---
title: "Gregory the Great, Ephrem Syrus and Aphrahat"
author: "Gregory the Great, Ephrem the Syrian and Aphrahat"
translator: "Philip Schaff (ed.)"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Church Fathers"
section: 49 of 134
url: https://scriptura.si/works/gregory-the-great-ephrem-syrus-aphrahat/49/
cite: "Gregory the Great, Ephrem the Syrian and Aphrahat, tr. Philip Schaff (ed.), Gregory the Great, Ephrem Syrus and Aphrahat, section 49. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/gregory-the-great-ephrem-syrus-aphrahat/49/"
---

# Gregory the Great, Ephrem Syrus and Aphrahat

*Gregory the Great, Ephrem the Syrian and Aphrahat, tr. Philip Schaff (ed.)*

Gregory the Great's letters, with Ephrem Syrus and Aphrahat the Persian Sage.

## 49. The Life, as Amplified by Mediaeval Biographers · 4 of 5

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/gregory-the-great-ephrem-syrus-aphrahat/49/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/gregory-the-great-ephrem-syrus-aphrahat/49/#p-N

[¶0] And if I speak in hypocrisy: let me burn with the wicked in fire!

[¶1] “I adjure you my disciples: with adjurations that may not be loosed,

[¶2] That my words be not set aside: that ye loose not my commandments.

[¶3] Whoso lays me beneath the altar: he shall not see the Altar of heaven;

[¶4] For it is not meet that foul stench: should be laid in the Holy Place;

[¶5] Whoso has laid me within the temple: he shall not see the temple of the Kingdom.

[¶6] “Take nought from me as memorial: my beloved, my brothers, my sons,

[¶7] For as much as ye have a memorial: that which ye have heard of Jesus.

[¶8] For if ye take aught from Ephraim: into reproach will Ephraim come;

[¶9] For He, my Lord, will say unto me: ‘More than in Me they have trusted in thee,

[¶10] For if they had relied on Me: they had not sought a memorial from thee.’

[¶11] “Lay me not with the martyrs: for I am a sinner and unworthy,

[¶12] And because of my unworthiness I fear: to be brought beside their bones;

[¶13] For if stubble comes near to fire: it will scorch it, yea, devour it.

[¶14] It is not that I hate their neigbourhood: because of mine unworthiness, I fear it.

[¶15] “Whoso carries me on his fingers: may his hands be leprous as Gehazi!

[¶16] On your shoulders carry me: and in haste conduct me [to the grave],

[¶17] And as a mean man bury me: for I have worn out my days in sadness.

[¶18] Why glorify ye me, O men: who before our Lord am ashamed?

[¶19] And why give ye me [the name of] ‘Blessed’: who am disclosed in my works?

[¶20] Should one show you my transgressions: ye would all of you spit in my face.

[¶21] For if the stench of the sinner: could strike one that stood by him,

[¶22] Ye would all of you flee away: from the loathsome stench of Ephraim.

[¶23] “Whoso lays with me a pall: may he go forth into outer darkness!

[¶24] And whoso has laid with me a shroud: may he be cast into Gehenna of fire!

[¶25] In my coat and cowl shall ye bury me: for ornament beseems not the hateful,

[¶26] Nor does praise profit the dead: who is laid and cast into the tomb.

[¶27] “Arise, my brethren of Edessa: my lords and my sons and my fathers!

[¶28] Bring whatsoever ye have vowed: to lay along with your brother,

[¶29] Bring and set it before me: whatsoever ye my brethren have vowed.

[¶30] While I have yet a little memory: let me set on it a price;

[¶31] And let there be bought pure vessels: and let there be hired workmen therewith,

[¶32] And distribution be made among the poor: the needy and them that are in want.

[¶33] “Blessed is the city wherein ye dwell: Edessa, mother of the wise,

[¶34] Which from the living mouth of the Son: was blessed by His Disciple.

[¶35] This blessing shall abide in her: until the Holy One shall be revealed.

[¶36] “Whoso withholds from me aught that he has vowed: shall die the death of Ananias,

[¶37] Who sought to deceive the Apostles: and was stretched [dead] before their feet.

[¶38] “Whoso carries before me a taper: may his fire be kindled beside him!

[¶39] For to what end avails fire: for him whose fire is from himself?

[¶40] For when the visible fire is kindled: in it is consumed the secret fire.

[¶41] Sufficient for me is the pain without: add ye not to me that which is within.

[¶42] “Lay me not with sweet spices: for this honour avails me not;

[¶43] Nor yet incense and perfumes: for the honour benefits me not.

[¶44] Burn sweet spices in the Holy Place: and me, even me, conduct to the grave with prayer.