1. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans:
2. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70.
3. So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
4. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:Ah, Lord — the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands —
5. we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commands and ordinances.
6. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.
7. Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel — those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where You have dispersed them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward You.
8. Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.
9. Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him
10. and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following His instructions that He set before us through His servants the prophets.