Prokeimenon (Psalm 39), tone 4: Thy mercy and Thy truth/ take out and intercede for me.
Verse: Having endured the Lord, he listened and heard my prayer.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 39), tone 4: May Thy mercy and Thy truth always protect me!
Verse: I firmly trusted in the Lord and waited - and He turned to me and heeded my prayer!
Genesis reading. [Gen.5:32, 6:1-8]
Noah was five hundred years old, and begat three sons, Shema, Ham, and Japheth. And when it came to pass that many men began to be on the earth, and daughters were born to them: And when the sons of God saw the daughters of men, because they were good, they girded for themselves wives from all, I have already chosen. And the Lord God said: My Spirit shall not abide in these men forever, for they are flesh: but their days shall be a hundred and twenty years. And you made a giant upon the earth in those days: and then, when the sons of God went in among the daughters of men, and begat unto themselves, you made a giant, who from time immemorial men estate. The Lord God saw how the wickedness of men increased on earth, and everyone thought in his heart against evil all the days. And God thought that he would create man on earth, and thought. And God said: I will consume man, whom I created from the face of the earth, from man even to cattle, and from the creeping thing even to the birds of the air, for I thought what I created. But you will find grace before the Lord God.
Reading Genesis [5:32; 6:1–8]
Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah gave birth to three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. And it happened that when the number of people began to increase on earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God, seeing the daughters of men that they were beautiful, began to take as wives everyone they chose. And the Lord God said: “Let not My Spirit abide in these people forever, for they are flesh; And their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on earth in those days even after the sons of God began to come in to the daughters of men, and they began to give birth for them. They were giants from time immemorial, famous people. The Lord God saw that the atrocities of people on earth had increased, and everyone in his heart was busy with evil thoughts all the days. And God began to think about what he had created man on earth, and he reasoned. And God said, “I will wipe out man whom I have created from the face of the earth, from man to livestock and from reptiles to birds of the air, for I am angry that I made them.” Noah found grace before the Lord God.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 40), tone 6: Az rekh: Lord, have mercy on me, / heal my soul.
Verse: Blessed is he who is poor and wretched; on the day of cruelty the Lord will deliver him.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 40), tone 6: I said: “Have mercy on me, Lord, give healing to my soul!”
Verse: Blessed is he who thinks about the poor and the needy: on the evil day the Lord will deliver him!
Reading parables. [Prov.6:20–35, 7:1]
Son, keep the laws of your father, and do not deny the punishment of your mother: I will bind your soul forever, and bind them about your neck. Whenever you walk, let it be with you; when you sleep, let it keep you and let you rise, the word will be with you. Behind is the lamp of the commandment of the law, and the light, and the way of life, and reproof, and punishment: He must keep you from the wife of men, and from the deception of a foreign tongue. Son, let not lust overcome thee of kindness, let thy eyes be caught below, and let thy eyes delight in her eyelids: For the price of a harlot is the eating of one bread: but a wife of an honest husband catches souls. If someone binds fire into the bowels, will he not burn [his] garments; Or if someone walks on fiery coals, his legs will not be burned; So, the husband who comes to his wife will not be without guilt, let everyone touch her. It is not surprising if someone steals: he steals so that he may satisfy his hungry soul: and if he does, he will repay the sevenfold, and he will give himself all his possessions.
The adulterer, for his poverty of mind, causes the destruction of his soul. He will suffer illness and dishonor; his reproach will not be erased forever. For the wrath of her husband is filled with jealousy: he will not spare her on the day of judgment. It will not change the enmity at a single cost; below it will be resolved by many gifts. Son, keep my words, but hide my commandments with you: son, honor the Lord, and be strong: besides Him, fear no other.
Reading the book of Proverbs [6:20–35; 7:1]
My son! Keep the commandments of your father and do not reject the commandments of your mother. Hang them forever on your soul and put them as a necklace around your neck; when you walk, take wisdom with you, and let it be with you, and when you sleep, let it guard you, so that as soon as you wake up, it can talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproof and teaching are the way of life, to keep you from a married woman and from the slander of a foreign tongue. My son! May the desire for beauty not conquer you, may you not be caught because of your eyes, and may not her eyelashes snatch you away. For the price of a harlot is like the price of one loaf, and a woman catches the precious souls of her husbands. Will anyone take fire into his bosom and burn his clothes? Or will anyone walk on burning coals and not have their feet burned? So, whoever comes to a married woman will not remain without punishment for the evil committed, and in the same way, everyone who touches her will not be without guilt.
It is not surprising if someone committing theft is caught, for he steals to satisfy his hungry soul; but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold and give up all his property to save himself. The adulterer, due to the poverty of his mind, prepares the destruction of his soul; he endures illness and dishonor, but his shame will never be erased. Because the rage of her husband is full of jealousy and he will not spare on the day of judgment, will not exchange enmity for any ransom and will not be reconciled for greater gifts. My son! Keep my words and hide my commandments with you. My son! Honor the Lord and you will be strong, and fear no one except Him.