Irmos: Thou hast magnified the Theotokos Who gave Thee birth, O Christ our Creator, through whom Thou didst clothe Thyself in a body subject to passions like ours, but which looseth our transgressions. Blessing her, all of us, the generations of men, magnify Thee.
After the Trisagion, the kontakion of the forefeast, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast appeared…”—
Having shaken off all the defilement of the passions, noetically receive the image of divine baptism as is meet; for the Creator cometh to bestow strange cleansing, being baptized in the streams, and to show forth unto all a new transformation.
Irmos: We hymn thee, O Virgin Theotokos who didst contain the uncontainable God in thy womb, and hast given birth to Joy for the world.
Looking to Christ, Who willingly humbled Himself even to assume the form of a servant, let us now humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand, caught up in the Spirit, that with pure works we may honor Him Who is baptized.
Instead of “It is truly meet…”, we chant the irmos of the diodion: We hymn thee, O Virgin Theotokos…, and make a prostration.
Having put aside all the darkness of sin, to the Master Who cleanseth all with divine streams let us show ourselves to be pure.
Come, and having cleansed ourselves with the streams of tears, let us draw nigh unto Christ Who cometh to be baptized in the River Jordan.
In the streams of the Jordan the Lord crieth out to John today: “Fear not to baptize Me, for I have come to save Adam the first-created!”
This is chanted at all Compline services until the feast itself.
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.