# Oxyrhynchus Hymn

- Author: Anonymous
- Latin title: *Hymnus Oxyrhynchi repertus*
- Date: late 3rd cent. (approximate)
- Source: Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt, eds., The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, part 15 (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1922), no. 1786, pp. 21-25

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hymnus-oxyrhynchus/
- Passages: 1

## Oxyrhynchus hymn (P. Oxy. 15.1786), lines 1–5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hymnus-oxyrhynchus/1/#p-1
- Source: Grenfell-Hunt 15:24
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The end of a Christian hymn on a papyrus from Oxyrhynchus: all creation is bidden to keep silence while the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are praised, and the heavenly powers answer 'Amen'.

### Greek text

[ 31 letters ] ομου πασαι τε̣ θεου λογιμοι α̣ . [. . .] . [. .]α̣ρ̣[. . . .
[ 28 letters ? πρ]υτανηω σιγατω μηδ’ αστρα φαεσφορα λ̣[ειπ]ε̣-
[σ]θ̣ων [.] . λε̣ι̣ . [. . . . .]ρ̣[. . . . . . . . . . . .] ποταμων ροθιων πασαι υμνουντων δ’ ημων
[π]ατερα χ’ υιον χ’ αγιον πνευμα πασαι δυναμεις επιφωνουντων αμην αμην κρατος αινος
[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] δ̣[ωτ]η[ρι] μ̣ο̣ν̣ω̣ παντων αγαθων αμην αμην

### English translation (Claude)

[…] all together […] of God, the glorious ones […]
[…] let [it] be silent; let not the light-bearing stars fall behind,
[…] all the rushing rivers. As we hymn
Father and Son and Holy Spirit, let all the powers answer: Amen, amen. Might, praise
[…] to the only giver of all good things. Amen, amen.

### Translation notes

- Only the last five lines of the hymn survive, on a papyrus of the late 3rd century; it is the earliest Christian hymn preserved with musical notation (the notation is not reproduced).
- The papyrus is written without accents or word division; the text follows Grenfell and Hunt's transcript, and gaps in the papyrus are marked […]. Words in brackets in the Greek are their restorations.
- Line 2: λ[ειπ]έσθων, 'fall behind' (restored); the stars, rivers and all creation are called to silence or to join the praise.
- Line 5: δ[ωτ]ῆ[ρι] μόνῳ, 'to the only giver' (restored).

### Citation (SBL)

P.Oxy. 1786 1 (Grenfell-Hunt 15:24; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hymnus-oxyrhynchus/1/#p-1).