The Verses of the Cymbals and Doxologies concerning the Raising of the Incense

translated by Anthony Alcock

The Co tic!Arabic text translated belo" "as re ared by Demetri#s$ %isho of &ella"i$ Ansina 'Antinoe( and Ashm#nein) The three foregoing ages are the co*er 'recto and *erso( and age one of the 3+! age book) The third rinting$ from "hich this *ersion has been made$ "as made in 1,,- and #blished by the &etro olitanate of &ella"i) It seems to be an abbre*iated *ersion of m#ch longer texts) The text is resented in t"o col#mns$ Co tic on the left and Arabic on the right) Abo*e the Co tic are hand"ritten Arabic letters so that congregation members not familiar "ith the Co tic scri t can s eak the "ords or at least recogni.e them "hen they are s oken) %elo" the Co tic is an Arabic translation of each indi*id#al Co tic "ord) Italic text in brackets is a translation of Arabic text) Ca itali.ation has been done in accordance "ith the standard r#les of /nglish0 ro er names are ca itali.ed$ b#t rono#ns are not)

A topographical note &ella"i is not attested in ancient texts$ the name maNlau robably meaning 2 lace of lau 'textile(2$ b#t is no" the only one of the three laces that contin#es to exist as a to"n3 Antinoe 'Ar) Ansina($ is the 4reco! Roman city fo#nded by the /m eror 5adrian in hono#r of Antino#s$ "ho dro"ned there$ and kno"n in anti6#ity as Antinoo olis$ b#t is no" not m#ch more than a *illage named in hono#r of 7heikh Ibada$ "ho is tho#ght to ha*e been martyred for his con*ersion from Islam to Christianity3 Ashm#nein$ also no" a *illage$ is the ancient 8hmo#no# 'kno"n in 4reek as 5ermo olis($ the origin of one of the ma9or cosmogonic systems in :haraonic /gy t in*ol*ing eight 'moun( creator gods) A calendrical note Co tic months ';) Till 8o tische 4rammatik )<=() It sho#ld be noted that the forms in the >atin al habet are a roximations and that the Co tic forms belo" are only the 2standard2 7ahidic forms) The dates mark he beginning of each eriod) Thoth :ao e 5athor 8oiahk T?be /mshir :aremhote :armo#te :ashons :a?ne / i &esore 2<)-< 2<)-, 2<)12=)11 2=)12 2+)-1 21)-2 2=)-3 2+)-4 2+)-1 21)-+ 21)-= coout paope xacwr koiaxk twbe Mir paremxotep parmoute paons pawne ephp meswrh

/ agomenal days 'epagomenh( 24)-<

The Verses1 of the Cymbals2 after the Prayer of Thanks in Raising the Evening and Morning ncense! 'On the Adam days:3 Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. It begins with the following verses( Come$ let #s "orshi the 5oly Trinity$ the @ather$ the 7on and the 5oly 7 irit) ;e are Christians$ for he is the tr#e 4od) A#r ho e is in the %lessed &ary) 4od has mercy on #s thro#gh her intercession) There is holiness in this "orld from the rayer of the blessed one$ the Virgin &ary) 'As for the days of Watos: Wednesday, Thursday, riday and Saturday, it begins with the following two verses! ;e "orshi the @ather and the 7on and the 5oly 7 irit$ the 5oly Trinity of the same nat#re) 5ail to the Ch#rch$ the ho#se of the angels) 5ail$ Virgin "ho ga*e birth to o#r 7a*io#r) '"om#leted on the days of Adam and Watos a$$ording to what follows( 'The %irgin( 5ail to yo#$ &ary$ the bea#tif#l do*e$ the one "ho ga*e birth to 4od the >ogos for #s) 5ail to yo#$ &ary$ in holy eace) 5ail to yo#$ &ary$ the &other of the one "ho is holy)

These 2*erses2 can be heard on the internet$ e)g) htt 0BB""")yo#t#be)comB"atchC*D4fAfEVbnFds) The Co tic is 2those of the fo#r2) The Arabic "ord seems to be the l#ral form of the "ord for 26#arter$ fo#rth art2 2 7mall hand!held ones) The Arabic "ord seems to mean rinci ally 2bell2) 3 The terms Adam and %atos ';atos( refer to the days of the Theotokia$ hymns in raise of the &other of 4od) Adam is the first "ord of the &onday Theotokia) The Adam days are 7#nday$ &onday and T#esday) %atos '2b#sh2( is the first "ord of the Th#rsday Theotokia)
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'The angels( 5ail) &ichael$ the great archangel) 5ail$ 4abriel$ the chosen messenger) 5ail$ Chero#bim) 5ail$ 7er ahim) 5ail$ all celestial ranks)

'The a#ostoli$ fathers( 5ail$ my lord a ostolic fathers 5ail$ the disci les of A#r >ord Ees#s Christ 5ail$ the e*angelist 5ail$ the a ostle$ &ark$ the one "ho sees 4od4 'The martyrs( 5ail$ 7te hen$ the first martyr) 5ail$ the archdeacon "ho is blessed) 5ail to yo#$ martyr$ hail to yo#$ the co#rageo#s cham ion 5ail to yo#$ the *ictor$ my lord king 4eorge
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The "ord cewrimos is not attested as s#ch$ b#t the Arabic clearly #nderstands the "ord in the "ay I ha*e translated as a "ord that incor orates the t"o "ords 24od2 and 2see2 'qej and rn)

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7aint &ena$ the ne" martyr of the cross) ;e beg yo#$ 7on of 4od$ to rotect the life of o#r :atriarch Abba G!!! !!!H$ the 5igh :riest) 7trengthen him on his throne) Together "ith his com anions in ser*ice$ o#r holy and 9#st father Abba G!!! !!!H$ the bisho ) 7trengthen him on his throne) Thro#gh the intercessions of the holy &other of 4od &ary$ >ord$ grant #s the forgi*eness of o#r sins that "e may raise yo# and o#r good @ather and the 5oly 7 irit that yo# may come and sa*e #s) 5a*e mercy on #s) 7o that "e may raise '&ut on the feast days of Our 'ady the last fourth is re#la$ed by the following verse( Ees#s Christ$ yesterday and today$ he is fore*er$ in a single s#bstance$ "e "orshi him and gi*e glory to him) The king of eace) bl1 'Arabic( and so on The "atos #o$ologies spoken at the Raising of the Evening ncense

'In the evening( >ord$ make #s "orthy 'In the morning, be gra$ious, 'ord( >et #s raise 'After the glorifi$ation of the angels( 2A#r @ather 'And the 'ord(s )rayer( 5oly is 4od 'The Trisagion() In Ees#s Christ A#r >ord Amen) Allel#ia) GThe Arabic text seems to be a set of instr#ctions$ b#t I do not #nderstand "hat they refer to Anthony AlcockH 5ail to yo#$ "e beg yo# 'Say the #refa$e(

&ay be an abbre*iation of abol

5ail to yo#$ "e beg yo#$ holy one f#ll of glory "ho are a Virgin at all times$ the one "ho ga*e birth to 4od$ the &other of Christ) Arise and let #s ray to yo#r belo*ed son that he may forgi*e o#r sins) 5ail to the one "ho bore for #s the light of the tr#th$ Christ o#r 4od$ 5oly Virgin) %eg the >ord for #s that he may ha*e mercy on o#r so#ls and forgi*e o#r sins) Virgin &ary$ the holy &other of 4od$ the faithf#l cham ion of h#manity) Intercede for #s before Christ$ the one to "hom yo# ga*e birth so that he may grant #s the forgi*eness of o#r sins) 5ail to yo#$ Virgin$ the tr#e I#een of tr#th) 5ail$ the glory of h#manity) Jo# ga*e birth to /mman#el for #s) ;e beg yo#$ remember #s$ o#r faithf#l cham ion$ before A#r >ord Ees#s Christ that he may forgi*e #s o#r sins) '*o+ology of the %irgin( The adornment of &ary in the hea*ens abo*e$ on the right hand side of her belo*ed$ leading "ith him on o#r behalf) As Da*id said in the :salm0 2The I#een is on yo#r right side$ 8ing)2+ 7olomon calls her in the 7ong of 7ongs0 2&y sister and my com anion$ the tr#e city of Eer#salem)2= 5e ga*e a sign abo#t her that there "ere many ele*ated names0 2Come from yo#r garden$ choice of aromas) 5ail to yo#$ Virgin ))) ;e beg yo# ))) '*o+ology of all ,eavenly "reatures( 7e*en archangels stand singing hymns before the :antokrator and "orshi ing the hidden mysteries) &ichael is the first) 4abriel is the second) Ra hael is the third) >ike the Trinity) 7#riel$ 7edakiel$ 7arathiel and Ananiel are the great holy l#minaries$ "ho entreat him on
+ =

:s) 41$, I cannot identify these as 6#otations from the the 7ong of 7olomon$ b#t there are assages in 4 and 1 to "hich they may be all#sions)

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behalf of creation) The Cher#bim and 7era him$ the thrones of the >ord of :o"ers$ the fo#r bodiless creat#res that carry the chariot of 4od) The t"enty!fo#r elders in the Ch#rch of the @irst %orn$ raising him #nceasingly$ calling o#t0 25oly is 4od) Those "ho are sick$ c#re them$ holy strong one) Those "ho ha*e lain do"n$ gi*e them rest$ holy immortal one) %less yo#r inheritance) >et yo#r mercy and eace be a "all for yo#r eo le) @or yo# are holy$ holy$ holy >ord 7abaoth) 5ea*en and earth are f#ll of yo#r glory and hono#r)2 ;hen they say the Allel#ia$ those of hea*en follo" them<0 25oly) Amen) Allel#ia) 4lory belongs to o#r 4od) Intercede for #s,$ angelic armies and celestial ranks that he may forgi*e ))1'*o+ologies of our a#ostoli$ fathers( >ord Ees#s Christ$ he chose his a ostles$ :eter$ Andre"$ Eohn$ Eames$ then :hili $ &atthe"$ %artholeme"$ Thomas$ Eames the son of Al he#s$ 7imon the Cannanite$ Thadde#s and &atthias$ :a#l and &ark and >#ke$ and the rest of the disci le "ho follo"ed o#r 7a*io#r) &atthias "ho re laced E#das and the com letion and the rest "ho follo"ed the >ord) Their *oice came forth # on the face of the "hole earth$ and their *oices reached the ends of the inhabited "orld) /ntreat$11 my lord a ostolic fathers and the =2 disci les12 that he may ))) '*o+ology of Mar-, A#ostle and .vangelist 3/th )ao#e and 3/th )armoute( &ark the A ostle and /*angelist$ the "itness to the trib#lations of the Anly!%egotten13 '7on of( 4od) Jo# came and bro#ght light to #s thro#gh yo#r gos el) Jo# ta#ght #s the @ather$
< , 1-

The Co tic has to be emended0 ouwx nswou) The Co tic is an abbre*iation0 aripr(esbeuein) exrhi ejwn Abbre*iated in the Arabic0 2that he may forgi*e2 and in the Co tic to 2that he )))2 Anly the first letter is "ritten0 t(wbx) >k) 1-0 1ff) 2se*enty2 Co tic) The Ar) reads 2the only 4od2)

11 12 13

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the 7on and the 5oly 7 irit) Jo# bro#ght #s from darkness to the light of tr#th) Jo# fed #s "ith the bread of life "hich came do"n from hea*en) All the eo les of the earth "ere blessed by yo#$ and yo#r "ords reached the ends of the inhabited "orld) 5ail to yo#$ &artyr) 5ail$ /*angelist) 5ail$ A ostle$ &ark$ the one "ho sees 4od) /ntreat$ yo# /*angelist "ho see 4od$ &ark the A ostle$ that he may ))) '*o+ology of Saint 0eorge, s#o-en on 1th ,athor and 23rd )armoute( 7e*en years 7aint 4eorge com leted$ the se*enty la"less kings assing 9#dgement on him e*ery day) They "ere #nable14 to change his reasoning or his # right faith or his great lo*e for Christ the 8ing) 5e "as singing hymns "ith Da*id0 2All the nations ha*e s#rro#nded my$ b#t in the name of Ees#s my 4od$ I took # the str#ggle "ith them)211 Jo#r hono#r is great$ my lord king 4eorge)Christ re9oices "ith yo# in hea*enly Eer#salem) 5ail to$ martyr) 5ail$ noble cham ion) 5ail$ *ictor$ my lord king 4eorge) I entreat$ *ictorio#s martyr$ my lord king 4eorge$ that he ))) '*o+ology of Saint Mena the admirable, to be said on 34th ,athor and 34th )aoune( If a man has the benefit of the "hole "ord and loses his so#l$ "hat is this *ain life C1+ 7aint &ena heard the *oice of 4od) 5e left the "hole "orld behind him and its transient glory) 5e ga*e his so#l o*er to death and his body to the fire) 5e recei*ed many #nishments for the son of the >i*ing 4od) 5e became "orthy of high hono#rs$ the chosen one "ho died for the tr#th) 5e cane like a beacon ill#minating the earth) Therefore A#r 7a*io#r took him #o to his kingdom and ga*e him good things "hich no eye had seen) Jo#r hono#r is great$ Abba &ena1=$ Christ re9oicing "ith yo# in hea*enly Eer#salem)
14

11 1+ 1=

The Co tic is 8pouvwnx$ and to g#ide the reader Demetri#s has #t the Arabic letters abo*e the Co tic letter ) 2be able2 :s) 11<$1&t) 1+$2+ etc) The 4k "ord for 2saint2 recedes 2Abba2)

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5ail to yo#$ martyr$ the bra*e cham ion) 5ail$ *ictorio#s 7aint$ Abba &ena) /ntreat$ *ictorio#s martyr and saint$ Abba &ena$ that he may ))) '*o+ology of Saint &istauros the new martyr35 To be said on 3rd 6oiah-! Jo# ha*e confessed the good confession before the king of /gy t and his soldiers and 9#dges) Jo# "ere nailed to a cross like Christ abo*e the tall camel$ 7aint %ista#ros) That "hich yo# asked for from &ary the Virgin$ she did it for yo# in her re*ered memory) Jo# bore the cro"n of martyrdom) Jo# "ere extolled "ith the martyrs in the land of the li*ing) Jo# came in the ele*enth ho#r 1,and recei*ed the "age of the f#ll day$ 7aint %ista#ros$ the martyr of 4od) Jo#r hono#r is great$ ne" martyr$ %ista#ros$ the >ord re9oicing "ith in hea*enly Eer#salem) 5ail to yo#$ martyr) 5ail$ noble cham ion 5ail *ictor$ the ne" martyr %ista#ros) /ntreat$ ne" martyr %ista#ros$ that the may ))) '*o+ology of the $urrent )atriar$h( Jo# ha*e recei*ed the grace of &oses$ the riesthood of &elchisedek) Jo# ha*e recei*ed the hono#r of o#r father &ark$ the one "ho e*angeli.ed #s) Christ raised his right hand # on yo#r head) 5e confirmed yo# in the faith in the keys of the kingdom of hea*en that yo# might be a g#ide o*er the Ch#rch$ that yo# might look after yo#r eo le in #rity and tr#th) As :a#l the a ostle said0 >ike &elchisedek$ this is the "ay of Christ)27o "e extol yo# and the hymnodist Da*id$ for yo# are the eternal riest$ like &elchisedek)
1<

1,

2-

@rom /bshadat$ a *illage near &ella"i) &artyred in 1112 AD) 5is body "as laced in the Ch#rch of 7t &ary in 5aret K#"eila$ a small Co tic 6#arter of the essentially Islamic art of Cairo) In 1,<= art of his body "as taken to the ch#rch in the *illage of his birth) 5e "as sentenced to death by the &amel#k /mir beca#se he had been trying to con*ert &#slims to Christianity The n#mber is "ritten #sing letters of the al habet$ %elo" is the n#mber "ritten in f#ll as a "ord) 5eb) =011!2<

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/ntreat$ lord father :atriatch$ o#t holy father Abba GLLH that he may ))) '*o+ology of the *io$esan &isho# ( ;ith o#r holy and 9#st father$ the Christ!lo*ing %isho of the to"n GLLH ) /ntreat the >ord for #s$ o#r goly 9#st father Abba GLLH$ the bisho $ that he may forgi*e #s o#r sins)

'The "on$lusion of the *o+ologies 7 or Our 'ady the %irgin Mary(

%e like one looking do"n on #s in the high laces in "hich yo# are)21 A#r >ady$ &istress of #s all$ &other of 4od$ e*er a Virgin) %eg the one yo# ga*e birth to$ o#r good 7a*io#r$ that he may take a"ay these trib#lations from #s and establish eace for #s) 5ail to yo#$ Virgin$ the tr#e I#een) 5ail$ glory of mankind) Jo# ga*e birth to /mman#el) ;e beg yo#$ remember #s$ faithf#l cham ion$ before A#r >ord Ees#s Christ$ that he may ))) 'Also for Our 'ady the %irgin to be said in the ,ymn of )raise at Midnight( Jo#r greatness$ &ary the Immac#late Virgin$ "ho are like the tall date alm abo#t "hich 7olomon sang) Jo# are the s ring of the "ater of life "hich flo"s from the >ebanon$22 from "hich the grace of the godhead flo"s to #s) Jo# ga*e birth to /mman#el for #s$ Virginal ;omb) 5e has made #s heirs in the kingdom of hea*en)
Demetri#s has tho#ghtf#lly broken # the relati*e constr#ction et - are- yh for ease of reading and #nderstanding) /cho of 7ong of 7ongs 4011

21

22

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According to the romise o#r @ather23 the :atriarch made$ he "ho is 8ing Da*id$ and f#lfilled it for #s) 5ail to yo#$ Virgin )));e beg yo# )))

'Also for Our 'ady the %irgin to be said at the 8aising of the Morning In$ense( Jo#r blessedness$ &ary the "ise and chaste$ the second c# ola$ the s irit#al treas#re)24 The #re t#rtledo*e$ "ho "as called on o#r earth and bro#ght forth for #s a s irit#al fr#it$ the s irirt of the :araclete$ "hich came # on yo#r son on the "aters of the Eordan$ like Loah)21 @or that do*e has bro#ght good ne"s to #s$ the eace of 4od "hich ha ened to mankind) Jo#$ o#r ho e$ the s irit#al t#rtledo*e$ yo# bro#ght mercy to #s$ yo# bore it in yo#r belly$ that is Ees#s$ the one born of the @ather) 5e "as born to #s thro#gh yo# and set mankind free) @or this$ let #s say it first "ith o#r heart3 then "ith o#r tong#e$ crying o#t saying0 A#r >ord Ees#s Christ$ make for yo#rself from #s a tem le of yo#r 5oly 7 irit$ they gi*ing a doxology to yo#) 5ail to yo#$ Virgin ))) ;e beg )))

23 24 21

Co tic has to emended to nje I cannot find these as e ithets of the %V&) 4en) <0<ff)

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