ᾨδὴ Εʹ
The Call to Vigilance
The soul awakens from the night of sin, seeking the light of Christ's commandments.
As I rise from the night, O Loving One, I ask you to enlighten me and guide me in your commandments; teach me, Savior, to do your will. Throughout the night, I have passed my life; for darkness has come upon me, and deep mist is the night of sin. But like the day, O Savior, reveal me.
Lessons from the Patriarchs
Reflecting on the life of Joseph as a call to purity and a type of Christ's suffering.
Imitating Reuben, I, the wretched one, acted with a lawless and unlawful intention against God the Most High, defiling my bed just as that father did. I confess to you, Christ King: I have sinned, I have sinned, just like those who, before Joseph, sold the fruit of purity and the fruit of self-control. The righteous soul was given over by her relatives; the sweet one was sold into slavery, as a type of the Lord; but you, whole soul, were sold to your own evils. Imitate Joseph the righteous and wise in mind, you poor and unworthy soul, and don’t let yourself be led astray by unreasonable impulses, always acting unlawfully. Even if Joseph once lived in a pit, Lord, it was as a symbol of Your Burial and Resurrection. What can I ever offer You in return for that?
The Path of Moses
Drawing strength from the life of Moses to navigate the wilderness of passions.
You heard of Moses' basket, soul, carried by the waters and waves of the river, as if in a chamber long ago, fleeing the bitter drama of Pharaoh's decree. If you heard the midwives once killing the newborn, poor soul, the masculine act of temperance; now, like the great Moses, nurture wisdom. Just as the great Moses struck down the Egyptian, poor soul, you didn't kill him; and tell me, how will you dwell in the wilderness of passions through repentance? Great Moses lived in the desert; now, imitate his way of life so that you, too, may experience the divine manifestation in the burning bush, soul, and come to know it through contemplation. Imagine the staff of Moses, soul, striking the sea and solidifying the depths in the shape of the Cross of God, through which you too can accomplish great things.
Confession and Cleansing
A humble admission of sin and a plea for the Lord's mercy to wash the soul clean.
Aaron offered pure and unblemished fire to God, but Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire to God—a corrupted life. Like Pharaoh, my thoughts have become heavy, Lord; like Jannes and Jambres, I am burdened in soul and body, and my mind is submerged. But help me. I, the wretched one, am stuck in the clay of my thoughts; wash me, Lord, in the bath of my tears. I beg you, make the garment of my flesh white as snow. If I examine my deeds, Savior, I see that I surpass everyone in my sins, because I have sinned knowingly, not out of ignorance. Have mercy, have mercy, Lord, on your creation; I have sinned, forgive me, you who are pure by nature, for you alone exist without any stain.
Healing in the Presence of Christ
Seeking the healing touch of the Savior through faith and the washing of tears.
For me, being God, you took on my form; you showed wonders by healing lepers and restoring the paralyzed. Savior, you raised the blood of the wounded, and with the touch of your garment, you brought healing. Imitate the woman with the issue of blood, O wretched soul; run to the hem of Christ's garment so you can be healed of your afflictions and hear Him say, 'Your faith has saved you.' O soul, imitate the one who bows down low; draw near and fall at the feet of Jesus, so that He may lift you up and you may walk rightly in the paths of the Lord. Even if you are a deep well, Lord, pour out streams for me from your holy veins, so that like the Samaritan woman, I may no longer thirst, for you flow with rivers of life. Let my tears be like Siloam, O Lord, so that I may wash the eyes of my soul and see You clearly—the light that existed before the ages.
Doxology and Theotokos
Concluding praise to the Holy Trinity and the Mother of God.
We glorify you, Trinity, the one God; Holy, Holy, Holy are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; simple essence, the One who is always worshiped. From you, my being was clothed, O incorruptible, unmanly Mother of God, who created the ages, and united to yourself the nature of humanity.
Read the original Latin
Ἐκ νυκτὸς ὀρθρίζοντα, Φιλάνθρωπε, φώτισον, δέομαι, καὶ ὁδήγησον κἀμέ, ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασί σου· καὶ δίδαξόν με, Σωτήρ, ποιεῖν τὸ θέλημά σου.
Ἐν νυκτὶ τὸν βίον μου διῆλθον ἀεί· σκότος γὰρ γέγονε καὶ βαθεῖά μοι ἀχλὺς ἡ νὺξ τῆς ἁμαρτίας· ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἡμέρας υἱόν, Σωτήρ, ἀνάδειξόν με.
Τὸν Ρουβὶμ μιμούμενος ὁ τάλας ἐγὼ ἔπραξα ἄθεσμον καὶ παράνομον βουλὴν κατὰ Θεοῦ Ὑψίστου, μιάνας κοίτην ἐμὴν ὡς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος.
Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Χριστὲ Βασιλεῦ· Ἥμαρτον, ἥμαρτον, ὡς οἱ πρὶν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἀδελφοὶ πεπρακότες τὸν τῆς ἁγνείας καρπὸν καὶ τὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης.
Ὑπὸ τῶν συγγόνων ἡ δικαία ψυχὴ δέδοτο· πέπρατο εἰς δουλείαν ὁ γλυκύς, εἰς τύπον τοῦ Κυρίου· αὐτὴ δὲ ὅλη, ψυχή, ἐπράθης τοῖς κακοῖς σου.
Ἰωσὴφ τὸν δίκαιον, καὶ σώφρονα νοῦν μίμησαι, τάλαινα καὶ ἀδόκιμε ψυχή, καὶ μὴ ἀκολασταίνου ταῖς παραλόγοις ὁρμαῖς ἀεὶ παρανομοῦσα.
Εἰ καὶ λάκκῳ ᾤκησέ ποτε Ἰωσήφ, Δέσποτα Κύριε, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς τύπον τῆς Ταφῆς καὶ τῆς Ἐγέρσεώς σου· ἐγὼ δὲ τί σοί ποτε τοιοῦτο προσενέγκω;
Τοῦ Μωσέως ἤκουσας τὴν θίβην, ψυχή, ὕδασι, κύμασι φερομένην ποταμοῦ, ὡς ἐν θαλάμῳ πάλαι, φυγοῦσαν δρᾶμα πικρὸν βουλῆς Φαραωνίτου.
Εἰ τὰς μαίας ἤκουσας κτεινούσας ποτὲ ἄνηβον, τάλαινα, τὴν ἀρρενωπόν, ψυχή, τῆς σωφροσύνης πρᾶξιν· νῦν ὡς ὁ μέγας Μωσῆς τιθηνοῦ τὴν σοφίαν.
Ὡς Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον νοῦν πλήξασα, τάλαινα, οὐκ ἀπέκτεινας, ψυχή· καὶ πῶς οἰκήσεις, λέγε, τὴν ἔρημον τῶν παθῶν διὰ τῆς μετανοίας;
Τὰς ἐρήμους ᾤκησεν ὁ μέγας Μωσῆς· δεῦρο δὴ μίμησαι τὴν αὐτοῦ διαγωγήν, ἵνα καὶ τῆς ἐν βάτῳ θεοφανείας, ψυχή, ἐν θεωρίᾳ γένῃ.
Τὴν Μωσέως ράβδον εἰκονίζου, ψυχή, πλήττουσαν θάλασσαν καὶ πηγνύουσαν βυθὸν τύπῳ Σταυροῦ τοῦ θείου, δι᾿ οὗ δυνήσῃ καὶ σὺ μεγάλα ἐκτελέσαι.
Ἀαρὼν προσέφερε τὸ πῦρ τῷ Θεῷ ἄμωμον, ἄδολον· ἀλλ᾿ Ὀφνεὶ καὶ Φινεὲς ὡς σύ, ψυχή, προσῆγον ἀλλότριον τῷ Θεῷ, ρερυπωμένον βίον.
Ὡς βαρὺς τῇ γνώμῃ Φαραὼ τῷ πικρῷ γέγονα, Δέσποτα, Ἰαννὴς καὶ Ἰαμβρής, τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ὑποβρύχιον νοῦν· ἀλλὰ βοήθησόν μοι.
Τῷ πηλῷ συμπέφυρμαι ὁ τάλας τὸν νοῦν· πλῦνόν με, Δέσποτα, τῷ λουτῆρι τῶν ἐμῶν δακρύων, δέομαί σου, τὴν τῆς σαρκός μου στολὴν λευκάνας ὡς χιόνα.
Ἐὰν ἐρευνήσω μου τὰ ἔργα, Σωτήρ, ἅπαντα ἄνθρωπον ὑπερβάντα ἐμαυτὸν ὁρῶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις, ὅτι ἐν γνώσει φρενῶν ἥμαρτον, οὐκ ἀγνοίᾳ.
Φεῖσαι, φεῖσαι, Κύριε, τοῦ πλάσματός σου· ἥμαρτον, ἄνες μοι, ὁ τῇ φύσει καθαρὸς αὐτὸς ὑπάρχεις μόνος, καὶ ἄλλος πλήν σου οὐδεὶς ὑπάρχει ἔξω ρύπου.
Δι᾿ ἐμέ, Θεὸς ὤν, ἐμορφώθης ἐμέ· ἔδειξας θαύματα ἰασάμενος λεπροὺς καὶ παραλύτους σφίγξας, Αἱμόρρου στήσας, Σωτήρ, ἁφῇ κρασπέδου ῥῦσιν.
Τὴν Αἱμόρρουν μίμησαι, ἀθλία ψυχή· πρόσδραμε, κράτησον τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα ρυσθῇς μαστίγων, ἀκούσῃς δὲ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ· Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε.
Τὴν χαμαὶ συγκύπτουσαν μιμοῦ, ὦ ψυχή· πρόσελθε, πρόσπεσον τοῖς ποσὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα σε ἀνορθώσῃ, καὶ βηματίσεις ὀρθῶς, τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Κυρίου.
Εἰ καὶ φρέαρ, Δέσποτα, ὑπάρχεις βαθύ, βλῦσόν μοι νάματα ἐξ ἀχράντων σου φλεβῶν, ἵν᾿ ὡς ἡ Σαμαρεῖτις, μηκέτι πίνων διψῶ· ζωῆς γὰρ ῥεῖθρα βλύζεις.
Σιλωὰμ γενέσθω μοι τὰ δάκρυά μου, Δέσποτα Κύριε, ἵνα νίψωμαι κἀγὼ τὰς κόρας τῆς ψυχῆς μου καὶ ἴδω σε νοερῶς τὸ φῶς τὸ πρὸ αἰώνων.
Σέ, Τριάς, δοξάζομεν, τὸν ἕνα Θεόν· Ἅγιος, Ἅγιος, Ἅγιος εἶ, ὁ Πατήρ, ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα· ἁπλῆ οὐσία, Μονὰς ἀεὶ προσκυνουμένη.
Ἐκ σοῦ ἠμφιάσατο τὸ φύραμά μου, ἄφθορε, ἄνανδρε Μητροπάρθενε, Θεὸς ὁ κτίσας τοὺς αἰῶνας, καὶ ἥνωσεν ἑαυτῷ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν.
The Great Canon companion
Never lose the rhythm again
Chosen Portion delivers your morning, midday and night office to your phone — the Hours, without the bells.
Chosen Portion is a modern Book of Hours: it turns the fixed-hour structure this collection preserves into scheduled, tappable daily prayer on your phone.
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