Saturday in the Fifth Week of September

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

Matins

De libro Esther

The Lesson is taken from
the Book of Esther

Intrávit ítaque rex et Aman, ut bíberent cum regína.  Dixítque ei rex étiam secúnda die, postquam vino incalúerat : Quæ est petítio tua, Esther, ut detur tibi, et quid vis fíeri?  Etiam si dimídiam partem regni mei petíeris, impetrábis.  Ad quem illa respóndit : Si invéni grátiam in óculis tuis, o rex, et si tibi placet, dona mihi ánimam meam, pro qua rogo, et pópulum meum, pro quo óbsecro.  Traditi enim sumus ego et pópulus meus, ut conterámur, jugulémur et pereámus.  Atque, útinam in servos et fámulas venderémur : esset tolerábile malum et gemens tacérem ; nunc autem hostis noster est cujus crudélitas redúndat in regem.

So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.  And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.  Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.

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.

Respondénsque rex Assuérus ait : Quis est iste et cujus poténtiæ, ut hæc áudeat fácere?  Dixítque Esther : Hostis et inimícus noster péssimus iste est Aman.  Quod ille áudiens íllico obstúpuit vultum regis ac regínæ ferre non sústinens.  Rex autem irátus surréxit et de loco convívii intrávit in hortum arbóribus cónsitum.  Aman quoque surréxit ut rogáret Esther regínam pro ánima sua ; intelléxit enim a rege sibi parátum malum.

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?  And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.  And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

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.  In the Office of St. Mary on the Sabbath, the Third Lesson is read according to the month of the year.

Proper Third Lesson

Office of St. Mary on the Sabbath

Qui cum revérsus esset de horto nemóribus cónsito et intrásset convívii locum, réperit Aman super léctulum corruísse in quo jacébat Esther et ait : Etiam regínam vult opprímere me præsénte, in domo mea.  Necdum verbum de ore regis exíerat, et statim operuérunt fáciem ejus.  Dixítque Harbóna unus de eunúchis qui stabant in ministério regis : En lignum, quod paráverat Mardochæo qui locútus est pro rege, stat in domo Aman habens altitúdinis quinquagínta cúbitos.  Cui dixit rex : Appéndite eum in eo.  Suspénsus est ítaque Aman in patibulo, quod paráverat Mardochæo, et regis ira quiévit.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.  And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.  So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

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