1
And after that these things were fulfilled, the princes nighed to me, that is, to Ezra, and said, The people of Israel, and the priests, and deacons, be not separated from the peoples of (the) lands, and from [the] abominations of them, that is, of Canaanites, of Hittites, and of Perizzites, and of Jebusites, and of Ammonites, and of Moabites, and of Egyptians, and of Amorites. (And after that these things were finished, the leaders came to me, Ezra, and said, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not set themselves apart from the peoples of these lands, that is, from the Canaanites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Jebusites, and Ammonites, and Moabites, and Egyptians, and Amorites, and from all their abominations.)
2
For they have taken of their daughters wives to themselves, and to their sons, and they have meddled holy seed with the peoples of (the) lands; also the hand of (the) princes and of (the) magistrates was the first in this trespassing. (For they have taken their daughters as wives for themselves, and for their sons as well, and they have mixed, or mingled, holy seed with the peoples of these lands; yea, the hands of the leaders and of the magistrates were the first in this trespass.)
3
And when I had heard this word, I rent my mantle and my coat, and I pulled away the hairs of mine head and of my beard, and I sat mourning. (And when I had heard this, I tore my cloak and my coat, and I pulled away the hairs of my head and of my beard, and I sat down mourning.)
4
Forsooth all that dreaded the word of (the) God of Israel came together to me, for the trespassing of them that were come from [the] captivity; and I sat sorry till to the sacrifice of eventide (And all who feared the word/who revered the word of the God of Israel came together to me, because of the trespassing of those who were come from the captivity; and I sat in despair until the evening sacrifice.)
5
And in the sacrifice of eventide I rose up from mine affliction, and after that I had rent my mantle and my coat (And at the evening sacrifice I rose up from my affliction, and after that I had torn my cloak and my coat), I bowed my knees, and I spreaded abroad mine hands to the Lord my God,
6
and I said, My God, I am confounded and ashamed to raise up my face to thee, for our wickednesses be multiplied on mine head, and our trespasses have increased unto heaven, (and I said, My God, I am shamed and ashamed to raise up my face to thee, for our wickednesses be multiplied upon our heads, and our trespasses have increased unto the heavens,)
7
from the days of our fathers hitherto; and also we ourselves have sinned grievously unto this day, and for our wickednesses we, and our kings, and our priests be betaken into the hands of kings of heathen lands, both into sword, and into captivity, into raven, and into shame of cheer, as also in this day. (from the days of our forefathers unto now; for we ourselves have grievously sinned, and because of our wickednesses we, and our kings, and our priests, have been delivered into the hands of the kings of heathen lands, yea, unto the sword, and into captivity, and unto robbing, or pillage, and unto the shame of our face, as it is this very day.)
8
And now as at a little time and at a moment our prayer is made with the Lord our God, that [the] relics, or remnants, should be left to us, and that a little stake, that is, some setting, and stableness, should be given in his holy place, and that our God should lighten our eyes, and give to us a little life in our servage. (But now, for a little moment, the Lord our God hath been gracious to us, and a remnant hath escaped, and he hath given us a little stake, that is, some place of settling, and of stability, in this his Holy Place, and our God hath enlightened our eyes, and he hath given us a little life in the midst of our servitude, or our slavery.)
9
For we be servants; and our God forsook us not in our servage/in our thralldom; and he bowed down mercy upon us before the king(s) of Persia, that he should give life to us, and (so we could) enhance the house of our God, and that he should build (again) the wildernesses thereof, or the desolate things thereof, and give to us hope, or mercy, in Judah and in Jerusalem. (For we be slaves; but our God hath not left us in our servitude, or our slavery; but he bowed down mercy upon us from the kings of Persia, to give life to us, so that we could rebuild the House of our God, and repair its ruins, and so give us a wall of defence, or a safe place, here in Judah and in Jerusalem.)