For the sins we have committed hardening our hearts,
have mercy on us, for we are sinners! Lord have mercy!
For the sins we have committed openly and in secret,
through imprudence,
through omission and laziness,
through ignorance,
with premeditation and malice,
using violence,
letting ourselves be ruled by our base passions,
despising our parents and teachers,
in our work,
wanting to be first,
through avarice,
through pride and arrogance,
insulting our neighbour,
by lying,
speaking evil of others,
slandering our neighbour,
through sexuality,
looking lustfully,
through envy,
through gluttony,
being irresponsible,
sowing discord,
complaining in our heart,
saddening the Holy Spirit,
resisting the will of God,
Have mercy on us, for we are sinners!
Have mercy on us, for we are sinners! Lord have mercy!

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help,
with a spirit of fervour sustain me
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
Rescue me, O God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse;
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit
a humbled contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness show favour to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.

Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done. *
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help,
with a spirit of fervour sustain me
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
Rescue me, O God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse;
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,
a humbled contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness show favour to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.
Have mercy on me…

The Virgin Mary was betrothed to Joseph
when, before they came to live together,
she was found to be with child
through the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph, who was just,
did not want to repudiate her.
He decided to send her away in secret.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God, humble lamb,
you, who don’t resist evil,
Mother of Jesus and our Mother,
pray for us, pray for us!
And Mary gave birth to her son,
swaddled him and put him in a manger
because there was no room for them at the inn.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
Then Joseph woke up,
took with him the child and his mother,
and in the night fled to Egypt
because Herod was looking for the child
to kill him.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
A cry is heard in Ramah: "ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay"
– a cry and a great lamentation:
it is Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be consoled
because they are no more.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
And the angel of the Lord said to Joseph in Egypt:
"Get up and take with you the child and his mother
and go back to the land of Israel;
because from Egypt I have called my son."
She-lamb of God…

Upon a dark night,
ablaze with love, with urgent longings,
O happy chance! –
I left without being noticed,
my house at last completely quiet.
In darkness, and secure,
by the secret ladder, in disguise,
O happy chance! –
in darkness and concealed,
my house at last completely quiet.
On this blessed night,
in secret and not seen by anyone,
I beheld nothing
with any other light or guide
but for that which in my heart was burning.
And this was guiding me,
more surely than the light of noon,
to where he was awaiting me –
he whom I knew so well –
and no one, no one else was there.
O night that was my guide!
O night more lovely than the dawn's first light!
O night that united
the Lover with his beloved,
the beloved in her Lover transformed.
Upon a dark night…
O night that was my guide…