St. Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns On Paradise
by St. Ephrem
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Book Summary Information
Author: St. EphremBrand: SVS Press
Translator: Sebastian Brock
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-03-01
ISBN: 0881410764
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: St Vladimirs Seminary Pr
Book Reviews of St. Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns On Paradise
Book Review: A fair exchange?
Summary: 5 Stars
"The garden of life" has been opened for us with the "keys" that He gave us. So opens Hymn VII of these collected hymns by St. Ephrem the Syrian (+373, age unknown but speculation identifies his birth between AD 300 and 310). Hymn VII resembles all 15 Hymns of Paradise collected. Translated by Sebastian Brock of Oxford University (year of publication: 1998), Hymn VII resembles the other hymns in emphasis of Nature metaphors drawn from part of the creation and sequel texts of Genesis in chapters 2 and 3.
There is seldom a moral goad to sinners in these Hymns as one discovers in Dante, another Christian allegorist centuries later. Rather, if a goad exists at all in Hymns of Paradise, it is desire and delight to shed the cloak of slavery and return to freedom. Disobedience has led to slavery; obedience returns one to freedom.
Thereby, obedient "people behold themselves in glory and wonder at themselves...; " Blessed is He who, with His keys, has opened up the Garden of Life" (Hymn VII, v. 12 and Response).
Shedding a moral cloak may be impossible for some Greek/Slavonic or Latin-Christian descendants to digest. However, for this Syriac saint of the fourth Christian century, every aspect of his life interpreted the "Nature" that inspired his hymns from the Genesis texts. To say, therefore, that Ephrem breathed and ate Genesis would reflect his experience of air and sustenance.
Hebraic meter is obtuse in translation. Certainly any translation of the Psalms faces a similar struggle. Brock rose to the challenge far better than most anyone might expect. Brock's translation is excellent in my opinion. But translation alone was not the only gift of this publication. In addition, Brock added a treasure trove to discover in his Introduction of 69 pages length (total pages of text: 227 plus bibliography and references; translated Hymns consist of 111 pages).
These Hymns of Paradise ought to be read aloud, memorized, set in memorable tunes or chants, and digested slowly in obedience to the vision of paradise. Brock's translation is approachable alone in reading, but even better appreciated in harmony with other created beings. For "blessed is He who came and invited both worlds to His Paradise" (Response of Book XV).
Finally, my last allusion may strike you as stretching on my part. I ask you to compare the Response of Book XV to John Donne's metaphoric link of the "first" Adam in Genesis to the "second" Adam, who is Christ: "Look, Lord, and see both Adams met in me..." ("Hymn to God my God in my Sickness"). Your effort in comparison may yield rewards by keeping the vision of Eden before you. It does so for me.
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