Nehemiah 9:35-37

New Catholic Bible

³⁵ Even while they were in their own kingdom,
    despite the abundant goodness
    that you bestowed upon them,
and despite the wide and fertile land
    that you lavished upon them,
they did not serve you
    or renounce their evil deeds.
³⁶ “But see, here we are slaves today,
    slaves in this land
that you gave to our ancestors
    so that we might savor its fruits
    and all the good things it produces.^[a]
37 All its abundant yield
    is given to the kings
whom you have set over us
    because of our sins.
They also rule over our bodies
    and do as they please with our cattle;
    therefore we are in great distress.”