(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)
Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings. Lord, save me from eternal torment. Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility. Lord, deliver me from every temptation. Lord, enlighten my heart, darken my evil lust. Lord, as a man who has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul. Lord, send Your grace to help me, that I may glorify Your holy name. Lord Jesus Christ, write me Your servant in the book of animals, and grant me a good end. Lord my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, grant me, by Your grace, to make a good beginning. Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace in my heart. Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
I have sinned - I have sinned (past tense - aorist). Ezhe darkened - which darkened (darkened - also an aorist, but the form of the 3rd person). Below the animals - in the book of life. Even though I have done nothing good, I have done nothing good. Studnago - vile (literally: shameful; stud - shame).
Lord, accept me in repentance. Lord, don't leave me. Lord, do not lead me into misfortune. Lord, give me a good thought. Lord, give me tears, and mortal memory, and tenderness. Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins. Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience. Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness. Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart. Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts, and to do Your will in everything. Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things. Lord, consider that you do as you will, that your will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
The root of the good is the root (that is, the basis) of all good, all good. Vesi - You know (You know). As You do, as You will - that You do what You want.
+ The great teacher of prayer, St. Theophan the Recluse, attached great importance to these prayers and recommended them to many of his spiritual children as the basis of the prayer rule, as a school of unceasing contemplation of God. Here are some excerpts from his letters:
“How to read the prayers of St. Chrysostom (24 in evening prayers for sleep)? Read them before the prayer so that your attention is concentrated... But also repeat it mentally at all times. This is the best way to accustom yourself to remembering God, and this remembering is the basis of spiritual life. Bow down from the waist, and sometimes even to the ground.” – “You can use the prayers of St. Chrysostom instead of your home rule in the morning. Memorize them and think about each... In them, the whole spiritual life is remembered... How many times to remember each - determine this so that you stand in prayer for the same amount of time as you usually stand for the rule. You can also add your own prayers to them - choose from the psalms: whichever poem suits your heart, write it down... By using these prayers with attention as a rule, you will soon learn to stand in prayer without being distracted. Insert the Jesus Prayer into their midst. For example, having said ten times: “Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings,” add: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
– “The purpose of short prayers is to promote the collection of thoughts and sobriety. Strength is not in words, but in feeling for God. It will soon be formed among those who work on prayer. This is mental prayer. The mind, standing in the heart, sees God and intelligently confesses to Him by calling upon Him... Feeling for God is unceasing prayer without words.”