To You, my Creator I have spread my hands [in prayer], I have abandoned arrogance and haughtiness. Truly, a broken spirit, I [have brought before You as a] sacrifice, and in Your loving-kindness, I trust. I trust in You and not upon refined weaponry, even when I was threatened with death [along with] scholars and their students. Search out [for redemption] the speechless dove and nestling,¹ and let him return the robbery² that he robbed.

footnotes: ¹ “Speechless dove”—i.e. the nation of Israel. ² And—robbery, i.e. let the gentiles return the land that they robbed from us.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

He [the gentile nations] robbed and destroyed the exalted righteous [of our nation] and his wise elders, and destroyed his House³ and desecrated the Holy⁴ and its holies and slashed the Curtain⁵ and slaughtered his prophets and holy men, that was a generation that seeked Him. The blood of those that seeked Him shall be a ransom and redemption before Your honorable Throne [that instills] fear [in all creation]. [We are] attached to You as linked couplets and twins, because for Your sake we are constantly killed.

footnotes: ³ ‘House’—i.e. the Temple. ⁴ Holy, i.e. the Temple. ⁵ I.e. the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

On this day how many tens of thousands fell [by the sword] from Your nation, and gave their lives for the Unity of Your Name. For their sake bring forth into the light their judgments and sentence from Your heights, and hear the prayers of Your servants and Your nation. And Your nation they loot and rob and their riches they plundered and they rejoice in the fear⁶ and in the breach⁷ they revel. ‘And who has given Jacob to loot’ loudly they proclaim, “Is it not Adonoy that did this!”

footnotes: ⁶ ‘In the fear’ i.e. the fear of the Jewish Nation. ⁷ ‘In the break’ i.e. the breach of the Jewish Nation.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator

[To this we respond] ‘Our sins caused this, and [caused our] pursuer to smite us. We have veered from the path and like a rebellious counsel we have kicked. We suffered His anger according to the measure [that we deserve], and according to our evil actions we have suffered to Adonoy our God we have sinned. We have sinned and we are still [immersed] in great guilt. To ridicule and mockery we have been placed in exile. [The prophecy of Scripture has befallen us: “Behold! Adonoy has made you wander wanderings.”

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The wanderings and sorrows became stronger and intensified. The wolves [who attack their prey at] dusk⁸ devoured and stunned us. They tore us to pieces and left not even a bone till morning. They are ruthless and do not take pity. May pity come from the Heavens! To do miracles [for us] and let Him save His people from the hand of the strong and violent. May His beloved dwelling⁹ expand its length and breadth as a mast and as a banner¹⁰ at the mountaintop.

footnotes: ⁸ ‘The wolves — dusk,’ i.e. the nations of the world. ⁹ I.e. the Temple. ¹⁰ May the Temple be so visible and prominent!

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

As a [lonely] flagpole, [remained] the remnant of His inheritance, Masters, besides Him, lorded over us. Now, let it be told to Jacob¹¹ whom He forgives: “God has chosen him, Israel to be His chosen nation.” To His chosen nation let there not be pain and destruction. As in days of yore let my ruins¹² be rebuilt. To my king let Him give strength and let him be exalted, [God] Who humbles and exalts.

footnotes: ¹¹ I.e. Israel. ¹² I.e. Jerusalem.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Exalted One! Show me [vengeance] in my enemies,¹³ His vengeance and the vengeance of my chosen place¹⁴. Transfer the pain of my shame to my enemies for I carried the shame of [the wrongdoing] of my youth. [God responds:] I remember his youth the love of betrothal.¹⁵ [So, too] in her old age act kindly towards her. Please! Let my prayer be established as a burnt-offering.¹⁶ God of Jacob listen to my prayer forever.

footnotes: ¹³ בשוררי—lit. those who see to my destruction. ¹⁴ ‘Chosen place,’ i.e. the Temple. ¹⁵ ‘I remember — betrothal’ i.e. I remember the kindnesses that I did for you when you first became My nation. ¹⁶ ‘Let — offering,’ i.e. let my prayer be considered as a sacrifice brought at the time of the Temple.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

You have always been a support to those who put their hope in You. For Your sake do [for them], if not for their sake. [Then] their enemies will be embarrassed and disgraced through their prayers [for they will pray] to Adonoy and You will not answer them. Answer [the prayers] of the House of Israel, who have declared Your oneness, even when You put their cities to rubble they desired You. Therefore, [even when they had to hide] in the cracks [of the earth] they honored You. Adonoy, in their anguish, they remembered You.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

They remembered You, You to whom lips turn to call [in prayer]. Rescue them from punishment and from severe edicts. Please! Turn towards their song and their beseeching. You are their strength in time of anguish. Anguish and distress remove from me, my Creator, and the gates of tears shall not be shut for me. For they are gathered in Your vessel; are they not counted by You, my Redeemer! I have cried. Hear my voice!

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

I will raise my voice in plea [that You save me] from the oppression [of My] tumultuous enemy. I was overwhelmed by the severe anger of my oppressor. The mother, together with her children, was torn to pieces. [The mother] was torn to pieces before her eyes are her children slaughtered. Her face was put to shame her cheek plucked. The barons from the Chamber of Hewn Stone¹⁷ have become few, where the tribes [of Israel] ascended. Return Your tribes to Your glorious dwelling-place¹⁸ so that the remnant [of Israel] be crowned.¹⁹ Let it be heard by the fugitive of Judah that has remained so that she remain a crown of glory.

footnotes: ¹⁷ ‘Barons — Stone’ i.e. the Sanhedrin who met in the temple in the Chamber of Hewn Stone to pass judgment. ¹⁸ I.e. the Temple. ¹⁹ I.e. that the Kingdom of the House of David return.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Your glorious [people] who trust [in You], this nation that You have acquired. You have not found them contemptuous, when they have called You, You responded. [Even when] a single poor person calls, You have prepared Your reply: “I will hear their prayer and their plea which [you] pleaded [in their behalf].” You have taken pity on Your annihilated children and who were exiled from their father’s table. You said: “Compassion shall roll over my attributes.”²⁰ In Adonoy they shall find righteousness and they shall be praised [for trusting in God].

footnotes: ²⁰ “Compassion — attributes” i.e. compassion shall overpower the other attributes of God.

We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Those who depend on You shall be praised for their prayer and my²¹ prayer [were accepted] with pleasantness. And conduct Yourself with them with the attributes of righteousness and compassion. Let Your merit precede them and the merit of the three ancients,²² the Almighty King Who sits on the throne of compassion.

footnotes: ²¹ The שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר—who leads the congregation in prayer. ²² ‘Three ancients’ i.e. the Patriarchs.

Remember to us the covenant of the Patriarchs, as You promised, “And I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember,” and the land I will remember.