Song of Simeon the God-Receiver
This prayer is referred to as the “song” of Simeon (Песнь Симеона Богоприимца), called the “God-receiver” (Богоприимец) because he greeted Christ, as a child, at the temple, when Mary brings him there when he is forty days old. Here is the passage from Luke, chapter 2:
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ... 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; 32 A light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Here is the prayer in Greek and Church Slavonic:
In The Brothers Karamazov, when Fyodor Pavlovich learns of the death of his estranged first wife, his reaction is a strange one. Perhaps you’ll better appreciate its blasphemous humor after reading the song of Simeon!
И вот в это-то время, семейством его супруги получилось известие о смерти её в Петербурге. Она как-то вдруг умерла, где-то на чердаке, по одним сказаниям от тифа, а по другим, будто бы с голоду. Фёдор Павлович узнал о смерти своей супруги пьяный, говорят, побежал по улице и начал кричать, в радости воздевая руки к небу: “ныне отпущаеши”, а по другим плакал навзрыд как маленький ребёнок и до того, что, говорят, жалко даже было смотреть на него, несмотря на всё к нему отвращение. Очень может быть, что было и то и другое, то есть, что и радовался он своему освобождению и плакал по освободительнице, всё вместе. В большинстве случаев люди, даже злодеи, гораздо наивнее и простодушнее, чем мы вообще о них заключаем. Да и мы сами тоже.
It was around that time that his wife’s family received news of her death in Petersburg. She’d died somehow suddenly, holed up somewhere in an attic — some said from typhoid fever, while others said — from hunger. Fyodor Pavlovich was drunk when he learned off his wife’s death; they say that he set off running down the street and started shouting, joyously raising his hands to heaven: “now let Thy servant depart in peace.” Others, however, say that he sobbed like a small child — to such an extent that, so they say, he was even pitiful to look at, as repulsive as everyone found him. It may well be that both accounts are true — that is, that he was both glad on account of his liberation, and wept for his liberator — all at once. In the majority of cases, people — even scoundrels — are much more naive and simple-hearted than we tend to conclude. As are we ourselves.
