Isaiah 64
5 Et facti sumus ut immundus omnes nos,
et quasi pannus inquinatus universae iustitiae nostrae;
et marcuimus quasi folium universi,
et iniquitates nostrae quasi ventus abstulerunt nos.
6 Non est qui invocet nomen tuum,
qui consurgat et adhaereat tibi,
quia abscondisti faciem tuam a nobis
et dissolvisti nos in manu iniquitatis nostrae.
7 Et nunc, Domine, pater noster es tu,
nos vero lutum; et fictor noster tu,
et opera manuum tuarum omnes nos.
8 Ne irascaris, Domine, nimis
et ne ultra memineris iniquitatis;
ecce, respice: populus tuus omnes nos.
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one that calls upon thy name,
that bestirs himself to take hold of thee;
for thou hast hid thy face from us,
and hast delivered us into the hand of our iniquities.
8 Yet, O LORD, thou art our Father;
we are the clay, and thou art our potter;
we are all the work of thy hand.
9 Be not exceedingly angry, O LORD,
and remember not iniquity for ever.
Behold, consider, we are all thy people.
(RSV-CE)
5 我們都好像成了不潔的人，所行的正義好似染了經血的內衣，
又似乾枯的葉子；我們的罪惡好似狂風一般將我們捲去，
6 沒有一個呼求你名的，或奮起契合於你的，
因為你掩面不顧我們，將我們委棄於我們罪惡的權下。
7 如今，上主啊! 你是我們的父親；
我們只是泥土，你是我們的陶工，我們都是你手中的作品。
8 上主啊! 不要嚴加忿怒，不要時常記念我們的罪惡；
求你垂顧! 我們都是你的子民。
We are clay, we have become unclean
Humility attracts grace
From the depths I cry
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord:
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears listen out
for the voice of my pleading.
If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord –
Lord, who would be left?
But with you is forgiveness,
and for this we revere you.
I rely on you, Lord,
my spirit relies on your promise;
my soul hopes in the Lord,
more than the watchman for daybreak.
--Psalm 129:1-6
(This prayer was uttered while the Jews were in exile in Babylon. They had lost their land, their king, the Temple...)
Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray:
Oh! Do not abandon us for ever,
for the sake of your name;
do not repudiate your covenant,
do not withdraw your favour from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your friend,
of Isaac your servant,
and of Israel your holy one,
to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven
and as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Lord, now we are the least of all the nations,
now we are despised throughout the world, today, because of our sins.
We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no prince,
no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense,
no place where we can offer you the first-fruits
and win your favour.
But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you
as holocausts of rams and bullocks,
as thousands of fattened lambs:
such let our sacrifice be to you today,
and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly,
since those who put their trust in you will not be disappointed.
And now we put our whole heart into following you,
into fearing you and seeking your face once more.
Do not disappoint us;
treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle
and very merciful.
Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds,
let your name win glory, Lord.
(Daniel 3:25-43)