71
And as soon as I had heard these things, I rent my clothes and the holy garment, and pulled out the hair from my head and beard, and sat down sad and very heavy.
72
So all those who were then moved at the word of the Lord God of Israel assembled unto me, while I mourned for the iniquity; but I sat still, full of heaviness, until the evening sacrifice.
73
Then, rising up from the fast with my clothes and the holy garment rent, and bowing my knees and stretching forth my hands unto the Lord,
74
I said, "O Lord, I am confounded and ashamed before Thy face.
75
For our sins are multiplied above our heads, and our ignorances have reached up unto heaven.
76
For ever since the time of our fathers we have been and are in great sin, even unto this day.
77
And for our sins and our fathers' we, with our brethren and our kings and our priests, were given up unto the kings of the earth, to the sword and to captivity and for a prey, with shame unto this day.
78
And now in some measure hath mercy been shown unto us from Thee, O Lord, that there should be left us a root and a name in the place of Thy sanctuary;
79
and to uncover unto us a light in the house of the Lord our God, and to give us food in the time of our servitude.
80
Yea, when we were in bondage we were not forsaken by our Lord, but He made us gracious before the kings of Persia, so that they gave us food,
81
yea, and honored the temple of our Lord and raised up the desolate Zion, that they have given us a sure abiding in Jewry and Jerusalem.