1. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, from the offspring of the Medes, who became king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—
2. in the first year of his kingship I, Daniel, observed in the scrolls the number of the years that it was that were to be fulfilled according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet for the devastation of Jerusalem—seventy years.
3. Then I turned my face to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and pleas for mercy, in fasting and in sackcloth and ashes.
4. And I prayed to Yahweh my God, and I made confession and I said, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and loyal love with those who love him and with those who keep his commandments,
5. we have sinned and we have done wrong and we acted wickedly and we rebelled and have been turning aside from your commandments and from your ordinances.
6. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors and to all the people of the land.
7. “Righteousness belongs to you, O Lord, and on us is open shame, just as it is this day to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far off in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their infidelity which they displayed against you.
8. Yahweh, on us is open shame, on our kings, on our princes, and on our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.