Shabah - Safro Qolo of Glorification

If one hasn't noticed already by the previous posts I've made about Safro (here's a general overview), the qole are very oriented towards the glorification of God - the opening Gloria (not a qolo) the Glory of the Mother of God, the Glory of St. Ephrem. This post is about the Shabah (plural imperative of glorify/praise), a qolo that rotates its verses with Psalms 148-150 and 117. Instead of giving a lengthy analysis of the Shabah I decided to just post my translation for Sunday's Safro below.

Glorify the Lord from heaven. Glorify Him in the heights. Glorify Him all His angels. Glorify Him all His hosts. Glorify Him, son and moon. Glorify Him all stars and light. 

The heavenly assemblies stand in fortitude and sing glory. The ranks of the sons of fiery coal exalt quaking and trembling. They bless and sanctify Him whom they bear and know not His way.

Glorify Him, heavens of heavens and water above the heavens. Let them glorify the name of the Lord for He spoke and they were – that is to say He commanded and they were created. He established them for the age of ages. He gave the law and it does not pass away.

Grant us, our Lord, that we may hear from You a voice full of forgiveness. We remember Your body and Your blood, which was given to us to drink, and by them we were reconciled. If we are unworthy to be joined with the just, deliver us from evil.

Glorify the Lord from Earth, dragons and all abysses, fire and hail, snow and ice, winds and whirlwinds that do His word.

Earth and heaven are filled with Him, they are inferior to Him and they cannot contain Him. A thousand thousands of angels and ten thousand ten thousands tremble at His magnificence. Bring us all to worship Him and we will raise to Him glory – to the Son with His Father.

Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, animals and all cattle, creeping things and birds and things that fly.

The breadth of mountains and plains cannot counterpoise my crimes. Give me a small drop from the sea of Your mercy and I will be delivered from them. For many harass me and judge me for my thoughts; in You, Lord, I am rescued.

Kings of the earth and all nations, princes and all judges of the earth, young men and virgins, old and young: let them glorify the name of the Lord

All kings, judges and rulers who reign in creation go before and worship the Messiah, king of kings and lord of judges, who gives them their crowns and dismisses their authority, and His reign is indissoluble.

For great is His name alone and His glory is on Earth and in heaven. He raises the trumpet of His people, the glory of all His righteous ones and the sons of Israel, the people close to Him.

All the just and righteous, and the fathers have lain down in the Messiah. Life descended into their graves, visited them and rose them from the house of the dead. They worshipped Him, believed in Him, rose by Him, resurrected by Him and sing to Him glory.

Sing to the Lord a new song, His glory in the congregation of the righteous. Let Israel rejoice in his maker and let the sons of Zion be joyous in their king.

Grant peace, our Lord, to churches with the monasteries in every region. Cease from them dispute, evil division and dissension; gather, Lord, their children to one house of meeting for those who serve Your majesty.

Let them glorify the name of the Lord with tambourines and timbrels, and with harps let them sing to Him for the Lord is pleased with His people and He has given the meek salvation.

The pleasing ranks, the sons of the Church, stand, incline in prayer and raise sweet voices with shouts of joy in the likeness of angels such as the prophets through their mysteries, the apostles their messages and the martyrs through their murders.

Let the righteous be fortified in honor and glorify Him upon their beds. May they exalt God with their throats with a two-edged sword in their hands

Awake! Awake, sinner and rise from the sleep of iniquity and sinfulness! Wash your soul by the tears of your eyes and make white your blemishes so that God will rejoice in you and grant you the kingdom and life that does not pass away.

To exact vengeance upon the peoples and rebuke on the nations, to bind their kings in shackles and their honored ones in iron fetters. To do to them the judgment that was written. Glory be to all His righteous ones.

Exceedingly does judgment causes me great fear, my beloveds, and it makes me quake. May I not be a visitor to debts, sooner or later, always. Be likened in love to the Father, who has sent You; forgive me all my sinfulness and have mercy on me.

Glorify the Lord in His sanctuary. Glorify Him in the firmament of His might. Glorify Him in His power. Glorify Him in the multitude of His greatness. Glorify Him by the voice of the horn. Glorify Him by lyres and harps.

“Holy, holy, holy are You, Lord of Sabaoth” cry out the heavenly beings. “Blessed is Your majesty in Your hidden place” cry out the earthly beings. The voices of the heavenly and earthly beings mix and they sing glory.

Glorify Him with tambourines and timbrels. Glorify Him with sweet strings. Glorify Him with loud cymbals. Glorify Him with voice and shouting. All that breathe, glorify the Lord.

Powerful cherubim and innumerable seraphim were beheld by Isaiah when they stood around the throne of the Exalted One in fear and trembling. They cried out thrice: “holy, holy, holy Lord Almighty.”

Glorify the Lord, all you peoples. Glorify Him, all you nations, for His goodness has prevailed upon us. Truly, the Lord is to eternity!

May all of us magnify the glorious day of your memorial, holy Virgin. May all of us receive compassion, mercy and forgiveness from Your seemly Son. With us, seek through your prayers the preservation of our souls from all our injuries.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, from now until eternity. Amen.

Glory be to your Lord, prophets, apostles and martyrs, friends of the Messiah. Through your murders the holy Church was built in the four quarters. Petition for her children who honor your feasts that they may be worthy of forgiveness.

Grant rest to the departed believers and to You be glory, Lord.

May we remember Your Birth-Giver and Your holy ones, Messiah our Savior. May our fathers, brothers and leaders partake with them. May they rise in resurrection with the just and righteous. Forgive us and them.

What a beautiful prayer to glorify God with, may we pray it in earnest with the Holy Virgin, Mary, the Harp of the Holy Spirit, Mor Ephrem and the Three Youths who sang praises from the furnace.
Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!