AT GREAT VESPERS

O Joyful Light, **the Prokeimenon of the day, and the Readings.**

The Reading is from Proverbs.

**After the Opening Psalm we recite the 1st Section of the 1st Kathisma of the Psalter. At** Lord, I have cried**, we insert 6 Stichera and sing 3 Prosomia, doubling them.**

**Theotokion. Same Tone.**

Tone 4. As noble among Martyrs.

Let us praise in song the golden trumpet, the instrument inspired by God, the inexhaustible ocean of doctrines, the support of the Church, the heavenly mind, the depth of wisdom, the mixing bowl of solid gold which pours out rivers of teachings that flow with honey and which waters creation.

Let us fittingly honour John of golden speech, the unsetting star which lights with the rays of its teachings the whole wide earth; the herald of repentance, the all-golden sponge that takes away the sweat of dread despair and moistens hearts wasted by sins.

The Angel of earth and man of heaven, the sweet singing swallow of many notes, the treasury of the virtues, the unbreakable rock, pattern for the faithful, rival of the Martyrs, in rank the equal of the holy Angels, in living one with the Apostles, let Chrysostom be magnified in hymns.

Tone 6.

Thrice-blessed, holiest, venerable Father, the good shepherd and Disciple of Christ the Chief Shepherd, you lay down your life for the sheep. Now too, all-praised John Chrysostom, by your prayers ask that we may be granted his great mercy.

Who will not call you blessed, All-holy Virgin? Who will not sing the praise of your child-birth without labour? For the only-begotten Son, who shone out from the Father beyond time, came forth from you, pure Maiden, ineffably incarnate. By nature he is God, by nature he became man for our sake, not divided in a duality of persons, but known without confusion in a duality of natures. O honoured and all-blessed, implore him to have mercy on our souls.

**Selection.**

The memory of the just is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better that treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she carries law and mercy on its tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me; for I speak weighty things; and blest the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of men. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, I have called upon knowledge and understanding. Mine are counsel and sureness; mine is prudence, mine is strength. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.

The Reading is from the Wisdom of Solomon.

**Selection.**

The mouth of a just man distils wisdom; the lips of men know graces. The mouth of the wise meditates wisdom; justice delivers them from death. When a just man dies hope is not lost; for a just son is born for life, and among his good things he will pluck the fruit of justice. There is light at all times for the just, and they will find grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of the wise knows what is good, and wisdom will takes its rest in their hearts. The Lord loves holy hearts; while all who are blameless in the way are acceptable to him. The wisdom of the Lord will enlighten the face of the understanding; for she anticipates those who desire her before they know it, and is easily contemplated by those who love her. One who rises for her at dawn will not toil, and one who keeps vigil because of her will be without care. For she goes about seeking those who are worthy of her, and shows itself favourably to those in the ways. Wickedness will never prevail against wisdom. Because of this I too became a lover of her beauty and became her friend, and I sought her out from my youth, and I sought to take her as my bride; because the Master of all things loved her. For she is an initiate of the knowledge of God one who chooses his works. Her toils are virtues; she teaches sobriety and prudence; justice and courage, than which nothing is more useful in human life. If anyone longs for much experience, she knows how to compare things of old and things that are to come. She knows the twists of words and the explanations of riddles; she foresees signs and wonders and the outcomes of seasons and times. And to all she is a good counsellor. Because immortality is in her, and fame in the fellowship of her words. Therefore I appealed to the Lord and besought him and said from my whole heart: God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your word, and established humanity by your wisdom to be master over the creatures that had come into being by you, and to order the world in holiness and justice; give me Wisdom who sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your children, for I am your servant and the son of your maid servant. Send her out from your holy dwelling and from the throne of your glory, that she may be present and teach me what is pleasing before you. And let her guide me with knowledge and guard me with her glory. For all the thoughts of mortals are wretched and their ideas are unstable.

The Reading is from the Wisdom of Solomon.

**Selection.**

When the just is praised, peoples are glad; for immortality is his memory, because it is known both to God and men, and his soul is pleasing to the Lord. Therefore, O men, desire wisdom, and long for it and be instructed. For her beginning is love and keeping of laws. Honour Wisdom, that you may reign for ever. I will declare to you and not hide from you the mysteries of God Because he is both the guide of Wisdom and the One who sets right the wise; and in his hand are all prudence, and knowledge of works. The artificer of all things, Wisdom, taught me; for in her is an understanding holy spirit, brightness of the eternal light, image of the goodness of God. She makes them friends of God and prophets. She is more lovely than the sun, and beyond every order of the stars; compared to light, she is found before it. She delivered her devotees from toils, and guided them in straight paths. She gave them holy knowledge and protected them from those who lay in ambush for them, she awarded them a mighty contest, that all might know that true religion is more powerful than all, and that wickedness can never prevail against Wisdom, nor will justice in passing sentence overlook the evil. For they said in themselves, not reasoning correctly: Let us overpower the just, let us not spare his saintliness, nor feel reverence for the aged grey hairs of an elder; let our strength be law. Let us lie in ambush for the just, for he is a hindrance to us and he is opposed to our works and alleges the sins of our upbringing. He claims to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. He has become a reproof to our thoughts. He is grievous for us even to look at; for his life is not like others and his paths are quite different. We are reckoned by him to be counterfeit, and he keeps away from our ways as from filth; he calls the end of the just blest. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen to him at the end. Let us examine him by insult and torture, that we may know his forbearance and make trial of his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for by his own words he will have protection. This was how they argued, and they were deceived; for their wickedness had blinded them. And they did not know the mysteries of God, nor did they judge that you alone are God who have authority over life and death, and who save in time of tribulation, and deliver from every ill; pitying and merciful, giving grace to your holy ones, and by your right arm resisting the proud.