O God, my God, unto Thee I rise early at dawn. My soul hath thirsted for Thee; how often hath my flesh longed after Thee in a land barren and untrodden and unwatered. So in the sanctuary have I appeared before Thee to see Thy power and Thy glory, for Thy mercy is better than lives; my lips shall praise Thee. So shall I bless Thee in my life, and in Thy name will I lift up my hands. As with marrow and fatness let my soul be filled, and with lips of rejoicing shall my mouth praise Thee. If I remembered Thee on my bed, at the dawn I meditated on Thee. For Thou art become my helper; in the shelter of Thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hath cleaved after Thee, Thy right hand hath been quick to help me. But as for these, in vain have they sought after my soul; they shall go into the nethermost parts of the earth, they shall be surrendered unto the edge of the sword; portions for foxes shall they be. But the king shall be glad in God, everyone shall be praised that sweareth by Him; for the mouth of them is stopped that speak unjust things.

¶10

Priest: Peace be unto all.

¶11

Psalm 86

¶12

Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke. [§5]

¶13

His foundations are in the holy mountains; the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. I will make mention of Raab and Babylon to those who know me. And lo, the foreigners and Tyre and the people of the Ethiopians, these were born there. A man will say: Mother Sion; and: That man was born in her; and: The Most High Himself hath founded her. The Lord shall tell it in the writ of the peoples and the princes, even these that were born in her. How joyous are all they that have their habitation in Thee.

¶14

Priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

¶15

Psalm 50

¶16

Then, the reader readeth this prayer—

¶17

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightest be justified in Thy words, and prevail when Thou art judged. For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me. For behold, Thou hast loved truth; the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom hast Thou made manifest unto me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me to hear joy and gladness; the bones that be humbled, they shall rejoice. Turn Thy face away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and with Thy governing Spirit establish me. I shall teach transgressors Thy ways, and the ungodly shall turn back unto Thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness. O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise. For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had given it; with whole-burnt offerings Thou shalt not be pleased. A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Thy pleasure unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be builded. Then shalt Thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings. Then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.

¶18

Glory… Now and ever…

¶19

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

¶20

Once Mary, bearing in her womb an Offspring conceived without seed, was registered in Bethlehem with the elder Joseph, as being of the seed of David. And while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. There was no room for them in the inn. But the cave showed itself to be a beauteous palace for the Queen, and Christ is born to raise up the image that fell of old!

¶21

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine which hath blossomed forth for us the Fruit of life. Thee do we supplicate; Intercede, O Lady, together with the holy apostles, that our souls find mercy.

¶22

In Tone VI: This is our God, and there shall be none other accounted like unto Him, Who was born of the Virgin and hath dwelt with men: the only-begotten Son is seen as a man, lying in a poor manger; the Lord of glory is wrapped in swaddling-bands. The star telleth the magi to worship Him, and we chant: O Holy Trinity, save Thou our souls! Twice

¶23

Stichos: God shall come forth out of Thæman, and the Holy One out of a mountain overshadowed and densely wooded.

¶24

In Tone VIII: Beholding the mystery of Thee before Thy nativity, O Lord, the noetic armies were amazed; for Thou wast well-pleased to be born as a babe, O Thou Who adorned heaven with stars, and liest in a manger of dumb beasts, O Thou Who holdest the ends of the whole earth in the palm of Thy hand. By such a dispensation hath Thy loving-kindness become known, O Christ! Great is Thy mercy! Glory be to Thee!

¶25

Stichos: O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and I was afraid; O Lord, I considered Thy works, and I was amazed.

¶26

The foregoing is repeated.

¶27

Glory…, in Tone III—

¶28

Tell us, O Joseph: How didst thou receive from the Holy of holies the immaculate Virgin whom thou leadest to Bethlehem? “I have examined the prophets,” said he, “and, having received tidings from the angel, have become convinced that Mary shall ineffably give birth to God. To Him shall magi come from the East to render homage, offering Him worship with precious gifts. O Lord Who becamest incarnate for us, glory be to Thee!

¶29

Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.

¶30

Prokimenon, in Tone IV—

¶31

A Child hath been born to us, and a Son hath been given to us.

¶32

Stichos: Whose government is upon His shoulder.

¶33

This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison with Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved. Afterward did He show Himself upon earth, and dwelt with men. This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endureth forever: all they that keep it shall come to life; but such as leave it shall die. Turn thee, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk in the presence of the light thereof, that thou mayest be illumined. Give not thine honor to another, nor the things that are profitable unto thee to a strange nation. O Israel, blessed are we: for things that are pleasing to God are made known unto us.

¶34

A Reading from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians [§208]

¶35

Brethren: Before Faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith. But after Faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the sons of God by Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

¶36

And the deacon announceth: Wisdom, stand aright! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel!

¶37

People: And to thy spirit.

¶38

People: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee!

¶39

In those days, there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:), To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

¶40

People: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee!

¶41

Then, the following—

¶42

Blessed is the Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day; the God of our salvation shall prosper us along the way; our God is the God of salvation.

¶43

Today the Virgin cometh to give birth ineffably to the preëternal Word in the cave. Dance, O world! And having heard this, with the angels and shepherds glorify the preëternal God, Who is to appear as a little babe.

¶44

Lord, have mercy! Forty times

¶45

Thou Who at all times and at every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ God, Who art long-suffering, plenteous in mercy, most compassionate, Who lovest the righteous and hast mercy on sinners, Who callest all to salvation through the promise of good things to come: Receive, O Lord, our prayers at this hour, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our intentions, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil, and pain. Compass us about with Thy holy angels that, guarded and guided by their array, we may attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

¶46

Lord, have mercy! Thrice Glory…, Now & ever…

¶47

More honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

¶48

In the name of the Lord, father, bless!

¶49

O Sovereign God, the Father Almighty, O Lord, the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Thou, O Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power: Have mercy on me a sinner, and by the judgements which Thou knowest, save me, Thine unworthy servant; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.