Seven texts, in the order they are said: the opening of the night, the piyut that wakes you, Adon HaSelihot, the introduction to the Thirteen Attributes, the Attributes themselves, the vidui, and the closing request.
Each text is given three times: in vocalised Hebrew, in Sephardic pronunciation in Latin letters, and in English.
The pronunciation follows Sephardic usage: ‘ marks the ayin, h is the het, kamats reads as “a”.
The texts follow the Edot HaMizrach rite. Another custom may have a slightly different order or wording.
The Thirteen Attributes and the Kaddish require a minyan. Alone, one reads the Attributes with the te'amim, like a Torah reading.
Kamti be-ashmoret, levakech ‘al ‘avoni. Ve-nafchi ch’harhoret mi-pené rov zedoni. Ra’hem ‘al ‘adatekha, tson mar‘itekha. Achré yochvé vétekha, ‘od yehalelukha sela.
Translation
I rose at the hour of the ashmoret to ask forgiveness for my sin, and my soul is darkened before the number of my transgressions. Have mercy on Your community, the flock You shepherd. Happy are those who dwell in Your house: they will praise You again.
עֲמֹד כְּגֶבֶר, וְהִתְגַּבֵּר, לְהִתְוַדּוֹת עַל חֲטָאִים. יָהּ אֵל דְּרֹשׁ, בְּכֹבֶד רֹאשׁ, לְכַפֵּר עַל פְּשָׁעִים. כִּי לְעוֹלָם, לֹא נֶעְלָם, מִמֶּנּוּ נִפְלָאִים. וְכָל מַאֲמָר, אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמַר, לְפָנָיו הֵם נִקְרָאִים. הַמְּרַחֵם, הוּא יְרַחֵם, עָלֵינוּ כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים:
Ben adam, ma lekha nirdam, koum kera betahanounim. Chefokh siha, deroch seliha, mé-Adon ha-adonim. Rehats outhar, ve-al te-ahar, betérem yamim ponim. Oumhéra, routs le-‘ezra, lifné chokhen me‘onim. Oumipécha‘, vegam récha‘, berah oufhad mé-assonim. Ana ché‘é, chimkha yod‘é, Israël neémanim. Lekha Ado-nay hatsedaka, velanou bochet hapanim.
‘Amod kegever, vehitgaber, lehitvadot ‘al hataïm. Yah El deroch, bekhoved roch, lekhaper ‘al pecha‘im. Ki le‘olam, lo né‘lam, mimenou niflaïm. Vekhol maamar, acher yéamar, lefanav hem nikraïm. Hameraghem, hou yerahem, ‘alénou keraghem av ‘al banim.
Translation
Son of man, why are you asleep? Rise, call out in supplication. Pour out your words, seek forgiveness from the Master of masters. Wash and purify yourself, and do not delay, before the days turn away. Quickly, run for help before the One who dwells on high. From transgression and from evil, flee, and fear disaster. Please, pay heed: those who know Your Name, Israel, are faithful. To You, Lord, is righteousness; to us, shame of face.
Stand like a man and take hold of yourself, to confess your sins. Seek Yah, God, with gravity, that He may atone for transgressions. For hidden things are never hidden from Him; and every word that is spoken is called out before Him. He who shows mercy — He will have mercy on us, as a father has mercy on his children.
הָדוּר בְּנִפְלָאוֹת. וָתִיק בְּנֶחָמוֹת. זוֹכֵר בְּרִית אָבוֹת. חוֹקֵר כְּלָיוֹת: חָטָאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ:
טוֹב וּמֵטִיב לַבְּרִיּוֹת. יוֹדֵעַ כָּל נִסְתָּרוֹת. כּוֹבֵשׁ עֲוֹנוֹת. לוֹבֵשׁ צְדָקוֹת: חָטָאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ:
מָלֵא זַכִּיּוּת. נוֹרָא תְהִלּוֹת. סוֹלֵחַ עֲוֹנוֹת. עוֹנֶה בְּעֵת צָרוֹת: חָטָאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ:
פּוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת. צוֹפֶה עֲתִידוֹת. קוֹרֵא הַדּוֹרוֹת. רוֹכֵב עֲרָבוֹת. שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלּוֹת. תְּמִים דֵּעוֹת: חָטָאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ:
אֵל רַחוּם שִׁמְךָ. אֵל חַנּוּן שִׁמְךָ. אֵל אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם שִׁמְךָ. מָלֵא רַחֲמִים שִׁמְךָ. בָּנוּ נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ. יהוה עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ:
Adon haselihot. Bohen levavot. Golé ‘amoukot. Dover tsedakot. Hatanou lefanekha, ra’hem ‘alénou.
Hadour beniflaot. Vatik benéhamot. Zokher berit avot. Hoker kelayot. Hatanou lefanekha, ra’hem ‘alénou.
Tov ouméitiv laberiyot. Yodéa‘ kol nistarot. Kovech ‘avonot. Lovech tsedakot. Hatanou lefanekha, ra’hem ‘alénou.
Malé zakiyout. Nora tehilot. Soléa‘h ‘avonot. ‘Oné be‘et tsarot. Hatanou lefanekha, ra’hem ‘alénou.
Po‘el yechou‘ot. Tsofé ‘atidot. Koré hadorot. Rokhev ‘aravot. Choméa‘ tefilot. Temim dé‘ot. Hatanou lefanekha, ra’hem ‘alénou.
El rahoum chimkha. El hanoun chimkha. El érekh apayim chimkha. Malé rahamim chimkha. Banou nikra chimkha. Ado-nay ‘assé lema‘an chemékha.
Translation
Master of pardons, who searches hearts, who reveals depths, who speaks righteousness — we have sinned before You, have mercy on us.
Glorious in wonders, constant in consolations, who remembers the covenant of the fathers, who examines the innermost parts — we have sinned before You, have mercy on us.
Good and doing good to Your creatures, who knows all secrets, who subdues iniquities, who is clothed in righteousness — we have sinned before You, have mercy on us.
Full of merits, awesome in praises, who forgives iniquities, who answers in time of trouble — we have sinned before You, have mercy on us.
Who works salvations, who sees the future, who calls the generations, who rides the heavens, who hears prayers, perfect in knowledge — we have sinned before You, have mercy on us.
Merciful God is Your Name, gracious God is Your Name, God slow to anger is Your Name, full of compassion is Your Name: Your Name is called upon us. Hashem, act for the sake of Your Name.
Each stanza follows the Hebrew alphabet, from aleph to tav: the poem runs through every letter so that nothing is left outside the request.
El Mélekh yochev ‘al kissé rahamim oumitnahég bahassidout. Mohel ‘avonot ‘amo, ma‘avir richon richon. Marbé mehila lahataïm ouseliha lapoch‘im. ‘Ossé tsedakot ‘im kol bassar verouah, lo khera‘atam lahem gomel. El, horétanou lomar midot cheloch ‘esré. Zekhor lanou hayom berit cheloch ‘esré, kemo chehoda‘ta le‘anav mikédem, vekhen katouv betoratakh : Vayéred Ado-nay be‘anan vayityatsev ‘imo cham, vayikra vechem Ado-nay. Vecham néémar :
Translation
God, King who sits on a throne of mercy and conducts Himself with kindness, who pardons the sins of His people and removes them one by one; who grants abundant pardon to those who fail and forgiveness to those who rebel; who acts with righteousness towards all flesh and spirit, and does not repay them according to their evil. God, You taught us to say the thirteen attributes: remember for us today the covenant of the thirteen, as You made it known of old to the humble Moshe, as it is written in Your Torah: “Hashem came down in the cloud and stood with him there, and called out in the Name: Hashem.” And there it is said:
Ado-nay, Ado-nay, El rahoum vehanoun, érekh apayim verav hessed véémet. Notser hessed laalafim, nossé ‘avon vafécha‘ vehataa, venaké. Vessalahta la‘avonénou oulhatatenou ounhaltanou.
Translation
Hashem, Hashem, God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth; keeping kindness for thousands, bearing iniquity, transgression and sin, and cleansing. And You shall forgive our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.
One stops at “venake” and moves straight to the verse of request. These are the words the Talmud calls a covenant: they never come back empty.
Achamnou. Bagadnou. Gazalnou. Dibarnou dofi. Hé‘evinou. Vehircha‘nou. Zadnou. Hamasnou. Tafalnou chéker. Ya‘atsnou ra‘. Kizavnou. Latsnou. Maradnou. Niatsnou. Sararnou. ‘Avinou. Pacha‘nou. Tsararnou. Kichinou ‘oref. Racha‘nou. Chihatnou. Ti‘avnou. Ta‘inou. Ti‘ta‘nou.
Translation
We have been guilty. We have betrayed. We have robbed. We have spoken slander. We have gone astray. We have done evil. We have acted deliberately. We have been violent. We have wrapped up falsehood. We have counselled evil. We have lied. We have mocked. We have rebelled. We have blasphemed. We have been unruly. We have sinned. We have transgressed. We have oppressed. We have stiffened our necks. We have been wicked. We have corrupted. We have committed abomination. We have gone astray. We have led others astray.
The vidui is said standing, in a low but articulate voice, lightly striking the chest at each word. It is in the plural: nobody confesses alone.
Elohénou chebachamayim, chema‘ kolénou vekabel tefilaténou beratson. Ado-nay chema‘a. Ado-nay seláha. Ado-nay hakchiva va‘assé al teahar, lema‘ankha Elohay, ki chimkha nikra ‘al ‘irkha ve‘al ‘amékha. Hachivénou Ado-nay élekha venachouva, hadech yaménou kekédem.
Translation
Our God who is in heaven, hear our voice and accept our prayer with favour. Lord, hear. Lord, forgive. Lord, listen and act, do not delay, for Your sake, my God, for Your Name is called upon Your city and upon Your people. Bring us back to You, Hashem, and we shall return; renew our days as of old.
These seven texts are the backbone of Sephardic Selihot. The full rite contains many more, differing from day to day, and the days before Rosh Hashana are the longest of the year.
Tikun Hatsot, the prayer of Leah and Rahel, and the Kaddish will be published here during the ten days of teshuva.
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