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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 63, lines 1–3 · Justice, the virtue
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Hymn 63 · Justice
ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ, θυμίαμα λίβανον
Of Justice · incense: frankincense
63.1
The Orphic Hymns 63.1 · Justice, the virtue
A hymn to Dikaiosyne, Justice as a quality of a person, who delights in the just.
· · ·
ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ1
Dikaiosýnēs
Of Justicerighteousness
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
λίβανον3
líbanon
frankincense
. Ὦ4
Ô
O
δικαιοτάτη5
dikaiotátē
most just
θνητοῖσι6
thnētoîsi
to mortals
, πολύολβε7
polýolbe
rich in blessings
, ποθεινή8
potheinḗ
longed for
, ἀεὶ9
aeì
always
χαίρουσα10
chaírousa
delighting
in
δικαίοις11
dikaíois
just
θνητοῖς12
thnētoîs
mortals
ἐξ13
ex
on the basis of
ἰσότητος14
isótētos
equality
, πάντιμʼ15
pántim’
all-honored
, ὀλβιόμοιρε16
olbiómoire
blessed in your lot
, μεγαλαυχές17
megalauchés
proudgreat-boasting
Δικαιοσύνη18
Dikaiosýnē
Justice
, Of Justice. Incense: frankincense. O most just to mortals, rich in blessings, longed for, always delighting in just mortals on the basis of equality, all-honored, blessed in your lot, proud Justice,
Of Justice. Incense: frankincense. O most just to mortals, rich in blessings, longed for, always delighting in just mortals on the basis of equality, all-honored, blessed in your lot, proud Justice,
Interpretation
Of Justice. Incense: frankincense. O you most just to mortals, rich in blessings, longed for, always delighting in just mortals on the basis of equality, all-honored, blessed in your lot, proud Justice,
Dike, the goddess of the last hymn, is justice as a power that judges and punishes. Dikaiosynē is justice as the quality of a person, the virtue of being just. It is the word Plato's Republic sets out to define, and in the Greek of the New Testament it is usually translated "righteousness." The hymns make the virtue a goddess as well and burn the same incense for her as for Dike.
63.4
The Orphic Hymns 63.4 · Breaking those who tilt the scales
Justice judges with a clear conscience and breaks those who will not come under her yoke and cheat with the scales.
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you who with pure judgments always decide what is due, unbroken in conscience; for you always break all who did not come under your yoke, fickle, tilting the strong scales greedily;