Journey to Pascha Series - Lesson #19: The "24 Stichera by Simon the Translator"

The 24 Stichera by St. Simeon the Translator are a series of penitential hymns chanted during Orthodox Lenten services, reflecting deep contrition and the soul’s desperate plea for God's mercy. St. Simeon the Translator, a lesser-known yet significant liturgical poet, composed these stichera in the Byzantine era, likely between the 10th and 12th centuries. His title, "the Translator," suggests that he was not only a composer but also a scholar who adapted and translated various liturgical texts into a more accessible form for worship.

These hymns are structured as personal laments, vividly depicting the fallen human condition, the struggle against sin, and the hope for divine forgiveness. They draw heavily from Scriptural themes, particularly the parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, emphasizing repentance, spiritual healing, and reliance on Christ’s compassion. The 24 Stichera are sung in Tone 4, a solemn and plaintive melody that enhances the sense of sorrow and urgency in the supplicant’s cry: “Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

Over centuries, these stichera became an integral part of Lenten liturgical tradition, particularly in Orthodox monastic communities. They continue to serve as a profound spiritual guide, reminding the faithful of the necessity of repentance and God's boundless mercy. Their theological significance lies in their intense focus on repentance, the human struggle with sin, and the hope of divine mercy.

Theological Significance

1. A Cry of Despair and Hope: These hymns repeatedly express the plea, "Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!" This reflects the Orthodox understanding of salvation as both a personal struggle and a divine gift, echoing the desperate yet hopeful prayers of the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 130:1-2: "Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!").

2. Echoes of the Prodigal Son: Many of the hymns depict the sinner as lost, enslaved by passions, and longing to return to God, similar to the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). The constant appeal for mercy mirrors the father's readiness to welcome his son back.

3. Healing from Sin: Several verses highlight the soul’s wounded state, comparing Christ to a physician who alone can heal sin. This aligns with the Patristic teaching that Christ is the true healer of fallen humanity (cf. St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew).

4. Themes of Judgment and Forgiveness: The hymns reference the coming judgment, urging the faithful to repent while there is still time. This reflects scriptural teachings such as 2 Corinthians 6:2: "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

5. Liturgical Placement: Sung within the penitential structure of Lenten services, the 24 Stichera intensify the atmosphere of contrition, preparing the soul for Holy Week and Pascha.

Overall, these hymns encapsulate the Orthodox path of salvation: recognition of sin, deep repentance, and absolute trust in God's mercy. Their repetition in the services serves as a spiritual wake-up call, urging the faithful to turn wholeheartedly to Christ.

(After “Lord, I Call” is sung in the tone of the idiomelon, the reader continues to chant the remaining verses of Psalms 140, 141, and 129, but because 24 stichera by Simeon the Translator are added to the customary stichera, the interpolation of stichera begins earlier than usual.)

 V. Let the wicked together fall into their own nets, while I escape.

 

Tone 8     Idiomelon (from the Lenten Triodion)

 

My thoughts, like thieves, have seized me, a wretched man.

My mind hath been robbed, and I have been sorely beaten.

My soul is wounded, and I am stripped of virtues.

I lie naked in the highway of life.

The priest saw my pain and hopeless wounds and looked away.

The Levite could not bear my groaning and passed me by.

But You were pleased to come, O Christ my God,

not from Samaria but from the flesh of Mary.

In Your love for man, grant me healing//

and pour upon me Your great mercy!

V. I cry with my voice to the Lord, with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.

 

(Repeat: “My thoughts, like thieves…”)

 

V. I pour out my complaint before Him, I tell my trouble before Him.

 

Tone 8     (for the Martyrs)

 

Whatever is excellent and worthy of praise

is rightly ascribed to the saints,

for they bowed their necks beneath the sword,

for Your sake, Who bowed the heavens and came down.

They shed their blood for You, Who emptied Yourself,

taking the form of a servant.

They humbled themselves even unto death,

following the example of Your lowliness.

By their prayers have mercy on us, O God,//

according to Your abundant mercy!

 

V. When my spirit is faint, You know my way.

 

Tone 8     (for the Apostles, by Joseph)     (Lord, though You stood)

 

You made Your disciples into living heavens, O Lord.

By their prayers deliver me from the evils of this earth,

and by abstinence lift up my thoughts to Your Passion,//

for You are merciful and love man!

 

V. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

 

This season of fasting helps us all to do the works of God.

Let us weep, then, with our whole heart and cry to the Savior:

“Through Your disciples, save us, O Lord of great mercy,//

as with reverence we sing of Your great love for man!”

 

V. I look to the right and watch, but there is none who takes notice of me.

 

 

Tone 8     (for the Apostles, by Theodore)

 

O Apostles, worthy of all praise and intercessors for the world,

physicians of the sick and guardians of health,

protect us on all sides as we pass through the Fast!

By God’s grace may we remain at peace with one another!

Preserve our minds untroubled by passions,//

so that we all may sing praises to the risen and victorious Christ!

 

V. No refuge remains to me, no man cares for me.

 

Tone 4     (24 stichera by Simeon the Translator)[1]

 

I have wasted my whole life with harlots and publicans.

Will I be able to repent of my many sins even when I grow old?

I cry to You, the Creator of all and Healer of the sick://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. I cry to You, O Lord; I say, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.

 

Weighed down with indifference, I wallow in sin.

Pierced by the devil’s darts, I have defiled Your image in me.

Yet You convert the heedless and save the sinful.//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Give heed to my cry; for I am brought very low.

 

I have become a stumbling block.

Born of earth, I have remained attached to earthly things.

Wed to Your commandments,

I transgressed them and defiled my bed.

Yet do not despise the creature whom You formed of earth,//

but save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me.

 

Obsessed with the flesh, I have murdered my soul.

I have become the demons’ toy, the slave of lusts.

In Your compassion, spare me! Put the demons to flight!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. (10) Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to Your Name!

 

More than all men I have willfully sinned,

and this has left me helpless and forsaken.

As the enemy of my own soul, I have carnal thoughts that darken it.

O Light of those in darkness, Guide of all who go astray,//

save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. (9) The righteous will surround me; for You will deal bountifully with me.

 

“Let me live, and I shall praise You!” said the Prophet.

Seek me, Your lost sheep, and number me among Your flock!

Grant me time for repentance,

so that with cries of sorrow I may call upon You://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. (8) Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice!

 

I have sinned, O Christ my God.

I have sinned and rejected Your commandments.

Be merciful to me, O Bountiful One,

so that escaping from the darkness

I may see with my inner eyes and cry to You in fear://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. (7) Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

 

Wild beasts surround me,

but snatch me from them, O Savior,

for You desire all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth!

As their Creator, save them, and with them save me!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

 

V. (6) If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You.

 

O my Benefactor, my Redeemer and my Savior,

be also my healer and reject me not!

Look upon me as I lie in sin,

and raise me up, O Almighty One!

Then shall I confess Your deeds and cry to You://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. (5) For Your Name’s sake I wait for You, O Lord. My soul has waited for Your word; my soul has hoped on the Lord.

 

Like the foolish servant

I have hidden the talent given to me and buried it in the ground.

I am condemned as useless and no longer dare to ask You for forgiveness.

But in Your patience pity me, so that I may cry to You://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. (4) From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, let Israel hope on the Lord!

 

When the woman with an issue of blood touched the hem of Your garment,

You dried up the source of her sufferings.

If I also approach You with unwavering faith,

I will receive forgiveness of my sins.

Accept me as You accepted her, and heal my grief and pain!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. (3) For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.

 

O Lord, Who created heaven and earth by Your word,

You will sit upon the throne for judgment.

All of us will stand in Your presence and confess our sins.

Before that day comes, accept me in repentance!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. (2) Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise Him, all peoples!

 

O only Savior,

look on me with compassion, and have mercy on me!

Wash me clean from the filth of my sins,

so that I may sing://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. (1) For His mercy is confirmed on us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

      

The devil has prepared his weapons to hunt down my humble soul.

He has made me a stranger to the light of the knowledge of Your face.

But rescue me from his traps, for You are mighty in strength!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. I lift up mine eyes to You, enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He have mercy upon us.

(Ps 122:1-2)

 

I am completely enslaved by the passions.

I have forsaken the Law and the Holy Scriptures.

Heal my every part, O loving Benefactor,

Who for my sake became as I am!

Pity me and convert me, O merciful Destroyer of the passions!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Too long our soul has been sated with the scorn of those who are at ease, the contempt of the proud. (Ps. 122:3-4)

 

The harlot washed Your pure and precious feet with her tears.

She encourages all to approach You and receive remission of their sins.

Grant also unto me her faith, O Savior,

so that I may cry to You://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

For my sake You were made poor and became a young Child in the flesh.

Now cleanse my soul of all filth, O Christ!

I am weak and broken; send down a drop of Your mercy on me!

Wash away the dirt, and heal me of my sickness!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

Strengthen my soul, O Master!

Let me run to You and always serve You,

for You are my Guardian and Protector, my Defense and help!

Enable me to cry to You with boldness, O Word of God://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

Be our unshakeable rampart, O Jesus, our Savior and merciful God,

for we have fallen into deceitful ways and deeds!

Raise up Your creature, O Benefactor,

and reconcile us to You in Your compassion!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

I am like the Prodigal Son,

for after wasting my riches I now am dying of hunger.

Receive me as You received him, O loving Father,

for I seek refuge beneath Your protection!

Let me eat at Your table, so that I may cry to You://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

Out of envy the author of evil drove Adam from Paradise,

but by saying “Remember me,” the thief on the cross regained it.

With faith and fear I also cry to You, “Remember me!”//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

Stretch out Your hand to me as to Peter,

and raise me from the depths, O God!

Grant me grace and mercy, through the prayers of Your all-pure Mother,

who gave birth to You without seed,

and of all Your saints!//

Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

V. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

 

Receive me as I sing to You each day,

O Lamb, Who take away my sins!

I commend my soul and body entirely into Your hands,

and, as is my duty, I cry to You both day and night://

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

 

What inexpressible loving kindness,

O gracious and long-suffering Lord!

Cast me not away from Your face,

O sinless and compassionate Savior,

so that with thanksgiving and rejoicing I may cry to You:

“Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!”

 

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

 

Tone 4     (Theotokion)

 

What inexpressible condescension!

What a wonderful birth!

How does the Virgin carry You as a babe in her arms,

for You are her Creator and God?

O Benefactor Who consented to take flesh from her,//

save me before I completely perish, O Lord!

 Summary 

The 24 stichera by St. Simeon the Translator offer a deeply penitential meditation on human sinfulness and the urgent need for divine mercy. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt cries of repentance, they echo the Lenten call to humility, self-examination, and trust in God's boundless compassion. Like the Prodigal Son or the publican in the temple, these hymns express the soul’s desperate longing for salvation, reminding us that no matter how far we have fallen, Christ’s love remains steadfast. As we journey through the Fast, these stichera serve as a powerful reminder that true repentance is never beyond our reach—so long as we turn to the Lord with contrite hearts and cry, “Save me before I completely perish, O Lord!