SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

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ST. SHENOUDA COPTIC NEWSLETTER Quarterly Newsletter Published by the Staff of the St. Shenouda Center for Coptic Studies

January, 1995

Volume 1, No. 2

A DIFNAR HYMN ON THE NATIVITY (by Hany N. Takla)

The Difnar is a collection of commemorative poetic hymns in Bohairic Coptic, arranged according to the Coptic Year. Each commemoration usually has two hymns. They are labeled Adam and Batos. These labels refer to the time of the week when each is to be used. This book is mainly based on the Coptic Synaxarium which is an Arabic work, compiled sometime during the period 1175-1250 AD. This would place the Difnar compilation to sometime between the last quarter of the 13th century and the last quarter of the 14th. The text given below is that of excerpts from an Adam hymn on Nativity (Kiahk 29). It has the added feature of being acrostic or arranged according to the Coptic Alphabet. Each verse has a repetitive refrain which is written in full after the first verse and abbreviated after the succeeding verses. The manuscript, containing the text, was discovered and published in part by H.G. Evelyn White among the fragments he found in the Monastery of St. Macarius in Wadi 'N Natrun. This publication is available in the Coptic Library of the Center, "The Monasteries of the Wadi 'N Natrun, Part I - New Coptic Texts from the Monasteries of Saint Macarius" New York 1934, Reprint. 1973, pp. 7-8. The text is given here with folio numbers or identification of missing text supplied by the editor. Also the translation is modified from that given by the editor.

nyof on adam

The same again "Adam"

t/rou p kahi: ariyewrin: m paimuct/rion: je aumici nan m v]: e bol qen ]paryenoc: a[ne c perma n rwmi: santefcw] m mon: marenhwc e rof: nem niaggel c qen pai- humnoc eyouab: n epouranion: je ouwou qen n/ et[oci m v]: nem ouhir/n/ hijen p kahi: nem ou]ma] qen nirwmi: je af i afcw] m mon : m voou: nilaoc n te

Amwini

Come all today: O peoples of the earth: behold this mystery: that unto us God is born: from the Virgin: without human seed, in order that He save us. Let us praise Him: with the Angels, in this holy, heavenly hymn: "Glory be to God in the highest: and peace on earth: and goodwill among men": for He came and saved us.

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter B/yleem n te ]ioude a : rasi qen ouyel/l: je afviri e bol n q/tc: n je v r/ n te ]meym/i: ete i /c p ,c : pilogoc etaf[icarx: a maria macf: ecoi m par y : marenhwc e rof: nem niaggeloc: ... Bethlehem of Judea: rejoice joyfully: for it has sprung forth in it: namely the Sun of the Righteousness: who is Jesus Christ: the Word who took flesh: Mary gave birth to Him: while being a virgin. Let us praise Him: with the Angels: ...

Grav/ niben et c q/out: n/ etausorp n jotou: n je ni p rov/t/c: eybe p jin i m p ,c : aujwk e bol m voou: nh r/i qen b/yleem: y baki mp ouro dauid: etaumacf nan n q/tc: marenhwc e rof: nem niaggeloc: ...

Every Scripture which is written: The ones whom they foretold them: namely the prophets: concerning the coming of Christ: They are completed today: in Bethlehem: the city of the king David: He was born unto us in it. Let us praise Him: with the Angels: ...

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