He who concealshis transgressionswill not prosper,But he who confessesand forsakes[them] will findcompassion.
Then the LORDsaidto Cain,"Whereis Abelyour brother?"And he said,"I do not know.Am I my brother'skeeper?"
Then Davidsaidto Nathan,"I have sinnedagainst the LORD."And Nathansaidto David,"The LORDalsohas takenawayyour sin;you shall not die.
AbsalomansweredJoab,"Behold,I sentfor you, saying,'Comehere,that I may sendyou to the king,to say,"Whyhave I comefrom Geshur?It would be betterfor me stillto be there."'Nowtherefore, let me seethe king'sface,and ifthereis iniquityin me, let him putme to death."
He said,"Whathave they seenin your house?"So Hezekiahanswered,"They have seenallthat is in my house;there is nothingamong my treasuriesthat I have not shownthem."
"When the heavensare shutup and there is norainbecausethey have sinnedagainst You, and they praytowardthisplaceand confessYour name,and turnfrom their sinwhenYou afflictthem;
"Nowtherefore, makeconfessionto the LORDGodof your fathersand doHis will;and separateyourselves from the peoplesof the landand from the foreignwives."
Shecaniahthe sonof Jehiel,one of the sonsof Elam,saidto Ezra,"We have beenunfaithfulto our Godand have marriedforeignwomenfrom the peoplesof the land;yet nowthereis hopefor Israelin spiteof this.
The descendantsof Israelseparatedthemselves from allforeigners,and stoodand confessedtheir sinsand the iniquitiesof their fathers.
"Have I coveredmy transgressionslike Adam,By hidingmy iniquityin my bosom,
"He will singto menand say,I have sinnedand pervertedwhatis right,And it is not properfor me.
"For has anyone saidto God,'I have borne[chastisement]; I will not offend[anymore];
Createin me a cleanheart,O God,And renewa steadfastspiritwithinme.
Hatredstirsup strife,But lovecoversalltransgressions.
He who concealsa transgressionseekslove,But he who repeatsa matterseparatesintimatefriends.
Let the wickedforsakehis wayAnd the unrighteousmanhis thoughts;And let him returnto the LORD,And He will havecompassionon him, And to our God,For He will abundantlypardon.
Yet you said,'I am innocent;SurelyHis angeris turnedawayfrom me.' Behold,I will enterinto judgmentwith you Becauseyou say,'I have not sinned.'
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
So it shall be whenhe becomesguiltyin oneof these,that he shall confessthat in whichhe has sinned.
When Godsawtheir deeds,that they turnedfrom their wickedway,then Godrelentedconcerningthe calamitywhichHe had declaredHe would bringupon them. And He did not do[it].
but [kept] declaringbothto thoseof Damascusfirst,and [also] at Jerusalemand [then] throughout allthe regionof Judea,and [even] to the Gentiles,that they should repentand turnto God,performingdeedsappropriateto repentance.
The sonsof Israelsaidto the LORD,"We have sinned,doto us whateverseems goodto You; onlypleasedeliverus thisday."
Samuelcameto Saul,and Saulsaidto him, "Blessedare you of the LORD!I have carriedout the commandof the LORD."
Then Saulsaidto Samuel,"I have sinned;I have indeedtransgressedthe commandof the LORDand your words,becauseI fearedthe peopleand listenedto their voice.
Then he said,"I have sinned;[but] pleasehonorme nowbeforethe eldersof my peopleand beforeIsrael,and gobackwith me, that I may worshipthe LORDyour God."
