in a grave they laid thee,
o my life and my Christ:
and the armies of the angels were
amazed,
as they sang the praise of thy submissive love.
who will give me water
for the tears i must weep?
so the maiden wed to God crieth with
loud lament,
that for my sweet Jesus i may rightly mourn.
i am rent with grief,
and my hearrt with woe is crushed and broken,
as i see them slay thee with doom unjust;
so bewailing Him His grieving Mother cried.
dirges at the tomb
goodly joesph sings with nicodemus,
bringing praise to Christ who by men
was slain,
and in song with them are joined the
seraphim.
ev’ry generation
to thy grave comes bringing
Dear Christ, its dirge of praises.
death Himself by thy Death
o my God, hast thou slain
by power of thy Godhead
grant thy Church peace,
and thy flock Salvation,
by thy resurrection.
-st ephraim the syrian
