Prokeimenon (Psalm 7), tone 6: O Lord my God, in Thee I trust, / save me.
Verse: Deliver me from all those who persecute me.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 7), tone 6: Lord my God, I have placed my hope in You, save me!
Verse: Deliver me from all my persecutors!
Genesis reading (Genesis 1:14–23).
God said, let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to illuminate the earth, and to separate between day and night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years. And let them be for enlightenment in the firmament of heaven, as they were to shine upon the earth: and so it was. And God created two great lights: the great light at the beginning of the day, and the lesser light at the beginning of the night, and the stars. And I God set in the firmament of the heavens to shine on the earth, and to rule day and night, and to separate between light and darkness. And God sees it as good. And it was evening, and it was morning, the fourth day. And God said: let the waters sweep away the living souls of the living creatures, and the birds flying on the earth, in the firmament of heaven: and so it was. And God created the great whales, and every living thing that moves along the waters, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind: and God saw that it was good. And I God bless the verb: increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the seas: and let the birds multiply on the earth. And it was evening, and it was morning, the fifth day.
Reading Genesis [1:14–23]
God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to illuminate the earth and to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and to determine times and days and years, and let them be a light in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth.” And so it became. And God created two great lights: the great light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars. And God placed them in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth, and to rule the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning: the fourth day. And God said: “Let the waters take away the reptiles with living souls and the birds that fly over the earth in the firmament of heaven.” And so it became. And God created the great creatures of the sea, and every living thing that moves along the waters, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that they were good. And God blessed them, saying: “Grow and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 8), tone 5: O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Your name throughout all the earth.
Verse: For Your splendor will exceed the heavens.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 8), tone 5: O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Your name for all the earth!
Verse: Your greatness is exalted above the sky!
Proverbs reading (Proverbs 1:20–33).
Wisdom is sung in the course, but boldness leads in the hundred. On the edges of the walls he preaches, at the gates of the mighty he crouches, and at the gates of the city those who dare speak. As long as the time of innocence adheres to the truth, they will not be ashamed: but madness, vexation is a desire, wickedness has been hated by feelings, and guilt has been reproached. Behold, I will offer you a saying from my breath: I will teach you my words. I called loudly, and did not listen, and extended my words, and did not heed, but swept away my advice, and did not heed my reproof. For I will laugh at your destruction, but I will rejoice when destruction comes to you. And when rebellion suddenly comes upon you, destruction comes like a storm: either sadness and destruction of the city will come to you, or destruction will come upon you. It will happen that when you call me, I will not listen to you: the evil ones will seek me and will not find me. For I hated wisdom and did not accept the word of the Lord, I wanted to listen to my advice, but I cursed at my reproof.
In the same way they will eat the fruits of their ways, and will be satisfied with their wickedness. For if the infants are harmed, there will be murders, and the torture will destroy the wicked. But he who listens to me will dwell in hope and rest without fear from all evil.
Reading the book of Proverbs [1:20–33]
Wisdom is sung in the streets, and she speaks boldly in the squares. He preaches at the edges of the city walls, sits at the gates of the rulers, and at the gates of the city he boldly says: “As long as the innocent live in truth, they will not be ashamed; the madmen, those who love violence, and the wicked hated knowledge and therefore deserved accusation. Behold, I will give you my breath of speech, I will teach you my word, since I called, and you did not listen; continued her speeches, and you did not listen, but rejected my advice, did not heed my denunciations. Therefore, I will laugh at your death, and I will rejoice when destruction comes to you. And when suddenly a rebellion befalls you, a terrible disaster comes like a storm, when sorrow and oppression come to you, then you will call me, and I will not hear you; The evil ones will look for me and will not find me. Since they hated wisdom and did not accept the fear of the Lord, they did not want to listen to my advice, and they ridiculed my reproofs. Therefore they will eat the fruits of their way and be satisfied with their wickedness. Since they offended infants, they will be killed, and God’s punishment will destroy the wicked.
He who listens to me will live in hope and peace, without fear of any evil.”