And now Adonoy, our God, after we have repented, we regret [our sins], and after realizing [our guilt], we struck ourselves on the thigh. We are ashamed, even disgraced, for we also bear the shame of our youth.1Jeremiah 31:18. Because of this we take our flesh in our teeth,2We bite ourselves. and put our life in our hands.3Job 13:14. How shall we approach You, Adonoy, our God, and how shall we bow unto You, exalted God?4Micah 6:6. How will You be reconciled to us and atone all our sins, which have passed by and gone like water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again?5II Samuel 14:14. If through repentance and confession You will be reconciled to us, behold we repent and confess before You Adonoy, our God: “We have sinned and transgressed, and that which is straight, we distorted, and it has not profited us.” And if through prayer and supplication You will forgive us, behold we offer our supplication before You; “As the eyes of servants [look] toward the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden [look] toward the hand of her mistress; so our eyes are lifted to You.”6Psalms 123:2. And if through weeping and wailing You will pardon us, behold, our soul weeps in secret because of our sins, and our spirit groans within us over the multitude of our transgressions. And if through a broken spirit, You will atone us, behold our heart is broken within us, and our spirit is crushed by the troubles and travails which have passed over us, until there is nothing left whole in our flesh. Were it not for Your mercy and kindness, we would have perished because of our iniquities.
We have trespassed more than any other people, we are more ashamed than any other generation; happiness has departed from us, our hearts are miserable with our sins; [the place of] our desire has been devastated, [the place of] our glory has been humiliated, the abode of our Holy Temple has been destroyed because of our iniquities; our Palace has become a desolation, our beautiful land belongs to strangers, our strength [wealth] to foreigners. Still, we have not repented our errors, so how can we be so insolent and obstinate as to say before You, “Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, we are righteous and have not sinned.” But indeed we and our fathers have sinned:
We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt]; We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us]; We have stolen; We have slandered; We have caused others to sin; We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רֽשָׁעִים, wicked; We have sinned with malicious intent; We have forcibly taken other’s possessions We have added falsehood upon falsehood; We have joined with evil individuals or groups. We have given harmful advice; We have deceived; We have mocked; We have rebelled against God and His Torah; We have caused God to be angry with us; We have turned away from God’s Torah; We have sinned deliberately; We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments; We have caused our friends grief; We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע, [raising a hand to hit someone]. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption; We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations; We have gone astray; We have led others astray. We have turned away from Your commandments and from Your good laws, and we have gained nothing from it. And You are the Righteous One in all [punishment] that has come upon us; for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly.
And now Adonoy, our God, if we did like our foolishness, You do according to Your trait and forgive because You are perfect and complete. If we repaid evil in exchange for good still grant us good and not evil; because even a righteous person forgives and certainly the Creator should do this. If we transgressed so extensively, You are capable of excessive kindness and can forgive extensively since Your righteousness and kindness are greater than high and mighty mountains, and more profound than the greatest depths. Your glory covers the heavens and Your praise fills the earth. Adonoy, we heard Your reputation— that with one of Your character traits You forgive those who sinned against You and even all of those who sinned. Forgive our intentional and unintentional sins and all the sins and iniquities of Israel, and cleanse us from our iniquity and purify us from our sins. Don’t be excessively angry at us and don’t remember our iniquity forever, since You have the vast capacity to forgive.
And You, Adonoy, intended to rid us of our refuse, and to remove our unworthiness1Lit. tin. and break our straying heart, and destroy our defilement from within us. Therefore, You exiled us and scattered us among the nations. Behold, in the pandemonium of kingdoms we drowned and like the smelting of silver in a vat we were melted and it was not because of Your inability that You did not save us, nor because of deafness in Your ears that You did not hear our prayers. Rather our sins separated us from Your deliverance. Righteousness is Yours, Adonoy while the shame is ours. To Adonoy, our God, is mercy and forgiveness because we have rebelled against Him and to You, God, is only kindness because You pay [reward] a person according to his deeds. And You, Adonoy, our God, Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, will You eternally be angry at us? Will Your anger endure for all generations? God forbid! Will You forsake forever and not forgive again? God forbid! Because forever there will not cease Your performance of kindness and Your mercy will not stop since this trait is renewed daily and is created at all times and every moment. For the sake of Your Name, Adonoy perform with us (your kindness and forgive us) because this is Your praise and because Your Name is called upon us, Adonoy, God of Israel; and for the sake of the covenant, with our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that You made with them; and the oath that You swore to them, remember. And for the sake of Your Torah and the holy ones who study it, for they have been diminished and subdued. And You have promised us in its regard that the Law will never be forgotten from his seed; “And My words that I placed in their mouths will never cease”; and for the sake of Your nation and inheritance of which only a few remain from many as a rod placed on a mountain top or a banner on a hill. For the sake of Jerusalem, Your holy city, that became a desolate wilderness and all its glory was taken from it; and for the sake of our house of life and beauty that for which our ancestors praised You and that was consumed by fire, and all of its treasures destroyed. For the sake of those who were killed [because they upheld] Your holy Name and for those who were slaughtered [because they expounded] Your singularity. For the sake of Your holy Torah that was burned in fire and cast to be trodden upon by all passers-by. In view of all these tragedies will [You] Adonoy, restrain Yourself, therefore hasten to answer us to the greatest extent.
Behold all of the nations dwell in tranquility without turmoil whereas the poor of Your people, are tormented and denigrated and unsettled and in their turmoil they seek You and extend their supplication opposite the Ark of Your covenant. Adonoy, the God of Hosts, until when will You continue not to have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah against whom You were angered for so many years, and see Your nation in great fear. There is no one to unite and help them and there is no savior for Israel. We have turned to the right and there is no savior; to the left and there is no support, and for us, we can rely on no one except upon You our Father in heaven. Now is the time and the opportunity that it behooves You to help and to promulgate the intensity of Your mercy that always existed for it [Your mercy] is very great.
When Israel sinned in the desert, Moses, our teacher stood and prayed before You, and beseeched You for mercy upon Your nation, Israel, and said the following in his prayer: “My King and my God, please forgive the sin of this people with the immensity of Your kindness, just as You forgave this nation from Egypt until the present time. And You responded to him in your manner of goodness and You spoke and said to him, “I forgive [them] as you ask.” We are ashamed of our actions and we are disgraced with our sins and our faces are blackened from our sins. Our statures are bent because of our guilt and we have no excuse to offer nor audacity to raise our heads.
Before our eyes, our toil has been exploited, torn and stripped from us. They have their yoke upon us, we bear it on our shoulders. Slaves rule over us, there is none to free us from their hands. Many troubles have encompassed us, we called out to You Adonoy, our God, but You remained distant from us because of our iniquities. We turned away from You, we have gone astray and are lost. Still, we have not repented our errors, so how can we be so insolent and obstinate as to say before You, “Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, we are righteous and have not sinned.” But indeed we and our fathers have sinned:
We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt]; We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us]; We have stolen; We have slandered; We have caused others to sin; We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רֽשָׁעִים, wicked; We have sinned with malicious intent; We have forcibly taken other’s possessions We have added falsehood upon falsehood; We have joined with evil individuals or groups. We have given harmful advice; We have deceived; We have mocked; We have rebelled against God and His Torah; We have caused God to be angry with us; We have turned away from God’s Torah; We have sinned deliberately; We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments; We have caused our friends grief; We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע, [raising a hand to hit someone]. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption; We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations; We have gone astray; We have led others astray. We have turned away from Your commandments and from Your good laws, and we have gained nothing from it. And You are the Righteous One in all [punishment] that has come upon us; for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly.
חיבר רב סעדיה גאון
This prayer, too, was composed by R’ Saadyah Gaon.
וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבֵנוּ נִחַמְנוּ. וְאַחֲרֵי הִוָּדְעֵנוּ, סָפַקְנוּ עַל־יָרֵךְ: בֹּשְׁנוּ וְגַם נִכְלַמְנוּ, כִּי נָשָׂאנוּ חֶרְפַּת נְעוּרֵינוּ. וְעַל־זֹאת נִשָּׂא בְשָרֵנוּ בְשִׁנֵּינוּ, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ נָשִׂים בְּכַפֵּנוּ. וּבַמֶּה נְקַדְּמָה פָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ. וּבַמֶּה נִכַּף לְךָ אֱלֹהֵי מָרוֹם. וּבַמֶּה תִּתְרַצֶּה, וּתְכַפֵּר לָנוּ עַל־כָּל־חַטֹּאתֵנוּ, אֲשֶׁר חָלְפוּ וְעָבְרוּ, כַּמַּיִם הַמֻּגָּרִים אַרְצָה, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵאָסֵפוּ: אִם בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּוִדּוּי תִּתְּרַצֶּה, הִנְּנוּ שָׁבִים וּמִתְוַדִּים לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ. חָטָאנוּ וּפָשַׁעְנוּ וְיָשָׁר הֶעֱוִינוּ, וְלֹא־שָׁוָה לָנוּ: וְאִם בִּתְפִלָּה וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים תִּמְחָל, הִנְּנוּ מַפִּילִים תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כְּעֵינֵי עֲבָדִים אֶל־יַד אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם, וּכְעֵינֵי שִׁפְחָה אֶל־יַד גְּבִרְתָּהּ, כֵּן עֵינֵינוּ נְשׂוּאוֹת אֵלֶיךָ: וְאִם בִּבְכִי וּזְעָקָה תִּסְלַח, הִנֵּה בַמִּסְתָּרִים תִּבְכֶּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ מִפְּנֵי חַטֹּאתֵינוּ, וּבַחֲדָרִים תֶּאֱנַח רוּחֵנוּ עַל רֹב פְּשָׁעֵינוּ: וְאִם בְּשֶׁבֶר־רוּחַ תְּכַפֵּר, הִנֵּה נִשְׁבַּר לִבֵּנוּ בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ, וְנִדְכָּאָה רוּחֵנוּ, מִן הַצָּרוֹת וּמִן הַתְּלָאוֹת, אֲשֶׁר עָבְרוּ עָלֵינוּ, עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נוֹתָר מְתוֹם בִּבְשָׂרֵנוּ. לוּלֵי רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ, אָז אָבַדְנוּ בַּעֲוֹנֵינוּ:
And now Adonoy, our God, after we have repented, we regret [our sins], and after realizing [our guilt], we struck ourselves on the thigh. We are ashamed, even disgraced, for we also bear the shame of our youth.1Jeremiah 31:18. Because of this we take our flesh in our teeth,2We bite ourselves. and put our life in our hands.3Job 13:14. How shall we approach You, Adonoy, our God, and how shall we bow unto You, exalted God?4Micah 6:6. How will You be reconciled to us and atone all our sins, which have passed by and gone like water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again?5II Samuel 14:14. If through repentance and confession You will be reconciled to us, behold we repent and confess before You Adonoy, our God: “We have sinned and transgressed, and that which is straight, we distorted, and it has not profited us.” And if through prayer and supplication You will forgive us, behold we offer our supplication before You; “As the eyes of servants [look] toward the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden [look] toward the hand of her mistress; so our eyes are lifted to You.”6Psalms 123:2. And if through weeping and wailing You will pardon us, behold, our soul weeps in secret because of our sins, and our spirit groans within us over the multitude of our transgressions. And if through a broken spirit, You will atone us, behold our heart is broken within us, and our spirit is crushed by the troubles and travails which have passed over us, until there is nothing left whole in our flesh. Were it not for Your mercy and kindness, we would have perished because of our iniquities.
אָשַׁמְנוּ מִכָּל־עָם, בֹּשְׁנוּ מִכָּל־דּוֹר. גָּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ מָשׂוֹשׂ, דָּוֶה לִבֵּנוּ בַּחֲטָאֵינוּ. הֻחְבַּל אִוּוּיֵנוּ, וְנִפְרַע פְּאֵרֵנוּ. זְבוּל בֵּית־מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ, חָרַב בַּעֲוֹנֵינוּ. טִירָתֵנוּ הָיְתָה לְשַׁמָּה, יֹפִי אַדְמָתֵנוּ לְזָרִים, כֹּחֵנוּ לְנָכְרִים: וַעֲדַיִן לֹא שַׁבְנוּ מִטָּעוּתֵנוּ. וְהֵאֵיךְ נָעִיז פָּנֵינוּ וְנַקְשֶׁה עָרְפֵּנוּ. לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. צַדִּיקִים אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא חָטָאנוּ. אֲבָל אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ חָטָאנוּ:
We have trespassed more than any other people, we are more ashamed than any other generation; happiness has departed from us, our hearts are miserable with our sins; [the place of] our desire has been devastated, [the place of] our glory has been humiliated, the abode of our Holy Temple has been destroyed because of our iniquities; our Palace has become a desolation, our beautiful land belongs to strangers, our strength [wealth] to foreigners. Still, we have not repented our errors, so how can we be so insolent and obstinate as to say before You, “Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, we are righteous and have not sinned.” But indeed we and our fathers have sinned:
אָשַֽׁמְנוּ. בָּגַֽדְנוּ. גָּזַֽלְנוּ. דִּבַּֽרְנוּ דֹּֽפִי. הֶעֱוִֽינוּ. וְהִרְשַֽׁעְנוּ. זַֽדְנוּ. חָמַֽסְנוּ. טָפַֽלְנוּ שֶֽׁקֶר. יָעַֽצְנוּ רָע. כִּזַּֽבְנוּ. לַֽצְנוּ. מָרַֽדְנוּ. נִאַֽצְנוּ. סָרַֽרְנוּ. עָוִֽינוּ. פָּשַֽׁעְנוּ. צָרַֽרְנוּ. קִשִּֽׁינוּ עֹֽרֶף. רָשַֽׁעְנוּ. שִׁחַֽתְנוּ. תִּעַֽבְנוּ. תָּעִֽינוּ. תִּעְתָּֽעְנוּ: סַֽרְנוּ מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְלֹא שָֽׁוָה לָֽנוּ. וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵֽינוּ. כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִֽׂיתָ וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ:
We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt]; We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us]; We have stolen; We have slandered; We have caused others to sin; We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רֽשָׁעִים, wicked; We have sinned with malicious intent; We have forcibly taken other’s possessions We have added falsehood upon falsehood; We have joined with evil individuals or groups. We have given harmful advice; We have deceived; We have mocked; We have rebelled against God and His Torah; We have caused God to be angry with us; We have turned away from God’s Torah; We have sinned deliberately; We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments; We have caused our friends grief; We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע, [raising a hand to hit someone]. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption; We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations; We have gone astray; We have led others astray. We have turned away from Your commandments and from Your good laws, and we have gained nothing from it. And You are the Righteous One in all [punishment] that has come upon us; for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly.
וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אִם עָשִׂינוּ כְּאִוַּלְתֵּנוּ. עֲשֵׂה אַתָּה כְּאֻמָּנוּתֶךָ וּסְלַח. כִּי תְמִים דֵּעִים אָתָּה. אִם שִׁלַּמְנוּ רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה. גָּמַלְנוּ טוֹב וְלֹא רָע. כִּי יֶתֶר מֵרֵעֵהוּ צַדִּיק. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַבּוֹרֵא וְאִם הִרְבִּינוּ לִפְשֹׁעַ. אַתָּה הוּא רַב חֶסֶד וּמַרְבֶּה לִסְלֹחַ. אֲשֶׁר צִדְקוֹתֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ רַבּוּ מֵהַרְרֵי אֵל וְעָמְקוּ מִתְּהוֹם רַבָּה. כִּסָּה שָׁמַיִם הוֹדְךָ וּתְהִלָּתְךָ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ. יְהֹוָה שָׁמַעְנוּ שִׁמְעֲךָ. כִּי בְאַחַת הַמִּדּוֹת תִּסְלַח לַאֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ לָךְ וְאַף כִּי בְכֻלָּם. סְלַח־נָא לַעֲווֹנֵינוּ וּלְחַטְּאֹתֵינוּ וּלְכָל חַטֹּאת וַעֲוֹנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַבְּסֵנוּ מֵעֲווֹנֵינוּ וּמֵחַטֹּאתֵינוּ טַהֲרֵנוּ. וְאַל תִּקְצֹף עָלֵינוּ עַד מְאֹד. וְאַל לָעַד תִּזְכֹּר עָווֹן. וְאַתָּה רַב לִסְלֹחַ:
And now Adonoy, our God, if we did like our foolishness, You do according to Your trait and forgive because You are perfect and complete. If we repaid evil in exchange for good still grant us good and not evil; because even a righteous person forgives and certainly the Creator should do this. If we transgressed so extensively, You are capable of excessive kindness and can forgive extensively since Your righteousness and kindness are greater than high and mighty mountains, and more profound than the greatest depths. Your glory covers the heavens and Your praise fills the earth. Adonoy, we heard Your reputation— that with one of Your character traits You forgive those who sinned against You and even all of those who sinned. Forgive our intentional and unintentional sins and all the sins and iniquities of Israel, and cleanse us from our iniquity and purify us from our sins. Don’t be excessively angry at us and don’t remember our iniquity forever, since You have the vast capacity to forgive.
וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה חָשַׁבְתָּ לְצָרֵף סִיגֵנוּ, וּלְהָסִיר בְדִילֵנוּ וְלִשְׁבֹּר אֶת־לִבֵּנוּ הַזּוֹנֶה, וּלְהָתֵם טֻמְאָתֵנוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, עַל־כֵּן הִגְלִיתָנוּ וּבַגּוֹיִם זֵרִיתָנוּ: הִנֵּה בִּשְׁאוֹן הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת הֻצְלַלְנוּ, וּכְהִתּוּךְ כֶּסֶף בְּתוֹך כּוּר נִתָּכְנוּ, וְלֹא מִקֹּצֶר יָדְךָ לֹא־הוֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ, וְלֹא מִכֹּבֶד אָזְנְךָ לֹא־שָׁמַעְתָּ תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ, כִּי הִבְדִּילוּ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵין יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַצְּדָקָה, וְלָנוּ בֹּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים. לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָרַחֲמִים וְהַסְּלִיחוֹת, כִּי מָרַדְנוּ בוֹ. וּלְךָ אֲדֹנָי הַחֶסֶד, כִּי אַתָּה תְּשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ: וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּקְדוֹשׁוֹ. הַלְעוֹלָם תֶּאֱנַף בָּנוּ, תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר, חָלִילָה. הַלְעוֹלָם תִּזְנַח, וְלֹא־תֹסִיף לִרְצוֹת עוֹד, חָלִילָה. כִּי לֹא אָפְסוּ לָנֶצַח חֲסָדֶיךָ, וְלֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ, כִּי הֵמָה חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים, יָחִילוּ בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל רֶגַע: וּלְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה, עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ, כִּי הִיא תְהִלָּתֶיךָ. כִּי נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלֵינוּ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּלְמַעַן בְּרִית אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתָּ לָהֶם, וְאֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם, זְכוֹר. וּלְמַעַן תּוֹרָתֶךָ וּלְמַעַן הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְלוֹמְדֶיהָ כִּי נִמְעֲטוּ וְשַׁחוּ וְהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ עַל אוֹדוֹתֶיהָ כִּי לֹא תִשָׁכַח עֵדוּת מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ. וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיהֶם לֹא־יָמוּשׁוּ. וּלְמַעַן עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ, אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁאֲרוּ מְעַט מֵהַרְבֵּה, כַּתֹּרֶן בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר, וְכַנֵּס עַל הַגִּבְעָה: וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ, אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה מִדְבַּר שְׁמָמָה, וְיָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּהּ כָּל־הֲדָרָהּ, וּלְמַעַן בֵּית חַיֵּינוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ, אֲשֶׁר הִלְלוּךָ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לִשְׂרֵפַת אֵשׁ: וְכָל מַחֲמַדֵּינוּ הָיוּ לְחָרְבָּה. וּלְמַעַן הֲרוּגִים עַל שֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ. וּלְמַעַן טְבוּחִים עַל יִחוּדֶךָ. וּלְמַעַן תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הַשְּׂרוּפָה בָאֵש, וּנְתוּנָה לְמִרְמָס לְכָל עוֹבְרֵי דֶרֶךְ. הַעַל אֵלֶה תִתְאַפַּק יְהֹוָה וְתֶחֱשֶׁה וּתְעַנֵּנוּ עַד מְאֹד:
And You, Adonoy, intended to rid us of our refuse, and to remove our unworthiness1Lit. tin. and break our straying heart, and destroy our defilement from within us. Therefore, You exiled us and scattered us among the nations. Behold, in the pandemonium of kingdoms we drowned and like the smelting of silver in a vat we were melted and it was not because of Your inability that You did not save us, nor because of deafness in Your ears that You did not hear our prayers. Rather our sins separated us from Your deliverance. Righteousness is Yours, Adonoy while the shame is ours. To Adonoy, our God, is mercy and forgiveness because we have rebelled against Him and to You, God, is only kindness because You pay [reward] a person according to his deeds. And You, Adonoy, our God, Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, will You eternally be angry at us? Will Your anger endure for all generations? God forbid! Will You forsake forever and not forgive again? God forbid! Because forever there will not cease Your performance of kindness and Your mercy will not stop since this trait is renewed daily and is created at all times and every moment. For the sake of Your Name, Adonoy perform with us (your kindness and forgive us) because this is Your praise and because Your Name is called upon us, Adonoy, God of Israel; and for the sake of the covenant, with our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that You made with them; and the oath that You swore to them, remember. And for the sake of Your Torah and the holy ones who study it, for they have been diminished and subdued. And You have promised us in its regard that the Law will never be forgotten from his seed; “And My words that I placed in their mouths will never cease”; and for the sake of Your nation and inheritance of which only a few remain from many as a rod placed on a mountain top or a banner on a hill. For the sake of Jerusalem, Your holy city, that became a desolate wilderness and all its glory was taken from it; and for the sake of our house of life and beauty that for which our ancestors praised You and that was consumed by fire, and all of its treasures destroyed. For the sake of those who were killed [because they upheld] Your holy Name and for those who were slaughtered [because they expounded] Your singularity. For the sake of Your holy Torah that was burned in fire and cast to be trodden upon by all passers-by. In view of all these tragedies will [You] Adonoy, restrain Yourself, therefore hasten to answer us to the greatest extent.
וְהִנֵּה כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם יוֹשְׁבִים שְׁלֵוִים וּשְׁקֵטִים. וְאֶבְיוֹנֵי עַמְּךָ דְווּיִים סְחוּפִים וּמְדֻלְדָּלִים. וּבְדִלְדּוּלָם הֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים פָּנֶיךָ. וּמַפִּילִים תְּחִנָּתָם מוּל אֲרוֹן בְּרִיתֶךָ. יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַצְּבָאוֹת עַד־מָתַי לֹא תְרַחֵם אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְאֶת־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר זָעַמְתָּ זֶה כַּמֶּה שָׁנִים. וּרְאֵה אֶת עַמְּךָ מוֹרֶה מְאֹד. וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב. וְאֵין עוֹזֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. פָּנִינוּ לִימִין וְאֵין עוֹזֵר. לִשְׁמֹאל וְאֵין תּוֹמֵךְ וַאֲנַחְנוּ אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עָלֶיךָ אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. הִנֵּה הָעֵת וְהָעוֹנֶה יָאֲתָה לְךָ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ וּלְהִוָּדַע עוֹז רַחֲמֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם כִּי רַבּוּ מְאֹד:
Behold all of the nations dwell in tranquility without turmoil whereas the poor of Your people, are tormented and denigrated and unsettled and in their turmoil they seek You and extend their supplication opposite the Ark of Your covenant. Adonoy, the God of Hosts, until when will You continue not to have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah against whom You were angered for so many years, and see Your nation in great fear. There is no one to unite and help them and there is no savior for Israel. We have turned to the right and there is no savior; to the left and there is no support, and for us, we can rely on no one except upon You our Father in heaven. Now is the time and the opportunity that it behooves You to help and to promulgate the intensity of Your mercy that always existed for it [Your mercy] is very great.
וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עָמַד מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ בִּתְפִלָּה לְפָנֶיךָ וּבִקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכָךְ אָמַר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ. מַלְכִּי וֵאלֹהָי. סְלַח־נָא לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָ לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הֵנָּה. וְאַתָּה הֲשֵׁבוֹתָ־לוֹ כְּדַרְכֵי טוּבְךָ. וְדִבַּרְתָּ וְאָמַרְתָּ־לוֹ סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ. וַאֲנַחְנוּ בֹּשְׁנוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ וְנִכְלַמְנוּ בַּעֲוֹנֵינוּ וְהֻשְׁחֲרוּ פָּנֵינוּ מִפְּנֵי חַטֹּאתֵינוּ. וְנִכְפְּפָה קוֹמָתֵנוּ מִפְּנֵי אַשְׁמָתֵינוּ וְאֵין לָנוּ פֶּה לְהָשִׁיב וְלֹא מֵצַח לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ:
When Israel sinned in the desert, Moses, our teacher stood and prayed before You, and beseeched You for mercy upon Your nation, Israel, and said the following in his prayer: “My King and my God, please forgive the sin of this people with the immensity of Your kindness, just as You forgave this nation from Egypt until the present time. And You responded to him in your manner of goodness and You spoke and said to him, “I forgive [them] as you ask.” We are ashamed of our actions and we are disgraced with our sins and our faces are blackened from our sins. Our statures are bent because of our guilt and we have no excuse to offer nor audacity to raise our heads.
לְעֵינֵינוּ עָשְׁקוּ עֲמָלֵנוּ, מְמֻשָּׁךְ וּמְמוֹרָט מִמֶּנּוּ. נָתְנוּ עֻלָּם עָלֵינוּ, סָבַלְנוּ עַל־שִׁכְמֵנוּ. עֲבָדִים מָשְׁלוּ בָנוּ, פּוֹרֵק אֵין מִיָּדָם. צָרוֹת רַבּוֹת סְבָבוּנוּ, קְרָאנוּךָ יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵינוּ. רָחַקְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ בַּעֲוֹנֵינוּ, שַׁבְנוּ מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ, תָּעִינוּ וְאָבָדְנוּ. וַעֲדַיִן לֹא שַׁבְנוּ מִטָּעוּתֵנוּ. וְהֵאֵיךְ נָעִיז פָּנֵינוּ וְנַקְשֶׁה עָרְפֵּנוּ. לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. צַדִּיקִים אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא חָטָאנוּ. אֲבָל אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ חָטָאנוּ:
Before our eyes, our toil has been exploited, torn and stripped from us. They have their yoke upon us, we bear it on our shoulders. Slaves rule over us, there is none to free us from their hands. Many troubles have encompassed us, we called out to You Adonoy, our God, but You remained distant from us because of our iniquities. We turned away from You, we have gone astray and are lost. Still, we have not repented our errors, so how can we be so insolent and obstinate as to say before You, “Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, we are righteous and have not sinned.” But indeed we and our fathers have sinned:
אָשַֽׁמְנוּ. בָּגַֽדְנוּ. גָּזַֽלְנוּ. דִּבַּֽרְנוּ דֹּֽפִי. הֶעֱוִֽינוּ. וְהִרְשַֽׁעְנוּ. זַֽדְנוּ. חָמַֽסְנוּ. טָפַֽלְנוּ שֶֽׁקֶר. יָעַֽצְנוּ רָע. כִּזַּֽבְנוּ. לַֽצְנוּ. מָרַֽדְנוּ. נִאַֽצְנוּ. סָרַֽרְנוּ. עָוִֽינוּ. פָּשַֽׁעְנוּ. צָרַֽרְנוּ. קִשִּֽׁינוּ עֹֽרֶף. רָשַֽׁעְנוּ. שִׁחַֽתְנוּ. תִּעַֽבְנוּ. תָּעִֽינוּ. תִּעְתָּֽעְנוּ: סַֽרְנוּ מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְלֹא שָֽׁוָה לָֽנוּ. וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵֽינוּ. כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִֽׂיתָ וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ:
We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt]; We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us]; We have stolen; We have slandered; We have caused others to sin; We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רֽשָׁעִים, wicked; We have sinned with malicious intent; We have forcibly taken other’s possessions We have added falsehood upon falsehood; We have joined with evil individuals or groups. We have given harmful advice; We have deceived; We have mocked; We have rebelled against God and His Torah; We have caused God to be angry with us; We have turned away from God’s Torah; We have sinned deliberately; We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments; We have caused our friends grief; We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע, [raising a hand to hit someone]. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption; We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations; We have gone astray; We have led others astray. We have turned away from Your commandments and from Your good laws, and we have gained nothing from it. And You are the Righteous One in all [punishment] that has come upon us; for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly.