The Fourth Canticle in the Month of Kiahk

ⲡⲓϩⲱⲥ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁϩϥⲧⲟⲩ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲁⲃⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲭⲟⲓⲁϩⲕ

Throughout the Coptic month of Ⲭⲟⲓⲁϩⲕ (Kiahk), the Coptic faithful take part in overnight vigils of praise in preparation for the Nativity of the Lord Jesus. While many tunes alternate with respect to the season, few change their structure, with the exception that the seven ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲓⲁ (Tadakia) are interspersed between the four canticles (though it physically pains me, this practice has fallen out of place in most parishes, and has been replaced with Arabic melodies that do not carry the same theological or linguistic power). Nonetheless, there is one hymn that undergoes both a change in its tune and structure and is a favorite to many: the Fourth Canticle

The Fourth Canticle consists of Psalms 148–150 (the last three psalms in the number). Each of the psalms is separated by three “Alleluia”. At the conclusion of Ps 150, there is a melismatic chant attuned to the words, ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ ⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ⲫⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲡⲉ (Alleluia! Glory be to our God).

Specifically during the month of Kiahk, however, the verses of Ps 150 (10 verses in groups of 2) are separated by a refrain which, unbeknownst to many, is taken from Ps 146:1 LXX (Ps 147:1 MT). Perhaps, this little tidbit is not known because it is currently mistranslated and out of order.

Though this practice is now standard in the Coptic rite as a whole, it seems that there were regions of Egypt that did not follow this slight change, or at least, some Kiahk psalmody manuscripts failed to include it. However, the manuscripts that we do have available (some are seen in below), indicate that the refrain was to be chanted according to the order written in the psalm.

Below is the Coptic (Bohairic & Sahidic), and Greek text (along with English translation) of Ps 146:1

[B] Ⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲉ ⲟⲩⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲉϥⲉⲣⲁⲛⲁϥ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⳾

[S] Ⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ ⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲡⲉⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉϥϩⲏⲇⲁⲛⲉ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⳾

[G] αἰνεῖτε τὸν κύριον ὅτι ἀγαθὸν ψαλμός τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν ἡδυνθείη αἴνεσις

[LXX Brenton] Praise ye the Lord: for psalmody is a good thing; let praise be sweetly sung to our God.

[LXX NETS] Praise the Lord, because a melody is a good thing; to our God may praise be pleasing.

With that in mind, we can see from the manuscripts and from the psalm texts that the Coptic Liturgical text should read and translate to something close to:

[COPTIC LITURGICAL VERSION]

ⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ [ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩϯ] ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲉ ⲟⲩⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲉϥⲉⲣⲁⲛⲁϥ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ [ⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ] ⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ

Praise the Lord [our God], for psalmody is good; • [glory and] praise shall be pleasing to our God.

You may notice that there are words within brackets that are added into the refrain that are not in the text of the psalm. These may have been placed for musical or theological purposes, neither of which take anything away from the text itself.

One final note on this hymn is that the tune varies from region to region.

In Alexandria, the entire canticle is chanted in the Kiahk tune as per the recordings of Cantor Habib Hanna Al-Mirahim among many others. Interestingly, these recordings do not include the refrain during psalm 150. (On an aside, Cantor Fahim Girgis of the Cathedral in Cairo attempted to use this tune as well. Dn. Ibrahim Ayad also received it from Cantor Asaad Mousa)

In Cairo, several musical variations exist. The most common consists of the verse of psalm 150 and the first half of the refrain being chanted in the same tune with a short elongation of the first word in the second half of the refrain. This is recorded by the majority of cantors including Dn. Ibrahim Ayad. Another rendition exists in the Cairene tradition, which begins the verses of the psalm in their standard tunes and shifts, with a slightly longer alleluia into the elongated version of the refrain for both parts.

In Upper Egypt, two other tunes exist. The first is recorded by Cantors Tawfik Youssef (Moharaq) and Habib Hennawy (Manfalout). The second is recorded by Cantor Abdo Isaac of Mallawi. In both of these renditions, the verse of psalm 150 and each part of the refrain is the same tune.

I hope this provides a deeper understanding of a hymn that we all know and love, to see how our church employs the scriptures in our tradition and how the Egyptian church practices unity in diversity (even if we do not realize it).

Blessed month of Kiahk to you all!