The People Confess Their Sins

1Καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εἰκοστῇ καὶ τετάρτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου συνήχθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ ἐν σάκκοις. 2καὶ ἐχωρίσθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ παντὸς υἱοῦ ἀλλοτρίου, καὶ ἔστησαν καὶ ἐξηγόρευσαν τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν. 3καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ στάσει αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν ἐν βιβλίῳ νόμου θεοῦ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦσαν ἐξαγορεύοντες τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ προσκυνοῦντες τῷ θεῷ αὐτῶν. 4καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ ἀναβάσει τῶν Λευειτῶν Ἰησοῦς καὶ υἱοὶ Καδμιήλ, Σαραβιὰ υἱὸς Ἀραβιά, καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ πρὸς Κύριον τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν.

5καὶ εἴποσαν οἱ Λευεῖται Ἰησοῦς καὶ Καδμιήλ Ἀνάστητε, εὐλογεῖτε Κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος· καὶ εὐλογήσουσιν ὄνομα δόξης σου, καὶ ὑψώσουσιν ἐπὶ πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ καὶ αἰνέσει.

6καὶ εἶπεν Ἔσρας Σὺ εἶ αὐτὸς Κύριος μόνος· σὺ ἐποίησας τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν στάσιν αὐτῶν, τὴν γῆν καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ, τὰς θαλάσσας καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ σὺ ζωοποιεῖς τὰ πάντα· καὶ σοὶ προσκυνοῦσιν αἱ στρατεῖαι τῶν οὐρανῶν.

7σὺ εἶ ὁ θεός, σὺ ἐξελέξω ἐν Ἀβρὰμ καὶ ἐξήγαγες αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς χώρας τῶν Χαλδαίων, καὶ ἐπέθηκας αὐτῷ ὄνομα Ἀβραάμ.

8καὶ εὗρες τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ πιστὴν ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ διέθου πρὸς αὐτὸν διαθήκην δοῦναι αὐτῷ τὴν γῆν τῶν Χαναναίων καὶ Χετταίων καὶ Ἀμορραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων καὶ Ἰεβουσαίων καὶ Γεργεσαίων καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔστησας τοὺς λόγους σου, ὅτι δίκαιος σύ.

9καὶ εἶδες τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν ἤκουσας ἐπὶ θάλασσαν ἐρυθράν.

10καὶ ἔδωκας σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἐν Φαραὼ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τῆς γῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἔγνως ὅτι ὑπερηφάνησαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς· καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ ὄνομα, ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη.

11καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ἔρηξας ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ παρήλθοσαν ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐν ξηρασίᾳ, καὶ τοὺς καταδιώξαντας αὐτοὺς ἔριψας εἰς βυθὸν ὡσεὶ λίθον ἐν ὕδατι σφοδρῷ.

12καὶ ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης ὡδήγησας αὐτοὺς ἡμέρας καὶ ἐν στύλῳ πυρὸς τὴν νύκτα, τοῦ φωτίσαι αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδὸν ἐν ᾗ πορεύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ.

13καὶ ἐπὶ ὄρος Σεινὰ κατέβης καὶ ἐλάλησας πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς κρίματα εὐθέα καὶ νόμους ἀληθείας, προστάγματα καὶ ἐντολὰς ἀγαθάς.

14καὶ τὸ σάββατόν σου τὸ ἅγιον ἐγνώρισας αὐτοῖς, ἐντολὰς καὶ προστάγματα καὶ νόμον ἐνετείλω αὐτοῖς ἐν χειρὶ Μωυσῆ δούλου σου.

15καὶ ἄρτον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς εἰς σιτοδοτείαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ὕδωρ ἐκ πέτρας ἐξήνεγκας αὐτοῖς εἰς δίψαν αὐτῶν. καὶ εἶπας αὐτοῖς εἰσελθεῖν κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν ἐφ᾽ ἣν ἐξέτεινας τὴν χεῖρά σου δοῦναι αὐτοῖς.

16καὶ ἐσκλήρυναν τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν τῶν ἐντολῶν σου.

17καὶ ἀνένευσαν τοῦ εἰσακοῦσαι, καὶ οὐκ ἀνεμνήσθησαν τῶν θαυμασίων σου ὧν ἐποίησας μετ᾽ αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐσκλήρυναν τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔδωκαν ἀρχὴν ἐπιστρέψαι εἰς δουλείαν αὐτῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. καὶ σὺ θεὸς ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτείρμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος, καὶ οὐκ ἐνκατέλιπες αὐτούς.

18ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς μόσχον χωνευτὸν καὶ εἶπαν Οὗτοι οἱ θεοὶ οἱ ἐξαγαγόντες ἡμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου· καὶ ἐποίησαν παροργισμοὺς μεγάλους.

19καὶ σὺ ἐν οἰκτειρμοῖς σου τοῖς πολλοῖς οὐκ ἐνκατέλιπες αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· τὸν στύλον τῆς νεφέλης οὐκ ἐξέκλινας ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἡμέρας ὁδηγῆσαι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ τὸν στύλον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν νύκτα φωτίζειν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδὸν ἐν ᾗ πορεύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ.

20καὶ τὸ πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἔδωκας συνετίσαι αὐτούς, καὶ τὸ μάννα σου οὐκ ἀφυστέρησας ἀπὸ στόματος αὐτῶν, καὶ ὕδωρ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς τῷ δίψει αὐτῶν.

21καὶ τεσσεράκοντα ἔτη διέθρεψας αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· οὐχ ὑστέρησας· ἱμάτια αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐπαλαιώθησαν, καὶ πόδες αὐτῶν οὐ διερράγησαν.

22καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς βασιλέας καὶ λαούς, καὶ ἐμέρισας αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν τὴν γῆν Σηὼν καὶ τὴν Ὢγ βασιλέως τοῦ Βασάν.

23καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐπλήθυνας ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ εἰσήγαγες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν εἶπας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν αὐτήν.

24καὶ ἐξέτριψας ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν τῶν Χαναναίων, καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς λαοὺς τῆς γῆς, ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς ὡς ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν.

25καὶ κατελάβοσαν πόλεις ὑψηλάς, καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν οἰκίας πλήρεις πάντων ἀγαθῶν, λάκκους λελατομημένους, ἀμπελῶνας καὶ ἐλαιῶνας καὶ πᾶν ξύλον βρώσιμον εἰς πλῆθος· καὶ ἐφάγοσαν καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν καὶ ἐλιπάνθησαν, καὶ ἐτρύφησαν ἐν ἀγαθωσύνῃ σου τῇ μεγάλῃ.

26καὶ ἠλάλαξαν καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ σοῦ, καὶ ἔρριψαν τὸν νόμον σου ὀπίσω σώματος αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν οἳ διεμαρτύραντο ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτοὺς πρὸς σέ, καὶ ἐποίησαν παροργισμοὺς μεγάλους.

27καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτοὺς ἐν χειρὶ θλιβόντων αὐτούς, καὶ ἔθλιψαν αὐτούς· καὶ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς σὲ ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως αὐτῶν, καὶ σὺ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ σου ἤκουσας, καὶ ἐν οἰκτειρμοῖς σου τοῖς μεγάλοις ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς σωτῆρας καὶ ἔσωσας αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς θλίβοντος αὐτούς.

28καὶ ὡς ἀνεπαύσαντο, ἐπέστρεψαν ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου· καὶ ἐγκατέλιπες αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ κατῆρξαν ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ πάλιν ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς σέ, καὶ σὺ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εἰσήκουσας καὶ ἐρρύσω αὐτοὺς ἐν οἰκτειρμοῖς σου πολλοῖς,

29καὶ ἐπεμαρτύρω αὐτοῖς ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν νόμον σου· καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν, ἀλλὰ ἐντολαῖς σου καὶ ἐν τοῖς κρίμασί σου ἡμάρτοσαν, ἃ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἔδωκαν νῶτον ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ τράχηλον αὐτῶν ἐσκλήρυναν, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.

30καὶ εἵλκυσας ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἔτη πολλά, καὶ ἐπεμαρτύρω αὐτοῖς ἐν πνεύματί σου ἐν χειρὶ προφητῶν σου· καὶ οὐκ ἠνωτίσαντο, καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς ἐν χειρὶ λαῶν τῆς γῆς.

31καὶ σὺ ἐν οἰκτειρμοῖς σου τοῖς πολλοῖς οὐκ ἐποίησας αὐτοῖς συντέλειαν καὶ οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες αὐτούς, ὅτι ἰσχυρὸς καὶ ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτείρμων.

32καὶ νῦν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ὁ μέγας ὁ κραταιὸς καὶ ὁ φοβερός, φυλάσσων τὴν διαθήκην σου καὶ τὸ ἔλεός σου, μὴ ὀλιγωθήτω ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ὁ μόχθος ὃς εὗρεν ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ λαῷ σου ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν βασιλέων Ἀσσοὺρ καὶ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.

33καὶ σὺ δίκαιος ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐρχομένοις ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ὅτι ἀλήθειαν ἐποίησας· καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐξημάρτομεν,

34καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐποίησαν τὸν νόμον σου, καὶ οὐ προσέσχον τῶν ἐντολῶν σου καὶ τὰ μαρτύριά σου ἃ διεμαρτύρω αὐτοῖς.

35καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν βασιλείᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ἀγαθωσύνῃ τῇ πολλῇ ᾗ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ πλατείᾳ καὶ λιπαρᾷ ᾗ ἔδωκας ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐδούλευσάν σοι, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψαν ἀπὸ ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτῶν τῶν πονηρῶν.

36ἰδού ἐσμεν σήμερον δοῦλοι, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἣν ἔδωκας τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν φαγεῖν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς,

37τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν οἷς ἔδωκας ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ἐξουσιάζουσιν καὶ ἐν κτήνεσιν ἡμῶν ὡς ἀρεστὸν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐν θλίψει μεγάλῃ ἐσμέν.

38καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις ἡμεῖς διατιθέμεθα πίστιν· καὶ γράφομεν, καὶ ἐπισφραγίζουσιν ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν, Λευεῖται ἡμῶν, ἱερεῖς ἡμῶν.