A Firm Covenant

32And now, our God—the great, mighty, and fearsome God, who keeps the covenant and steadfast love—do not let all the hardship that has come upon us seem small before you: upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

33Yet you are righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have acted faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.

34Even our kings, our officials, our priests, and our fathers did not keep your law, and they did not listen to your commandments and your testimonies with which you warned them.

35Even in their kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the broad and fertile land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their evil deeds.

36Look, today we are servants; and in the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good things, look, we are servants on it.

37Its abundant produce goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.