To You, Lord God, we call out

Leonor de Carvajal

1589–1596

To You, Lord God, we call out
With cries and with clamoring
For we are most distressed.
See how we lose hope
If no one comes to our rescue.
You protect lost children,
The helpless orphans,
The distressed widows,
The assaulted maidens,
The helpless orphans,
And others less free
In brutal prisons
Deprived of light.
Crippled with tortures
And by brutal prisons,
Our hearts
Cower in such fear
At the constant afflictions
And heavy tribulations,
That we forget Your love.
Do not delay Your aid,
Lord God of the heavens;
Relieve our pain.
Let Your wrath subside
Just as You promised,
And recall not our errors.
To You we will devote ourselves,
And though we fail You
Many times each day,
We acknowledge you as our Lord
And invoke Your name
Always at night and in the day.
We regret our sins
And shall do penance;
Look not at the past,
Show mercy, Lord,
As has always been Your custom.

Translated by
Steven
Capsuto
.

Credits

Leonor de Carvajal, “A ti, señor Dior, clamamos (To You, Lord God, We Call Out)” (prayer, Mexico, 1589–1595). Published in: Michelle M. Hamilton, “La poesía de Leonor de Carvajal y la tradición de los criptojudíos en Nueva España,” Sefarad, vol. 60, no. 1 (June 30, 2000): pp. 75–93 (89–90).

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

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Creator Bio

Leonor de Carvajal

d. 1596

Leonor de Carvajal was the seventh of nine children born to Francisco Rodríguez de Matos and Francisca de Carvajal. The family left Spain around 1579, settling in New Spain (Mexico). However, in 1589 and 1590, most members of the family were arrested and convicted of Judaizing by the Inquisition. They repented, renouncing Judaism and declaring their devotion to the Catholic Church, and were punished. Five years later they were again arrested for Judaizing. Despite initial resistance, after being subjected to torture, Leonor confessed, implicating her family and acquaintances. Her confession includes depictions of various crypto-Jewish rites and customs, as well as the texts of poems and songs (some partial) recited and sung on these occasions, among them a poem about the Ten Commandments, Sabbath songs, and more. It offers fascinating insights into the practice of crypto-Jews and the important role that women played in passing on traditions within this community. Like her brother, Luis Carvajal, who refused to repent or renounce his Judaism, Leonor was burned at the stake in 1596.

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