An offence have I unwittingly committed against my god,
A sin against my goddess unwillingly been guilty of,
O lord, my sins are many, great are my transgressions,
O my god, my sins are many, great are my transgressions,
O my goddess, my sins are many, great are my transgressions,
Known or unknown god, my sins are many, great are my transgressions.

Again the sinner protests his innocence of the wrong he has done. He
only knows that

The lord has looked upon me in the rage of his heart,
A god has visited me in his wrath,
A goddess has become angry with me and brought me into pain,
A known or unknown god has oppressed me,
A known or unknown goddess has brought sorrow upon me.
I seek for help, but no one takes my hand.
I weep, but no one approaches me.
I call aloud, but no one hears me.
Full of woe, I grovel in the dust without looking up.
To my merciful god I turn, speaking with sighs.
The feet of my goddess I kiss imploringly (?).
To the known or unknown god do I speak with sighs,
To the known or unknown goddess do I speak with sighs.
O lord, look upon me, accept my lament,
O goddess, look upon me, accept my lament,
O known or unknown goddess, look upon me, accept my lament!

In this strain he proceeds for some time, until he is interrupted by the
priest, who briefly adds:

O lord, do not cast aside thy servant,
Overflowing with tears,[478] take him by the hand!

The penitent closes the prayer by another and still more earnest appeal:

The sin I have committed change to mercy,
The wrong I have done, may the wind carry off.
Tear asunder my many transgressions as a garment.
My god, my sins are seven times seven,[479] forgive me my sins.
My goddess, my sins are seven times seven, forgive me my sins,
Known or unknown god, my sins are seven times seven, forgive me my
sins.
Known or unknown goddess, my sins are seven times seven, forgive me my
sins.
Forgive me my sins and I will humble myself before thee.
May thy heart be glad[480] as the heart of the mother that has given
birth,
May thy heart be glad as that of a mother who has given birth, as
that of a father who has begotten a child.

The proportions between the parts taken by the priest and penitent vary
considerably. In the one quoted, the priest is only incidentally
introduced; in others,[481] it is the penitent who plays the minor part.
The penitential ritual varied