In the years of the king whom they called by the name Ṣemḥa, our Lord dawned among the Hebrews. Ṣemḥa and Denḥa came and reigned: a king on earth and the Son in the height. Blessed is His dominion.
[Refrain: Praise to You, who on this feast made everyone rejoice.]
In the days of the king who registered people for the head tax, our Savior came down and registered humanity in the Book of Life. They registered Him on earth; He registered us in the height. Glory to His Name.
He was born in the days of the king whose name was [Ṣemḥa]. King and King, Ṣemḥa and Denḥa: His Cross carried that kingship. [Blessed is He who raised it.]
Thirty years [He remained on earth] in poverty. My brothers, let us weave sounds of praise in every measure for the years of our Lord—thirty crowns for thirty years. Blessed is His birth.
In the first year, mistress of treasures and full of blessings, let the Cherubim praise with us—the ones who bore the Son in glory. He left His glory, labored, and found the sheep that was lost. Thanksgiving to Him.
In the second year let the Seraphim increase their praise with us. They had called the Son “Holy”; then they saw Him being insulted among unbelievers. He endured mockery and taught praise. Glory to Him.
In the third year let Michael’s company praise with us. They had ministered to the Son in the height; they saw Him on earth ministering, washing feet and cleansing souls. Blessed is His humility.
In the fourth year let heaven praise with us. All of it is small before the Son, yet it marveled when it saw Him lying on His humble bed. He filled the bed and filled heaven. Majesty to Him.
In the fifth year let the sun, which scorches the earth with its heat, praise our Sun. He lowered His vastness and restrained His might so that the weak eye of the hidden soul could behold Him. Blessed is His radiance.
In the sixth year let all the air praise with us—the air in whose vastness everything is displayed. It saw its great Lord become a little Child in a little bosom. Blessed is His honor.
In the seventh year let the clouds and winds rejoice with us and sprinkle dew on the faces of the flowers. They saw the Son subject His splendor and accept disgrace and unclean spitting. Blessed is His redemption.
In the eighth year let creation give praise, whose fruits drink from its springs. It worshiped when it saw the Son in arms and the Pure One nursing on pure milk. Blessed is His good pleasure.
In the ninth year let the earth give praise. When her barren womb was desired, she brought forth; then she saw Mary, a thirsty land, give a Fruit. He is the great Sea. Exaltation to Him.
In the tenth year let Mount Sinai praise Him. It trembled before its Lord, then saw stones raised against its Lord. He received stones so that He might build His Church above stones. Blessed is His building.
In the eleventh year let the great sea praise the span of the Son who measured it. It marveled when it saw Him descend and be baptized in a little water, cleansing the creatures. Blessed is His victory.
In the twelfth year let the holy Temple praise Him. It saw the Child sitting among the elders. The priests fell silent when the Lamb of the Feast cried out in His feast. Blessed is His atonement.
In the thirteenth year let the crowns praise with us the victorious King. He was crowned with a crown of thorns and bound a great crown upon Adam at His right hand. Blessed is His sending.
In the fourteenth year let the Passover of Egypt praise the Passover who came and passed over all. In place of Pharaoh He drowned Legion; in place of horsemen He strangled demons. Blessed is His recompense.
In the fifteenth year let the lamb of the flock praise Him. Our Lord did not slaughter it as Moses did; rather, with His own Blood He redeemed humanity. He who feeds all died for all. Blessed is His Begetter.
In the sixteenth year let the grain, in mystery, praise that Farmer who sowed His Body in barren earth. It spread out over all and yielded new Bread. Blessed is the Victorious One.
In the seventeenth year let the vine praise our Lord, the true Vineyard. Souls became its plantings. He gave peace to the vineyard and destroyed the vineyard that produced wild fruit. Blessed is its Uprooter.
In the seventeenth year again, let the vine eaten by the wild boar of the forest praise the true Vineyard, who labored Himself, guarded His fruit, and offered fruit to the Lord of the vineyard. Blessed is its Cultivator.
In the eighteenth year let our leaven praise the true Leaven, who entered in and drew together every mind, making them one mind through one teaching. Blessed is Your teaching.
In the nineteenth year let salt praise Your Body, blessed Child. The soul is the salt of the body, and faith is the salt of the soul; by it the soul is preserved. Blessed is Your preservation.
In the twentieth year let temporal wealth praise with us—the wealth that the perfect abandoned because of its woe. They came to love poverty because of its blessedness. Blessed is He who chose it.
In the twenty-first year let the waters praise: [they were sweetened in the mystery of the Son, by Samson’s honey]. The nations had grown bitter; those He destroyed came to life through the Cross that redeemed them. Blessed is Your sweetness.
In the twenty-second year let weapons and the sword praise You. They were not enough to kill our adversary; You are the One who killed him. You also restored the ear that Simon’s sword had cut off. Blessed is Your healing.
In the twenty-third year let the donkey also give thanks—the one that gave the colt on which He rode. He opened a mouth, and He also gave praise to the wild ones, the children of Hagar. Blessed is the praise of You.
In the twenty-fourth year let wealth praise the Son. The treasures marveled at the Lord of treasures as He grew up among the poor. He made Himself poor so that He might enrich all. Blessed is Your dominion.
In the twenty-[fifth] year let Isaac praise the Son, [who spared him] on the mountain from the knife. A ram took his place: the mortal escaped slaughter, while the One who gives life to all died. Blessed is His offering.
In the twenty-sixth year let Moses, who feared and fled from killers, praise with us the Son who with His own feet went down into Sheol, plundered it, and came out. Blessed is Your resurrection.
In the twenty-seventh year let eloquent advocates praise the Son. They found no way for our case by which we might win. He was silent, without a plea, and won our case. Praise to Him.
In the twenty-seventh year also, let all judges who as just men put the wicked to death praise the Son, who as the Good One died in place of the wicked. Though He is the Son of the Just One, blessed are His mercies.
In the twenty-eighth year let every mighty warrior praise the Son. They could not rescue us from the captor. He alone is worthy of praise: though slain, He overtook and delivered us. Blessed is Your deliverance.
In the twenty-ninth year let Job praise with us. He endured sufferings for himself; our Lord endured for us spitting, scourges, thorns, and nails. Blessed is His mercy.
In the thirtieth year let the dead who came to life through His death praise with us, and the living who turned back through His crucifixion. Height and depth were reconciled in Him. Blessed are He and His Father.