The People Confess Their Sins
1-2 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel gathered to fast in order to show sorrow for their sins. They had already separated themselves from all foreigners. They wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads as signs of grief. Then they stood and began to confess the sins that they and their ancestors had committed. 3 For about three hours the Law of the Lord their God was read to them, and for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.
4 There was a platform for the Levites, and on it stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They prayed aloud to the Lord their God.
5 The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said:
“Stand up and praise the Lord your God;
praise him forever and ever!
Let everyone praise his glorious name,
although no human praise is great enough.”
The Prayer of Confession
6 And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer:
“You, Lord, you alone are Lord;
you made the heavens and the stars of the sky.
You made land and sea and everything in them;
you gave life to all.
The heavenly powers bow down and worship you.
7 You, Lord God, chose Abram
and led him out of Ur in Babylonia;
you changed his name to Abraham.
8 You found that he was faithful to you,
and you made a covenant with him.
You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites,
the land of the Hittites and the Amorites,
the land of the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites,
to be a land where his descendants would live.
You kept your promise, because you are faithful.
9 “You saw how our ancestors suffered in Egypt;
you heard their call for help at the Red Sea.
10 You worked amazing miracles against the king,
against his officials and the people of his land,
because you knew how they oppressed your people.
You won then the fame you still have today.
11 Through the sea you made a path for your people
and led them through on dry ground.
Those who pursued them drowned in deep water,
as a stone sinks in the raging sea.
12 With a cloud you led them in daytime,
and at night you lighted their way with fire.
13 At Mount Sinai you came down from heaven;
you spoke to your people
and gave them good laws and sound teachings.
14 You taught them to keep your Sabbaths holy,
and through your servant Moses you gave them your laws.
15 “When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven,
and water from a rock when they were thirsty.
You told them to take control of the land
which you had promised to give them.
16 But our ancestors grew proud and stubborn
and refused to obey your commands.
17 They refused to obey; they forgot all you did;
they forgot the miracles you had performed.
In their pride they chose a leader
to take them back to slavery in Egypt.
But you are a God who forgives;
you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry.
Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them.
18 They made an idol in the shape of a bull-calf
and said it was the god who led them from Egypt!
How much they insulted you, Lord!
19 But you did not abandon them there in the desert,
for your mercy is great.
You did not take away the cloud or the fire
that showed them the path by day and night.
20 In your goodness you told them what they should do;
you fed them manna and gave them water to drink.
21 Through forty years in the desert
you provided all that they needed;
their clothing never wore out,
and their feet were not swollen with pain.
22 “You let them conquer nations and kingdoms,
lands that bordered their own.
They conquered the land of Heshbon, where Sihon ruled,
and the land of Bashan, where Og was king.
23 You gave them as many children as there are stars in the sky,
and let them conquer and live in the land
that you had promised their ancestors to give them.
24 They conquered the land of Canaan;
you overcame the people living there.
You gave your people the power to do as they pleased
with the people and kings of Canaan.
25 Your people captured fortified cities,
fertile land, houses full of wealth,
cisterns already dug,
olive trees, fruit trees, and vineyards.
They ate all they wanted and grew fat;
they enjoyed all the good things you gave them.
26 “But your people rebelled and disobeyed you;
they turned their backs on your Law.
They killed the prophets who warned them,
who told them to turn back to you.
They insulted you time after time,
27 so you let their enemies conquer and rule them.
In their trouble they called to you for help,
and you answered them from heaven.
In your great mercy you sent them leaders
who rescued them from their foes.
28 When peace returned, they sinned again,
and again you let their enemies conquer them.
Yet when they repented and asked you to save them,
in heaven you heard, and time after time
you rescued them in your great mercy.
29 You warned them to obey your teachings,
but in pride they rejected your laws,
although keeping your Law is the way to life.
Hard-headed and stubborn, they refused to obey.
30 Year after year you patiently warned them.
You inspired your prophets to speak,
but your people were deaf,
so you let them be conquered by other nations.
31 And yet, because your mercy is great,
you did not forsake or destroy them.
You are a gracious and merciful God!
32 “O God, our God, how great you are!
How terrifying, how powerful!
You faithfully keep your covenant promises.
From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us,
even till now, how much we have suffered!
Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets,
our ancestors, and all our people have suffered.
Remember how much we have suffered!
33 You have done right to punish us;
you have been faithful, even though we have sinned.
34 Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests
have not kept your Law.
They did not listen to your commands and warnings.
35 With your blessing, kings ruled your people
when they lived in the broad, fertile land you gave them;
but they failed to turn from sin and serve you.
36 And now we are slaves in the land that you gave us,
this fertile land which gives us food.
37 What the land produces goes to the kings
that you put over us because we sinned.
They do as they please with us and our livestock,
and we are in deep distress!”
The People Sign an Agreement
38 Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.
Tauta izsūdz grēkus
1 Šī paša mēneša divdesmit ceturtajā dienā Israēla dēli, tērpušies maisos un zemi uz galvas, sapulcējās gavēt. 2 Israēla dzimums nošķīrās no visiem svešinieku dēliem un sāka sūdzēt savus grēkus un savu tēvu vainas. 3 Tad tie cēlās katrs no savas vietas un dienas ceturtās daļas garumā lasīja Kunga, sava Dieva, bauslības grāmatu, bet otru ceturto daļu dienas tie sūdzēja grēkus un zemojās Kungam, savam Dievam.
4 Uz paaugstinājuma stāvēja levīti: Jozua, Bānī, Kadmiēls, Šebanja, Šērēbja, Bunnī, Kenānī un skaļā balsī raudāja uz Kungu, savu Dievu. 5 Levīti Jozua, Kadmiēls, Bānī, Hašabnja, Šērēbja, Hodija, Šebanja un Petahja sacīja: “Celieties, slavējiet Kungu, savu Dievu!
No mūžības līdz mūžībai
slavēts tavs godības vārds,
augstāks par visu slavu un svētību!
6 Tu vienīgais Kungs,
tu veidoji debesis,
debesu debesis,
visus to pulkus,
zemi un visu uz tās,
jūru un visu tajā –
visu tu dari dzīvu!
Tev zemojas debesu pulki!
7 Tu esi Kungs Dievs,
tu izvēlējies Ābramu,
liki tam aiziet no kaldiešu Ūras,
devi tam vārdu Ābrahāms!
8 Tu redzēji,
ka viņa sirds taisnīga,
slēdzi ar viņu derību,
ka dosi tam zemi –
kanaāniešu, hetiešu, amoriešu,
periziešu, jebūsiešu, girgašiešu, –
dosi tā pēcnācējiem!
Tu savu vārdu turēji,
jo tu esi taisns!
9 Mūsu tēvu ciešanas Ēģiptē
tu uzlūkoji,
viņu raudas pie Niedru jūras
tu sadzirdēji!
10 Zīmes un brīnumus
tu darīji faraonam,
visiem viņa kalpiem
un viņa zemes ļaudīm!
Tu zināji,
kā tie pār mums dižojās,
tu pierādīji savu vārdu
gluži kā šodien!
11 Tu viņu priekšā pāršķēli jūru,
tie šķērsoja jūru pa sausu zemi!
Viņu vajātājus tu iemeti dzīlē
kā akmeni varenos ūdeņos!
12 Tu vadīji tos
ar mākoņu stabu dienā,
ar uguns stabu naktī,
lai ir gaisma ceļā,
pa kuru iet!
13 Uz Sīnaja kalna tu nāci lejā,
no debesīm tu ar tiem runāji,
tu devi tiem taisnu tiesu,
patiesu bauslību,
labus likumus,
labas pavēles!
14 Tu viņiem mācīji svēto sabatu,
pavēles, likumus, bauslību –
viņiem tos pavēlēji
caur savu kalpu Mozu!
15 Kad tie bija izsalkuši,
tu devi maizi no debesīm,
kad tie bija izslāpuši,
tu liki no klints plūst ūdenim!
Tu sacīji tiem: ejiet, mantojiet zemi!
Tu biji zvērējis viņiem to dot!
16 Mūsu tēvi bija iedomīgi,
bija stūrgalvīgi, taviem baušļiem neklausīja!
17 Tie liedzas klausīt!
Tavus darītos brīnumus
viņi neatceras –
stūrgalvīgi ieceļ vadoņus,
lai atgrieztos Ēģiptes verdzībā!
Bet tu, Dievs,
tu piedod, žēlo un apžēlo!
Lēns dusmās, dāsns žēlastībā!
Tu viņus nepamet!
18 Kaut arī viņi sev izlēja metāla teļu
un sacīja: šis mums ir dievs,
kas no Ēģiptes izveda!
Tā viņi tevi zaimoja!
19 Bet tu savā lielajā žēlastībā
tos tuksnesī nepameti!
Mākoņu stabs no tiem neatkāpās,
dienā vadīdams ceļā,
un naktī uguns stabs –
lai gaisma ceļā, pa kuru tie iet.
20 Savu labo Garu tu devi,
lai tiem būtu padoms,
viņu mutēm tu neliedzi mannu,
viņu slāpēm tu devi ūdeni!
21 Četrdesmit gadus tuksnesī baroji,
ka nenieka tiem netrūka –
apģērbs nedila, kājas netūka!
22 Tu viņiem atdevi valstis un tautas,
tu tiem dalīji zemes,
tā viņi mantoja Sīhona zemi
un Hešbonas ķēniņa zemi,
un Bāšānas ķēniņa Oga zemi!
23 Viņu dēlus tu vairoji –
kā zvaigznes debesīs,
ievedi viņus zemē,
ko viņu tēviem solīji mantot!
24 Viņu dēli gāja un mantoja zemi!
Tu pakļāvi viņiem kanaāniešus,
tās zemes iemītniekus,
nodevi tos viņu rokās –
ķēniņus un vienkāršus ļaudis,
lai dara ar tiem pēc sava prāta!
25 Viņi ieņēma cietokšņu pilsētas
un treknu zemi,
viņi ieguva namus,
pilnus visāda labuma,
un klints akas, vīnadārzus, olīvkokus,
un milzum daudz augļu koku!
Viņi ēda, pieēdās un kļuva trekni,
dzīvoja tavā lielajā labumā grezni!
26 Bet viņi nepakļāvās,
pret tevi sacēlās,
tavu bauslību pavisam atmeta,
tavus praviešus,
kas liecināja, lai atgriežas pie tevis,
viņi nokāva –
tā viņi tevi zaimoja!
27 Tad tu viņus atdevi pretiniekiem,
un tie viņus mocīja,
mokās viņi raudāja, sauca tevi,
un tu no debesīm uzklausīji,
jo tu esi liels žēlsirdībā!
Tu devi tiem glābējus,
tie viņus no ienaidniekiem izglāba!
28 Bet, kad tiem bija miers,
tie atkal darīja ļaunu,
un tu tos pameti ienaidniekiem,
un tie pār viņiem valdīja,
tad raudot tie tevi sauca,
un tu no debesīm uzklausīji,
daudzkārt tu viņus atbrīvoji savā žēlsirdībā!
29 Tu liecināji tiem,
lai atgriežas pie tavas bauslības,
bet viņi uzpūtās,
tavas pavēles neklausīja,
grēkoja pret tavu tiesu,
kas cilvēkam jāpilda, lai dzīvotu!
Tie bija stūrgalvīgi –
pagrieza muguru un neklausīja!
30 Tava laipnība pret tiem
bija uz daudziem gadiem,
tu liecināji tiem
caur savu Garu,
caur saviem praviešiem!
Bet viņi neklausīja,
tādēļ tu viņus atdevi svešām tautām!
31 Tu esi jo žēlsirdīgs,
tu nedarīji tiem galu,
tu viņus nepameti,
jo tu esi žēlsirdīgs Dievs,
tu esi žēlīgs!
32 Jel, mūsu Dievs,
liels, varens, bijājams Dievs,
tu turi derību un žēlastību,
lai tev nešķiet mazas
visas grūtības,
kurās mēs nonākam –
mūsu ķēniņi, dižkungi,
mūsu priesteri, pravieši,
mūsu tēvi un visa tava tauta –
kopš Asīrijas ķēniņu laika
līdz pat šim laikam!
33 Tu esi taisnīgs it visā,
kas nācis pār mums,
tu esi uzticīgs,
bet mēs esam ļauni!
34 Mūsu ķēniņi un augstmaņi,
priesteri un mūsu tēvi
nav pildījuši tavu bauslību,
nav ievērojuši tavas pavēles
un tavas liecības, ko tu viņiem devi.
35 Viņu pašu valstī,
savā lielajā labvēlībā
ko tu viņiem devi,
zemē, kas plaša un trekna, –
tu viņiem to devi! –
viņi tev nekalpoja,
neatkāpās no saviem
ļaunajiem darbiem!
36 Redzi, šodien mēs esam vergi,
zemē, kuru tu devi mūsu tēviem,
lai mēs ēstu tās augļus un labumus,
redzi, šeit mēs esam vergi!
37 Tās raža ienākas ķēniņiem,
kurus tu pār mums iecēli
mūsu grēku dēļ, –
pār mūsu miesu un lopiem
tie valda, kā viņiem tīk!
Mēs esam lielā postā!”
