Nehemiah 9:32–37

³²“And now our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loyal love, do not belittle in your presence all of the hardship that is found in us, our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors,ⁿ and all of our people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. ³³You are righteous in everything that has come on us, for you dealt faithfully, and we have acted wickedly. ³⁴Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors^o did not keep your law^p and did not listen to your commandments and statutes that you declared to them. ³⁵And in their kingdom and in the greatness you gave to them, and in the wide and fertile land that you gave before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their evil deeds. ³⁶Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors^q to eat its fruits and enjoy its goodness—behold, we are slaves in it! ³⁷Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have given over us because of our sins, and they are ruling over our dead bodies and our livestock at their pleasure. We are in great trouble.