Malkǝʾ-hymn of the Covenant of Mercy

Lord and Giver of Light, who is incarnate in his body, while being united, he strengthens in his divinity and his power. May he illuminate the eye of my mind with the depth of wisdom and the beauty of purity, so that I may see the face of the matter that is fitting for your Covenant, Mary, Lady of all that is beneath and above. Salutation to the remembrance of your name, which they wove with a star. When its light was covered, the darkness of the vision of the people. Covenant of God, Mary, and hope of salvation of the West. He confessed in you, was it not the mind of the first Father, when he was expelled from his garden in wondrous sorrow? Salutation to the hair of your head, which is braided with beauty and fullness, and it is full of good dew without negligence. For you who have covered yourself, Mary, before the assembly and the church, ask for the life of the soul; may he grant me by grace. Like Elijah, he will not make me live in the flesh. Salutation to your head, which is and will be above all natures. Cover me, Mary, Covenant of Mercy, which is fitting. As for death, they say, "We have covered ourselves and we have been pardoned." They spoke falsely, and their souls are lost.

Salutation to your face, the face of holiness, glorious, whose beauty shines brighter than the pure sun and moon, the sign of the Covenant, Mary, and the bright rainbow of the cloud. From the merciful God, from the time he took you, Noah, the consolation of the earth, the rainbow of the eye. Salutation to your eyebrows, the whiteness of the eyes for the sockets, which are set apart from those of the place of the wall and the vault. Mary, the food for him whom you bore in the manger. Where is your word, O Lord, from the heat for you, which says, "Call the name of your mother, the sinner, the speaker"? Salutation to your eyes, like two lamps, which hung the high one in the flesh of the body. Mary, you are the fountain of mercy and compassion. Save me by your Covenant and lead me away from error, for without you there is no one who can save. Salutation to your ears, which were announced the Covenant from the mouth of the Creator, your Son, who was hidden in your nature. I beseech you, Mary, that you show me the judgment, without deed only, if I am not justified. Is it not for nothing that your Covenant has become?

Salutation to your cheeks, roses of pomegranate, which resemble them. Only their bloom is in the fire of the coals, in their flames. By your Covenant, Mary, raise me up to the garden of delight. Woe to us, alas to us, when in the judgment it says, "Two souls, sister of Haliba and Hala." Salutation to your nose, the key of life, of what sort? Which the Lord fashioned with the fingers of wisdom and heart. Mary, protect me by the power of your Covenant from the serpent, and strike its head with the rod of pain and disease. If it opens its mouth to swallow me, the beast. Salutation to your lips, because of the sinners who asked from the merciful God the Covenant of Mercy and the oath. In Golgotha, Mary, when you departed from Galilee, for the righteousness of this your Covenant, at every time it becomes a feast, upon the head of the sinner, your servant, place a crown. Salutation to your mouth, a mouth of abundant blessing, the key of the holy scripture. Imprint me, Mary, in your Covenant firmly. I will not be ashamed before your Son and his thousands of angels when the root of the tongue is cut and the mouth is sealed.

Salutation to your teeth, like combs which are carved, which come forth from the wood while being polished. Mary, raise me up by your Covenant to the garden of delight. And for my enemies, the Egyptian, whose heart's desire is oppression, the seed of your prayer, Moses, will cover him with dust. Salutation to your tongue, which has multiplied sanctification more than the priests of heaven, the Seraphim, who stand before the Trinity. Remind me, Mary, of the remembrance of your Covenant at the time of my dissolution. As for the sake of Israel in the wilderness, as Awsē remembered, the Covenant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the righteousness of Moses. Salutation to your voice, which received the Word for His Word, for the angel of the annunciation, Gabriel, whose veil of light was purified. Mary, holy one, dwelling place of the power of God. Indeed, the Covenant of his mercy and compassion was given to you, by which the righteous and the sinners are sustained. Salutation to your breath, a healing wind of fragrance, for the souls of many people who are wounded by the arrow of deceit. By your Covenant, Mary, erase my sins. For without your Covenant and the Cross of Christ, there is no one who can be saved from Sheol.

Salutation to your neck, which is goodly and of Adam, wherein are divided the bitter and the sweet. What shall I do, Mary, for my strength is broken? Spare me from every deed and protect me from the world; only by your Covenant, refresh me. Salutation to your throat, which David’s vision hid, upon the wise philosophers who established the foundation. Mary, pour into the ear of my soul for refreshment. Why do you weary my soul so much, Martha? For a little suffices from much petition. Salutation to your shoulders, the storehouses of blessing, which are filled instead of curse and reproach. Mary, show me the righteousness of your Covenant upon the shoulder, and lift me up, the tithe of the hand, from the earth of your Son, Alpha. For my faith is you, and my hope is in you. Salutation to your back, in the month of departure, first; the portion of God which became on the path of the cross at the time of his weakness. Mary, your name for him who is above his name. On the day of judgment, if his blood is shed, on the day of judgment, if his blood is shed, the tithe of your Covenant, we shall take it, merciful mother.

Salutation to your neck and to your bosom, the second; and to your hands, the half. I implore you, Mary, by the fluttering of the blood of Golgotha, that you may unite my soul with your soul in a covenant of partnership, when my earthly body is buried in the earth. Salutation to your shoulders and to your collarbone, the stronghold, which concealed the hidden sea of divinity of Christ by nature. Mary, chosen one, mother of angels and of men; your commemoration, if a person performs it with firm faith, that sinner will reign with you in the kingdom of heaven. Salutation to your breasts, the dwellers of the house of the sanctuary, which adorned the gold of the thread of the work of the weaver of fine linen. Mary, complete over me the covenant of your mercy, and slay the enemy of my soul, for he is a slanderer, as Solomon in his wisdom killed the poisoner. Salutation to your lungs, the distributors of bread and water, when the angels of heaven brought them to you, while you were, Mary, in the great sanctuary of the Law. May your covenant be accepted for me like the chosen evening sacrifice, if I have given a handful of water to drink to a thirsty needy one.

Salutation to your fingers and to your nails, the six; and to your thumbs, the two; the nipples of your breasts, the four. Mary, the flower of your time, the harvest. I have implored you by your thumbs and by your teeth, the sharp. By the power of your prayer, save me from the strong fire. Salutation to your belly, the spirit of the lip, and the lip. Those which were planted, the row of the golden vine, the vine-branch. Mary, make me enter by the belly of your covenant with my nature. When sinners descend to the land of darkness, the thicket, those who in their lives hated the communion of the righteous. Salutation to your womb, the womb of angels, which is great. The bread of heaven, which is always prepared, the measure of its portion. Mary, in Zion, the ark of the law of God. Cleanse me from the love of wine, for the water of your covenant, the cup. For the love of wine is called the vine of Satan. Salutation to your heart, the sweetness of the kidneys and the mind. And to your entrails, salutation with the treasure within you, the inner part. In the land of inheritance, bring me in, Mary, the pillar of cloud. By the light of the fire of your covenant, while you show me the way. And you feed me from your love, the manna.

Salutation to your navel, a likeness of a hot spring in the midst; and to your womb, pure, together with your waist, blessed. Mary, holy, mother of the holy God. Have mercy on me, the circuit of my soul, until the third heaven, when the jealous angel contended in the air. Salutation to your virginity, a treasury of the five senses; and to your two sides, pillars of the speaking sanctuary. Mary, ark and tablet of the new covenant. Anoint me with the oil of fasting until the sole of the foot and the head, for fasting heals the pain of the soul. Salutation to your knees at the time of revelation and prostration, together with your feet, rank upon rank, which bow in worship. Mary, by your word, for you partook of the Word. Entreat your son to grant me his mercy, when the sinner of the whole earth descends into the fire. Salutation to your soles and to your ankles, which went into the mountain of Qʷesqʷam for the children when the free men killed them. To the God of heaven, O Mary, daughter of Ezra, I believe you will judge concerning the thirty matters, for the soul that loves you in all its deeds.

Salutation to your fingers, the keys of the two doors; and to their nails, each one. By your covenant, Mary, my sins are heavy. The first person of me, while like a mortal, the tongue of blood, having consecrated my blood, drinks. Salutation to your stature, a cloud of grace that has sheltered, and a circuit of sin that has been made distant. By the wing of your covenant, cover me, Mary, from being established. When your covenant is the cause of salvation, it is a sign. The soul of the devourer of man, who is able to save it? Salutation to the form of Hannah and Elizabeth, whose beauty is distant and whose splendor is manifest. Mary, virgin of virgins, mouth and interior. Let your covenant be a ransom for me before the triune Creator. When the month of the journey passes and is cut off by a rod. Salutation to the going out of your soul in the pure light that is hidden. The angel of fear, dark, without causing you to tremble in its shadow. I entreat you, Mary, for God in his divinity, that he may save me by your covenant from the three tremblings. When death separates me from this body of mine.

Salutation to the burial of your flesh, which was hidden in the tomb; for it quickly raised the spirit of the life of the Father. It is not hidden from you, Mary, the salvation of the righteous people; for you saved the sinners by your covenant of wisdom. This is a marvel, and this is a wonder. Salutation to the embalming of your flesh with ointment of myrrh and balsam, upon the hand of Peter, a man of desire. Have mercy on me, Mary, and do not tell me of my punishment. Why do you despise my covenant and my help, the guardian? The oil of sinners, is it not? It shall not be received, I say. Salutation to your tomb, wherein are buried all the nations, for you are their counsel. Mary, hasten to the hour of my death, to the dying. Is it not from the soul of a Christian when one dies? You quickly come to its consolation. Salutation to your resurrection, the likeness of the resurrection of Christ. The bolt of the tomb is sealed while it is not opened. Mary, you are for Adam the beginning of his hope. When was your prayer and your covenant not with him? In the depth of the abyss, he was by his soul and his flesh.

Salutation to the translation of your flesh to the place of life, which was renewed. Before this, the flesh of your Son had departed to him. You are the savior of the world, Mary; I have been confounded. You will save my soul by your covenant, for by your healing of my wound you have given me a cure. I praise the Lord, who has summoned me to his feast. Let us make a memorial of your covenant in the midst of the assembly of the chosen. Only be intercessor, Mary, at the resurrection, and place upon the head of his soul the crowns of the kingdom as a reward for the speaker of this composition, forty-two. Praise to you, Mary, by the number of mountains and hills. Praise to you, Mary, by the number of trees and grasses. Praise to you, Mary, by the number of lakes and seas. Praise to you, Mary, by the number of every creature. Your praise is full in heaven and earth. Salutation to you, Covenant of Mercy, who increases and justifies the sinner, and who makes one to hasten from the ninety-nine who were abandoned.

Salutation to you, Covenant of Mercy, a monument that the Lord placed in you. A sign of salvation you become for every sinner. Your love that endures. Salutation to you, Covenant of Mercy, by water that you quench my thirst. My faith in you, accept for me. Your deed and inheritance. Salutation to the Covenant of Mercy, gold and treasure of all wealth. You are the refuge of the poor and the master in heaven. Salutation to you, when I sought righteousness in good works and deed, I took refuge in you, Covenant, Virgin. Salvation of my soul from sorrow. Salutation to you, Covenant of Mercy, you are the pledge of the Spirit of the humble. He who loves you abides in hope until the resurrection of all. Salutation to you, in the name of your covenant, a house for him who built your servant. And if we pray in your name, Mary, release from your blessing. Intercede with your good Son.