May God be merciful to us and bless us; make his face shine upon us and have mercy on us. To make your way known on the earth, your salvation among all nations. Let peoples confess you, O God, let all peoples confess you. Let nations rejoice and be glad, because you judge peoples with equity and guide nations on the earth. Let peoples confess you, O God, let all peoples confess you; earth has given its fruit. May God, our God, bless us, and let all the ends of the earth fear him. ****

¶16

Psalm 86

¶17

His foundations are in the holy mountains; the Lord loves the gates of Sion more than all the tabernacles of Jacob. Glorious things have been said of you, City of God. I shall remember Rahab and Babylon to those who know me. See, foreigners and Tyre and people of the Ethiopians, these were born in her. My mother is Sion, a man will say; and a man was born in her, and he the Most high founded her. The Lord will recount in writing of peoples, and of these rulers that have been born in her. Dwelling in you is as that of all who rejoice. ****

¶18

Psalm 50

¶19

Have mercy on me O God, in your great mercy: according to the fullness of your pity blot out my offence. Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my wickedness: and my sin is ever before me. Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight: that you may be justified in your words, and win when you are judged. For see, in wickedness I was conceived: and in sin my mother bore me. For see, you have loved truth: you have shown me wisdom’s hidden and secret things. You will sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed: You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. You will make me hear of joy and gladness: the bones which have been humbled will rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins: and blot out all my iniquities. Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right Spirit within me. Do not cast me out of your presence: do not take your Holy Spirit from me. O give me back the joy of your salvation: and establish me with a sovereign Spirit. Then I shall teach transgressors your ways: and sinners will turn to you again. O God, the God of my salvation, deliver me from bloodshed: and my tongue will rejoice at your righteousness. O Lord, you will open my lips: and my mouth will declare your praise. For if you had wanted sacrifice, I would have given it: burnt offerings do not please you. A sacrifice for God is a broken spirit: a broken and a humbled heart, O God, you will not despise. In your good pleasure do good to Sion: and let the walls of Jerusalem be rebuilt. Then you will take pleasure in a sacrifice of righteousness, oblation and burnt offerings: then they will offer calves upon your altar.

¶20

Mary once with aged Joseph went to be enrolled in Bethlehem, for he was of David’s line; and she bore in her womb fruit unknown; the time for the birth was at hand, and there was no room in the inn; but the Cave proved a fair palace for the Queen. Christ is born, to raise up his image that had fallen.

¶21

Mother of God, you are the true vine, who gave bud to the fruit of life; we implore you, Sovereign Lady, intercede together with the Apostles and all the Saints that he have mercy on our souls.

¶22

Tone 6.

¶23

This is our God, another will not be reckoned in comparison with him, born of a Virgin and passing his life among men. The only-begotten Son appears as a mortal, lying in a poor manger, and the Lord of glory is wrapped in swaddling clothes; and a star guides Magi to worship him; and we sing, Holy Trinity, save our souls. (

¶24

**Twice, without a verse**) ****

¶25

God will come from Theman, and the Holy One from a mountain overshadowed by forest. ****

¶26

Tone 8.

¶27

Before your Nativity, Lord, the heavenly hosts looked with trembling on the mystery and were struck with wonder; for you were well pleased to be born as a babe, you who adorned the vault of heaven with stars; and you have been laid in a manger of dumb beasts, you who hold all the ends of the earth in the hollow of your hand; for by such a dispensation your compassion and great mercy have been made known. O Christ, glory to you!

¶28

Lord, I heard your report and was afraid. ****

¶29

Again the same. Then:

¶30

Joseph, tell us, how is it that you are bringing to Bethlehem great with child the Maiden you received from the Holy Place? ‘I have searched the prophets,’ he says, ‘and I have been warned by a Angel, and I am persuaded that Mary will give birth to God in a way beyond explanation. To worship him Magi will come from the East, honouring him with precious gifts.’ O Lord, incarnate for our sake, glory to you!

¶31

**The same again.**

¶32

Tone 4.

¶33

For a Child has been born for us, \* and a Son has been given to us.

¶34

Whose government is upon his shoulder.

¶35

The Reading is from the Prophecy of Jeremias.

¶36

This is our God, and there shall be none other reckoned in comparison with him. He has found out all the way of knowledge, and given it to Jacob his servant and Israel his beloved. After this he appeared on earth and lived among men. This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law which exists for ever; all those who keep it fast will have life; but those who abandon it will die. Turn back Jacob, and lay hold of it, walk in the presence of its light to be illumined. Do not give your glory to another, and what is profitable to you to a foreign nation.

¶37

The Reading is from the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians.

¶38

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

¶39

The Reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

¶40

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David. He went to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were sore afraid. But the angel said to them, ‘Fear not; for see — I am bringing you good tidings of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, among men good will!’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

¶41

Blessed is the Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day; may the God of our salvation give us prosperity, our God, the God who saves.

¶42

Trisagion, All-holy Trinity, Our Father, For yours. ****

¶43

Today the Virgin is coming to the cave to give birth ineffably to the eternal Word. Hearing this, dance, O inhabited world! Glorify, with Angels and with Shepherds, him who willed to be made manifest, a little Child, God before the ages.

¶44

Lord, have mercy (

¶45

At every time and at every hour, in heaven and on earth worshipped and glorified, Christ God, long-suffering, great in mercy, great in compassion, loving the just and merciful to sinners, calling all to salvation by the promise of the good things to come; do you, Lord, yourself accept our entreaties at this hour, and direct our lives to your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our ideas and deliver us from every distress, evil, and pain. Wall us about with your holy Angels, that protected and guided by their host we may reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your unapproachable glory; for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

¶46

Lord, have mercy (

¶47

**x3**), Glory. Both now. Greater in honour than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word, truly the Mother of God we magnify you. In the name of the Lord, bless, Father. ****

¶48

May God be merciful. ****

¶49

God and Master, Father almighty, Lord, only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit, one godhead, one power, have mercy on me a sinner; and by the judgements which you know, save me your unworthy servant; for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

¶50

And at once we start the Sixth Hour.

Translated by Ephrem Lash. Edition lash.en.anastasis.