1 When Israel was led away captive into a strange land,

When they fell away from the Lord who redeemed them,

They were cast away from the inheritance, which the Lord had given them.

2 Among every nation were the dispersed of Israel according to the word of God,

That thou mightest be justified, O God, in thy righteousness by reason of our transgressions:

For thou art a just judge over all the peoples of the earth.

3 For from thy knowledge none that doeth unjustly is hidden,

And the righteous deeds of thy pious ones are before thee, O Lord;

Where, then, can a man hide himself from thy knowledge, O God?

4 Our works are subject to our own choice and power,

To do right or wrong in the works of our hands;

And in thy righteousness thou visitest the sons of men.

5 He that doeth righteousness layeth up life for himself with the Lord;

And he that doeth wrongly forfeiteth his life to destruction;

For the judgments of the Lord are given in righteousness to every man and his house.

6 Unto whom art thou good, O God, except to them that call upon the Lord?

He cleanseth from sins a soul when it maketh confession, when it maketh acknowledgement;

For shame is upon us and upon our faces on account of all these things.

7 And to whom doth he forgive sins, except to them that have sinned?

Thou blessest the righteous, and dost not reprove them for the sins that they have committed;

And thy goodness is upon them that sin, when they repent.

8 And, now, thou art our God, and we the people whom thou hast loved:

Behold and show pity, O God of Israel, for we are thine;

And remove not thy mercy from us, lest they assail us.

9 For thou didst choose the seed of Abraham before all the nations,

And didst set thy name upon us, O Lord,

And thou wilt not reject us forever.

10 Thou madest a covenant with our fathers concerning us;

And we hope in thee, when our soul turneth unto thee.

11 The mercy of the Lord be upon the house of Israel forever and ever.