Молитва

Opening Plea for Mercy

The prayer begins by addressing God as the Lover of humankind, asking Him to remember His poor people and save them for the sake of His great mercy, as His newly gathered flock.

So then, O Master, our King and God, exalted and glorious, Lover of humankind—you who give glory and honor in return for labors and make people partakers of your kingdom—remember us also, since you are good, us your poor ones, for your name is Lover of humankind! Even if we have no good works, yet for the sake of your great mercy save us—for "we are your people and the sheep of your pasture"—and this flock that you have newly begun to shepherd, having torn it from the ruin of idol worship!

The Good Shepherd and the Little Flock

The prayer appeals to Christ the Good Shepherd, asking Him not to abandon His straying, sinful flock, but to reassure them with the promise of the Kingdom.

Good Shepherd, you laid down your life for the sheep: don't leave us, even when we still go astray; don't cast us off, even when we still sin against you, like newly bought servants who fail to please their Master in everything. Don't despise us, though we are a little flock, but say to us: 'Fear not, little flock, for your heavenly Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom!'

Confession of Sin and Plea for Repentance

The prayer confesses manifold sins, acknowledges God's power over life and death, and begs for mercy, forgiveness, and deliverance from judgment, culminating in a plea for God's compassionate visitation.

You who are rich in mercy and generous in compassion, who promised to receive those who repent and wait for sinners to turn: do not remember our many sins; receive us as we turn to you; blot out the record of our offenses; calm the anger we have provoked, O Lover of mankind—for you are the Lord, Master, and Creator, and in you is the power for us to live or to die.¹ Set aside your anger, O merciful One—anger we deserve for what we've done—and lead us past the trial, for we are dust and ashes; and don't enter into judgment with your servants. We are your people; we seek you, we fall before you, we cast ourselves on your mercy. We've sinned and done evil; we've neither observed nor kept what you commanded us!²³ Being of the earth, we bent ourselves toward earthly things and did what was wicked before the face of your glory; we gave ourselves over to the lusts of the flesh, enslaved ourselves to sin and to the cares of this life, and became fugitives from our Master. Poor in good works and wretched because of an evil life, we repent, we ask, and we pray: we repent of our evil deeds; we ask that you send your fear into our hearts; we pray that at the Dread Judgment you will have mercy on us.⁴ Save us, deal generously with us, look upon us, visit us, have compassion, and have mercy—for we are yours, your creation, the work of your hands!

The Dread Judgment and Human Frailty

The prayer reflects on the impossibility of standing before God's judgment, acknowledging that only God's mercy and purification can save, and that human life is as fragile as morning dew before His wrath.

"If you mark lawlessness, Lord, who can stand?" If you repay each person according to their deeds, then who will be saved? For purification comes from you; mercy and abundant deliverance come from you; our souls are in your hands, and our breath is in your will.⁵ For as long as your gracious regard rests on us, we prosper; but if you look on us in fury, we vanish like the morning dew. For dust cannot stand against the storm—and neither can we against your wrath!

A Plea for Mercy and Guidance

The prayer asks for mercy according to God's great mercy, confesses that all good comes from God and all evil from humanity, and begs God not to abandon them as He did Jerusalem, but to guide them in truth and grant them a place among the righteous at the Dread Judgment.

But as creatures we ask mercy of the One who made us: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your great mercy! For everything good comes from you to us; and everything unjust comes from us toward you. For we have all turned aside; we have all together become worthless. There is not one among us who strives and labors for the things of heaven, but all for earthly things, all for the cares of this life: "for the godly have failed" on the earth.⁶ It's not that you have abandoned us or overlooked us, but that we don't seek you, and cling instead to these visible things. So we fear that you will deal with us as you did with Jerusalem, who abandoned you and did not walk in your ways. But don't deal with us as with them according to our deeds, and don't repay us according to our sins; but bear with us, and still be long-suffering. Stay the flame of your wrath stretching out against us, your servants; guide us yourself into your truth, teaching us to do your will. For you are our God, and we are your people, your portion, your inheritance. For we don't lift up "our hands to a foreign god," nor have we followed any false prophet, nor do we hold to heretical teachings; but we call upon you, the true God, and we lift our eyes to you who dwell in the heavens, we raise our hands to you, we pray to you. Forgive us, as the good Lover of mankind; have mercy on us, you who call sinners to repentance; and at your Dread Judgment don't cut us off from standing at your right hand, but grant us a share in the blessing of the righteous!^✦^✦⁷

Petition for National Deliverance

The prayer asks God to spare the nation from foreign domination and natural calamities, so that His city and flock may not be disgraced among the nations.

And as long as the world stands, do not bring the calamity of trial upon us, and do not hand us over to foreigners, so that your city is not called a captive city and your flock “strangers in a land not their own,” and so that the nations do not say, “Where is their God?”^✦^✦ Do not let sorrow and famine come upon us, or sudden deaths, or fire, or drowning!⁸

Mercy for the Weak and the Afflicted

The prayer asks God to deal gently with those weak in faith, and to extend His mercy over all people in every circumstance, from rulers to the imprisoned, granting peace, abundance, and comfort.

Don't let those who are unsteady in faith fall away from it: chastise them lightly, but show them much mercy; wound them lightly, but heal them mercifully; afflict them only a little, and quickly make them glad—for our nature can't bear your wrath for long, like stubble before the fire! But relent; have mercy, for it is yours to show mercy and to save. Therefore extend your mercy over your people: drive away the enemy, establish peace, subdue the nations, end famine with abundance, make our rulers a terror to foreign lands, make the boyars wise, strengthen the cities, grow your Church, preserve your inheritance, save men and women and little children—those in slavery, in captivity, in imprisonment, on the roads, at sea, in dungeons, in hunger and thirst and nakedness—have mercy on them all, comfort them all, gladden them all, giving them joy of body and of soul!⁹¹⁰

Concluding Doxology

The prayer concludes by asking for mercy through the intercession of the Mother of God and all the saints, and offers glory to the Holy Trinity, ending with 'Amen.'

Through the prayers and intercession of your most pure Mother, the holy heavenly powers, your Forerunner and Baptist John, the apostles, prophets, martyrs, the venerable ones, and all the saints—by their prayers, have mercy on us and show us compassion. May we be shepherded by your mercy, so that we may together, in the unity of the faith, joyfully and gladly glorify you, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Most Holy Spirit: the undivided Trinity, one in Godhead, who reigns in heaven and on earth over angels and human beings, over all visible and invisible creation, now and always and forever and ever.^✦¹¹¹² Amen!

Read the original Church Slavonic

Симь же убо, о Владыко, Царю и Боже нашь, высокъи и славне, человѣколюбче, въздаяи противу трудомъ славу же и честь и причастникы творя своего царьства, помяни, яко благъ, и насъ, нищиихъ твоихъ, яко имя тобѣ человѣколюбець! Аще и добрыих дѣлъ не имѣемь, нъ многыа ради милости твоеа спаси ны, «мы бо людие твои и овцѣ паствы твоеи», и стадо, еже ново начатъ пасти, исторгъ от пагубы идолослужения!

Пастырю добрый, положивыи душю за овцѣ, не остави насъ, аще и еще блудимъ, не отверзи насъ, аще и еще съгрѣшаемь ти, акы новокуплении раби, въ всемь не угодяще Господу своему; не възгнушаися, аще и мало стадо, нъ рци къ намъ: «Не боися, малое стадо, яко благоизволи Отець вашь небесныи дати вамъ Царьствие!»

Богатыи милостию и благыи щедротами, обѣтщався приимати кающася и ожидааи обращениа грѣшныихъ, не помяни многыихъ грѣхъ нашихъ, приими ны обращающася к тобѣ, заглади рукописание съблазнъ нашихъ, укроти гнѣвъ, имже рагнѣвахомъ тя, человѣколюбче, ты бо еси Господь, владыка и творець и в тобѣ есть власть или жити намъ или умрѣти.

Уложи гнѣвъ милостиве, егоже достоини есмы по дѣломъ нашимъ, мимоведи искушение, яко перстьесмы и прахъ и не въниди въ судъ съ рабы своими, мы людие твои, тебе ищемь, тобѣ припадаемь, тобѣ ся мили дѣемь; съгрѣшихомъ и злаа сътворихомъ, не съблюдохомъ, ни съхранихомъ, якоже заповѣда намъ!

Земнии суще, къ земныимъ прѣклонихомься и лукавая съдѣяхом пред лицемь славы твоеа, на похоти плотяныа прѣдахомся, поработихомся грѣхови и печалемь житиискамъ, быхомъ бѣгуни своего Владыкы. Убози от добрыихъ дѣлъ, окаянии злааго ради житиа, каемся, просимъ, молимъ: каемся злыихъ своихъ дѣлъ, просимъ, да страхъ твои послеши въ сердца наша, молимъ, да на Страшнѣмъ Судѣ помилуеть ны. Спаси, ущедри, призри, посѣти, умилосердися, помилуи, твои бо есмы, твое создание, твоею руку дѣло!

«Аще бо безакониа назриши, Господи, кто постоить?» Аще въздаси комуждо по дѣломъ, то кто спасется? Яко от тебе оцѣщение есть, яко от тебе милость и много избавление, и души наши въ руку твоею, и дыхание наше въ воли твоеи. Донелѣ же бо благопризирание твое на насъ, благоденьствуемъ, аще ли съ яростию призриши, ищезнемь, яко утреняа роса. Не постоить бо прахъ противу бури, и мы противу гнѣву твоему!

Нъ яко тварь от сътворивъшааго ны милости просимъ: помилуи ны, Боже, по велицѣи милости твоеи! Все бо благое от тебе на нас; все же неправедное от нас к тобѣ. Вси бо уклонихомся, вси въкупѣ неключими быхомъ, нѣсть от насъ ни единого о небесныихъ тщащася и подвизающа, нъ вси о земныихъ, вси о печалех житиискыихъ: «яко оскудѣ прѣподобныих» на земли. Не тебе оставляющу и прѣзрящу насъ, но намъ тебе не възискающем, нъ видимыихъ сихъ прилежащемь. Тѣмже боимся, егда сътвориши на насъ, яко на Иеросалимѣ, оставлешиимъ тя и не ходившиимъ въ пути твоа. Нъ не сътвори намъ яко и онѣмь по дѣломъ нашимъ, ни по грѣхом нашимъ въздаи намъ, нъ терпѣ на насъ, и еще долго терпе, устави гнѣвныи твои пламень, простираюшться на ны, рабы твоа, самъ направляа ны на истину твою, научая ны творити волю твою. Яко ты еси Богъ нашь, и мы людие твои, твоа чясть, твое достояние. Не въздѣваемъ бо «рукъ наших къ богу туждему», ни послѣдовахом лъжууму коему пророку, ни учениа еретичьскаа держимъ, нъ тебе призываемь истиньнааго Бога и къ тебѣ, живущему на небесѣхъ, очи наши възводимъ, къ тебѣ рукы наши въздѣваемь, молим ти ся; отъдаждь намъ, яко благыи человѣколюбець, помилуи ны, призываа грѣшникы въ покаание, и на Страшнѣмь твоемь Судѣ деснааго стояниа не отлучи насъ, нъ благословлениа праведныих причасти насъ!

И донелѣ же стоить миръ, не наводи на ны напасти искушениа, ни прѣдаи насъ въ рукы чюжиихъ, да не прозоветься градъ твои градъ плѣненъ и стадо твое «пришельци въ земли не своеи», да не рекуть страны: «кде есть Богъ их?» , не попущаи на ны скорби и глада, и напрасныихъ съмертии, огня, потоплениа!

Да не отпадуть от вѣры нетвердии вѣрою, малы показни, а много помилуи, малы язви, а милостивно исцѣли, въ малѣ оскорби, а въ скорѣ овесели, яко не трьпить наше естьство дълго носити гнѣва твоего, яко стеблие огня!

Нъ укротися, умилосердися, яко твое есть еже помиловати и спасти; тѣмже продължи милость твою на людех твоихъ: ратныа прогоня, миръ утверди, страны укроти, глады угобзи, владыкѣ наши огрози странамъ, боляры умудри, грады расили, Церковь твою възрасти, достояние свое съблюди, мужи и жены, и младенцѣ спаси, сущаа въ работѣ, въ плонении, въ заточении, въ путех, въ плавании, въ темницах, въ алкотѣ и жажди и наготѣ — вся помилуи, вся утѣши, вся обрадуи, радость творя имъ и тѣлесную и душевную!

Молитвами, молениемь, прѣчистыя ти Матери и святыихъ небесныихъ силъ, и Прѣдтечи твоего и Крестителя Иоанна, апостолъ, пророкъ, мученикъ, преподобныихъ и всѣхъ святыихъ молитвами умилосердися на ны и помилуи ны, да милоствю твоею пасоми въ единении вѣры въкупѣ весело и радостно славимь тя Господа нашего Исуса Христа съ Отцемь, съ Пресвятыимъ Духомъ, Троицу нераздѣлну, единобожествену, царьствующу на небесѣх и на земли ангеломъ и человѣкомъ, видимѣи и невидимѣи твари, нынѣ и присно и въ вѣкы вѣком. Аминь!

Scripture echoes

↩Luke.5.32;Matt.9.13 — I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matt.9.13 — But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
↩Matt.25.33-Matt.25.34 — And he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at his left. Matt.25.34 — Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'
↩Gen.15.13 — Then he said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will serve them, and they will afflict them for four hundred years.
↩Ps.79.10;Joel.2.17;Ps.42.3 — Why should the nations say, \"Where is their God?\" Let the vengeance for the shed blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes. Joel.2.17 — Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. And let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?"' Ps.42.3 — My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before the face of God?
↩Eph.4.13 — until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

Notes

1 ↩Rendered as 'written record of our offenses' (the bond/handwriting of our stumbling); keeps the Colossians 2:14-style legal image without archaic 'chirograph'.
2 ↩мимоведи искушение can mean either 'lead us past trial/temptation' or 'turn trial aside from us'; rendered as 'lead us past the trial' to keep the directional force of мимоведи.
3 ↩Idiomatic Church Slavonic for self-presentation as pitiable before God; rendered 'cast ourselves on your mercy' rather than a stiff calque ('make ourselves dear/pitiful to you').
4 ↩помилуеть is third-person singular in the source; rendered as second-person address to God ('you will have mercy') to match the surrounding prayer voice (твои, сердца наша). A more literal 'that He may have mercy on us' is also possible.
5 ↩оцѣщение can mean purification, cleansing, or propitiatory forgiveness; rendered 'purification' to stay close to the Slavonic stem while still carrying the psalm's sense of divine forbearance.
6 ↩неключими = worthless/useless (Gk. ἀχρεῖοι); прѣподобныих = the devout/godly/saints, kept as 'godly' to match the psalm echo.
7 ↩человѣколюбець rendered 'Lover of mankind' (standard liturgical φιλάνθρωπος title for God), not modern 'philanthropist'.
8 ↩Source opens mid-clause with a leading comma; rendered as a free-standing petition continuing s1. напрасныихъ съмертии = sudden/untimely deaths; потоплениа = drowning/flooding.
9 ↩угобзити primarily means 'make fertile/enrich.' In this litany-style collocation with глады (famine), the sense is to replace famine with abundance rather than 'enrich famine' literally.
10 ↩Taken as расилити, 'strengthen/fortify' the cities; less likely readings would require emending the form.
11 ↩преподобныихъ rendered as 'the venerable ones' (monastic/holy fathers and mothers in East Slavic usage), not merely 'the righteous'.
12 ↩Молитвами, молениемь is a doubled liturgical formula; rendered as 'prayers and intercession' rather than repeating 'prayers' twice.

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