A Prayer for Forgiveness
1 Be merciful to me, O God,
because of your constant love.
Because of your great mercy
wipe away my sins!
2 Wash away all my evil
and make me clean from my sin!
3 I recognize my faults;
I am always conscious of my sins.
4 I have sinned against you—only against you—
and done what you consider evil.
So you are right in judging me;
you are justified in condemning me.
5 I have been evil from the day I was born;
from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful.
6 Sincerity and truth are what you require;
fill my mind with your wisdom.
7 Remove my sin, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
and though you have crushed me and broken me,
I will be happy once again.
9 Close your eyes to my sins
and wipe out all my evil.
10 Create a pure heart in me, O God,
and put a new and loyal spirit in me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence;
do not take your holy spirit away from me.
12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach sinners your commands,
and they will turn back to you.
14 Spare my life, O God, and save me,
and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.
15 Help me to speak, Lord,
and I will praise you.
16 You do not want sacrifices,
or I would offer them;
you are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God;
you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.
18 O God, be kind to Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices
and with our burnt offerings;
and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
Mätu Takozi E'bero
1 Nya'do yauni be märi, Äye Lu,
ta ŋgalu 'duro miro rota.
Yauni amba miro si
nyoforo takozi maro!
2 Mija taundi maro kadoro
ago nyawäṛi ma ni takozi maro risi.
3 Mäni taenjii maro te;
ago musu takozii maro vona ndi ondoalo.
4 Maye takozi te milomvo, gialo toto milomvo,
ago mayete tase undiro mimile 'do ayani.
Ta'doro mi orivoya ŋgye vure maro opene;
ago 'diri ma kozine.
5 Ma'dote ṛo undiro tuse äti ma be si;
ago takozi be ṛoni tuse endre maro ko ma be si.
6 Mile taŋgye ayani ya yasi;
ago nyembe ma a'done twi tavouni miro be.
7 Nyana takozi maro, ago ma'dona 'da wäṛi;
mija ma, ago ma'dona 'da hwia ndrani siya ri.
8 Mi'ba meri kporo riyä ro ago ma'do yai'dwe si;
mi'ba ma se nyotoŋgo be ono ka'do yai'dwe si,
9 Mise mi miro ni takozii maro risi
ago nyoforo ta undiro cini maro.
10 Mi'ba ya wäṛi ma ya, Äye Lu,
ago mi'ba tori to'di ŋgye ma ya.
11 Mina ma ko pere ni mikandra si;
ago miru tori alokado miro koni maresi.
12 Migo nyozo riyä ŋgaopa miro ro märi,
ago nyäti ma tori cini miro si.
13 'Dooko membana takozi'bai 'da ota miro si,
ago ànya ogo egonayi 'da mire.
14 Mipa ma ni odra yasi, Äye Lu, mi Lu ni opa'ba maro
ago maŋgona loŋgo 'da amba ta ŋgaopa miro rota.
15 Mipa ma ta atane, Opi
ago märäṛuna mi ndi.
16 Mi ko riyä ro ta tori oloro ta;
aba mozo ŋgapäṛi ozaro ca,
mini na ko a'done yai'dwe si.
17 Tori oloro se Lu Kolebe ni tori drieta ro,
miga ya se tusu ro ago drieta be kote zo Äye Lu.
18 Miye ŋga kado se milebe Zaiona ri;
migo mibe tiṛii Yerusalema ro.
19 'Dooko nya'dona ndi yai'dwesi ta tori olo ŋgyero rota
ta ŋgapäṛi ozaro rota
ago ta ŋgapäṛi ozaro cu rota;
ago alona 'daŋgoi ndi vo tori oloro miro dri.