Just Father (ܐܰܒܳܐ ܕܩܘܽܫܬܳܐ) – by Jacob of Serugh (ca. A.D. 451 – 521) (an excerpt)

Syriac Melody: ܒܳܥܘܽܬܳܐ ܕܡܳܪܝ ܝܰܥܩܘܽܒ
Just Father, behold Your Son, a sacrifice [sc. the Eucharist] [that is] pleasing to You. Receive this [sacrifice], [him] who died for me, that I might be pardoned by it.

ܐܰܒܳܐ ܕܩܘܽܫܬܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܒܪܳܟ ܕܶܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܡܪܰܥܶܐ ܠܳܟ . ܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܕܰܚܠܳܦܰܝ ܡܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܬܚܰܣܶܐ ܒܶܗ.

Behold the offering! Receive [it] from my hands, be pleased with me, and do not remember the sins I have committed before Your Majesty.

ܗܳܐ ܩܘܽܪܒܳܢܳܐ ܣܰܒ ܡܶܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝ ܘܶܐܬܪܰܥܳܐ ܠܺܝ . ܘܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܕܟܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܚ̈ܛܳܗܶܐ ܕܣܶܥܪܶܬ ܩܕܳܡ ܪܰܒܘܽܬܳܟ .

Behold His blood shed on Golgotha for my salvation, and it is praying for my sake! Accept my offering for its sake.

ܗܳܐ ܕܡܶܗ ܐܰܫܺܝܕ ܥܰܠ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܝ . ܘܒܳܥܶܐ ܚܠܳܦܰܝ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܩܘܽܪܒܳܢܝ ܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܶܗ .

How numerous are my sins! How great is Your love! If you weighed Your compassion, it would outweigh the mountains which are carrying You!

ܟܡܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܬܳܩܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ . ܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܢܳܬܰܥ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܛܘܽܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܬܩܺܝܠܺܝܢ ܠܳܟ .

Consider my sins, and consider the oblation [offered] on their account: the oblation and sacrifice [sc. of Your Son] are exceedingly greater than [my] faults.

ܚܘܽܪ ܒܰܚ̈ܛܳܗܶܐ ܘܚܘܽܪ ܒܰܥܠܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܚܠܳܦܰܝܗܘܽܢ . ܕܣܰܓܺܝ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܥܠܳܬܳܐ ܘܕܶܒܚܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܳܬܳܐ .

Since I have sinned, Your loved One [sc. Jesus Christ] bore the nails and spear [on the cross], and His sufferings are enough to appease You.

ܡܶܛܽܠ ܕܰܚܛܺܝܬ ܨ̈ܶܨܶܐ ܘܪܘܽܡܚܳܐ ܣܒܰܠ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܳܟ . ܘܣܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܚܰܫ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܢܪܰܥܘܽܢܳܟ ܘܰܒܗܘܽܢ ܐܺܚܶܐ .

Glory [be] to the Father who sent His Son for our sake, and adoration [is due] to the Son who freed all by His crucifixion.

ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܳܐ ܕܠܰܒܪܶܗ ܫܰܕܰܪ ܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܰܢ . ܘܣܶܓܕܬܳܐ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܽܬܶܗ ܚܰܪܰܪ ܟܽܘܠܳܐ .

Thanksgiving [be] to the Spirit through whom the mystery of our Savior is accomplished. Blessed is the One who gave us life. Glory be to Him!

ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܪܘܽܚܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܶܫܬܰܡܠܺܝ ܪܳܐܙ ܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܰܢ . ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܒܚܘܽܒܶܗ ܐܰܚܺܝ ܠܟܽܠܰܢ ܠܶܗ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ .

Enjoy this hymn sung in Syriac.

A Communion Hymn Sung in Syriac Churches (St. Jacob’s Tune)

Andreas Pavias Icon of the Crucifixion, the second half of the 15th-century egg tempera and gold on wood overall: 83.5 × 59 cm (32 7/8 × 23 1/4 in.) National Gallery, Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens (see the following blog: blog.historians.org)
The One on whose account the fiery beings [sc. the Seraphim] tremble and whom they fear to behold [see Is 6:2]: you gaze at Him [as] Bread and Wine on the [altar] table. ܗܰܘ ܕܢܘܽܪ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܙܳܝܥܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܕܰܢܚܘܽܪܘܽܢ ܒܶܗ ܃ ܠܰܚܡܳܐ ܘܚܰܡܪܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܗܘܽ ܚܳܙܶܝܬ ܥܰܠ ܦܳܬܘܽܪܳܐ ܀
If those arrayed in lightning would see Him, they would be consumed by Him; [yet] worthless dust [see Gn 2:7] eat Him unashamedly. ܥܛܺܝ̈ܦܰܝ ܒܰܪ̈ܩܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܚܳܙܶܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܝܳܩܕܺܝܢ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܃ ܥܰܦܪܳܐ ܫܺܝܛܳܐ ܓܰܠܝ̈ܳܢ ܐܰܦܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܟܰܕ ܐܳܟܶܠ ܠܶܗ ܀
The mysteries of the Son are fire among the heavenly beings. Isaiah who saw them [see Is 6:6-7] also testifies with us. ܪ̈ܳܙܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܢܘܽܪܳܐ ܐܶܢܘܽܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܶܠܳܝ̈ܶܐ ܃ ܣܳܗܶܕ ܥܰܡܰܢ ܐܳܦ ܐܶܫܰܥܝܳܐ ܕܰܚܙܳܐ ܐܶܢܘܽܢ ܀
These mysteries in the bosom of the Godhead are distributed on the [altar] table to the children of Adam. ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܪ̈ܳܐܙܶܐ ܕܺܐܝܬ ܗܘܰܘ ܒܥܘܽܒܳܗ݀ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܘܽܬܳܐ ܃ ܥܰܠ ܦܳܬܽܘܪܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܡܶܬܦܰܠܓܺܝܢ ܠܝܰܠܕܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ ܀
The altar is established like the chariot of the cherubim [see Ez 1] and the heavenly hosts surround it. ܡܰܬܩܰܢ ܡܰܕܒܚܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܡܰܪܟܰܒܬܳܐ ܗܳܝ ܕܰܟܪ̈ܘܽܒܶܐ ܃ ܘܰܟܪܺܝܟܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܚܰܝ̈ܠܰܘܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܫ̈ܡܰܝܳܢܶܐ ܀
Behold the body of the Son of God is placed on the altar and the children of Adam carry Him with their hands. ܥܰܠ ܦܳܬܘܽܪܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܣܺܝܡ ܦܰܓܪܶܗ ܕܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܃ ܘܰܡܙܰܝܚܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܝܰܠܕܰܘ̈ܗ̱ܝ ܕܳܐܕܳܡ ܥܰܠ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܗܘܽܢ ܀
Instead of the man wearing linen [see Ez 10:2], the priest stands and he (sc. priest) goes out [of the sanctuary] to scatter pearls (sc. the Eucharistic Species) on the destitute. ܘܰܚܠܳܦ ܓܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܰܠܒܺܝܫ ܒܘܽܨܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܩܳܐܶܡ ܃ ܘܢܰܦܶܩ ܘܢܶܕܪܶܐ ܡܰܪ̈ܓܳܢܝܳܬܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܚܰܣܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܀
Were there jealousy among heavenly beings, the cherubim would be at the point of envying human beings. ܐܶܠܘܽ ܐܺܝܬ ܗܘܳܐ ܚܣܳܡܳܐ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܥܶܠܳܝ̈ܶܐ ܃ ܟܪ̈ܽܘܒܶܐ ܠܡܶܚܣܰܡ ܒܰܒ̈ܢܰܝܢܳܫܳܐ ܩܰܪܺܝܒܺܝܢ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܀
Where Zion set up the wood (sc. cross) to crucify the Son of God sprung that tree which brought forth the lamb [see Gn 22:13]. ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܨܶܗܝܘܽܢ ܩܶܒܥܰܬ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܕܬܶܨܠܘܽܒ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܃ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܝܺܥܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܐܺܝܳܠܢܳܐ ܕܰܐܘܠܶܕ ܐܶܡܪܳܐ ܀
Where the nails were hammered into the hands of the Son were the bonds of Isaac cut loose [see Gn 22:12-13]. ܐܰܝܟܳܐ ܕܨܶܨ̈ܶܐ ܒܺܐܝ̈ܕܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܒܪܳܐ ܐܶܬܩܰܒܰܥܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܃ ܐܳܦ ܬܰܡܳܢ ܬܘܽܒ ܦܟܳܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܺܐܝܣܚܳܩ ܐܶܬܦܰܣܰܩ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܀
Come in peace, priest, who carries the mysteries of the Son and distributes life with his right hand to human beings. ܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܕܰܛܥܺܝܢ ܪ̈ܳܐܙܰܝ ܡܳܪܶܗ ܃ ܘܰܒܝܰܡܺܝܢܶܗ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܡܦܰܠܶܓ ܠܰܒ̈ܢܰܝܢܳܫܳܐ ܀
Come in peace, priest, who carries a pure censer; its fragrance burns and the whole world delights in it. ܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܕܰܛܥܺܝܢ ܦܺܝܪܡܳܐ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܃ ܘܡܰܥܛܰܪ ܪܺܝܚܶܗ ܘܰܡܒܰܣܶܡ ܠܶܗ ܠܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܀
Come in peace, priest, whom the Holy Spirit brought up and who carries on his tongue the keys [see Is 22:22; Mt 16:19] to the house of God. ܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܕܪܰܒܝܰܬ ܪܘܽܚܳܐ ܕܩܘܽܕܫܳܐ ܃ ܘܰܒܠܶܫܳܢܶܗ ܛܥܺܝܢ ܠܰܩ̈ܠܺܝܕܶܐ ܕܒܶܝܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܀
Come in peace, priest, who binds a human being on earth, and the Lord binds him in the height (sc. heaven) [see Is 22:22; Mt 16:19]. Alleluia (sc. God be praised)! ܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܕܳܐܣܰܪ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܃ ܘܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܒܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܗܘܽ ܐܳܣܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܗܰܠܶܠܘܽܝܰܗ ܀
Come in peace, priest, who looses a human being in the depth [sc. on earth], and the Lord looses him in the height [sc. heaven; see Is 22:22; Mt 16:19]. Kyrie Eleison [sc. Lord, have mercy]. ܬܳܐ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܟܳܗܢܳܐ ܕܫܳܪܶܐ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ ܒܥܘܽܡܩܳܐ ܃ ܘܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܒܪܘܰܡܳܐ ܗܘܽ ܫܳܪܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܩܘܽܪܝܶܐܠܰܝܣܳܘܢ ܀
Glory be to the Lord; may [His] mercy be upon you; may forgiveness of sins be [granted] to me, and may Mar Jacob, the doctor, be commemorated. ܠܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܥܠܰܝܟܘܽܢ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܘܠܺܝ ܚܘܽܣܳܝܳܐ ܃ ܘܰܠܡܳܪܝ ܝܰܥܩܘܽܒ ܗܰܘ ܡܰܠܦܳܢܳܐ ܢܗܶܐ ܕܘܽܟܪܳܢܳܐ ܀
Son of God, You redeemed debtors by your sacrificial offering; by Your life-giving sacrifice put an end to my sufferings and cure my sicknesses. ܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ ܕܒܰܕܒܺܝܚܘܽܬܶܗ ܦܪܰܩ ܚܰܝ̈ܳܒܶܐ ܃ ܒܕܶܒܚܳܟ ܚܰܝܳܐ ܛܰܠܶܩ ܚܰܫ̈ܰܝ ܘܰܐܚܠܶܡ ܟܺܐܒ̈ܰܝ ܀
Good One, who came and whose side was opened on Golgotha [see Jn 19:34], quench my thirst with the blood and water that flowed from You [see Jn 19:34]. ܛܳܒܳܐ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܘܰܬܪܰܥ ܣܶܛܪܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܃ ܒܰܕܡܳܐ ܘܡܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܕܰܪܕܰܘ ܡܶܢܳܟ ܦܰܝܶܓ ܨܰܗܝܘܽܬܝ ܀

For a Dutch translation, you may go to kole suryoye (ܩ̈ܳܠܶܐ ܣܘܽܪ̈ܝܳܝܶܐ)

Hear this hymn sung according to the tradition of the Syriac Orthodox Church:

Hear it sung according to the tradition of the Maronite Church:

Hear it sung according to the tradition of Malankara Church:

Jesus Christ, the Eye of Prophecy

Jesus reading Isaiah (Lk 4:16-30) - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ..."

This talk was given at the 13th Colloquium of Syriac Patrimony under the title The Syriac Exegetes at the Maronite Patriarchal Seminary, Ghazir, Lebanon, in February 2015. It was published in English and Arabic by Centre d’Études et de Recherches Orientales (CERO) in its Patrimoine Syriaque: Les Exégètes Syriaques – Actes du Colloque XIII (2015)We thank CERO for granting us permission to republish the English version on the hiddenpearl.org. This links displays/downloads an Arabic Translation of this article in pdf.


Abstract

The Treasury of Prophecy, i.e., the Old Testament, reveals the Son of God according to Jacob of Sarug. God the Father chose prophets to reveal this truth. Their prophecies disclose the only-begotten Son, his coming, crucifixion, and resurrection in numerous types and symbols. These prophets gaze upon the Son through the exalted or luminous Eye of Prophecy (ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܒܺܝܘܽܬܳܐ). For example, with the luminous Eye of Prophecy, David saw the Son, who heals the earth by his blood. Moses perceived with the exalted Eye of Prophecy the creation of the world ex nihilo. With the same Eye, he saw the Son of God united to his Church in the waters of the Jordan. The objective of this presentation is to elucidate Jacob’s understanding of the Eye of Prophecy and its relationship to Jesus Christ.