6
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increasedover our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
7
Since the days of our fathers have we been in a greattrespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8
And now for a littlespacegrace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holyplace, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a littlereviving in our bondage.
9
For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extendedmercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
11
Which thou hast commandedby thy servants the prophets,saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an uncleanland with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
12
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealthforever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
13
And after all that is come upon us for our evildeeds, and for our greattrespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
14
Should we againbreak thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
15
O LORDGod of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot standbefore thee because of this.