Ezra 9

1Now when these things were done, the princes drew near unto me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

1After these things were finished, the leaders came to me and said, 'The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples. They are following the disgusting practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.'

2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

2'They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. In this way, the holy people have mixed themselves with the people of the surrounding lands. In fact, the leaders and officials have been the leaders in this unfaithfulness.'

3And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.

3When I heard this, I tore my tunic and my cloak, pulled hair from my head and my beard, and sat down in total shock.

4Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation.

4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of those who had returned from exile. I sat there in shock until the time for the evening sacrifice.

5And at the evening oblation I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe rent; and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God;

5At the time of the evening sacrifice, I stood up from my state of mourning with my clothes still torn. I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God.

6and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens.

6I prayed: 'O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God. Our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached up to the heavens.'

7Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty 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 plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

7'Since the days of our ancestors until this very day, we have been deeply guilty. Because of our sins, we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings. We have been killed by the sword, taken into captivity, robbed, and publicly humiliated, just as we are today.'

8And now for a little moment grace hath been showed from Jehovah our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

8'But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been kind to us. He has let a few of us escape and given us a secure foothold in his holy place. Our God has brought light to our eyes and given us a little relief in our slavery.'

9For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended lovingkindness 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 ruins thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

9'For we are slaves; yet our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has shown us his constant love in the presence of the kings of Persia. He gave us new life to rebuild the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and he gave us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.'

10And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,

10'And now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have ignored your commands.'

11which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness:

11'You gave these commands through your servants the prophets, saying: "The land you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the corruption of the people living there. They have filled it from one end to the other with their disgusting and filthy practices."'

12now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

12'"So do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Never work for their peace or prosperity. Then you will be strong, you will eat the good things of the land, and you will leave it as an inheritance to your children forever."'

13And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such a remnant,

13'All these things have happened to us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have punished us far less than our sins deserved and have allowed us to survive as this remnant.'

14shall we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?

14'Should we break your commands again and marry people who do these disgusting things? Wouldn't you be angry enough with us to destroy us completely, until no one was left and no one escaped?'

15O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of this.

15'O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left as a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Here we are before you in our guilt, even though because of it, not one of us can stand in your presence.'