Àzrah (Ezra) — 9
Intermarriage with Pagans
1 When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Yashar'AL and the Kuhanym and the Lauym have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Parizzites, the Yabusites, the Ammunites, the Muabites, the Mitzraym, and the Amurites.
2 For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the Qadash seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.”
3 So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished.
4 Then everyone who trembled at the Dabar of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.
5 At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH my 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH.
6 And I said: “O my 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the Shamaym.
7 Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our Kuhanym have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.
8 And now for a little while Mercy has been shown from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a security in His Qadash place, that our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.
9 For we were slaves. Yet our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Parsia, to revive us, to repair the house of our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Yahudah and Yahushalam.
10 And now, O our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
11 which You commanded by Your servants the Nabyms, saying, ‘The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land, with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to another with their impurity.
12 Now therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons; and never seek their Shalum or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’
13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this,
14 should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people committing these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor?
15 O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You, in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!”