And when these things were finished, the officials approached me, saying, 'The people of Yisra'el and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, from the Kena'ani, the Ḥitti, the Perizzi, the Yevusi, the 'Ammoni, the Mo'avi, the Mitsri, and the Emori.'

For they took from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed mingled with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the officials and the rulers was first in this transgression.

And when I heard this word, I tore my garment and my cloak, and I plucked hair from my head and my beard, and I sat stunned.

And everyone who trembled at the words of the Elohim of Yisra'el gathered to me because of the transgression of the exiles, and I sat stunned until the evening offering.

And at the evening offering, I rose from my fasting, and in my tearing my garment and my cloak, I knelt on my knees, and I spread my hands to יהוה my Elohim.

And I said, 'My Elohim, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to You, my Elohim, because our iniquities have risen above our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.'

'From the days of our fathers, we have been in great guilt until this day, and because of our iniquities, we, our kings, our priests, have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, by the sword, by captivity, and by plunder, and by shame of face, as this day.'

'And now, for a little while, there has been favor from יהוה our Elohim, to leave us a remnant, and to give us a peg in His holy place, to enlighten our eyes, our Elohim, and to give us a little sustenance in our servitude.'

'For we are servants, and in our servitude, our Elohim has not forsaken us, and He has shown favor before the kings of Paras, to give us sustenance, to rebuild the house of our Elohim, and to set up its ruins, and to give us a wall in Yehudah and in Yerushalayim.'

'And now, what shall we say, our Elohim, after this? For we have forsaken Your commands.'

'Which You commanded by the hand of Your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land into which you are coming to inherit it is a land of impurity, with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from end to end with their defilement.''

'And now, do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons, and do not seek their peace and their prosperity forever, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.'

'And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, because You, our Elohim, have spared us less than our iniquity, and have given us a remnant like this.'

'Shall we again transgress Your commands and intermarry with the peoples of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until destruction, with no survivors and no remnant?'

'יהוה Elohim of Yisra'el, You are righteous, for we have been left as a remnant, as this day. Behold, we are before You in our guilt, for there is no standing before You because of this.'