Prayer of Manasseh

1 Mar-Yah*, El Shaddai*, God of our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'aqub*, and their righteous seed*, 2 you who created the heavens and the earth within a perfect arrangement, 3 who restrained the sea by a single word, who sealed its depth by your awe-inspiring and most glorious name; 4 at whose power all things tremble, 5 for the sons of men can not bear to gaze upon the radiance of your glory, and if it were not for your great mercy, the heat of your wrath against the wicked could not be extinguished, 6 because your sure mercy is not able to be measured or judged by anyone. 7 For you are Mar-Yah El Elyon*, full of compassion, forgiveness, and full of mercy, and you always provide to the sons of men when they are in need.

8 Therefore, Mar-Yah, the God of the tzadikim*, you have not appointed atonement for the tzadikim, such as Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'aqub who did not sin against you, but you have appointed penitence for me, who am a sinner.

9 My sins are more than the sands of the sea. My acts have been outside the Torah and they have grown, Mar-Yah, and I am not worthy to set my eye upon the heavens because of the large number of my transgressions.

10 I am weighed down as if with an iron restraint; as a result I am not able to lift up my head, for I have provoked your anger and have committed evil in your eyes, giving in to obstacles and multiplying the number of sins.

11 So now I bow before you, requesting your mercy. 12 For I have sinned, Mar-Yah, I have sinned, and I admit my transgressions against the Torah. 13 I sincerely beg of you to forgive me; Mar-Yah, forgive me! Do not destroy me because of my disregard of your Torah! Do not shut me up for a second time in the bowels of Gehinnom forever*. For you, Mar-Yah, are the God of all those who show repentance. 14 May you display your mercy towards me. For although I am worthless among the sons of men, you will deliver me up by your great mercy.

15 And I will praise you continually throughout all the days of my life. For all the host of the heavens sing praises to you. And yours is the glory forever. Amen.

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Notes:

1:1, Mar-Yah, the Divine Name of God (also "Yahweh")

1:1, El Shaddai, "Almighty God"

1:1, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'aqub, "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"

1:1, seed, or "offspring", "descendents"

1:7, Mar-Yah the El Elyon, "Mar-Yah the Most High God"

1:8, tzadikim, "righteous"

1:13, second time in the bowels of Gehinnom forever, H.H. +Mar Yosip II, in Mishna Nasraya says: "This is what is meant by the 'second place of Gehinnom' or the 'second Gehinnom'. Not that Manasseh was already in Gehinnom, but he knew that his sins would lead him to Gehinnom but he would be able to have forgiveness and mercy, for 'if it were not for your great mercy, the heat of your wrath against the wicked could not be extinguished.' Manasseh clearly demonstrates that the Father is merciful to His creation even after death, provided they repent and are accorded their due stripes."