Our God and God of our fathers!

There are four major damagers¹:

footnotes: ¹ v. Bava Kamma 2a. Here an allusion to the kingdoms to which we were exiled 1) Medea compared to a wolf, 2) Babylonia to a lion, 3) Persia, to a bear, and 4) Greece to a leopard. Edom is compared to a pig.

the wolf, the lion, the bear,

and their cubs.²

footnotes: ² I.e. those nations that joined them in subjugating us.

The leopard [who] kept vigil on their cities

and the pig with them.

Pay them according to their deeds

and according to their evil acts.¹

footnotes: ¹ V. Psalms 28:4.

He who has been goring

from days gone by³

footnotes: ³ “אֶתְמוֹל שִׁלְשׁׂם“—lit. yesterday and the day before yesterday.

and dug a pit [for us],

may pains and anguish grab him

as a woman giving birth to her first.

[For] into the midst of Your encampment⁴

footnotes: ⁴ I.e. Israel.

they brought idolatry

and they threw me into the pit.¹

footnotes: ¹ V. B’reishis 37:24.

Let your word [promise] come

and let it not be delayed.

Cut off their⁵ descendants and remnants,

footnotes: ⁵ The nations who persecuted us.

and with his best let us profit.⁶ sell them into slavery for a change.

footnotes: ⁶ I.e Let us

Prepare for them a day of slaughter

and all kinds of destruction.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ “עוֹקִר וְנוֹחֵר“ lit. different means of slaughter.

For he set forth the flames⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Which destroyed the Temple.

which consumed the other’s field.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Based on Exodus 22, v. 4.

I have no strength

to bear the yoke of the oppressors,

[who], to destroy me as a nation,

convene together.

I tremble when I hear

their frightening sounds.

And all the nations see

the cries and the flames.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ When we are burned at the pyre. Based on Exodus 20, v. 15.

Pay them back sevenfold,

slay them dead,

let them be stoned,

and let the sword of Adonoy consume them.

Raise up Your children from the pit,

and let the one who prepared the pit pay.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ I.e. let our oppressors pay for their deeds. Based on Exodus 21:34.

Will You ignore [punishing] these

with anger and wrath[?!]

And to reward

Your beautiful inheritance?!¹²

footnotes: ¹² The Nation of Israel.

Return the Crown to its rightful owners.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ The kingdom of the House of David.

Let the igniter of the flames pay.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ V. Exodus 22:5.

Daughter of my nation,

the Strong One will redeem her with desire.

He will plant her on His holy mountain¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ So that she will never again be exiled.

when all will [again] be gathered;

His hand will once again possess her,

she will leave free without payment.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ From her exile.

[God], see the misery

of a humiliated nation.

God, save them from a humiliating oppressor.

Remember Your compassion

and let us see Your goodness,

and remove from me

just this death.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ V. Exodus 10:17.

With their entire mouth¹⁸

footnotes: ¹⁸ I.e. with all means at the Nation’s disposal.

they devoured them like wolves,

and the times of redemption was delayed

and they are [still] in pain.

Are they not inscribed in the book?¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ “Are … book”—The time of our Redemption is alluded to in the Book of Daniel.

Yet, they sought many calculations.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ V. Koheles 7:29.

Let the evil be ashamed

for they consumed Your allotted portion,²¹

footnotes: ²¹ “Allotted portion”—i.e. the Jewish Nation.

that find protection in Your shadow;

[they are] Your inheritance and Your portion.

Compassionate One! Merciful One!

our eyes are uplifted towards You.

Now, my Master the King,

the eyes of all Israel are towards You.

[God] Let it be in Your kindness

to be compassionate

to the people that you chose,

and fulfill to him

that which You promised.

Gather Your dispersed

from the ends of the world, as You said.

Do not omit a thing

from all that You have spoken.²²

footnotes: ²² “Do not … spoken” v. Esther 6:10.

And You [God,] arise and be compassionate!

For the time for mercy has arrived.²³

footnotes: ²³ V. Psalms 102:14.

Be compassionate to Zion

and to the Congregation that is beyond count.

Return their captives,

O God, who preceded [everything],

who [dwells] on high.

[Bring them] to the place of the Altar

that He made there at first.²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ V. Genesis 13:4.

My heart is surrounded [with sorrow],

for Your wrath is great.

Turn from Your anger

and fulfill Your promise.

Fight my battle

against the nation that You will ensnare.

Behold! Your servants are yet wounded

for Your nation yet sins.²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ V. Exodus 5:16.

Shine Your countenance [upon us];

let us find favor in Your eyes.

Free us from imprisonment

and let us run after You [to serve You].

As in years gone by,

may Your nation depart [their imprisonment].

[As is written:] And he ran away

and escaped.²⁶

footnotes: ²⁶ V. Genesis 39:12.

[God!] Listen [to me]!

for I have put my hope in You.

Be gracious to me as You promised,

and for Your redemption I have yearned.

With my whole heart

I searched for Your countenance.

I plead for my soul,

and I beg for my nation.²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ V. Esther 7:3.

I have been disappointed²⁸

footnotes: ²⁸ “כָּלוּ עֵינַי“—lit. My eyes have have failed.

and there is not a word in my mouth.²⁹

footnotes: ²⁹ I.e. I cannot utter a word due to great anguish.

See! [God], and gaze [upon me]!

that I have become demeaned.

During the day I cried and wailed,

the oppressive heat consumed me;

[as did] the cold at night.³⁰

footnotes: ³⁰ V. Bereishis 31:40.

I became an object of ridicule

and constantly demeaned.

Remember the covenant with Abraham.³¹

footnotes: ³¹ V. Psalms 89:1.

Arise and save us!

We beseech You to see

that we are all Your nation.

We are all the sons of one man.³²

footnotes: ³² We all trace our ancestry to Jacob. V. Gen. 42:11.

[God], accept our utterance,

and listen to our prayers.

Let our lip-service be considered

as meal-offerings and burnt-offerings.

Lead Your nation to its repose

and to the land of its inheritance,

the place where

His tent³³ was at the beginning.

footnotes: ³³ I.e. the Temple.

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.”

Let our prayer come before You,

and do not ignore our supplication.

Let come before You

the groaning of the prisoner [Israel];

according to the greatness of Your power

set free those condemned to death.

You will arise

and have compassion on Zion,

for it is time to be gracious to her,

for the appointed time has come.

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.