Several of us are in the process of preparing new translations of the liturgical texts from the Slavonic into English, then comparing the 1979 Levkulic Pew Book texts to them to identify what changes might be made to make those texts more accurate (with the hope that someday a Byzantine Church somewhere might find them useful, as well as for the fun and spiritual benefit). Father Ihar Labacevich is doing the translating (he is one of those rare, gifted individuals who can translate Old Church Slavonic as he reads it). Deacon Anthony Kotlar is doing the necessary expert research into the Slavonic and Greek texts. Stuart’s wife, Greta, and Stuart and others are also participating. I’m serving as the general note taker and project editor.

A few months ago we were working through Resurrectional Tone 2. Ruthenians might be familiar with the 1979 text:

When You descended to death, Ο Immortal Life,
You destroyed the Abyss by the radiance of Your divinity.
And when You raised the dead from the depths of the earth,
all the heavenly Powers cried out:
"O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to you!

As Father Ihar translated, the second line came out: “You put to death the Abyss (Hades) with the lightning of divinity”. When we heard the word “lightning” the Biblical accounts of the resurrection immediately struck us both at once:

Matthew 28:1-4 RSV-2CE – Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

It is possibly a wonderful find. "His appearance was like lightning". This meshes with the troparion (Christ slew Hades with the lightning of divinity). It also instantly images several liturgical texts, especially from Matins. While "radiance" is not incorrect, "lighting" also appears to be accurate and evokes the biblical words.

Deacon Tony then did some further research:

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The Greek of the Troparion is astrapē, dative case. Greek has a dative of means, so it's "You destroyed Hades by means of (i.e. with) the astrapē of divinity (no "your" in the Greek). The same word in the nominative is in Sir. 32:10; Zech. 9:14; Baruch (Ep. Jer.) 1:60; Ezek. 1:13; Matt. 24:27; 28:3; Lk. 11:36; 17:24 where it is usually translated "lightening." It is in the dative in Lk 11:36, "by means of ray(s)." So the nominative is rendered "lightening" but this one case of the dative (of means) has "ray" for which "radiance" is possible.

The Greek's (Holy Cross) translation has "splendor of Your divinity." I think "radiance" is closer to the Greek.

So: with (by means of) the ray/radiance/lightening/splendor of Divinity. The Slavonic, like the Greek, does not have an explicit "Your."
While the research is not yet complete, and the poets have not yet been consulted, but consider this possibility:

When You descended to death, Ο Immortal Life,
You slew Hades with the lightning of Your divinity.
And when You raised the dead from the depths of the earth,
all the heavenly Powers cried out:
"O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to you!

As I stated, additional research needs to be done, and pastoral impact considered, but IMHO a good translation should follow accepted Biblical translations (assuming they are accurate) wherever possible. That way things “click” for people who are familiar with one when they hear the other. It will be interesting if "lightning" turns out to be the best word here (and it appears to be literal from the Slavonic).

Christ is Risen!