Holy One, our tears are full of dread and anger, of mourning and rage. Our eyes are sore and red, making our vision swim, unable to see. Our bodies are exhausted, how long can we hold hope, while your flock has been taken captive? Innocents are drowning, children are suffering, how can we recite songs of joy? We need not ask, what is wailing, as we cry together, we know.
Mighty One, danger seems to lurk from every corner, voices who clamor for your people’s downfall. Though we are a scattered, dispersed people, our right hands do not forget, our tongues cleave, not to our mouths, but to one another, to the People. It is not good for a person to be alone, so we are with each other.
Our Redeemer, though the valley is dark, we refuse to despair. Justice, Peace, and Truth, are Your mighty hand, it will bring us from this bondage. In wholeness, from each corner, we will be with one another. Our people will endure.
Annotated Version
Holy One, our tears are full of dread and anger, of mourning and rage. Our eyes are sore1 and red, making our vision swim, unable to see. Our bodies are exhausted, how long can we hold hope, while your flock has been taken captive?2 Innocents are drowning,3 children are suffering, how can we recite songs of joy? We need not ask, what is wailing, as we cry together, we know.4
Mighty One, danger seems to lurk from every corner, voices who clamor for your people’s downfall. Though we are a scattered, dispersed people,5 our right hands do not forget, our tongues cleave,6 not to our mouths, but to one another, to the People. It is not good for a person to be alone,7 so we are with each other.
Our Redeemer, though the valley is dark,8 we refuse to despair. Justice, Peace, and Truth,9 are Your mighty hand, it will bring us from this bondage.10 In wholeness, from each corner,11 we will be with one another. Our people will endure.
- Jeremiah 13:17
- Jeremiah 13:17
- Sanhedrin 39b:5
- Moed Katan 28b:3
- Esther 3:8
- Psalm 137:5-6
- Genesis 2:18
- Psalm 23:4
- Derekh Eretz Zuta: Peace 2
- Exodus 13:14
- Ahavah Rabbah