Monday in the Fifth Week of September

If today be a Feria, the Collect is taken from the preceding Sunday as given in the Ordo.
 

Matins

De libro Esther

The Lesson is taken from
the Book of Esther

Erat vir Judæus in Susan civitáte, vocábulo Mardochæus, fílius Jair, fílii Sémei, fílii Cis, de stirpe Jémini, qui translátus fúerat de Jerúsalem eo témpore quo Jechoníam regem Juda Nabuchodónosor rex Babylónis transtúlerat.  Qui fuit nutrícius fíliæ fratris sui Edíssæ, quæ áltero nómine vocabátur Esther, et utrúmque paréntem amíserat : pulchra nimis et decóra fácie.  Mortuísque patre ejus ac matre, Mardochæus sibi eam adoptávit in filiam.

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jecóniah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.  And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Dómine, mi Rex omnípotens, in dicióne tua cuncta sunt pósita, et non est qui possit resístere voluntáti tuæ : * Líbera nos propter nomen tuum.
V.  Exáudi oratiónem nostram, et convérte luctum nostrum in gáudium.
R.  Líbera nos propter nomen tuum.

R.  O my Lord, the King Almighty!  All things are in thy power, and there is no man that can gainsay thy will : * Deliver us for thy Name's sake.
V.  Hear our prayer, and turn our sorrow into joy.
R.  Deliver us for thy Name's sake.

Cumque percrebuísset regis impérium, et juxta mandátum illíus multæ pulchræ vírgines adduceréntur Susan et Egéo traderéntur eunúcho ; Esther quoque inter céteras puéllas ei trádita est, ut servarétur in número feminárum.  Quæ plácuit ei et invénit grátiam in conspéctu illíus.  Et præcépit eunúcho ut acceleráret mundum mulíebrem et tráderet ei partes suas et septem puéllas speciosíssimas de domo regis, et tam ipsam quam pedíssequas ejus ornáret atque excóleret.  Quæ nóluit indicáre ei pópulum et pátriam suam ; Mardochæus enim præcéperat ei, ut de hac re omníno reticéret.  Qui deambulábat quotídie ante vestíbulum domus, in qua eléctæ  vírgines servabántur, curam agens salútis Esther.

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.  And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.  Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.  And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Confórta me, Rex, Sanctórum principátum tenens : * Et da sermónem rectum et bene sonántem in os meum.
V.  Dómine, Rex univérsæ potestátis, convérte consílium eórum super eos.
R.  Et da sermónem rectum et bene sonántem in os meum.

R.  Strengthen me, O King, who reignest over the holy ones ; * Put thou in my mouth clear and well-sounding words.
V.  O Lord, King of all forces, turn back their device upon themselves.
R.  Put thou in my mouth clear and well-sounding words.

In Feastdays of Simple rank :

V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Et da sermónem rectum et bene sonántem in os meum.

V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Put thou in my mouth clear and well-sounding words.

And on such Feastdays of Simple rank, the Third Lesson is read according to the Proper.

Proper Third Lesson

Evolúto autem témpore per órdinem, instábat dies quo Esther fília Abíhail fratris Mardochæi, quam sibi adoptáverat in filiam, debéret intráre ad regem.  Quæ non quæsívit mulíebrem cultum, sed quæcúmque vóluit Egéus eunúchus custos vírginum, hæc ei ad ornátum dedit ; erat enim formósa valde et incredíbili pulchritúdine : ómnium óculis gratiósa et amábilis videbátur.  Ducta est ítaque ad cubículum regis Assuéri mense décimo, qui vocátur Tebeth, séptimo anno regni ejus.  Et adamávit eam rex plus quam omnes mulíeres, et pósuit diadéma regni in cápite ejus fecítque eam regnáre in loco Vasthi.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.  So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.  And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Spem in álium numquam hábui, prætérquam in te, Deus Israël : * Qui irásceris, et propítius eris, et ómnia peccáta hóminum in tribulatióne dimíttis.
V.  Dómine Deus, Creátor cæli et terræ, réspice ad humilitátem nostram.
R.  Qui irásceris, et propítius eris, et ómnia peccáta hóminum in tribulatióne dimíttis.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Qui irásceris, et propítius eris, et ómnia peccáta hóminum in tribulatióne dimíttis.

R.  I have had no hope in any other but in thee, O God of Israel : * Who art angry, and wilt again shew mercy, and forgivest all the sins of men when they are in affliction.
V.  O Lord God, Maker of heaven and earth! look upon our low estate!
R.  Who art angry, and wilt again shew mercy, and forgivest all the sins of men when they are in affliction.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Who art angry, and wilt again shew mercy, and forgivest all the sins of men when they are in affliction.

The Office of Matins ends after the Third Respond.  The Te Deum is not said, and Lauds normally follows immediately, beginning with the Opening Versicles.  Otherwise, the Conclusion of Matins is read, according to the Rubrics.

Conclusion of Matins
 

After the conclusion of the First Nocturn, the Second Nocturn is begun according to the current weekday.

Second Nocturn