To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Thee: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.
Mounted Voivode - invincible Voivode (mounted - invincible in wars - battles). Victorious - victorious (singing, that is, a victorious song). As if they got rid of the evil ones - because they got rid (literally: as if they got rid of) from evil (from troubles). Thanksgiving - thanksgiving (thanksgiving song). Let us sing to You - we sing praises (literally: we write) to You. As one who has power - (You) as one who has strength. Unbrided – not married (literal translation of the Greek word).
+ The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, beginning with this kontakion, was written in the 7th century in Constantinople. This is the first (and most beautiful) of the akathists, which became a model for all subsequent ones. All 12 ikos of the akathist end with multiple “repeats” of the Archangel’s greeting to the Blessed Virgin - “Rejoice!”, the final of which is Rejoice, Unbrided Bride! We magnify the heavenly purity of the Unworn Virgin, who inexpressibly gave birth to Christ our God, and in Her purity, the “Most Honest Cherub” Bride of the Unbride appears before us as the greatest warrior with the forces of evil - the Chosen Voivode, possessing an invincible power.
* Rejoice, Unbrided Bride! If we turn to the Greek language in which the akathist was written, we will see that all these three words, literally translated into Church Slavonic and entered into our religious consciousness, should have been perceived by the Greeks somewhat differently than we perceive them.
Rejoice - the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel, brought to us by the Gospel - both before the Nativity of Christ and after it was a common greeting in Greek - the same as our “hello”. In the appearance of the Angel, in his wondrous and mysterious words, the inner meaning of the greeting, forgotten in everyday life, of course, was renewed and shone with all its strength; Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos (and every later inspiredly composed akathist), all permeated with this “Rejoice!” and sparkling with the joy of majesty, also resurrects the dormant meaning of the Greek word in everyday language. But in the Russian (and Old Russian) language they greeted each other not with the word “rejoice”, but with the word “hello” (in which we usually forget wishes for health). “Rejoice” remains for us a word that is always richer, more special – a conscious word of joy, a unique greeting for the Most Pure Virgin Mary and the saints of God.
Bride Unbride is a direct, literal translation of two Greek words. The Church Slavonic word for bride corresponds to the Greek word “nymph,” which means not only a girl-bride, but also a newlywed wife and a young woman. The New Testament (and the Greek translation of the Bible) gave this word enormous mystical depth: The Bride of the Lamb in the Revelation of John the Theologian (Rev. 19:7, 21:22, 17) is not only destined for Him, but also stands with Him in a mysterious marriage; this is the image of both the Mother of God and the Church (in her we recognize the bride of the Song of Songs and other books of Scripture). And the Greek word translated by the Slavic word nevestnaya is a negative form of the first word, meaning “not married”; this word was quite common in Greek. For Greek, but not for Slavic! Indeed, in Slavic, a bride is precisely an unknown, unknown (that is, exactly what the Greek non-bride corresponds to) girl who has not entered into marriage, although destined for it; the word itself carries the meaning of purity. Within the Slavic language, the word nevestnaya is difficult to explain.
It introduces a new shade of meaning into the expression of the akathist: Pure Bride, but – Unbridelike, not ordinary, not comparable to any other bride.
Other Slavic epithets of the Mother of God, corresponding to the word Unmarried, are Neiskuslovochnaya, Neiskuslovnaya.
* To the elected Voivode, victorious... Almost all of us are accustomed to hearing these words as a single whole, so we do not feel the structure of the phrase (quite simple): (to whom?) To the elected Voivode (we) sing (what?) a victorious song of thanks, that is, a victorious song of thanks, (why?) as if we got rid of the evil ones - because we got rid of troubles.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.
Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
By You - here: through You, by Your intercession. Under the roof - under cover.
The prayers “Glorious Ever-Virgin...” and “All my hope...” are the creations of St. John of Damascus.