Neemias 9 - Bíblia Online

Ora, no dia vinte e quatro deste mês se ajuntaram os filhos de Israel em jejum, vestidos de saco e tendo as cabeças cobertas de terra. 
Os da linhagem de Israel separaram-se de todos os estrangeiros, puseram-se em pé e confessaram os seus pecados e as iniqüidades de seus pais. 
Tendo-se levantado no seu lugar, leram no livro da lei de Jeová, seu Deus, uma quarta parte do dia; e numa outra quarta parte fizeram confissão, e adoraram a Jeová, seu Deus. 
Puseram-se em pé sobre os degraus dos levitas, Jesua, Bani, Cadmiel, Sebanias, Buni, Serebias, Bani e Quenani, e clamaram em alta voz a Jeová, seu Deus. 
Os levitas: Jesua, Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabnéias, Serebias, Hodias, Sebanias e Petaías, disseram: Levantai-vos e bendizei a Jeová vosso Deus de eternidade em eternidade: e bendito seja o teu nome glorioso, que está exaltado acima de toda a bênção e louvor. 
Tu, só tu, és Jeová; tu fizeste o céu, o céu dos céus, e todo o seu exército, a terra e tudo quanto nela há, o mar e tudo quanto nele há, e tu os conservas a todos; e o exército do céu te adora. 
Tu és Deus Jeová, que escolheste a Abrão, e o tiraste de Ur dos Caldeus, e lhe deste o nome de Abraão; 
achaste o seu coração fiel diante de ti, e com ele fizeste aliança para dares à sua semente a terra dos cananeus, dos heteus, dos amorreus, dos ferezeus, dos jebuseus e dos girgaseus e cumpriste as tuas palavras; pois és justo. 
Viste a aflição de nossos pais no Egito, e ouviste o seu clamor junto ao Mar Vermelho; 
e obraste milagres e prodígios sobre Faraó, sobre todos os seus servos e sobre todo o povo da sua terra; pois sabias que eles os trataram com soberba; e alcançaste para ti nome como hoje se vê. 
Dividiste o mar diante deles, de maneira que passaram em seco pelo meio do mar; e lançaste os seus perseguidores nas profundezas, como uma pedra nas grandes águas. 
Também os guiaste de dia numa coluna de nuvem; e de noite numa nuvem de fogo, para lhes dares luz no caminho por que haviam de ir. 
Desceste sobre o monte Sinai, do céu falaste com eles, e deste-lhes juízos retos e leis verdadeiras, bons estatutos e mandamentos; 
fizeste-lhes saber o teu santo sábado, e lhes ordenaste mandamentos e estatutos e uma lei por intermédio de teu servo Moisés; 
do céu lhes deste pão quando tiveram fome, e da penha lhes fizeste arrebentar água, quando tiveram sede, e lhes ordenaste que entrassem para possuírem a terra que com juramento lhes tinhas prometido dar. 
Porém eles e nossos pais se houveram com soberba, endureceram a cerviz e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos, 
recusaram obedecer e não se lembraram das maravilhas que fizeste no meio deles; mas endureceram a cerviz, e na sua rebeldia apontaram um capitão com o fim de voltarem para a sua servidão. Mas tu és um Deus pronto para perdoar, clemente e misericordioso, tardio em irar-te, e grande em beneficência, e não os abandonaste. 
Ainda mesmo quando tinham feito para si um bezerro fundido, e disseram: Este é o teu Deus que te tirou do Egito, e tinham cometido grandes provocações; 
todavia tu, na multidão de tuas misericórdias, não os abandonaste no deserto. A coluna de nuvem não se apartou deles de dia, para os guiar pelo caminho, nem a coluna de fogo de noite, para lhes dar luz e lhes mostrar o caminho por que haviam de ir. 
Também lhes deste o teu bom espírito que os instruísse, não retiraste o teu maná da sua boca e lhes deste água quando tiveram sede. 
Por quarenta anos os sustentaste no deserto, e não lhes faltou nada; os seus vestidos não se envelheceram e os seus pés não se incharam. 
Além disto lhes deste reinos e povos, que lhes repartiste em porções. Assim possuíram a terra de Seom, rei de Hesbom, e a terra de Ogue, rei de Basã. 
Também multiplicaste seus filhos como as estrelas do céu, e os introduziste na terra, de que disseste a seus pais que nela entrariam para a possuírem. 
Entraram os filhos e possuíram a terra, e diante deles humilhaste os cananeus, habitantes da terra, e lhos entregaste nas mãos juntamente com os seus reis e os povos da terra, para fazerem deles como quisessem. 
Tomaram cidades fortificadas, e uma terra fértil, e possuíram casas cheias de todas as cousas boas, cisternas cavadas, vinhas e olivais e árvores frutíferas em abundância. Comeram, fartaram-se, engordaram e abundaram em delícias pela tua grande bondade. 
Não obstante foram desobedientes, e se rebelaram contra ti; lançaram a tua lei para trás das suas costas, mataram os teus profetas que protestaram contra eles para os fazerem voltar a ti, e cometeram grandes provocações. 
Portanto os entregaste nas mãos dos seus inimigos, que os afligiram. No tempo da sua angústia, quando clamaram a ti, tu os ouviste do céu; e segundo a multidão das tuas misericórdias lhes deste libertadores que os salvaram das mãos dos seus adversários. 
Mas depois que tiveram descanso, tornaram a fazer o mal diante de ti; portanto os deixaste nas mãos dos seus inimigos, de sorte que dominaram sobre eles. Todavia quando eles voltaram e clamaram a ti, tu os ouviste do céu, muitas vezes os livraste segundo a tua misericórdia 
e testificaste contra eles, para que os fizesse tornar para a tua lei. Contudo eles se houveram com soberba, e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos, mas pecaram contra os teus juízos (os quais se alguém os observar, neles terá vida) e retiraram o ombro, endureceram a cerviz e não quiseram ouvir. 
Todavia muitos anos os aturaste, e contra eles testificaste pelo teu espírito mediante os teus profetas. Contudo não quiseram dar ouvidos, por isso os entregaste nas mãos dos povos de outras terras. 
Não obstante na multidão das tuas misericórdias não os consumiste de todo nem os abandonaste, pois és um Deus clemente e misericordioso. 
Agora, Deus nosso, Deus grande, poderoso e terrível, que conservas aliança e misericórdia, não te pareça de pouca monta todo o trabalho que nos tem sobrevindo a nós, aos nossos reis, aos nossos príncipes, aos nossos sacerdotes, aos nossos profetas, a nossos pais, e a todo o teu povo, desde os dias dos reis da Assíria até o dia de hoje. 
Contudo tu és justo em tudo quanto tem vindo sobre nós, pois tu tens procedido segundo a verdade, mas nós temos cometido o mal. 
Os nossos reis, os nossos príncipes, os nossos sacerdotes, e nossos pais não têm guardado a tua lei, nem têm dado ouvidos aos teus mandamentos e aos teus testemunhos, pelos quais testificaste contra eles. 
Pois eles, no seu reino e na muita abundância de bens que lhes deste, e na terra espaçosa e fértil que lhes entregaste não te serviram, nem se converteram de suas más obras. 
Eis que nós hoje somos servos, e quanto à terra que deste a nossos pais para lhe comerem os frutos e os bens, eis que nela somos servos. 
Ela dá muito lucro aos reis que puseste sobre nós por causa dos nossos pecados. Também eles dominam sobre nós e sobre o nosso gado, como bem lhes apraz, e nós estamos em grande angústia. 
Todavia, por causa de tudo isso nós fazemos uma firme aliança e a escrevemos; e selam-na os nossos príncipes, os nossos levitas e os nossos sacerdotes. 

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting haircloth and dust on their bodies. 
And the seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations, publicly requesting forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers. 
And for a fourth part of the day, upright in their places, they were reading from the book of the law of their God; and for a fourth part of the day they were requesting forgiveness and worshipping the Lord their God. 
Then Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani took their places on the steps of the Levites, crying in a loud voice to the Lord their God. 
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, Get up and give praise to the Lord your God for ever and ever. Praise be to your great name which is lifted up high over all blessing and praise. 
You are the Lord, even you only; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their armies, the earth and all things in it, the seas and everything in them; and you keep them from destruction: and the armies of heaven are your worshippers. 
You are the Lord, the God, who took Abram and made him yours, guiding him from Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham; 
You saw that his heart was true to you, and made an agreement with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite and the Girgashite, even to give it to his seed, and you have done what you said; for righteousness is yours: 
And you saw the trouble of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry came to your ears by the Red Sea; 
And you did signs and wonders on Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land; for you saw how cruel they were to them. So you got yourself a name as it is today. 
By you the sea was parted before them, so that they went through the sea on dry land; and those who went after them went down into the deep, like a stone into great waters. 
And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go. 
And you came down on Mount Sinai, and your voice came to them from heaven, giving them right decisions and true laws, good rules and orders: 
And you gave them word of your holy Sabbath, and gave them orders and rules and a law, by the hand of Moses your servant: 
And you gave them bread from heaven when they were in need, and made water come out of the rock for their drink, and gave them orders to go in and take for their heritage the land which your hand had been lifted up to give them. 
But they and our fathers, in their pride, made their necks stiff, and gave no attention to your orders, 
And would not do them, and gave no thought to the wonders you had done among them; but made their necks stiff, and turning away from you, made a captain over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt: but you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up. 
Even when they had made for themselves an ox of metal, and said, This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry; 
Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go. 
And you gave your good spirit to be their teacher, and did not keep back your manna from their mouths, and gave them water when they had need of it. 
Truly, for forty years you were their support in the waste land, and they were in need of nothing; their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired. 
And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land: so they took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. 
And you made their children as great in number as the stars of heaven, and took them into the land, of which you had said to their fathers that they were to go in and take it for themselves. 
So the children went in and took the land, and you overcame before them the people of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them up into their hands, with their kings and the people of the land, so that they might do with them whatever it was their pleasure to do. 
And they took walled towns and a fat land, and became the owners of houses full of all good things, water-holes cut in the rock, vine-gardens and olive-gardens and a wealth of fruit-trees: so they had food enough and became fat, and had joy in the good you gave them. 
But they were hard-hearted, and went against your authority, turning their backs on your law, and putting to death your prophets, who gave witness against them with the purpose of turning them back again to you, and they did much to make you angry. 
And so you gave them up into the hands of their haters who were cruel to them: and in the time of their trouble, when they made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; and in your great mercy gave them saviours, who made them free from the hands of their haters. 
But when they had rest, they did evil again before you: so you gave them into the hands of their haters, who had rule over them: but when they came back and made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; again and again, in your mercy, you gave them salvation; 
And gave witness against them so that you might make them come back again to your law: but their hearts were lifted up, and they gave no attention to your orders and went against your decisions (which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him), and turning their backs on you, made their necks stiff and did not give ear. 
Year after year you put up with them, and gave witness against them by your spirit through your prophets: still they did not give ear: and so you gave them up into the hands of the peoples of the lands. 
Even then, in your great mercy, you did not put an end to them completely, or give them up; for you are a God of grace and mercy. 
And now, our God, the great, the strong, the God who is to be feared, who keeps faith and mercy, let not all this trouble seem small to you, which has come on us, and on our kings and our rulers and on our priests and our prophets and our fathers and on all your people from the time of the kings of Assyria till this day. 
But still, you have been in the right in everything which has come on us; you have been true to us, but we have done evil: 
And our kings, our rulers, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or given attention to your orders and your witness, with which you gave witness against them. 
For they have not been your servants in their kingdom, and in all the good things you gave them, and in the great and fat land you gave them, and they have not been turned away from their evil-doing. 
Now, today, we are servants, and as for the land which you gave to our fathers, so that the produce of it and the good might be theirs, see, we are servants in it: 
And it gives much increase to the kings whom you have put over us because of our sins: and they have power over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great trouble. 
And because of all this we are making an agreement in good faith, and putting it in writing; and our rulers, our Levites, and our priests are putting their names to it. 

Neemias 10

Ora, no dia vinte e quatro deste mês se ajuntaram os filhos de Israel em jejum, vestidos de saco e tendo as cabeças cobertas de terra. 
Os da linhagem de Israel separaram-se de todos os estrangeiros, puseram-se em pé e confessaram os seus pecados e as iniqüidades de seus pais. 
Tendo-se levantado no seu lugar, leram no livro da lei de Jeová, seu Deus, uma quarta parte do dia; e numa outra quarta parte fizeram confissão, e adoraram a Jeová, seu Deus. 
Puseram-se em pé sobre os degraus dos levitas, Jesua, Bani, Cadmiel, Sebanias, Buni, Serebias, Bani e Quenani, e clamaram em alta voz a Jeová, seu Deus. 
Os levitas: Jesua, Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabnéias, Serebias, Hodias, Sebanias e Petaías, disseram: Levantai-vos e bendizei a Jeová vosso Deus de eternidade em eternidade: e bendito seja o teu nome glorioso, que está exaltado acima de toda a bênção e louvor. 
Tu, só tu, és Jeová; tu fizeste o céu, o céu dos céus, e todo o seu exército, a terra e tudo quanto nela há, o mar e tudo quanto nele há, e tu os conservas a todos; e o exército do céu te adora. 
Tu és Deus Jeová, que escolheste a Abrão, e o tiraste de Ur dos Caldeus, e lhe deste o nome de Abraão; 
achaste o seu coração fiel diante de ti, e com ele fizeste aliança para dares à sua semente a terra dos cananeus, dos heteus, dos amorreus, dos ferezeus, dos jebuseus e dos girgaseus e cumpriste as tuas palavras; pois és justo. 
Viste a aflição de nossos pais no Egito, e ouviste o seu clamor junto ao Mar Vermelho; 
e obraste milagres e prodígios sobre Faraó, sobre todos os seus servos e sobre todo o povo da sua terra; pois sabias que eles os trataram com soberba; e alcançaste para ti nome como hoje se vê. 
Dividiste o mar diante deles, de maneira que passaram em seco pelo meio do mar; e lançaste os seus perseguidores nas profundezas, como uma pedra nas grandes águas. 
Também os guiaste de dia numa coluna de nuvem; e de noite numa nuvem de fogo, para lhes dares luz no caminho por que haviam de ir. 
Desceste sobre o monte Sinai, do céu falaste com eles, e deste-lhes juízos retos e leis verdadeiras, bons estatutos e mandamentos; 
fizeste-lhes saber o teu santo sábado, e lhes ordenaste mandamentos e estatutos e uma lei por intermédio de teu servo Moisés; 
do céu lhes deste pão quando tiveram fome, e da penha lhes fizeste arrebentar água, quando tiveram sede, e lhes ordenaste que entrassem para possuírem a terra que com juramento lhes tinhas prometido dar. 
Porém eles e nossos pais se houveram com soberba, endureceram a cerviz e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos, 
recusaram obedecer e não se lembraram das maravilhas que fizeste no meio deles; mas endureceram a cerviz, e na sua rebeldia apontaram um capitão com o fim de voltarem para a sua servidão. Mas tu és um Deus pronto para perdoar, clemente e misericordioso, tardio em irar-te, e grande em beneficência, e não os abandonaste. 
Ainda mesmo quando tinham feito para si um bezerro fundido, e disseram: Este é o teu Deus que te tirou do Egito, e tinham cometido grandes provocações; 
todavia tu, na multidão de tuas misericórdias, não os abandonaste no deserto. A coluna de nuvem não se apartou deles de dia, para os guiar pelo caminho, nem a coluna de fogo de noite, para lhes dar luz e lhes mostrar o caminho por que haviam de ir. 
Também lhes deste o teu bom espírito que os instruísse, não retiraste o teu maná da sua boca e lhes deste água quando tiveram sede. 
Por quarenta anos os sustentaste no deserto, e não lhes faltou nada; os seus vestidos não se envelheceram e os seus pés não se incharam. 
Além disto lhes deste reinos e povos, que lhes repartiste em porções. Assim possuíram a terra de Seom, rei de Hesbom, e a terra de Ogue, rei de Basã. 
Também multiplicaste seus filhos como as estrelas do céu, e os introduziste na terra, de que disseste a seus pais que nela entrariam para a possuírem. 
Entraram os filhos e possuíram a terra, e diante deles humilhaste os cananeus, habitantes da terra, e lhos entregaste nas mãos juntamente com os seus reis e os povos da terra, para fazerem deles como quisessem. 
Tomaram cidades fortificadas, e uma terra fértil, e possuíram casas cheias de todas as cousas boas, cisternas cavadas, vinhas e olivais e árvores frutíferas em abundância. Comeram, fartaram-se, engordaram e abundaram em delícias pela tua grande bondade. 
Não obstante foram desobedientes, e se rebelaram contra ti; lançaram a tua lei para trás das suas costas, mataram os teus profetas que protestaram contra eles para os fazerem voltar a ti, e cometeram grandes provocações. 
Portanto os entregaste nas mãos dos seus inimigos, que os afligiram. No tempo da sua angústia, quando clamaram a ti, tu os ouviste do céu; e segundo a multidão das tuas misericórdias lhes deste libertadores que os salvaram das mãos dos seus adversários. 
Mas depois que tiveram descanso, tornaram a fazer o mal diante de ti; portanto os deixaste nas mãos dos seus inimigos, de sorte que dominaram sobre eles. Todavia quando eles voltaram e clamaram a ti, tu os ouviste do céu, muitas vezes os livraste segundo a tua misericórdia 
e testificaste contra eles, para que os fizesse tornar para a tua lei. Contudo eles se houveram com soberba, e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos, mas pecaram contra os teus juízos (os quais se alguém os observar, neles terá vida) e retiraram o ombro, endureceram a cerviz e não quiseram ouvir. 
Todavia muitos anos os aturaste, e contra eles testificaste pelo teu espírito mediante os teus profetas. Contudo não quiseram dar ouvidos, por isso os entregaste nas mãos dos povos de outras terras. 
Não obstante na multidão das tuas misericórdias não os consumiste de todo nem os abandonaste, pois és um Deus clemente e misericordioso. 
Agora, Deus nosso, Deus grande, poderoso e terrível, que conservas aliança e misericórdia, não te pareça de pouca monta todo o trabalho que nos tem sobrevindo a nós, aos nossos reis, aos nossos príncipes, aos nossos sacerdotes, aos nossos profetas, a nossos pais, e a todo o teu povo, desde os dias dos reis da Assíria até o dia de hoje. 
Contudo tu és justo em tudo quanto tem vindo sobre nós, pois tu tens procedido segundo a verdade, mas nós temos cometido o mal. 
Os nossos reis, os nossos príncipes, os nossos sacerdotes, e nossos pais não têm guardado a tua lei, nem têm dado ouvidos aos teus mandamentos e aos teus testemunhos, pelos quais testificaste contra eles. 
Pois eles, no seu reino e na muita abundância de bens que lhes deste, e na terra espaçosa e fértil que lhes entregaste não te serviram, nem se converteram de suas más obras. 
Eis que nós hoje somos servos, e quanto à terra que deste a nossos pais para lhe comerem os frutos e os bens, eis que nela somos servos. 
Ela dá muito lucro aos reis que puseste sobre nós por causa dos nossos pecados. Também eles dominam sobre nós e sobre o nosso gado, como bem lhes apraz, e nós estamos em grande angústia. 
Todavia, por causa de tudo isso nós fazemos uma firme aliança e a escrevemos; e selam-na os nossos príncipes, os nossos levitas e os nossos sacerdotes. 

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting haircloth and dust on their bodies. 
And the seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations, publicly requesting forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers. 
And for a fourth part of the day, upright in their places, they were reading from the book of the law of their God; and for a fourth part of the day they were requesting forgiveness and worshipping the Lord their God. 
Then Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani took their places on the steps of the Levites, crying in a loud voice to the Lord their God. 
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, Get up and give praise to the Lord your God for ever and ever. Praise be to your great name which is lifted up high over all blessing and praise. 
You are the Lord, even you only; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their armies, the earth and all things in it, the seas and everything in them; and you keep them from destruction: and the armies of heaven are your worshippers. 
You are the Lord, the God, who took Abram and made him yours, guiding him from Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham; 
You saw that his heart was true to you, and made an agreement with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite and the Girgashite, even to give it to his seed, and you have done what you said; for righteousness is yours: 
And you saw the trouble of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry came to your ears by the Red Sea; 
And you did signs and wonders on Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land; for you saw how cruel they were to them. So you got yourself a name as it is today. 
By you the sea was parted before them, so that they went through the sea on dry land; and those who went after them went down into the deep, like a stone into great waters. 
And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go. 
And you came down on Mount Sinai, and your voice came to them from heaven, giving them right decisions and true laws, good rules and orders: 
And you gave them word of your holy Sabbath, and gave them orders and rules and a law, by the hand of Moses your servant: 
And you gave them bread from heaven when they were in need, and made water come out of the rock for their drink, and gave them orders to go in and take for their heritage the land which your hand had been lifted up to give them. 
But they and our fathers, in their pride, made their necks stiff, and gave no attention to your orders, 
And would not do them, and gave no thought to the wonders you had done among them; but made their necks stiff, and turning away from you, made a captain over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt: but you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up. 
Even when they had made for themselves an ox of metal, and said, This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry; 
Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go. 
And you gave your good spirit to be their teacher, and did not keep back your manna from their mouths, and gave them water when they had need of it. 
Truly, for forty years you were their support in the waste land, and they were in need of nothing; their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired. 
And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land: so they took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan. 
And you made their children as great in number as the stars of heaven, and took them into the land, of which you had said to their fathers that they were to go in and take it for themselves. 
So the children went in and took the land, and you overcame before them the people of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them up into their hands, with their kings and the people of the land, so that they might do with them whatever it was their pleasure to do. 
And they took walled towns and a fat land, and became the owners of houses full of all good things, water-holes cut in the rock, vine-gardens and olive-gardens and a wealth of fruit-trees: so they had food enough and became fat, and had joy in the good you gave them. 
But they were hard-hearted, and went against your authority, turning their backs on your law, and putting to death your prophets, who gave witness against them with the purpose of turning them back again to you, and they did much to make you angry. 
And so you gave them up into the hands of their haters who were cruel to them: and in the time of their trouble, when they made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; and in your great mercy gave them saviours, who made them free from the hands of their haters. 
But when they had rest, they did evil again before you: so you gave them into the hands of their haters, who had rule over them: but when they came back and made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; again and again, in your mercy, you gave them salvation; 
And gave witness against them so that you might make them come back again to your law: but their hearts were lifted up, and they gave no attention to your orders and went against your decisions (which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him), and turning their backs on you, made their necks stiff and did not give ear. 
Year after year you put up with them, and gave witness against them by your spirit through your prophets: still they did not give ear: and so you gave them up into the hands of the peoples of the lands. 
Even then, in your great mercy, you did not put an end to them completely, or give them up; for you are a God of grace and mercy. 
And now, our God, the great, the strong, the God who is to be feared, who keeps faith and mercy, let not all this trouble seem small to you, which has come on us, and on our kings and our rulers and on our priests and our prophets and our fathers and on all your people from the time of the kings of Assyria till this day. 
But still, you have been in the right in everything which has come on us; you have been true to us, but we have done evil: 
And our kings, our rulers, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or given attention to your orders and your witness, with which you gave witness against them. 
For they have not been your servants in their kingdom, and in all the good things you gave them, and in the great and fat land you gave them, and they have not been turned away from their evil-doing. 
Now, today, we are servants, and as for the land which you gave to our fathers, so that the produce of it and the good might be theirs, see, we are servants in it: 
And it gives much increase to the kings whom you have put over us because of our sins: and they have power over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great trouble. 
And because of all this we are making an agreement in good faith, and putting it in writing; and our rulers, our Levites, and our priests are putting their names to it. 

Neemias 10