A Discourse

By Mar Jacob the Teacher:

On the Triumph of Saint Jacob, the Illustrious and Chaste.

My Lord, who sketched the images of the word of beauty: to Simon the chosen, of the shufre (1) his beauties from above. You speak concerning his triumph while I am amazed: that from where are these beauties that are made, not to be spoken. He empowered me, speak in me my Lord, mightily: to speak that which was revealed, the word of triumph. Like you, I, your spirit is open in me (while God) (2) mightily: that I may cry out a voice full of wonder concerning the triumphant one. Your glory descended like the likeness to the blowing spirit: and it speaks (3) it, and the master of power in a loud voice. Not to it, the blowing, is the voice (4) voice calm, full of power: in the spirit that is stirred, the likeness of the voice is one who hears. And not a speaker is calm to it, the word to speak: and God (5) of God the word, it does not die to it, it was not speaking. If my Lord is stirred, the mouth that it may speak the triumphant voice: that is full of wonder and the beauties that have no likeness are gesturing. That listener rejoices, the life from the teaching: that where is the power that helps the soul in its triumph. That which rejoiced from the service of the triumphant life: that the triumphant one is high from the speaker who knows the great. That which listens...