Hymn
XI.
1. Thy chastening is,
as
a mother of
our infancy:—her rebuke is merciful, in that Thou hast
restrained,—the children from folly, and they have been made
wise!
R., Glory be to thy justice!
2. Let us search out Thy justice; for who is
sufficient—to measure its help? since by it the wanton—are
oftentimes made chaste.—
3. Oftentimes Thy hand, O my Lord, has made the
sick whole,—for it is the healer in secret of their
diseases,—and the fount of their life.
4. Exceeding gently, the finger of Thy
justice,—in love and compassion, touches the wounds—of him
that is to be healed.
5. Exceeding mild and merciful, is her
cutting to him that is wise:—her sharp remedy, in its mighty
love,—consumes the corrupt
part
.
6. Exceeding welcome her wrath, to him that is
discerning;—but her remedies are hated, of the fool who has
delight—in the trouble of his limbs.
7. Exceeding eager is she, to bind the cut she has
made;—when she has smitten she pities, that from between these
two—she may breed healing.
8. Exceeding welcome her wrath, and her anger
pleasant,—and sweet her bitterness, sweetening bitter
things—that they may be made pleasant.
9. A cause of negligence is Thy indulgence
to the careless;—a cause of profit, is Thy rod among the
slothful—so that they become
as
traffickers.
10. The cause of our affliction, it is Thy
justice;—the cause of our carelessness, it is Thy
graciousness,—for our understanding has turned foolish.
11. Pharaoh hardened himself, because of Thy
graciousness;—for when the plagues were stayed, his cruelties
waxed strong,—and he lied to his promises.
12. Justice requited him, because he lied
greatly against her,—even
Grace
her freeborn sister; yea
she restrained him again—that he should not again
provoke.
13. Rebuke, O my Lord, my guide, for it has been
false as Egypt —my prayers testify, that I am not as
she,—for Thy door have I not forsaken.
14. Let Thy cross, O my Lord, which stands,
in my breaches that are open,—repair again the
breaches
that are hidden; for instead of those without,—those within have
cleft me asunder!
15. A sea has broken through, and cast down, the
watch tower wherein I had triumphed.—Iniquity has dared to set
up, a temple wherein I am shamed: its drink-offering chokes
me.
16. My prayers on my walls, my persecutors have
heard:—the sun and his worshippers, are ashamed of their
magicians,—for I have triumphed by Thy cross.
17.
All
creatures cried out, when
they saw the struggle,—while Truth with falsehood, on my battered
walls, fought and was crowned conqueror.
18. The force of Truth, chastised
falsehood:—in its chastisement it felt
Truth
, and through
its
own
sins, it earned her victory.
19. I have great alarm; for since my
deliverance,—the honourable and mighty, who were devoted to my
altar, have built in me high places.
20. My seven senses, O my Lord, even though
they had been as fountains of tears, yet my tears were
too
little—to lament our ruin.
21. The streets that
were
in
sackcloth, and ashes cried out,—disturbed by the play, akin to
that which
was
,—in the wilderness before the
calf.
22. Poison seeks and wears, the beauty of
lilies;—and though their buds may conceal, and hidden disguise
it,—it blossoms in their bitter flowers.