Hymn on the Nativity (7) St. Ephraim

From today until Christmas The Society of Sts. Peter & Andrew will be posting a Hymn on the Nativity of Christ from St. & Doctor of the Church Ephraim the Syrian (306-373).

Hymn Seven

The Son of the Maker is like His Father as Maker! He made Himself a pure body, He clothed Himself with it, and came forth and clothed our weakness with glory, which in His mercy He brought from the Father.
From Melchizedek, the High Priest, a hyssop came to You, a throne and crown from the house of David, a race and family from Abraham.
Be unto me a Haven, for Your own sake, O great Sea. Lo! The Psalms of David Your Father, and the words also of the Prophets, came forth unto me, as it were ships.
David Your father, in the hundred and tenth Psalm, twined together two numbers as it were crowns to You, and came [to You], OConqueror! With these shall You be crowned, and unto the throne shall You ascend and sit.
A great crown is the number that is twined in the hundred, wherein is crowned Your Godhead! A little crown is that of the number ten, which crowns the Head of Your Manhood, O Victorious One!
For Your sake women sought after men. Tamar desired him that was widowed, and Ruth loved a man that was old, yea, that Rahab, that led men captive, was captivated by You.
Tamar went forth, and in the darkness Genesis xxxviii stole the Light, and in uncleanness stole the Holy One, and by uncovering her nakedness she went in and stole You, O glorious One, that bringest the pure out of the impure.
Satan saw her and trembled, and hasted to trouble her. He brought the judgment to her mind, and she feared not; stoning and the sword, and she trembled not. He that teaches adultery hindered adultery, because he was a hinderer of You.
For holy was the adultery of Tamar, for Your sake. You it was she thirsted after, O pure Fountain. Judah defrauded her of drinking You. The thirsty womb stole a dew-draught of You from the spring thereof.
She was a widow for Your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also an harlot for Your sake. You did she vehemently desire, and was sanctified in that it was You she loved.
May Tamar rejoice that her Lord has come and has made her name known for the son of her adultery! Surely the name she gave himGenesis 38:29 was calling unto You to come to her.
For You honorable women shamed themselves, You that givest chastity to all! You she stole away in the midst of the ways, who pavest the way into the kingdom! Because it was life that she stole, the sword was not able to put her to death.
Ruth lay down by a man in the threshingfloor for Your sake; her love made her bold for Your sake, O You that teachest all penitentsboldness. Her ears refused [to listen to] any voices for the sake of Your voice.
The live coal that glowed went up into the bed, of Boaz, lay down there, saw the High Priest, in whose loins was hidden a fire for hisincense! She hasted and was a heifer to Boaz, that should bring forth You, the fatted Calf.
She went gleaning for her love of You; she gathered straw. You quickly paid her the reward of her lowliness; and instead of ears of grain, the Root of Kings, and instead of straws, the Sheaf of Life, You made to spring from her.