Prayer of Manasses 1

¹Lord God Almyyti of our fadris, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of her iust seed,

²which madist heuene and erthe with al the ournyng of tho,

³which hast markid the see bi the word of `thi comaundement, which hast closid to gidere the depthe of watris, and hast markid to thi ferdful and preysable name,

⁴which alle men dreden, `and tremblen of the cheer of thi vertu,

⁵and the ire of thi manassyng on synneris `is vnsuffrable, `ether may not be susteyned.

⁶Sotheli the merci of thi biheest is fulgreet and `vnserchable, ether may not be comprehendid `bi mannus wit;

⁷for `thou art the Lord moost hiy ouer al erthe; thou art pacient, and myche merciful, and `doynge penaunce on the malices of men. Treuli, Lord, thou bi thi goodnesse hast bihiyt penaunce of foryyuenesse of synnes;

⁸and thou, God of iust men, hast not set penaunce to iust men, to Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob, to hem that synneden not ayens thee.

⁹For Y haue synned more than the noumbre is of the grauel of the see;

¹⁰my wickidnessis ben multiplied. Y am bowid with myche boond of yrun, and no brething is to me; for Y haue stirid thi wrathfulnesse, and Y haue doon yuel bifor thee, `and Y haue set abhomynaciouns, and `Y haue multiplied offensiouns.

¹¹And now Y bowe the knees of myn herte, and biseche goodnesse of thee, Lord.

¹²Y haue synned, Lord; Y haue synned, and Y knowleche my wickidnesse.

¹³Y axe, and preye thee, Lord; foryyue thou to me, foryyue thou to me; leese thou me not togidire with my wickidnessis, nether reserue thou yuels to me withouten ende.

¹⁴For, Lord, bi thi greet merci thou schalt saue me vnworthi, and Y schal herie thee euere in alle the daies of my lijf; for al the vertu of heuenes herieth thee, and to thee is glorie in to worldis of worldis. Amen.

Prayer of Manasses 1

¹O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed;

²who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof;

³who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name;

⁴whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable:

⁵but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable;

⁶for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved.

⁷Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner:

⁸for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities.

⁹I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences.

¹⁰Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace.

¹¹I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities:

¹²wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquites. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent;

¹³and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy.

¹⁴Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.