Hymn LVI.
1. With Freedom is thy struggle, O Evil One:
it can cast on thee a muzzle, if it so please.—2.
R
.,
To Thee be glory in whose
victory we have gained strength: and
in whose resurrection we defy even Death itself!—
3. Lo!
again these two exposed each other, how weak both are: Death
reminded the Evil One of thy mightiness (
O Freedom
).—4.
Thy fire is in thy nest, O Death, and thou perceivest not: the
fate of the departed, to thee is overthrow.—5. Lo! Death and the
Evil One proclaim thy mightiness (
O Freedom
): yea, the
Evil One calls to mind thy faith.—6. If then these that were
against thee are on thy side: this is a great thing that thy
persecutors have become thy heralds,—7.
D
., I confess, O
Evil One, that as usury: I lay up the King’s treasures,
till His Coming.—8.
S
., I, O Death, rather deny that this
belongs to God: this treasure of subtlety, which I have
stored.—9.
D
., Thy coinage is fraudulent, then, O
Satan: that into the treasuries of God, is not
received.—10.
S
., A new coinage do I coin, in kingly
wise: lo! my merchantmen bring loss, into the world.—11.
God created everything out of nothing: and I created great sin
out of nothing—12.
D
., Closed and bound be thy mouth, Evil
One, who art thus bold: to set thyself, lo! in comparison with
the Creator.—13.
S
., To me, O Death, it is lawful to dare
and speak: thy tongue, even thine, is a slave, and under
fear.—14.
D
., A gulf is henceforth between us, O
Satan: for madly against thy Lord, lo! thou assailest.—15.
S
., Wherefore doubtest thou, O Death, of our concord? Be
to us comrade and member: and lo! we reign.—16. Come, draw
we our pair of swords, against mankind: I secretly, thou openly,
and lo! we end them.—17. Sin and Sheol they too gave counsel to
those two: saying “If ye be divided, ye are
undone.”—18. See the waters how if dispersed, they run
low: but if gathered they gain strength, and thus ye
likewise.—19. If divided ye perish, as the feeble: but
yoked together ye reign, as the mighty.—20. Love melts down many,
as in a furnace: and makes one powerful mass, that overcomes
all.—21. In it are wisdom and cunning, and force and power:
it is greater far than an image of sixty cubits.—22. Be
reconciled, let us assemble and go, against that party: which if
it be at one can never be defeated.—23. These things the
troublers discoursed, and gathered and came: Thy day, Lord, will
gather them, into Gehenna.—24. Through Thy mercy, Lord, will I
worship Thee, when I have risen: at Thy trumpet I will praise Thy
Son, when I am purged.