DENISON

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-minatiónibus eórum qui replevérunt eam ab ore usque ad os in coinquinatióne sua. Nunc ergo fílias vestras ne detis fíliis eórum, et fílias eórum ne accipiátis fíliis vestris, et non quærátis pacem eórum et prosperitátem eórum usque in ætérnum: ut confortémini, et comedátis quæ bona sunt terræ, et haeredes habeátis fílios vestros usque in saeculum. Et post ómnia quæ venérunt super nos in opéribus nostris péssimis, et in delícto nostro magno, quia tu, Deus noster, liberásti nos de iniquitáte nostra, et dedísti nobis salútem sicut est hódie, ut non converterémur, et írrita facerémus mandáta tua, neque matrimónia jungerémus cum pópulis abominatiónum istárum. Numquid irátus es nobis usque ad consummatiónem, ne dimítteres nobis relíquias ad salútem? Dómine Deus Israël, justus es tu: quóniam derelícti sumus, qui salvarémur sicut die hac. Ecce coram te sumus in delícto nostro: non enim stari potest coram te super hoc.

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Sic ergo oránte Esdra, et imploránte eo et flente, et jacénte ante templum Dei, colléctus est ad eum de Israël cœtus grandis nimis virórum et mulíerum et puerórum, et flevit pópulus fletu multo. Et respóndit Sechénias fílius Jéhiel de

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fíliis Ælam, et dixit Esdræ: Nos prævaricáti sumus in Deum nostrum, et dúximus uxóres alienígenas de pópulis terræ: et nunc, si est pœniténtia in Israël super hoc, percutiámus fœdus cum Dómino Deo nostro, ut projiciámus univérsas uxóres, et eos qui de his nati sunt, juxta voluntátem Dómini, et eórum qui timent præcéptum Dómini Dei nostri: secúndum legem fiat. Surge, tuum est decérnere, nosque érimus tecum: confortáre, et fac. Surréxit ergo Esdras, et adjurávit príncipes sacerdótum et Levitárum, et omnem Israël, ut fácerent secúndum verbum hoc: et juravérunt. Et surréxit Esdras ante domum Dei, et ábiit ad cubículum Johánan fílii Eliásib, et ingréssus est illuc: panem non comédit, et aquam non bibit: lugébat enim transgressiónem eórum, qui vénerant de captivitáte. Et missa est vox in Juda et in Jerúsalem ómnibus fíliis transmigratiónis, ut congregaréntur in Jerúsalem: et omnis qui non vénerit in tribus diébus juxta consílium príncipum et seniórum, auferétur univérsa substántia ejus, et ipse abjiciétur de cœtu transmigratiónis. Convenérunt ígitur omnes viri Juda et Bénjamin in Jerúsalem tribus diébus: ipse est mensis nonus, vigésimo die mensis: et sedit omnis pópulus in platéa domus Dei, treméntes pro peccáto, et plúviis. Et surréxit Esdras sacérdos, et dixit ad eos: Vos transgréssi estis, et duxístis uxóres alienígenas, ut adderétis super delíctum Israël. Et nunc date confessiónem Dómino Deo patrum vestrórum,

[Esdras 9:11-10:11]

...their abominations, who have filled it from mouth to mouth with their filth. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, and take not their daughters for your sons, and seek not their peace, nor their prosperity forever: that you may be strengthened, and may eat the good things of the land, and may have your children your heirs for ever. 13 And after all that is come upon us, for our most wicked deeds, and our great sin, seeing that thou our God hast saved us from our iniquity, and hast given us a deliverance as at this day, 14 That we should not turn away, nor break thy commandments, nor join in marriage with the people of these abominations. Art thou angry with us unto utter destruction, not to leave us a remnant to be saved? 15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art just: for we remain yet to be saved as at this day. Behold we are before thee in our sin, for there can be no standing before thee in this matter.

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1 Now when Esdras was thus praying, and beseeching, and weeping, and lying before the temple of God, there was gathered to him of Israel an exceeding great assembly of men and women and children, and the people wept with much lamentation. 2 And Sechenias the son of Jehiel of the sons of Elam answered, and said to Esdras: We have sinned against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: and now if there be repentance in Israel concerning this, 3 Let us make a covenant with the Lord our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the will of the Lord, and of them that fear the commandment of the Lord our God: let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise, it is thy part to give orders, and we will be with thee: take courage, and do it. 5 So Esdras arose, and made the chiefs of the priests and of the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word, and they swore. 6 And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliasib, and entered in thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water: for he mourned for the transgression of them that were come out of the captivity. 7 And proclamation was made in Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble together into Jerusalem. 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the ancients, all his substance should be taken away, and he should be cast out of the company of them that were returned from captivity. 9 Then all the men of Juda, and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days, in the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin, and the rain. 10 And Esdras the priest stood up, and said to them: You have transgressed, and taken strange wives, to add to the sins of Israel. 11 And now make confession to the Lord the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves...