9 ¹ In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans - 9 ² in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years which, according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

9 ³ Then I turned my face to Yahweh God, seeking him by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 9 ⁴ I prayed to Yahweh my God and made confession, saying, "O Yahweh, the great and terrible God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 9 ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances; 9 ⁶ we have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 9 ⁷ To you, O Yahweh, belongs righteousness, but to us confusion of face, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those that are near and those that are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery which they have committed against you. 9 ⁸ To us, O Yahweh, belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9 ⁹ To Yahweh our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because we have rebelled against him, 9 ¹⁰ and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 9 ¹¹ All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath which are written in the law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. 9 ¹² He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done the like of what has been done against Jerusalem. 9 ¹³ As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us, yet we have not entreated the favour of Yahweh our God, turning from our iniquities and giving heed to your truth. 9 ¹⁴ Therefore Yahweh has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us; for Yahweh our God is righteous in all the works which he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. 9 ¹⁵ And now, O Yahweh our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made yourself a name, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 9 ¹⁶ O Yahweh, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are round about us. 9 ¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God, hearken to the prayer of your servant and to his supplications, and for your own sake, O Yahweh, cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 9 ¹⁸ O my God, incline your ear and hear; open your eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by your name; for we do not present our supplications before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercy. 9 ¹⁹ O Yahweh, hear; O Yahweh, forgive; O Yahweh, give heed and act; delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name."