(Kathisma 17)
Article 1
Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification.
Blessed are the blameless ones who walk in the law of the Lord.
You are destined to live in the tomb, O Christ, and the angelic hosts are terrified, Your descent is glorifying.
Blessed are those who experience His witness; they will seek Him with all their hearts.
Believe me, how are you dying? how do you dwell in the tomb? Do you destroy the kingdom of death and raise the dead from hell?
For those who do no iniquity walk in His ways.
We magnify Thee, Jesus the King, and honor Thy burial and suffering, in whose image Thou hast saved us from corruption.
Thou hast commanded that Thy commandments should be kept strictly.
You who set the measure of the earth, who dwell in small things, Jesus the All-King, this day, raises up the dead from the graves.
Glory: We sing praises to the Word, You, all of God, with the Father and Your Holy Spirit, and glorify Your Divine burial.
And now: We bless You, pure Mother of God, and honor the three-day burial of Your Son and our God.
Article 2
It is worthy to magnify You, the Giver of Life, who stretched out your hand on the cross and crushed the power of the enemy.
Thy hands create me and create me: give me understanding, and I will learn Your commandment.
It is worthy to magnify Thee, the Creator of all: Through Thy suffering the imams are dispassionate, freed from corruption.
Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because they trust in Your words.
The earth was terrified, and the sun, O Savior, hid itself in the eternal light of You, Christ, I entered in a carnal grave.
Glory: Beginningless God, co-essential with the Word and Holy Soul, strengthen the scepter of the Orthodox emperor for military purposes, for it is good.
And now: Who gave birth to life, most immaculate virgin, quench the temptations of the church, and grant the world, for it is good.
Article 3
Give birth to all the hymns of Thy burial, my Christ.
Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name.
He took down from the tree like Arimathea, wrapped a shroud around him, and buried Thee in a coffin.
Direct my steps according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me.
The myrrh-bearers have come, peace to you, my Christ, who wear them wisely.
Deliver me from human slander, and I will keep Your commandments.
Come, all creation, let us bring the original songs to the Creator.
Glory: O Trinity, my God, Father, Son and Soul, have mercy on the world.
And now: To see Your Son’s resurrection, O Virgin, grant Your servants.
Blessed are you, Lord... Council of Angels... (See above).
The funeral songs are followed by a canon depicting the confusion of heaven and earth at the sight of the Lord lying in the tomb.