“I am too ashamed^(A) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.^{(B) 7} From the days of our ancestors^(C) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(D) and captivity,^(E) to pillage and humiliation^(F) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(G) in leaving us a remnant^(H) and giving us a firm place^[a](I) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(J) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves,^(K) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(L) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(M) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands^{(N) 11} you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering^(O) to possess is a land polluted^(P) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices^(Q) they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. ¹² Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them^(R) at any time, that you may be strong^(S) and eat the good things^(T) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’^(U)

¹³ “What has happened to us is a result of our evil^(V) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved^(W) and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry^(X) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,^(Y) leaving us no remnant^(Z) or survivor? ¹⁵ Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!^(AA) We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand^(AB) in your presence.^(AC)”

⁷ “Lord, you are righteous,^(A) but this day we are covered with shame^(B)—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered^(C) us because of our unfaithfulness^(D) to you.^(E)

⁸ We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.^(A)