2 Esdras 1

¹The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And it came to pass in the month of Casleu, the twentieth year, and I was in Susis the castle.

²And Hanani one of my brethren came, himself and men of Juda, and I asked them of the Jews, that remained, and were left alive of the captivity, and of Jerusalem.

³And they said to me: They that remained, and are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction, and in reproach: and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.

⁴And when I had heard these manner of words, I sat, and wept, and mourned many days: and fasted, and prayed before the face of the God of heaven.

⁵And I said: I beseech thee Lord God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, which keepest covenant and mercy with them that love thee, and keep thy commandments:

⁶let thine ears be harkening, and thine eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee this day, night and day for the children of Israel thy servants: and I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, in which they have sinned to thee: I and my father's house have sinned,

⁷we have been seduced with vanity, & have not kept the commandments & ceremonies & judgment, which thou hast commanded to Moyses thy servant.

⁸Remember the word, that thou didst command unto Moyses thy servant, saying: When you shall transgress, I will disperse you into peoples:

⁹and if you return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, although you shall be led away to the uttermost parts of heaven, thence will I gather you, and bring you back into the place, which I have chosen that my name should dwell there.

¹⁰And they are thy servants, and thy people: whom thou hast redeemed in thy great strength, and in thy mighty hand.

¹¹I beseech thee Lord, let thine ear be attent to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, which will fear thy name: and direct thy servant this day, and give him mercy before this man. For I was the king's cup-bearer.