1. “So the Lord carried out the threat he had made against us and against our judges, our kings, our rulers, and the people of Israel and Judah.
2. Nowhere else on earth have such things happened as happened in Jerusalem when the Lord carried out the threats written in the Law of Moses.
3. Things were so bad that we even ate the flesh of our own sons and daughters.
4. The Lord scattered our people, handing us over to the control of all the nations around us, and they looked on us with reproach and horror.
5. We sinned against the Lord our God and refused to obey him. Therefore our nation was conquered, instead of being victorious.
6. “The Lord our God is always righteous, but we and our ancestors are still burdened with our guilt.
7. Even though the Lord punished us as he had threatened,
8. we still did not turn to him and pray that we might abandon our evil thoughts.
9-10. We did not obey him or live by his just commands, so the Lord brought on us all the punishments he had kept ready for us.
11. “You, O Lord, are the God of Israel who brought your people out of Egypt with great power and with signs, miracles, and wonders. You showed your mighty strength and gained a glorious reputation, which is still recognized today.
12. O Lord our God, we have sinned; we have been unfaithful; we have disobeyed all your commands.
13. But do not be angry with us any longer. Here among the nations where you have scattered us, only a few of us are left.
14. Listen to our prayer of petition, Lord, and rescue us for the sake of your own honour. Let those who have taken us into exile be pleased with us.
15. Then the whole world will know that you are the Lord our God and that you have chosen the nation of Israel to be your own people.