Ezra mourneth for the affinity of the people with strangers.

1 ¶ Now when these things² were done,ºª the princesº cameºª to² me, saying,ºª The peopleº of Israel,º and the priests,º and the Levites,º have not² separated¹ª themselves² from the peopleº² of the lands,º [doing] according to their abominations,º [even] of the Canaanites,º the Hittites,º the Perizzites,º the Jebusites,º the Ammonites,º the Moabites,º the Egyptians,º and the Amorites.º 2 For² they have takenºª of their daughtersº² for themselves, and for their sons:º so that the holyº seedº have mingled¹ª themselves² with the peopleº of [those] lands:º yea, the handº of the princesº and rulersº hath been² chiefº in this² trespass.º 3 And when I heardºª² this² thing,º I rentºª² my garmentº and my mantle,º and plucked offºª the hairº² of my headº and of my beard,º and sat downºª astonied.ºª 4 Then were assembledºª unto² me every one² that trembledº at the wordsº of the Godº of Israel,º because² of the transgressionº of those that had been carried away;º and I² satºª astoniedºª until² the eveningº sacrifice.º

He prayeth unto God with confession of sins.

5 ¶ And at the eveningº sacrificeº I arose upºª from my heaviness;º² and having rentºª my garmentº and my mantle,º I fellºª upon² my knees,º and spread outºª my handsº unto² the LORDº my God,º 6 And said,ºª O my God,º I am ashamedºª and blushºª to lift upºª my faceº to² thee, my God:º for² our iniquitiesº are increasedºª overº [our] head,º and our trespassº is grown upºª unto² the heavens.º 7 Since the daysº² of our fathersº [have] we² [been] in a greatº trespassº unto² this² day;º and for our iniquitiesº have we,² our kings,º [and] our priests,º been deliveredºª into the handº of the kingsº of the lands,º to the sword,º to captivity,º and to a spoil,º and to confusionº of face,º as [it is] this² day.º 8 And now² for a littleº spaceº graceº hath been² [shewed] from²² the LORDº our God,º to leaveºª us a remnant to escape,º and to giveºª us a nailº in his holyº place,º that our Godº may lightenºª our eyes,º and giveºª us a littleº revivingº in our bondage.º 9 For² we² [were] bondmen;º yet our Godº hath not² forsakenºª us in our bondage,º but hath extendedºª mercyº unto² us in the sightº of the kingsº of Persia,º to giveºª us a reviving,º to set upºª² the houseº of our God,º and to repairºª² the desolationsº thereof, and to giveºª us a wallº in Judahº and in Jerusalem.º 10 And now,² O our God,º what² shall we sayºª afterº this?² for² we have forsakenºª thy commandments,º 11 Which² thou hast commandedºª byº thy servantsº the prophets,º saying,ºª The land,º unto which² ye² goºª to possessºª it, is an uncleanº landº with the filthinessº of the peopleº of the lands,º with their abominations,º which² have filledºª it from one endº² to² anotherº with their uncleanness.º 12 Now² therefore giveºª not² your daughtersº unto their sons,º neither² takeºª their daughtersº unto your sons,º nor² seekºª their peaceº or their wealthº for¹ ever:º² that² ye may be strong,ºª and eatºª² the goodº of the land,º and leave [it] for an inheritanceºª to your childrenº for ever.º² 13 And afterº all² that is comeºª upon² us for our evilº deeds,º and for our greatº trespass,º seeing² that thou² our Godº hast punishedºª us lessº than our iniquitiesº² [deserve], and hast givenºª us [such] deliveranceº as this;² 14 Should we againºª breakºª thy commandments,º and join in affinityºª with the peopleº of these² abominations?º wouldest not² thou be angryºª with us till² thou hadst consumedºª [us], so that [there should be] no² remnantº nor escaping?º 15 O LORDº Godº of Israel,º thou² [art] righteous:º for² we remainºª yet escaped,º as [it is] this² day:º behold,² we [are] beforeº thee in our trespasses:º for² we cannot² standºª beforeº thee because² of this.²