Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent

At the Sixth Hour.

The Lesson of the Prophecy of Isaias.
Isaias 9:9-10:4.
Thus saith the Lord: All the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart: the bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars. And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd: the Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth, For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts. And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day. The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high. By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shall eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda. After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Woe to them that make wicked laws: and when they write, write injustice: to oppress the poor in judgment, and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people: that widows might be their prey, and that they might rob the fatherless.What will you do in the day of visitation, and of the calamity which cometh from afar? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? That you be not bowed down under the bond, and fall with the slain? In all these things his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

At Vespers.

The Lesson of Genesis.
Genesis 7:1-5.
And the Lord said to Noe: Go in thou and all thy house into the ark: for thee I have seen just before me in this generation. Of all clean beasts take seven and seven, the male and the female. But of the beasts that are unclean two and two, the male and the female. Of the fowls also of the air seven and seven, the male and the female: that seed may be saved upon the face of the whole earth. For yet a while, and after seven days, I will rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will destroy every substance that I have made, from the face of the earth. And Noe did all things which the Lord had commanded him.

The Lesson of Proverbs.
Proverbs 8:32-9:11.
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors. He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord: but he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death. Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars. She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table. She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city: whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said: Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence. He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot. Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence. For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.