Hymn 3
3.1
The Cunning One who fixed his gaze on Adam and Eve
and snake, though deception was in his heart, peace was on his lips.
He poured himself into his task and enticed them.
Adam was young, Eve was simple.
The tree was blossoming, the fruit was shining.
The sin was great
Yet justice was bright and strong. Blessed is he who mixed abundant waters
of mercy with a just decree and so spared the sinners.
3.2
Who is able to see the pair possessing such precious items,
yet so suddenly stripped.
The Evil One arose, he became a happy onlooker,
the Good One saw and guarded him
Who would not weep,
when seeing the great Adam that he fell
the chaster Adam that fastened leaves to covering his shame.
blessed is he who graced him with leaves,
and sent him the garment of glory for his nakedness.
3.3
He who is able to interpret that tree which leads away its seekers
For it is a concealed target: being hidden from eyes it wearies a bowman
Though it possesses knowledge, it is also without knowledge
it is a cause of knowledge, for by it one can know
what the gift is that he has lost,
and what the chastisement is that has entered in.
Blessed is the fruit that mixes knowledge of the tree of life with mortality.
3.4
The snake carefully inspected the Dove,
in Paradise . . . who was hungry
[He] turned himself into a Dove, . . . that Dragon
For all of him is cursed, he became a part of her, she part of him.
He put on her [outward] appearance, she put on his [inner] hatefulness.
He sang a cheerful song to her, so that she wandered in mourning.
Blessed is the voice of the Father that descended,
and consoled and made the grief of our mother pass away.
3.5
Let not our fast be a meal for the Evil One so as to bite our comrades
For they set a fast and then stoned Naboth.
The Evil One rejoiced at their fast. O fasters instead of bread
they ate the flesh of man, On the fast day they lapped up blood
Those who ate the flesh of man, became food for dogs.
Blessed is he who gave his body for our ravenous mouths to stop its chewing
3.6
The Merciful fixed his gaze on the soul in the abyss;
and devised a strategy to pull it out
Though by a mere wink he could have saved it
He bound his love in his work, he clothed himself in humanity
He acquired his youth in order to lead it to knowledge of him
He sang to it with a harp
His humble tunes so the soul could reach exalted heights.
He set his cross on high, to bring the children of Eve
amid the heavenly ones.
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