Ezra 9

ukhekhallot elleh niggeshu elay hassarim lemor lo-nivdelu ha'am yisra'el vehakkohanim vehaleviyyim me'amme ha'aratsot keto'avotehem lakkena'ani hakhitti happerizzi hayevusi ha'ammoni hammo'avi hammitsri veha'emori

When this was over, the officers approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the land whose abhorrent practices are like those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

ki-nase'u mibbenotehem lahem velivnehem vehitarevu zera haqqodesh be'amme ha'aratsot veyad hassarim vehasseganim hayetah bamma'al hazzeh rishonah

They have taken their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has become intermingled with the peoples of the land; and it is the officers and prefects who have taken the lead in this trespass.”

ukheshomi et-haddavar hazzeh qarati et-bigdi ume'ili va'emretah misse'ar roshi uzeqani va'eshevah meshomem

When I heard this, I rent my garment and robe, I tore hair out of my head and beard, and I sat desolate.

ve'elay ye'asefu kol khared bedivre elohe-yisra'el al ma'al haggolah va'ani yoshev meshomem ad leminkhat ha'arev

Around me gathered all who were concerned over the words of the God of Israel because of the returning exiles’ trespass, while I sat desolate until the evening offering.

uveminkhat ha'erev qamti mitta'aniti uveqori vigdi ume'ili va'ekhre'ah al-birkay va'efresah khappay el-Adonai elohay

At the time of the evening offering I ended my self-affliction; still in my torn garment and robe, I got down on my knees and spread out my hands to the ETERNAL my God,

va'omerah elohay bosheti venikhlamti leharim elohay panay elekha ki avonotenu ravu lemalah rosh ve'ashmatenu godlah ad lashamayim

and said, “O my God, I am too ashamed and mortified to lift my face to You, O my God, for our iniquities are overwhelming and our guilt has grown high as heaven.

mime avotenu anakhnu be'ashmah gedolah ad hayyom hazzeh uva'avonotenu nittannu anakhnu melakhenu khohanenu beyad malkhe ha'aratsot bakherev bashevi uvabbizzah uvevoshet panim kehayyom hazzeh

From the time of our ancestors to this very day we have been deep in guilt. Because of our iniquities, we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to humiliation, as is now the case.

ve'attah kimat-rega hayetah tekhinnah me'et Adonai elohenu lehashir lanu peletah velatet-lanu yated bimqom qodsho leha'ir enenu elohenu uletittenu mikhyah me'at be'avdutenu

“But now, for a short while, there has been a reprieve from the ETERNAL our God, who has granted us a surviving remnant and given us a stake in the temple in Jerusalem, restored the luster to our eyes, and furnished us with a little sustenance in our bondage.

ki-avadim anakhnu uve'avdutenu lo azavanu elohenu vayyat-alenu khesed lifne malkhe faras latet-lanu mikhyah leromem et-bet elohenu uleha'amid et-khorvotayw velatet-lanu gader bihudah uvirushalai͏m

For slaves we are, though even in our bondage God has not forsaken us, but has disposed the king of Persia favorably toward us, to furnish us with sustenance and to raise again the House of our God, repairing its ruins and giving us a hold in Judah and Jerusalem.

ve'attah mah-nnomar elohenu akhare-zot ki azavnu mitsvotekha

“Now, what can we say in the face of this, O our God, for we have forsaken Your commandments,

asher tsivvita beyad avadekha hannevi'im lemor ha'arets asher attem ba'im lerishtah erets niddah hi beniddat amme ha'aratsot beto'avotehem asher miluha mippeh el-peh betumatam

which You gave us through Your servants the prophets when You said, ‘The land that you are about to possess is a land made unclean through the uncleanness of the peoples of the land, through their abhorrent practices with which they, in their impurity, have filled it from one end to the other.

ve'attah benotekhem al-tittenu livnehem uvenotehem al-tisu livnekhem velo-tidreshu shelomam vetovatam ad-olam lema'an tekhezqu va'akhaltem et-tuv ha'arets vehorashtem livnekhem ad-olam

Now then, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons; do nothing for their well-being or advantage, then you will be strong and enjoy the bounty of the land and bequeath it to your children forever.’

ve'akhare kol-habba alenu bema'asenu hara'im uve'ashmatenu haggedolah ki attah elohenu khasakhta lemattah me'avonenu venatattah lanu peletah kazot

After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and our deep guilt—though You, our God, have been forbearing, [punishing us] less than our iniquity [deserves] in that You have granted us such a remnant as this—

hanashuv lehafer mitsvotekha ulehitkhatten be'amme hatto'evot ha'elleh halo te'enaf-banu ad-kalleh le'en she'erit ufeletah

shall we once again violate Your commandments by intermarrying with these peoples who follow such abhorrent practices? Will You not rage against us till we are destroyed without remnant or survivor?

Adonai elohe yisra'el tsaddiq attah ki-nisharnu feletah kehayyom hazzeh hinnu lefanekha be'ashmatenu ki en la'amod lefanekha al-zot

O ETERNAL One, God of Israel, You are benevolent, for we have survived as a remnant, as is now the case. We stand before You in all our guilt, for we cannot face You on this account.”