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Ramez Mikhail

posted on Sep 02, 2010 - 05:32 AM

Hello everyone,

This coming Sunday is the commemoration of Malachi the prophet. In preparing to learn the hymn Adam Abel, I am not quite sure I understand the Coptic very well. Can someone please post a translation of the hymn?

Thank you, and have a great end of the Coptic Year.

_________________
Ramez

St. Cyril of Alexandria COC

Joined: Sep 15, 2002 | Posts: 1837

Remnkemi

posted on Sep 02, 2010 - 07:42 AM

Here is the English translation taken from the Arabic translation
1. Adam, Abel and Methusalah and Moses and Aaron and the other prophets, come all of you to me today. Judge me with these people.
2. A barren (lady) of the women and a leper committed (missing) instead of these good things, they committed these evil lies.
3. Adam, the first creation from the hands of the true God - He is the first who testified that Christ came down to Hades.
4. Righteous Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph the Judge of Egypt, they testified about His coming.
5. Moses the great prophet, David the King of Israel, Solomon of Wisdom testified about His coming.
6. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel testified about our Savior that He fled today from judgement.
7. Their holy prophecies were fulfilled about Christ the King of Glory that He fled today from judgement.
8. Christ the King of Glory spoke with our father Adam saying, "Not on your behalf is this place that I may save you and all your sons.
9. Go to Paradise, you and all the saints. The place which you were cast out from. Return today once again.
10. Intercede on our behlaf, O Queen of us all, the Lady Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus Christ that He may forgive us our sins.
11. Pray to the Lord on our behalf, O choir of the prophets, the righteous and the just, that He may forgive us our sins.

Taken from the Coptic I would suggest the following translation
1. Adam, Abel, Methusalah, Moses and Aaron and the other prophets - Come to me, today, all of you. Judge (between) me and these people.
2. A barren woman did (missing), a leper in them. Instead of these good things, they did these evil lies to me.
3. Same as above.
4. Same as above.
5. Same as above.
6. Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel testified about our Savior. He hastened to them (with) the punishment.
7. Their holy prophecies were completed through Him. Christ the King of Glory hastened to them (with) the punishment.
8. Christ the King of Glory, spoke with our father Adam saying, "This place is not for you (that) I will save you and all your children"
9. Same as above.
10. Same as above.
11. Same as above.

I believe verse 2 can be loosely translated as "A barren woman and a leper did evil and spoke lies against me replacing these good things." I think the barren woman is a reference to Michal, King David's wife and King Saul's daughter who was condemned for accusing David of dancing naked in front of the Arc of the Covenant. It can also be a reference to Miriam, Aaron's sister, who was barren and had leprosy for speaking against God in Numbers 12. I think the most likely reference is 2 Kings 5, where Naaman was healed of leporsy from Elisha and Elisha's servant Gehazi took the reward from Namaan when Elisha refused it. When the prophet Elisha judged his actions, Naaman's leprosy came on Gehazi. It follows the context in verse 1.

Verse 6 and 7 end with afhwl sarwou `epikolacic. hwl has 4 definitions. These are (1) to fly, (2) to flee, (3) to hasten or speed up, and (4) to go or travel. The Arabic translation chose definition #2 but I don't know what they mean by "He fled today from judgment". I don't think Christ ever fled from judgment. I think definition #3 makes the most sense. pikolacic comes from the Greek loan word kolacic (feminine singular nominative case) meaning chastisement or punishment, not judgement.

In verse 8, "this place is not for you" is a reference to Hades. I think it comes from a Apocryphal, Gnostic tradition of Christ's discussion with Adam in Hades (I believe the Testament of Adam). Regardless of where it comes from and whether it's true or not, it's a nice story.

I hoped this helped. Let me know if you need anything else.
George

Joined: Apr 07, 2003 | Posts: 792
Location: Boston, MA USA

Ramez Mikhail

posted on Sep 02, 2010 - 08:05 AM

Thanks Remenkimi!

I am surprised to see a hymn in our church that is so cryptic, or ambiguous. Not to mention referencing some of the lesser known stories of the Old Testament.

Joined: Sep 15, 2002 | Posts: 1837

Remnkemi

posted on Sep 02, 2010 - 09:14 PM

Ramez,

While Coptic liturgical studies is still in its infancy, recent research is finding many similar hymns with strange words and context. You only need to look at the Deacon service book, the Antiphonary, the Glorification books to see this over and over again. I think older ambiguous hymn texts that have been reintroduced into the their respective rites will contain many of these sayings.

George

Joined: Apr 07, 2003 | Posts: 792
Location: Boston, MA USA

ophadeece

posted on Sep 07, 2010 - 11:18 AM

Dear George,
Your posts are always informative and therefore I'd like to ask you if you may shed some light on there ambiguous texts and how they found access to insertion between Coptic hymns giving me examples. Now I know that research as you rightly pointed out is in its infancy so please explain to me how such hymns were 'definitely' if at all deemed ambiguous. Thanks a lot in advance
Oujai qen P[C

Joined: Oct 01, 2007 | Posts: 288
Location: Newcastle, UK