Unetaneh Tokef: We Stand Before You

We tremble before Your open book of memory
We stand before You, brimming with regret
We stand before You, shaking like leaves
We stand before You, a forgotten people

You remember all that is forgotten

On Your blank pages
the ink will dry, decreeing
who shall live and who shall die
who at peace and who in turmoil
who too soon and who after too much suffering
who by rising tides and who by blind rage
who by arson and who by assassin
who by bottle and who by bullet
who by stranger and who by neighbor
who by accident and who by design
who in hiding and who in plain sight
who by the state and who by the soil
who by disease and who by despair
who shall be redeemed and who shall be damned
who shall be heard and who shall be silenced
who shall be hunted and who shall be spared

We come from dust and return to dust.

We forget that You weep with us
We forget that You rise and fall with us
We forget that You stand before us
as we stand before You
We forget that You look to us
as we look to You

We forget that You return to us
no matter how numb, how angry,
how confused, how lost we become

We forget that without You
forgiveness has no voice
love has no heartbeat
justice has no body

We forget that though we write the words
You remain the author of our days
Have mercy on us
as You decide our fate