Irmos: I shall sing to Thee, O Lord my God; for Thou didst lead Thy people forth from the bondage of Egypt, and didst overwhelm the chariots of Pharaoh and his might.
Katavasia: “Christ is born...”
The choirs of angels stood before Joseph in Bethlehem, saying: Glory to God in the highest! With them let us hymn Him Whose good pleasure it was to become incarnate.
Theotokion: To Thee will I sing, O Lord my God, for Thou wast born of the holy Virgin Mother and hast shown her to be the hope of our souls.
As many as celebrate the natal festivities of Him Who became incarnate for our sake, let us hymn with joy James, the brother of God, and David, the forefather of God.
Irmos: Christ is born, give ye glory! Christ cometh from heaven, meet ye Him! Christ is on earth, be ye exalted! O all the earth, sing ye unto the Lord, and chant with gladness, ye people, for He hath been glorified!
O David, thou forefather of God, calling the righteous James, with harps hymn thou the Lord, Who is incarnate of the root of Jesse.
Canon I, the acrostic whereof is: “Having become man, Christ remaineth God as He was before”, the composition of Cosmas of Maïuma, in Tone I—
That which, though fashioned in the image of God, is become wholly corrupt through transgression, having fallen away from the higher divine life, hath the wise Creator restored, for He is glorified.
The Creator, seeing man, whom He had fashioned with His own hands, perishing, descendeth, bowing down the heavens; and, truly incarnate, He taketh upon Himself all man’s essence through the pure and divine Virgin, for He is glorified.
Christ God, being the wisdom, Word, Power, Effulgence and Son of the Father, hiding Himself as much from the hosts of heaven as from those on earth, hath restored us, becoming man, for He is glorified.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.