Odes of Solomon/Ode 42

And Death Vomited Me Up

¹ I stretched out my hands and drew near to my Lord,

for the spreading out of my hands is his sign,

² and my outward-stretching (course) is the plain wood (bridge)

that was suspended over his level way.

³ And I became worthless even to those who knew me,

so that I had to disappear from those who were not able to keep me in their clutches.

^5a All my persecutors died,

⁴ and I will remain with those who love me.

^5b And those who proclaimed concerning me studied about me,

^5c because I am alive,

⁶ and I stood up and will be with them.

And I will speak by their mouths,

⁷ for they have rejected those who persecute them.

And I placed on them the yoke of my love.

⁸ Like the arm of the bridegroom on the bride,

so is my yoke on those who know me.

⁹ And like the marriage tent spread out in the married couple’s house,

so is my love over those who are faithful to me.

¹⁰ And I was not rejected, although I was thought to be,

and I did not perish, although they supposed it of me.

¹¹ Sheol saw me and was in misery,

and Death vomited me up and many together with me.

¹² To Death I was vinegar and bitterness,

and I descended as far as his lowest depth.

¹³ And he let his feet and head weaken,

because he was not able to endure my presence.

¹⁴ And I made a synagogue of the living among Death’s dead,

and I spoke to them with living lips,

so that my utterance would not prove void.

¹⁵ And those who had died ran to me,

and they called out and said,

Son of God, have pity on us!

¹⁶ And treat us according to your kindness,

and bring us out from the bonds of darkness,

¹⁷ and open the gate for us, so that by it we can come out with you,

for we see that our death has not touched you.

¹⁸ May we also be saved with you,

because you are our savior.

¹⁹ And I heard their voice

and set their faithfulness on my heart,

²⁰ and I set my name on their head,

because they are the free children,

and they are mine.

Hallelujah!