translated from the
Hebrew,) it is more than probable that it had been formerly in the
Hebrew or rather in the Chaldaic, in which the book of Daniel was
written. But this is certain: that it is, and has been of old, received
by the church, and read as canonical scripture in her liturgy, and
divine offices.

3:25. Then Azarias standing up, prayed in this manner, and opening his
mouth in the midst of the fire, he said:

3:26. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and thy name is
worthy of praise, and glorious for ever:

3:27. For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy
works are true, and thy ways right, and all thy judgments true.

3:28. For thou hast executed true judgments in all the things that thou
hast brought upon us, and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers:
for according to truth and judgment, thou hast brought all these things
upon us for our sins.

3:29. For we have sinned, and committed iniquity, departing from thee:
and we have trespassed in all things:

3:30. And we have not hearkened to thy commandments, nor have we
observed nor done as thou hadst commanded us, that it might go well with
us.

3:31. Wherefore, all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing
that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment:

3:32. And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are
unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and
most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth.

3:33. And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame, and a
reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee.

3:34. Deliver us not up for ever, we beseech thee, for thy name's sake,
and abolish not thy covenant.

3:35. And take not away thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, thy
beloved, and Isaac, thy servant, and Israel, thy holy one:

3:36. To whom thou hast spoken, promising that thou wouldst multiply
their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea
shore.

3:37. For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are
brought low in all the earth this day for our sins.

3:38. Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or
holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first
fruits before thee,

3:39. That we may find thy mercy: nevertheless, in a contrite heart and
humble spirit let us be accepted.

3:40. As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thous