“I am too ashamed^(C) 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.^{(D) 7} From the days of our ancestors^(E) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(F) and captivity,^(G) to pillage and humiliation^(H) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(I) in leaving us a remnant^(J) and giving us a firm place^[a](K) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(L) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves,^(M) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(N) 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,^(O) 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^{(P) 11} you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering^(Q) to possess is a land polluted^(R) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices^(S) 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^(T) at any time, that you may be strong^(U) and eat the good things^(V) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’^(W)

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