9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; my groaning is not hidden from you. 10 My heart beats quickly; my strength leaves me. The light of my eyes is not with me.¹⁹ 11 Because of my condition, even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; my neighbors stand far away. 12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; those who want to harm me speak destructive words. All day long they say deceitful things. 13 But I am like a deaf man—I hear nothing; I am like a mute who cannot speak.

10 They said: Here we send you money; so buy with the money burnt offerings and sin offerings and incense, and prepare a grain offering, and offer them on the altar of the Lord our God; 11 and pray for the life of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and for the life of his son Belshazzar, so that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven. 12 The Lord will give us strength, and light to our eyes; we shall live under the protection of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and under the protection of his son Belshazzar, and we shall serve them many days and find favor in their sight. 13 Pray also for us to the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and to this day the anger of the Lord and his wrath have not turned away from us. 14 And you shall read aloud this scroll that we are sending you, to make your confession in the house of the Lord on the days of the festivals and at appointed seasons.