The following prayer was composed by Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Rashi).

Adonoy, God of Hosts,

Who is feared by the heavenly angels,

You said, “Repent you stubborn children,

come to Me with thanksgiving and praise,

seek My Presence

with tears and supplications.

Though the doors are closed

to expressions of prayer,

the gates are open to the penitent—

even the windows,

Your words stand firm for all time;

Your ways of goodness

are forever unchangeable.

Behold, we come before You

like the poor and needy,

the righteousness is Yours,

and the iniquity is ours,

we return to You with shameful faces,

and at Your gates we moan like doves.

Remember us for a [good] proper life,

cleanse our stains

that they be pure and white,

erase the sins of our youth,

let them vanish like clouds;

renew our days as the days of old.¹

footnotes: ¹ Before we sinned.

Remove [our] defilement

and abolish [our] presumptuous sins,

cleanse [us]

sprinkle upon us the faithful [pure] waters.

We know our wickedness,

we are rebellious and as evil as thorns,

our necks are as stiff as oaks.

The vineyard of our planting,

is overgrown with weeds [sins]

it is covered with nettles and thorns [evil]

accustomed to doing evil,

clinging to sun-deities,

taking bribes, pursuing pay-offs.

We have quickly profaned

the wedding-canopy²

footnotes: ² The giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai is compared to a wedding canopy.

since then we have been thrust backward

and not forward,

gone are the sacrifices of choice rams,

the fragrance of the incense-offerings.

Gone are the captain(s) of fifty,

the advisor(s), the man (men) of honor,

the deputy [High Priest],

the Annointed [High Priest], the Levites,

and the Aaronites [sons of Aaron].

Behold! we stand impoverished and empty

grieved in spirit, bitter as wormwood.

We remember You in our distress

with an outpouring of prayers,

in fear of Your judgement,

we worry and groan;

let righteousness spring forth

for the faithful,

Order the removal of our early iniquities.

Let the voice [of our prayer] that calls,

put an end to those who contend with us,

let it hush the accuser

and silence the antagonists.

Let our humble spirit,

our subdued and broken hearts,

be as acceptable to You

as the fat of the sacrifice.

The oath You swore to the Patriarchs—

fulfill unto their children,

the cry of Your callers

hear from heaven;

prepare their hearts to fear You,

may Your ear be attentive

to the words of their supplication.

Return to raise Your people

from destruction,

let come swiftly to us

Your former mercy,

in their judgement,

let Your favored ones be found innocent.

They hope for Your lovingkindness,

and depend on Your compassion.

For in Your abundant mercy

we trust,

and on Your righteousness, we rely,

and for Your pardon, we hope,

and for Your deliverance, we yearn.

You are a King

Who loves righteousness from of old,

Who passes over the iniquities of His people,

and removes the sins of those who fear Him.

You made a covenant with the Patriarchs,

and will keep [Your] oath

with their descendants.

You are He Who descended

in the cloud of Your glory, on Mount Sinai,

and disclosed the ways of Your goodness

to Moses, Your servant.

The ways of Your kindliness,

You revealed to him;

and You made known to him

that You are Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,

Slow to anger, Abounding in kindness,

and full of beneficence,

guiding the entire world

with the quality of mercy.

And so it is written:

“And He said:

‘I will cause to pass

all My goodness before you,

and I will proclaim the Name, Adonoy

in your presence;

I will be gracious

to whom I will be gracious,

and I will be compassionate

to whom I will be compassionate.’”

You are Almighty, Slow to Anger,

Lord of Mercy, You are called,

and the way of repentance, You have taught us.

The greatness of Your mercy and kindliness,

remember this day and every day

for the descendants of Your loved ones.

Turn to us with compassion

for You are the Lord of Mercy.

With supplication and prayer

we approach Your Presence,

as You made known

to [Moses,] the modest one of old.

From Your fierce anger turn,

as it is written in Your Torah.

In the shadow of Your wings,

may we be sheltered and lodged,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“When Adonoy descended in the cloud.”

Remove [our] transgression,

and blot out [our] iniquity,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“And He stood with him there.”

Give ear to our cry

and listen to our speech,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“And He proclaimed the Name, Adonoy”

And there it is said:

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.

Seek Adonoy when He is accessible,

call Him when He is near.

Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him,

to all who call upon Him in truth.

Adonoy is close to the broken-hearted,

and those crushed in spirit, He delivers.

For what nation is there so great

that has God so near unto them,

as Adonoy, our God

in all that we call upon Him?

For Your sake, our God, act!

and not for our sake.

See how we stand impoverished and empty.

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.

The Chazzan repeats after the congregation:

“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:

The Congregation says:

“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.