Hymn LXV.
1.
Man
, O Death, despise thou it not, that
image of Adam: which like a seed is committed to earth, till the
Resurrection.—2.
R., To thee be glory Who didst descend and
plunge, after Adam: and draw him out from the depths of Sheol,
and bring him into Eden!
—3.
Death
, I marvel at this
seed, and at your words: for lo! after five thousand years, it
springs not yet.—4.
M.
, Its present state passes away, as
winter
does
: and as a handful of
corn
it comes in
the resurrection, to the garner of life.—5.
D
., That there
is vintage-time, lo! I know, but I have not seen: the dead at any
time sown, or yet reaped.—6.
M
., There is coming a
reaping,
O Death, that
will leave thee bare: and the Watchers shall go forth as reapers,
and make thee desolate.—7.
D
., When did I become
husbandman, instead of vine-dresser? who has turned Sheol the
wine-press, into a tilled field?—8.
M
., Does not the seed
then teach thee, which decays and dies: and
is
cut off
from hope, yet from the rain, recovers hope?—9.
D
., A
dream have ye seen ye feeble ones, of life from the dead: for in
waking time the resurrection, ye do not see.—10.
M
., Thy
drowsiness hinders thee, that thou seest not: the multitudes of
mysteries which cry aloud, of the resurrection.—11.
D
., I
know that seeds come to life, but I have not seen: bones that
grew in Sheol, and sprang and came up.—12.
M
., All thy
discourse is like thyself, for lo! Ezekiel: has taught thee how
in the valley, the dead come to life.—13.
D
., Trees have I
seen how in summer, they put on their garments: but bones in
their nakedness, are cast into Sheol.—14.
M
., Moses broke
by his splendour, thy heart, O Death: the son of Adam has
regained and put on, the glory of Adam.—15.
D.
, Our law in
Sheol is this, to keep silence: for you are words and for me
deeds, O feeble ones.—16.
M
., How are the aged passed over
if thou be vinedresser? He Who hindered thee from
taking
their lives, the same quickens all.—17. The babe in the womb
confutes thee, which is
as
buried there: to me it
proclaims life from the dead, but to thee despoiling.—18. The
despised flower despises thee, for it is shut up and passed over:
yet though lost it is not lost, but blossoms again.—19. The chick
cries out from the egg, wherein it is buried: and the graves are
rent by a Voice, and the body arises.—20. For a body too is the
chick, that is in the egg: lo! its body to our body proclaims,
the life from the dead.—21. With the locust thy plea is
overthrown, and ended, O Death: for in coming forth from the dust
it teaches, the life from the dead.—22.
D.
, I had been
content if already, the resurrection had been: for the day of
resurrection had disturbed me less, than your judgments.—23.
Merciful is the Son of the Highest, yea good and just: and will
not harshly avenge on me, the death of Adam.—24. Have ye then no
understanding, to perceive this: that your father laid on you,
this retribution?