Esdræ 9
1 postquam autem haec conpleta sunt accesserunt ad me principes dicentes non est separatus populus Israhel et sacerdotes et Levitae a populis terrarum et de abominationibus eorum Chananei videlicet et Hetthei et Ferezei et Iebusei et Ammanitarum et Moabitarum et Aegyptiorum et Amorreorum
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 tulerunt enim de filiabus eorum sibi et filiis suis et commiscuerunt semen sanctum cum populis terrarum manus etiam principum et magistratuum fuit in transgressione hac prima
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 cumque audissem sermonem istum scidi pallium meum et tunicam et evelli capillos capitis mei et barbae et sedi maerens
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 convenerunt autem ad me omnes qui timebant verbum Dei Israhel pro transgressione eorum qui de captivitate venerant et ego sedebam tristis usque ad sacrificium vespertinum
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 et in sacrificio vespertino surrexi de adflictione mea et scisso pallio et tunica curvavi genua mea et expandi manus meas ad Dominum Deum meum
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 et dixi Deus meus confundor et erubesco levare Deus meus faciem meam ad te quoniam iniquitates nostrae multiplicatae sunt super caput et delicta nostra creverunt usque in caelum
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 a diebus patrum nostrorum sed et nos ipsi peccavimus granditer usque ad diem hanc et in iniquitatibus nostris traditi sumus ipsi et reges nostri et sacerdotes nostri in manum regum terrarum in gladium in captivitatem in rapinam et in confusionem vultus sicut et die hac
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 et nunc quasi parum et ad momentum facta est deprecatio nostra apud Dominum Deum nostrum ut dimitterentur nobis reliquiae et daretur paxillus in loco sancto eius et inluminaret oculos nostros Deus noster et daret nobis vitam modicam in servitute nostra
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 quia servi sumus et in servitute nostra non dereliquit nos Deus noster et inclinavit super nos misericordiam coram rege Persarum ut daret nobis vitam et sublimaret domum Dei nostri et extrueret solitudines eius et daret nobis sepem in Iuda et in Hierusalem
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 et nunc quid dicemus Deus noster post haec quia dereliquimus mandata tua
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 quae praecepisti in manu servorum tuorum prophetarum dicens terram ad quam vos ingredimini ut possideatis eam terra inmunda est iuxta inmunditiam populorum ceterarumque terrarum abominationibus eorum qui repleverunt eam ab ore usque ad os in coinquinatione sua
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 nunc ergo filias vestras ne detis filiis eorum et filias eorum non accipiatis filiis vestris et non quaeratis pacem eorum et prosperitatem eorum usque in aeternum ut confortemini et comedatis quae bona sunt terrae et heredes habeatis filios vestros usque in saeculum
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 et post omnia quae venerunt super nos in operibus nostris pessimis et in delicto nostro magno quia tu Deus noster liberasti nos de iniquitate nostra et dedisti nobis salutem sicut est hodie
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 ut non converteremur et irrita faceremus mandata tua neque matrimonia iungeremus cum populis abominationum istarum numquid iratus es nobis usque ad consummationem ne dimitteres nobis reliquias et salutem
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Domine Deus Israhel iustus tu quoniam derelicti sumus qui salvaremur sicut die hac ecce coram te sumus in delicto nostro non enim stari potest coram te super hoc
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
