sons have ye sacrificed to demons, O demoniacs!\u20149. While Death was but desiring to taste, of your corpses: Cain refreshed me beforehand, with blood of man.\u201410. While I was but desiring to wait patiently, till Adam should die: before I had power ye gave me power, over your bodies.\u201411. Cain with his sword overthrew, the gate of Sheol: for it was closed and before the time, he first opened it.\u201412. He by treading made the way of Sheol, without my help: for in the way ye have trodden out for me, lo! I walk therein.\u201413. Nine hundred years I sat and waited, for Adam to die: but Cain not even a day, endured his brother.\u201414. Robbers upon the highways, are worse than I: I am slumbering while they, are watching to slay.\u201415. Lo! your slaughtered in the graves, and your murdered in your ways; and your strangled upon your stakes!\u201416. \u201cIf I rebelled against my lord, yea and slew him: who was he that slew these here,\u201d said Jehu.\u201417. And if I Death have taken, your departed: the strangled, the slain, and the slaughtered, who was it slew them?\u201418. Ye are Satan to each other, and the Evil One is abhorred: ye are pestilence to each other, and Death is blamed!\u201419. Your own will to you is Satan, yea and a murderer: but of Death and of Satan, all men complain.\u201420. Poison of Death ye give also to drink, each to other: lo! how many Deaths have ye, beside me.\u201421. Wiles, stratagems, yea and snares, sword and poison: how many Deaths from you and in you, lo! are there born.\u201422. The judge in the judgment-hall, is a second Death: he slays for secret reward, but I for naught.\u201423. I have seen bribery and marvelled at it, that ran and outran me: how many slain does bribery, slay, and none perceives!\u201424. I am ashamed that so unskilfully, I conduct myself: if I take even one corpse, all men perceive it.\u201425. In the houses weeping and in the streets, also wailing: and even unto the gates of Sheol, they groan over me.\u201426. Groan over yourselves that ye are thus hateful, and ye hate me: Sheol henceforth shall groan over you, O murderers!\u201427. With torture, scourging and fire, yea with stoning: ye put to death the sons of men, and ye are proud!\u201428. I am more modest than you and merciful, also reverent: for with reverence I bear away, your departed.\u201429. On the bed I deal gently, with him that is sick: and quietly I lay him to sleep, for but a while.","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 LXI.","type":"page"}