“I am too ashamed^(P) 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.^{(Q) 7} From the days of our ancestors^(R) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(S) and captivity,^(T) to pillage and humiliation^(U) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(V) in leaving us a remnant^(W) and giving us a firm place^[a](X) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(Y) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves,^(Z) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(AA) 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,^(AB) 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^{(AC) 11} you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering^(AD) to possess is a land polluted^(AE) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices^(AF) 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^(AG) at any time, that you may be strong^(AH) and eat the good things^(AI) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’^(AJ)

¹³ “What has happened to us is a result of our evil^(AK) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved^(AL) and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry^(AM) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,^(AN) leaving us no remnant^(AO) or survivor? ¹⁵ Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!^(AP) 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^(AQ) in your presence.^(AR)”