Odes of Solomon/Ode 28

I Seemed to Them Like One of the Lost

¹ As the wings of doves over their nestlings,

and as the beaks of their nestlings towards their beaks,

so also are the wings of the spirit over my heart.

² My heart is delighted and rejoices,

like the embryo who exalts in its mother’s womb.

³ I trusted; therefore I was also at rest,

because trustworthy is the one in whom I trusted.

⁴ He richly blessed me,

and my head rests upon him.

And the war blade will not separate me from him,

nor the sword,

⁵ because I prepared myself before destruction came.

And I was set firmly on the imperishable bosom of his wings,

⁶ and deathless life embraced and kissed me.

⁷ And from that life is the spirit within me,

and she cannot die,

because she is life.

⁸ They who saw me were amazed,

because I was persecuted.

⁹ And they supposed that I had been swallowed up,

because I seemed to them like one of the lost.

¹⁰ And (their) unrighteousness (against) me became my salvation;

¹¹ and I was their abomination.

Because there was no envy in me,

¹² because I did good to everyone,

I was hated.

¹³ And they surrounded me like mad dogs

who ignorantly attack their masters.

¹⁴ Because their thinking is corrupt

and their sense perverted.

¹⁵ But I, I held waters in my right hand,

and I endured their bitterness by my sweetness.

¹⁶ And I did not perish,

because I was not their brother,

for my birth was not like theirs.

¹⁷ And they sought my death, but were unable,

because I was older than their memory.

And in vain they cast lots over me.

¹⁸ And those who came into existence later than I had,

they sought in vain to destroy the memory of the one who had come into existence before they had.

¹⁹ For the thought of the Most High is beyond finding out,

and his mind surpasses all wisdom.

Hallelujah!