Please, when we call out

David Ibn Paqūda

Late 11th or Early 12th Century

Please, when we call out: To the sound of our cry, O Lord, listen!
Please, with your mercy: Our sinful crime, O Lord. forgive!
The words that I take—hear, O Lord!
And the sin through which I was conceived— forgive, O Lord!
Please, when we call out: To the sound of our cry, O Lord, listen!
And from your heavenly lair—hear, O Lord!
And the sin of your people—forgive, O Lord!
Please, with your mercy: Our sinful crime, O Lord, forgive!
On the day when I set my prayers of praise in order—hear, O Lord!
My perpetual backsliding—forgive, O Lord!
Please, when we call out: To the sound of our cry, O Lord, listen!
The poor, indigent people—hear, O Lord!
The sins, red like crimson—forgive, O Lord!
Please, with your mercy: Our sinful crime, O Lord, forgive!
Those that tremble in your presence—hear, O Lord!
And to me, your servant—forgive, O Lord!
Please, when we call out: To the sound of our cry, O Lord, listen!
My songs of tribute—hear, O Lord!
And the wickedness of my deeds—forgive, O Lord!
Please, with your mercy: Our sinful crime, O Lord, forgive!
The voice of the remnant of Jacob—hear, O Lord!
The sin of every crooked heart—forgive, O Lord!
Please, when we call out: To the sound of our cry, O Lord, listen!
Please, with your mercy: Our sinful crime, O Lord, forgive!
Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.

Engage with this Source

This is a penitential prayer based on Daniel 9:19: “O Lord, listen; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and act, and do not delay; for your own sake, O God, for your city and your people are called by your name.” The poet takes apart the first clause, “O Lord, listen,” and the second clause, “O Lord, forgive,” and uses them as refrains for lines in his poem. The poet’s name appears as the acrostic. This poem remains part of the Spanish and Portuguese rite.

Read more

Related Guide

Early Medieval Liturgical Poetry (Piyyut)

7th to 12th Century

Creator Bio

David Ibn Paqūda

11th Century 12th Century

David ben Eleazar Ibn Paqiida was a liturgical poet from Saragossa, Spain, likely a cousin of the philosopher Baḥya Ibn Paqiida. Nothing else is known of his life. His poetry, including several penitential selihot, found acclaim in Sephardic and Italian rites.

You may also like

Hand-drawn, boxy map with large Hebrew writing above and smaller, vowelless Hebrew writing within and around the map.
Tooltip info icon

O perfect Torah

O perfect Torah, ancient by two millennia [before the creation of the universe], please beseech God, on behalf of the perfect dove.perched at the top of the beech tree t Diligently supplicate the…
View Source

Where is the place of understanding?

Where is the place of understanding? Whence is it? Where is it? [It is] the treasury of wisdom and knowledge, the beginning of [God’s] creation. When I come today [on Shavuot] to ask with whom He…
View Source

You are God, who does wonders

You are God, who does wonders; show mercy and consolation to the poor nation, which is ill. I shall speak with eloquence to give thanks to You regarding the one who is ill. May the people sweetened…
View Source

As You rescued Adam

As you rescued Adam, the creation of your hands, to protect him— on the holy Sabbath you brought atonement and indulgence to him—so rescue now! As you rescued the distinct nation, who were hoping…
View Source

The shining light

[ . . . ] The elders, our roots, taught us the passages that we should read—two before the megillah, and two afterwards, so that memory of them should count as performance of them, for the precious…
View Source