Communion Melody :: مديح لصوم يونان

Fasting grants the soul constancy,
Fasting lights away all envy,
Fasting forgives the transgression,
And grants the weary salvation.

Fasting forgives the sins,
And removes all evil thoughts,
Let our fast be pure and willful,
A fast, righteous and spiritual.

Fast with purity and piety,
As the lasting of our Lord Jesus,
With a humble heart and many tears,
To obtain power and faithfulness.

The kind merciful God we cherish,
Who does not want anyone to perish,
To the prophet Jonah He did speak,
"Go to Nineveh and preach."

Jonah the prophet did not obey,
To Tarshish he did escape,
From God the Judge most powerful,
He boarded a ship and was not shameful.

He thought that sleeping was best,
He retired to the ship´s bottom for rest,
But God, the God of all spirits,
Sent to the ship a great tempest.

The sailors decided to throw away,
Everything in the ship that was in the way,
The wind was very strong,
It would turn and toss the ship along.

Down to Jonah went the captain,
From his sleep he caused him to refrain,
He told him: "Why are you sleepy?,
Get up and do not be lazy!"

"O man, make some effort,
And ask your God forgiveness,
That He may calm this disturbance,
So that we dwell in rest and peace."

The sailors were frightened,
To decide what to do, they gathered,
They decided to cast lots,
And the lot fell on Jonah.

The lot was against him,
By the order of God dwelling in him,
So the men came and asked him,
"Tell us, why is this happening?"

Jonah was amazed when he was asked,
And truthfully he replied,
"I have escaped the God of heaven,
God of the earth and the universe."

"I have committed a sin, O people
Before the great Creator,"
They asked him, "What is our option,
How do we deal with you, O man?"

The prophet answered them in brief,
With a heavy heart full of grief,
"Take me and throw me into the sea,
It will be calm once you get rid of me."

They all cried out and wept from sorrow,
They spoke saying, "O compassionate God,
Because of that man, do not destroy us,
O merciful God, forgive us."

They obeyed the gracious prophet,
They threw him into the water,
God prepared for him a great whale,
Who swallowed Jonah and went away.

All the sailors did witness,
The strong and violent tempest,
Became calm mysteriously,
And the waves flowed smoothly.

All of them became puzzled,
By this view, O my brothers,
And they professed their faith,
In the mighty Lord of hosts.

Inside the whale´s belly he was distressed,
To the Lord of hosts Jonah prayed,
"I cry unto You who never dies,
Listen to me, the unwise.

"I ask of You from the deep sea,
Save me, O Lord, and forgive me,
From the deep waves and dangerous wind,
Do not forget me, for You are kind.

"It is apparent how mighty You are,
Nothing is difficult for You,
I wish to survive and not tremble,
To see again Your holy temple."

God knew how Jonah was being tortured,
He gave the whale a mighty order,
The whale vomited Jonah unto land,
As God had ordered by His mighty hand.

He was forgiven and went his way,
After he spent three whole days,
And three nights completely,
Inside of the whale´s belly.

God called out to Jonah and said,
"Go quickly to Nineveh,
He told them, "It will be destroyed now,
For the Judge has chosen to do so."

When the sinners of Nineveh heard,
Jonah speak forth this word,
Back to God they did repent,
And asked Him forgiveness if they return.

When their king heard that news,
He left his throne, and did choose,
To wear sackcloth and cover himself in dust,
With shock and sorrow he was thrust.

The king called for fasting,
For three whole days lasting,
Adults, children, cows and sheep,
Even young babies who weep.

Of the evil, God relented,
To do to Nineveh, what He had intended,
For God is kind and graceful,
To all mankind l le is merciful.

Jonah went away sadly,
For forty clays he was angry,
He said, "O God, You merciful,
Why did You send me to these people."

God spoke to Jonah directly,
"Is it right for you to be angry,"
He said, "Take my life from me,
To die is better than to live for me."

He went away sadly,
Outside the town he remained angry,
And the sun was too hot for him,
It beat him till his life grew dim.

God Almighty of heavenly kingdom,
Arranged a plant by His wisdom,
He created a large tree,
That made Jonah very happy.

He was satisfied by its shade,
It covered him during the whole day,
Then God the Lover of Man,
Sent a worm to eat the plant.

And so in the next morning,
When the sun was just rising,
God ordered a strong wind,
To hit the tree and make it bend.

So the sun beat Jonah again,
He became angry and did complain,
And said to God, "I wish I was dead,
Better by now to be in a death bed."

God called Jonah and said,
"Why has sorrow filled your head,
For one tree created in a night,
And so quickly removed from your sight.

"Nineveh, should I not pity,
One hundred and twenty thousand in the city,
As well as much cattle,
Why would I destroy it in hell.

"My wisdom you cannot understand,
I am God who´s mercy is so grand,
I rejoice when a sinner returns,
All of his heart to Me turns."

Lord, do not forget us sinners,
For Your mercy, we are beggars,
Accept us, O Christ Jesus,
According to Your mercy deal with us.

O You who were crucified for those astray,
Give us mercy on Judgment Day,
Accept us all at Your right hand,
In the Paradise of Joy, the promised land.