Ephraim: The Nisibene Hymns
Nisibene Hymn 59: Death Takes Vengeance on Satan
See, Death takes vengeance on Satan for us.
Come, let us hear his shame and rejoice, for he rejoiced in our shame.
Refrain: Glory to you from your flock! For by you
both Death and Satan are subdued under your feet.
Evil ones will be hanged upright, but you head downward,
for you, in reverse, crucified Simon on the tree.
About everything else I keep silent, Death, for my time is running out.
Simon himself begged me, “Crucify me this way.”
If it were the just who cursed me, I would not have grieved;
the curse of Death on me is worse than hell.
I have not spoken of our Lord’s shame; it is too great for my mouth,
that I should weigh his suffering and compare it with your torment.
He will set twelve thrones of judgment for his Twelve,
for by the twelve tribes you, yes, you, will be condemned.
You will hang yourself with a halter no one paid for, Satan,
as that disciple of yours hanged himself with a halter bought at a price.
Perhaps that hell will be emptied in mercy,
and you will live there alone with your servants.
Your curses are many, and how can I count them?
See, the sum of all your curses is on your members.
The wicked in the fire will stab you, who made them wicked;
they will reproach you: “Why did you bring us here?”
Sinners will rail at you, and perhaps their threats
will be worse for you than the torment of that hell.
There they will all be Satans to you,
as here you have been to them the one Satan.
The Watchers will seize you and hurl you down, remembering
how through you men hurled their Lord from the height to the depth.
Everyone will run to stone you, not forgetting
that through you the maddened people ran to stone their Maker.
On you, Evil One, from every mouth will be the spitting of wrath,
for through you they spat on him whose spittle gave sight to the blind.
On you, Evil One, from every tongue will be every curse,
for through you men blasphemed him who opened mute mouths.
Blessed is he who avenged our wrong, though in silence,
and stirred up Death against the Evil One to fall on him!
Let us sound hosannas, my brothers and sisters, as Gideon did,
at whose sounding the oppressors fell on one another!