these these incidents that related the kings’ decrees.

the chiefs of Israel.

saying And so they said to me.

was first in this treachery for they commenced to deal treacherously by intermarrying with the peoples of the lands.

bewildered Heb. מְשּׁוֹמֵם miserable and bewildered, like (Ez. 3:15): “...seven days bewildered among them.”

from my fast for I had not eaten on that day.

we were delivered Heb. נִתַּנוּ, like נִתַּנְנוּ. The “dagesh” in the “nun” is instead of another “nun,” like (II Chron. 14:10): “for we rely (תִשְּׁעַנוּ) on You,” like נִשְּׁעַנְנוּ. (Gen. 34:16): “... then we will give (וְנָתַנוּ) our daughters,” like וְנָתַנְנוּ.

as of this day as appears this day, for the Ten Tribes have already been exiled, and many of the exiles still remain in Babylon.

And now, for a short moment temporarily.

favor Heb. תְּחִנָה, like חֲנִינָה

and to give us a peg to establish us in the land of Israel.

a peg יָתֵד, like (Isa. 22:23): “And I will thrust him like a peg (יָתֵד) in a sure place.”

a little life [as translated,] a little life.

For we are slaves to Darius, king of Persia.

has not forsaken us Heb. לֹא עֲזָבָנוּ, a combination of לֹא עָזַב אוֹתָנוּ.

and He has extended Heb. וַיַט, an expression of the causative, like מַטֶה. He extended His loving-kindness upon us.

a fence for they had created a fence to keep His commandments.

unclean Heb. נִדָה, unclean and repulsive.

and you shall cause...to inherit You shall give the land to your children as an inheritance to eternity.

And after all that has come upon us after all the calamity that has befallen us because of our evil deeds.

You have punished less You have held back from our iniquities until below them [i.e., less than them], for our iniquity was lessened by the expiation effected by our exile. We may also interpret it in this manner: You held Yourself back from collecting from us all our iniquity, and You collected from us below [less than] the iniquities, and You requited us according to all our sins.

If we revert Heb. הֲנָשּׁוּב, if we return.

will You not be wroth with us a wonder with an affirmative answer.

for we cannot lit. for there is nothing; i.e., we do not have the power of good deeds to stand and exist before You, because of this transgression.