Homily II — Into your hands, my Son
Then, as it seems to me, things were done at that hour in keeping with these words and following on from them. The King comes to her who gave him birth, to receive in his divine and undefiled hands her holy soul, pure and spotless. And she, as one may suppose, said: "Into your hands, my child, I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46; Psalm 31:5). Receive my soul, which is dear to you and which you kept blameless. To you, and not to the earth, I hand over my body. Keep safe the body you were pleased to dwell in, you who at your birth kept me a virgin. Take me to yourself, so that where you are, you whom my womb conceived, I too may be, sharing your home (John 14:3). For I hasten to you, who came down to me without any separation. Be yourself the comfort of my departure to my dearest children, whom you were pleased to call brothers (Hebrews 2:11). Add blessing upon their blessing through the laying-on of my hands."
Then, raising her hands, as one may suppose, she blessed those who were gathered there, having spoken to them such words as these. And she heard: "Come, my blessed Mother, into my rest. Arise, come, my dear one, fair among women (Song of Songs 1:8); for see, the winter is past, the time of pruning has come (Song of Songs 2:10-12). You are fair, my dear one, and there is no blemish in you (Song of Songs 4:7). The fragrance of your perfumes is beyond all spices (Song of Songs 4:10)." Hearing these words, the holy one commits her spirit into the hands of her Son.
Greek
Εἶτα τούτοις συνῳδὰ καὶ ἀκόλουθά τινα δοκεῖ πεπρᾶχθαι τὸ τηνικάδε, ὥς μοι δοκεῖ. Ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν λοχεύτριαν ἔλευσις, χερσὶ θείαις καὶ ἀκηράτοις ὑποδεξομένου τὴν ἱερὰν ταύτης ψυχὴν, καὶ εἰλικρινῆ τε καὶ ἄμωμον. Καὶ αὕτη μὲν οἷα εἰκὸς ἔφησεν· « Εἰς χεῖράς σου, τέκνον ἐμὸν, τὸ πνεῦμά μου παρατίθημι. Δέξαι μου τὴν σοὶ φίλην ψυχὴν, ἣν ἐτήρησας ἄμεμπτον. Σοὶ τὸ ἐμὸν σῶμα, καὶ οὐ τῇ γῇ παραδίδωμι. Φύλαξον σῶον, ὃ κατοικῆσαι ηὐδόκησας, καὶ γεννηθεὶς Παρθένον ἐτήρησας. Πρὸς ἐμὲ μετάστησον, ἵν' ὅπου εἶ σὺ, τῶν ἐμῶν σπλάγχνων τὸ κύημα, ἔσομαι κἀγὼ σοὶ συνέστιος. Πρός σε γὰρ ἐπείγομαι τὸν πρὸς ἐμὲ ἀδιαστάτως καταφοιτήσαντα. Σὺ τοῖς ἐμοὶ ποθεινοτάτοις τέκνοις, οὓς ἀδελφοὺς καλέσαι ηὐδόκησας, τῆς ἐμῆς ἐκδημίας γενοῦ παραμύθιον. Πρόσθες εὐλογίαν ἐπὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν αὐτῶν διὰ τῆς τῶν ἡμῶν χειρῶν ἐπιθέσεως. » Εἶτα τὰς χεῖρας ἐπάρασα, οἷα εἰκὸς, τοὺς συνειλεγμένους εὐλόγησε, τοιαῦτα προσομιλήσασα τὰ ῥήματα, καὶ· « Δεῦρο, ἡ εὐλογημένη μου Μήτηρ, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν μου, ἀκούσασα. Ἀνάστα, ἐλθὲ, ἡ πλησίον μου, ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ὁ χειμὼν παρῆλθεν, ὁ καιρὸς τῆς τομῆς ἔφθασε. Καλὴ ἡ πλησίον μου, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν σοί. Ὀσμὴ μύρων σου ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ἀρώματα. » Τούτων ἡ ἁγία ἀκούσασα, τὸ πνεῦμα ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ παρατίθεται.