23. You multiplied their descendants as the stars of heaven.You brought them into the land that you had told their ancestors to enter and possess.
24. So the descendants went in and possessed the land.Before them, you subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land.You also handed over to them their kings and the neighboring peoples,to do with as they wished.
25. They captured fortified cities and productive land,and took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things:Excavated cisterns, vineyards, olive orchards, and a great many fruit trees.They ate until they were satisfied and grew fat,and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
26. But they were disobedient, rebelled against you,and turned their back on your Instruction.They killed your prophets who had warned them so that they might return to you.They held you in great contempt.
27. Therefore, you handed them over to the power of their enemies who made them suffer.But when they cried out to you in their suffering,you heard them from heaven.Because you are merciful,you gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their enemies.
28. But after they had rest from this, they again started doing evil against you.So you gave them over to the power of their enemies who ruled over them.Yet when they turned and cried to you,you heard from heaven and rescued them many times because of your great mercy.
29. You also warned them to return to your Instruction,but they acted arrogantly and didn’t obey your commands.They sinned against your judgments,even though life comes by keeping them.They turned a stubborn shoulder, became headstrong, and wouldn’t obey.
30. You were patient with them for many yearsand warned them by your spirit through the prophets.But they wouldn’t listen,so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.
31. In your great mercy, however, you didn’t make an end of them.Neither did you forsake them, because you are a merciful and compassionate God.
32. Now, our God, great and mighty and awesome God,you are the one who faithfully keeps the covenant.Don’t treat lightly all of the hardship that has come upon us,upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people,from the time of the kings of Assyria until today.
33. You have been just in all that has happened to us;you have acted faithfully, and we have done wrong.
34. Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors haven’t kept your Instruction.They haven’t heeded your commandments and the warnings that you gave them.
35. Even in their own kingdom, surrounded by the great goodness that you gave to them,even in the wide and rich land that you gave them,they didn’t serve you or turn from their wicked works.
36. So now today we are slaves,slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestorsto enjoy its fruit and its good gifts.