Wednesday 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

Quæ cum audísset Mardochæus, scidit vestiménta sua et indútus est sacco spargens cínerem cápiti ; et in platéa médiæ civitátis voce magna clamábat osténdens amaritúdinem ánimi sui, et hoc ejulátu usque ad fores palátii grádiens ; non enim erat lícitum indútum sacco aulam regis intráre.  In ómnibus quoque provínciis, óppidis ac locis, ad quæ crudéle regis dogma pervénerat, planctus ingens erat apud Judæos, jejúnium, ululátus et fletus, sacco et cínere multis pro strato uténtibus.  Ingréssæ autem sunt puéllæ Esther et eunúchi nuntiaverúntque ei.  Quod áudiens consternáta est et vestem misit, ut, abláto sacco, indúerent eum : quam accípere nóluit.  Accitóque Athach eunúcho, quem rex minístrum ei déderat, præcépit ei ut iret ad Mardochæum et dísceret ab eo cur hoc fáceret.

When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; and came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.  And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.  So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.  Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

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

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

R.  Nos álium Deum nescímus præter Dóminum, in quo sperámus : * Qui non déspicit nos, nec ámovet salútem suam a génere nostro.
V.  Indulgéntiam ipsíus fusis lácrimis postulémus, et humiliémus illi ánimas nostras.
R.  Qui non déspicit nos, nec ámovet salútem suam a génere nostro.

R.  We know no strange God before the Lord ; in him we trust. *  He despiseth us not, neither putteth he away his salvation from our nation.
V.  His mercy let us seek with tears, and humble our souls before him.
R.  He despiseth us not, neither putteth he away his salvation from our nation.

Egressúsque Athach ivit ad Mardochæum stantem in platéa civitátis ante óstium palátii.  Qui indicávit ei ómnia quæ accíderant, quómodo Aman promisísset, ut in thesáuros regis pro Judæórum nece inférret argéntum ; exémplar quoque edícti, quod pendébat in Susan, dedit ei ut regínæ osténderet et monéret eam ut intráret ad regem et deprecarétur eum pro pópulo suo.  Regréssus Athach nuntiávit Esther ómnia quæ Mardochæus díxerat.  Quæ respóndit ei et jussit ut díceret Mardochæo : Omnes servi regis et cunctæ quæ sub dicióne ejus sunt norunt provínciæ, quod sive vir sive múlier non vocátus intérius átrium regis intráverat, absque ulla cunctatióne statim interficiátur, nisi forte rex áuream virgam ad eum teténderit pro signo cleméntiæ, atque ita possit vívere.  Ego ígitur quómodo ad regem intráre pótero, quæ trigínta jam diébus non sum vocáta ad eum?

So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.  And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.  Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.  And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.  Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai.  All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

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

Quod cum audísset Mardochæus, rursum mandávit Esther dicens : Ne putes quod ánimam tuam tantum líberes, quia in domo regis es, præ cunctis Judæis ; si enim nunc silúeris, per áliam occasiónem liberabúntur Judæi, et tu et domus patris tui períbitis.  Et quis novit utrum idcírco ad regnum véneris, ut in tali témpore pararéris?  Rursúmque Esther hæc Mardochæo verba mandávit : Vade et cóngrega omnes Judæos, quos in Susan repéreris, et oráte pro me.  Non comedátis et non bibátis tribus diébus et tribus nóctibus, et ego cum ancíllis meis simíliter jejunábo ; et tunc ingrédiar ad regem contra legem fáciens non vocáta tradénsque me morti et perículo.  Ivit ítaque Mardochæus, et fecit ómnia quæ ei Esther præcéperat.

And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.  Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?  Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,  Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.  So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

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