3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.o

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring Godp who keeps his gracious covenantq with those who love himr and keep his commandss—5 we have sinned,t done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled,u and turned away from your commands and ordinances.v 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets,w who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you,x but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. 8 Lord, public shamey belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.z 9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servantsaa the prophets.