Our God and God of our fathers!

It is true that You are first

and there is no genesis to Your beginning¹

footnotes: ¹ There is no beginning for God since He has always existed.

and You are last

and there is no end to Your lasting.

I and Your Torah testify

that there is none besides You.

Your righteousness endures forever

and Your Torah is true.

[That] Your Name is “אֶמֶת“ (Truth)

is alluded to [in the words]: “בׇרׇא אֳלׂהִים אֵת“ “God created the’’²

footnotes: ² Genesis I 1; the letters ending בׇּרׇא אֳלׂקִים אֵת make up the word אֶמֶת (truth).

in [the Torah which is] Your beauty

and Your splendor.

On justice, truth and peace

did You establish Your Temple.

Therefore, God, we shall praise You

by arranging songs of Your praise.

The beginning of Your Word is Truth.³

footnotes: ³ I.e. the beginning of the Torah make up the word אֶמֶת. V. note 2.

[The word] אֶמֶת (truth) you signed

six times, O living God,

from “B’reishis” until “la’asos”

they are signed and outlined.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ [The word] … outlined: The word אמת is alluded to six times from the first word in the Torah until “la’asos” (Genesis II, 3).

And all of them

are expressed in the ending of words⁵

footnotes: ⁵ In Genesis I, 1:ברא אלקים את end in אֶמֶת; in I, 4 “וירא אלקים את“ end in אֶמֶת. So, too, I, 28: I, 27; I, 31, II, 3.

they⁶ of the Torah. are strongly supported forever

footnotes: ⁶ I.e. the mitzvos

for they were founded in Truth.

The [letters of the] word “אֶמֶת“

are distanced

one from another at length⁷

footnotes: ⁷ I.e. the “א“ is at the beginning of the “aleph-beth,” the “מ“ is in the middle and the “ת“ at the end.

whereas [the word] “שֶׁקֶר,” its letters

are close together,⁸

footnotes: ⁸ ש,ק,ר are one next to another in the “aleph-beth.”

and it has no leg to stand on.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ I.e. falsehood cannot be everlasting.

Blessed is Adonoy

Who looks down from the heavenly aperture;

Who leads me in the true way.

Truth (the Torah) was in His Mouth

when He created His world¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ The Midrash states that God used the Torah as a blueprint for creating the world.

a delight He holds upon His lap

to cleave together.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ The Torah being the wisdom of God is looked upon as one with God.

All His deeds

are based upon its (the Torah’s) advice.

All God’s ways are goodness and truth.

Those who act truthfully,

humbly and righteously

merit their reward [in the world to come].

The One Who acts with justice

and righteousness

will not stay aloof from them.

The evil person

who commits acts of falsehood,

his mouth will be stopped up.

But, the one who plants righteousness

will receive true and lasting reward.

Remember to give true reward

to the smallest of nations,

Israel that is saved by Adonoy

an everlasting salvation.

Therefore, come, find protection,

in the shadow of Him Who rests on high,

and serve Him with perfection and truth.

You [God] desire that truth

[be rooted] in our innermost selves

and You said [to us]: “Improve your ways.”

[With] truth and justice

shall you judge within your gates.

Therefore, you children of Jacob

remove your evil deeds [and then]

will your true words become apparent.

He arranged “אֶמֶת“ to be His seal

to make it known that He is One

and there is no other.¹²

footnotes: ¹² “He arranged — other.” There is nothing that can stand in the way of His fulfilling His promises; hence His seal of “truth.”

This is my God and I will glorify Him,

the God of my father and I will exalt Him.

Adonoy is close to all who call to Him,

to all who truly call to Him.

My mouth will utter [words of] Truth¹³

footnotes: ¹³ I.e. the Torah.

and I will speak of Your Law.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ I.e. the Torah.

I will recall my song [of praise] at night

and that I cleaved to Your Torah.

God! Remember this for the good

of all the members of Your covenant.

You, Adonoy, are close [to us]

and all Your precepts are true.

My flesh truly yearns for You,

Creator of the world.

[I pray] that You save Your servants

from poverty and loss,

and take pity on all the children

of the one who left “Kasdim.”¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ I.e. Abraham who originated from Ur Kasdim.

Righteousness and justice

are the fundamentals of Your Throne

[as well as] kindness and truth.

Truth remains forever

but evil, only for the moment.

[You, therefore, commanded:] in the morning¹⁵ judge your judgments,

footnotes: ¹⁵ Do not procrastinate to pass judgment.

My understanding nation.

Strengthen [and encourage] the victim,

[you] My priests and elders,¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ Who sit in judgment.

for the Laws of Adonoy are true.

Let truth sprout from the land

and let justice prevail from on high.

As far as east is from west

remove iniquities,¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ I.e. let evil be as far from us as possible.

though the righteous one is no more,

the one who acts with forebearance,

who acts justly and acts righteously

and speaks truthfully.¹⁸

footnotes: ¹⁸ “Though the righteous—truthfully” i.e. remove our iniquities despite that we no longer have amongst us the righteous in whose merit we would deserve this.

Let truth before You

be established forever and ever.

Whereas, one who speaks falsehoods

will not withstand the appointed day.¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ “Appointed day” i.e. day of judgment.

He should tremble from the judgment day.

He saves lives [with his prayers]

he who speaks the truth.

I truly rejoice

that You will not put to shame

a broken heart.

You desire kindness rather than sacrifices

as You have spoken [in the Prophets].²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ V. Hoshea 6, 7.

Break the strength

of those who worship a buried god.

Do not keep from me the word of truth.²¹

footnotes: ²¹ The Torah.

[God of] truth who observes sin

as well as kindness,

[please] remove us from sin

and the shame [that comes with sin].

Turn to those who seek You,

You, Who preserves kindness,²²

footnotes: ²² Based on נוׄצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים (Exodus 34, 7) God preserves and rewards kindness for thousands of generations thereafter.

Who is slow to anger

and is abundantly kind and trustworthy.

Angels of truth²³

footnotes: ²³ “פְּלִיאִים“ lit. hidden, i.e., their names are unknown.

pray for us before Adonoy of Hosts.

Michael and Gabriel, bring a gift (our prayers)

to Adonoy by Whom you are awed.

And please beseech the countenance of God

to bring closer the end which is hidden²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ The days of the Messiah.

and give to me a truthful sign [that your prayers were accepted].

Truth and justice shall uplift

the nation that has been weakened,

but the kindness of nations is sinful,

the nations that regret [their good deeds],

that declare wood and stone to be gods.

And only Adonoy, God is true.

Buy truthfulness²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ Based on Avos Chap. I, Mishnah 6.

and do not sell it.²⁶

footnotes: ²⁶ Teach others without pay.

[Do this] in order to serve and worship

to uplift the Name of Adonoy

for His Name alone is exalted,

for He satiates every living thing

according to his wants.

[He does this] with an open hand.

He gives abundantly to us

of His kindness and trustworthiness.

Truly see

the neediness of Israel

for Your judgment is deep as the abyss

and Your justice as the highest mountains.

Accept the prayer of the nation

that turns to You with its requests:

“In your hands do I place my soul

for You [always] redeem me,

[You], Adonoy the trusthworthy God.”

[You], Who truthfully judges the poor

and Whose Throne is established

for all the generations;

[You], the King

Who establishes the world with justice

as well as the heavens,

shall consider the deeds [of man]

[You], the mighty God

according to the truth of things.

Fulfill the promise to Jacob

and the kindness to the children of Abraham,²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ “אַב הַמוׄנִי“ Abraham is called “אַב הַמוׄן גוׄיִם“ (Gen. 17, 5) “a father of a multitude of nations.

for as a result of Your love for us

You called us “My firstborn son.”

Make white our sins

that are red as the red thread.²⁸

footnotes: ²⁸ The red thread that was tied to the goat that was sent to Azazel on Yom Kippur which miraculously turned white as a sign that our sins were forgiven (v. Lev. chap. 16).

Let my prayer to You, Adonoy

be a time of acceptance.

God, in Your abundant kindness

respond to me with true [salvation].

Almighty! King!

Who sits on the throne of mercy,

governs with kindness

forgives the iniquities of His people.

He removes their sins one by one,

increasing forgiveness to sinners,

and pardon to transgressors.

Acting righteously

with all who are of flesh and spirit;

not according to their wickedness

does He repay them.

Almighty!

You instructed us to recite

the thirteen Divine attributes;

remember unto us this day

the covenant of thirteen Divine attributes,

as You made them known

to the humble Moses of old,

as it is written,

“And Adonoy descended in the cloud,

and stood with him there,

and proclaimed the Name, Adonoy.

Congregation and Chazzan:

And Adonoy passed before him [Moses],

and proclaimed:

Adonoy, Adonoy,

Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,

Slow to Anger,

and Abundant in Kindness, and Truth.

Keeper of kindness

for thousands of generations,

Endurer of iniquity, and transgression,

and sin;

and Acquitter of those who repent.

“And pardon our iniquity and our sin,

and take us for Your inheritance.”

Pardon us our Father, for we have sinned,

forgive us our King, for we have transgressed.

“For You, my Master,

are good and forgiving,

and abounding in kindness

to all who call upon You.”

Do not enter into judgment with us,

for no living soul will be justified before You.

For with You is forgiveness,

in order that You be feared.

For with You is the source of life,

[and] in Your light shall we see light.

[Grant us] life, and do kindness with us,

and let Your precepts preserve our spirit.

We ask of You, life,

grant us length of days,

forever.

As a father has compassion on his children

so do You have compassion on us, Adonoy.

Deliverance is Adonoy’s;

upon Your people is Your blessing. Selah!

Adonoy of Hosts is with us,

a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob. Selah!

Adonoy of Hosts!

fortunate is the man who trusts in You.

Adonoy, deliver us;

the King will answer us on the day we call.

“Please pardon the sins of this nation

in accordance with the greatness

of Your lovingkindness;

and as You forgave this people

from when it left Egypt until now.”

And there it is said:

“And Adonoy said,

I have pardoned [them] as you have asked.”

Incline Your ear, my God, and hear,

open Your eyes and behold our desolate places,

and the city which is called by Your Name;

for it is not on account of our righteousness

that we let fall our supplication before You,

but because of Your great mercy.

My Master, hear! My Master, pardon!

My Master, listen and take action,

do not delay!

For Your sake, my God,

because Your Name is proclaimed

over Your city and over Your people.