Isaiah 5.7-16 (6th Hour)

7Da, vinograd je Gospoda nad vojskama dom Izrailjev, i ljudi su Judejci mili sad njegov; on èeka sud, a gle nasilja, èeka pravdu, a gle vike. 8Teško onima koji sastavljaju kuæu s kuæom, i njivu na njivu nastavljaju, da veæ ne bude mjesta i vi sami ostanete u zemlji. 9Od Gospoda nad vojskama èuh: mnoge kuæe opustjeæe, u velikim i lijepijem neæe biti nikoga. 10Jer æe deset rala vinograda dati jedan vat, i gomer sjemena daæe efu. 11Teško onima koji rane, te idu na silovito piæe i ostaju do mraka dok ih vino raspali. 12I na gozbama su im gusle i psaltiri i bubnji i svirale i vino; a ne gledaju na djela Gospodnja i ne vide rada ruku njegovijeh. 13Zato se narod moj odvede u ropstvo što ne znaju, i koje poštuje gladuju, i ljudstvo njegovo gine od žeði. 14Zato se raširio grob i razvalio ždrijelo svoje preveæ, i siæi æe u nj slava njegova i mnoštvo njegovo i vreva njegova i koji se vesele u njemu. 15I pognuæe se prost èovjek, i visoki æe se poniziti, i ponosite oèi oboriæe se; 16Gospod nad vojskama uzvisiæe se sudom, i Bog sveti posvetiæe se pravdom.

Genesis 4.8-15 (Vespers)

8Poslije govoraše Kajin s Aveljem bratom svojim. Ali kad bijahu u polju, skoèi Kajin na Avelja brata svojega, i ubi ga. 9Tada reèe Gospod Kajinu: gdje ti je brat Avelj? A on odgovori: ne znam; zar sam ja èuvar brata svojega? 10A Bog reèe: šta uèini! glas krvi brata tvojega vièe sa zemlje k meni. 11I sada, da si proklet na zemlji, koja je otvorila usta svoja da primi krv brata tvojega iz ruke tvoje. 12Kad zemlju uzradiš, neæe ti više davati blaga svojega. Biæeš potukaè i bjegunac na zemlji. 13A Kajin reèe Gospodu: krivica je moja velika da mi se ne može oprostiti. 14Evo me tjeraš danas iz ove zemlje da se krijem ispred tebe, i da se skitam i potucam po zemlji, pa æe me ubiti ko me udesi. 15A Gospod mu reèe: zato ko ubije Kajina, sedam æe se puta to pokajati. I naèini Gospod znak na Kajinu da ga ne ubije ko ga udesi.

Proverbs 5.1-15 (Vespers)

1Sine moj, slušaj mudrost moju, k razumu mojemu prigni uho svoje, 2Da se držiš razboritosti, i usne tvoje da hrane znanje. 3Jer s usana tuðe žene kaplje med, i grlo joj je mekše od ulja; 4Ali joj je pošljedak gorak kao pelen, oštar kao maè s obje strane oštar. 5Noge joj slaze k smrti, do pakla dopiru koraci njezini. 6Da ne bi mjerio puta životnoga, savijaju se staze njezine da ne znaš. 7Zato, djeco, poslušajte mene, i ne otstupajte od rijeèi usta mojih. 8Neka je daleko od nje put tvoj, i ne približuj se k vratima kuæe njezine, 9Da ne bi dao drugima slave svoje i godina svojih nemilostivome, 10Da se ne bi tuðinci nasitili tvojega blaga i trud tvoj da ne bi bio u tuðoj kuæi, 11I da ne ridaš na pošljedak, kad se stroši meso tvoje i tijelo tvoje, 12I reèeš: kako mrzih na nastavu, i kako srce moje prezira karanje! 13I ne poslušah glasa uèitelja svojih, i ne prignuh uha svojega k onima koji me uèahu! 14Umalo ne zapadoh u svako zlo usred zbora i skupštine. 15Pij vodu iz svojega studenca i što teèe iz tvojega izvora.

Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers, St Raphael)

1The memory of a just man is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better than treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she bears law and mercy on her tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me, for I speak weighty things. And blessed is the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of humankind. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, knowledge and understanding. I have called on them. Counsel and sureness are mine; prudence is mine, strength is mine. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, then, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.

Proverbs 10.31-11.12 (Vespers, St Raphael)

31Usta pravednikova iznose mudrost, a jezik opaki istrijebiæe se. 32Usne pravednikove znaju što je milo, a bezbožnièka su usta opaèina.

1Lažna su mjerila mrska Gospodu, a prava mjera ugodna mu je. 2Kad doðe oholost, doðe i sramota; a u smjernijeh je mudrost. 3Pravedne vodi bezazlenost njihova, a bezakonike satire zloæa njihova. 4Neæe pomoæi bogatstvo u dan gnjeva, a pravda izbavlja od smrti. 5Pravda bezazlenoga upravlja put njegov, a bezbožnik pada od svoje bezbožnosti. 6Pravedne izbavlja pravda njihova, a bezakonici hvataju se u svojoj zloæi. 7Kad umire bezbožnik, propada nadanje, i najjaèe uzdanje propada. 8Pravednik se izbavlja iz nevolje, a bezbožnik dolazi na njegovo mjesto. 9Licemjer kvari ustima bližnjega svojega; ali se pravednici izbavljaju znanjem. 10Dobru pravednijeh raduje se grad; a kad propadaju bezbožnici, biva pjevanje. 11Blagoslovima pravednijeh ljudi podiže se grad, a s usta bezbožnièkih raskopava se. 12Bezumnik se ruga bližnjemu svojemu, a razuman èovjek muèi.

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15 (Vespers, St Raphael)

St Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza (420)

He was born to a wealthy, noble family in Thessalonica around 347. Filled more and more with a yearning for God, he abandoned his worldly possessions and traveled to Egypt, living for five years as a monk at Sketis. From there he went to Palestine, where he lived for another five years in a cave in the Jordan desert. Suffering from a severe ailment, he was forced to move to Jerusalem; there he was suddenly and completely cured following a vision on Golgotha, in which he saw the Good Thief come down from the cross to lead him to Christ, who gave the Cross into his keeping.

Porphyrius took up the trade of a shoemaker in Jerusalem to provide for his few needs. His humility and charity became so well-known that the Bishop of Jerusalem ordained him to the priesthood at the age of forty-five, and made him Stavrophylax, keeper of the True Cross of the Savior — thus fulfilling Porphyrius’ vision on Golgotha. Three years later, much against his will, he was elected Bishop of Gaza.

Throughout his episcopate he was persecuted by the pagans who still dominated the life of that city — though he was able to convert many of them by his own example of holiness, and by the many miracles that were wrought through his intercessions. Once, when the city was suffering from a long drought, the Saint gathered the city’s Christians (who numbered no more than 280), told them to fast, and celebrated an all-night vigil. The next morning, as the Bishop and his entire flock went in procession through the city it began to rain. At this, 127 pagans were converted. When the pagans’ violent attacks continued, Porphyrius appealed to the Emperor Arcadius for an edict closing of the pagan temples in Gaza. With the support of St John Chrysostom the edict was issued. When the Imperial representatives entered Gaza, accompanied by Bishop Porphyrius bearing the Cross, the statue of Aphrodite in the city’s main temple shattered into pieces. Eight temples were destroyed, and a Church was built on the site of the largest. Hundreds of pagans embraced the Faith and, after instruction, were baptized by the Saint.

After twenty-five years as bishop, during which he had seen his see transformed from a small flock of beleaguered Christians into a Christian territory, Saint Porphyrius reposed in peace in 420.

St Photini the Samaritan Woman, and those with her (66)

She was the Samaritan Woman who met Christ at Jacob’s Well (John ch. 4). She repented, and told her townsmen that she had met the Christ, for which she is sometimes called the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. She converted her four sisters (Phota, Photis,Parasceva, and Cyriaca), and her sons (Victor and Joses), and all of them became tireless evangelists for Christ. After the martyrdom of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, she traveled to Carthage to proclaim the Gospel there. She, with her Christian sisters and sons, all met martyrdom under the persecutions of Nero. She is also commemorated on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman during the Paschal season.