Hymn 9
9.1
O Fast which bestows two beautiful things:
It adorns both body and soul.
It gives glory to the soul before the Watchers
It gives radiance to the body before the bodily.
Hunger, by which the beauty of the beautiful fades:
The lads, in a state of fasting grew all the more fat and beautiful. Dan 1:11
They gazed upon Moses who, while fasting
descended, and his radiance shined over the Greedy. Exod 34:31
Res:
Glory to you who by your fast they shined
9.2
Everything that is done with a joyful heart
Even if it is a burden it is a joy to bear.
Everything done with sadness
Even if it is honey to eat, it is bitter.
The fast done with joy; the heart shines in it.
When the spirit leaps, it brightens his color.
The youths in their fasts are joyful,
For their color was resplendent.
9.3
Daniel had a great taste for fasting,
Just as the Greedy who have a great taste for feasting.
For when he resists, he is overpowered to continue,
For a habit cannot wean itself.
The youth, one time at his weaning forgets,
The milk of his nurse-maid. It is a wonder that
Daniel could not be weaned even at old age,
From the fast of his youth.
9.4
The fast of Daniel was a desired thing,
Like the thirsty one who craves wine.
He recalled the fast and became rejuvenated.
Three weeks he fasted, one after another, Dan 10:1
The old man had worn out his beauty, but was desirous at his fast.
Gabriel called him "the desired one" so as to make known Dan 9:21
That his old age was desirable through fasting,
And his youth by beans.
9.5
For weeks the old one bore the fast,
Which for one day is difficult for boys.
He stooped and bore the burdens of three,
[being like] a merchant whose wealth was on his shoulders.
He spurned the desire of bread, the most desirous thing of all,
Therefore he became desirable to the dwellers above.
The heavenly ones desired this one,
Who had spurned the desired things of earth.
9.6
Their names were pure as were their bodies,
Those youths who were called by (other) names.
They joined pagan names
To venerable and holy names. Dan 1:1
For the name of Daniel means the judgment of God.
Babel feared that name, lest he judge her.
He did judge her and gave,
Her kingdom to the Medes and Persians. Dan 8:21
9.7
Sin connived and confined,
That fearful glory that was over Daniel
under the weak name of an idol Dan 1:1
So that the idol might vanquish the victorious God.
But that great name, even when beaten down,
nevertheless show its power and forced the captor
To worship the captive,
And even like the priest, to offer incense to him. Dan 2:41
9.8
Because the name was venerable -- that very name, El
Which He gave symbolically to Daniel --
He demanded again to be worshipped in Babylon,
So as to declare his victorious deeds among his persecutors.
Since the king of Babylon thought that he had burned the house of worship
And had finished off the worshippers. He returned to his own home
Only to venerate the captive Dan 2:41
Who had been given the venerable name.
9.9
He put another venerable name
[that is] El symbolically in Musael.
Sin acted craftily against the venerable name, Dan 3:11
So that he might fall and venerate the image.
Musael gazed upon the name put on him,
How could the venerated name venerate a statue?
Because they did not venerate the Error,
Those who err worshipped with him the Truth. Dan 3:21
9.10
Let us look away now from the names,
Which symbolically were set in the fasters.
For it is not the time to tell of their names.
There is time to speak of their beans. Dan 1:12
Let us gaze upon their fasts for these were the keys,
With which they opened the great treasure house of the Holy Spirit.
It opened and took the revelation
Of the dream and gave its interpretation and meaning. Dan 2:31
9.11
Satan was (so) divided over his kingdom,
Matthew 12:21
That he began to accuse those on his side. Dan 2:11
Deceit turned and damned the guilty.
For Sin was divided among its servants.
Error and knowledge began to struggle.
Error by way of the old was rebuked and fell.
Truth was crowned with youth,
And even crowned them. Dan 2:41
9.12
Behold the mourners of Zion with [their] beans
Have delivered and saved the gluttons of Babel.
A sword went forth to destroy the wisemen,
It was blunted by the fast of Hananya. Dan 2:11
The fasters took pity on those who serve the belly,
But Error was so rabid that she attacked her herolds.
Error erred
So that he turned to wrestle with her own.
9.13
Ariok roared in anger and went forth Dan 2:11
The goats and blacks were sent away,
The sheepfold of the left was astonished,
For she is (like) the mother whose love does not abide.
The sheep of the Right run and restrain anger,
They quickly put on the fast, the weapon of the victorious:
Both Moses and Elijah, Exod 32:11; I Kings 17:1
by prayer, closed and opened heaven.
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