O Hashem, as befits Your abundant benevolence, let Your wrathful fury turn back from Your city Yerushalayim, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Yerushalayim and Your people have become a mockery among all who are around us
Daniel 9:16 (The Israel Bible™)

אֲדֹנָי כְּכָל־צִדְקֹתֶךָ יָשָׁב־נָא אַפְּךָ וַחֲמָתְךָ מֵעִירְךָ יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הַר־קָדְשֶׁךָ כִּי בַחֲטָאֵינוּ וּבַעֲוׂנוֹת אֲבֹתֵינוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם וְעַמְּךָ לְחֶרְפָּה לְכָל־סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ
Hear the verse in Hebrew

a-do-NAI k’-khol tzid-ko-TE-kha ya-shov NA a-p’-KHA va-kha-ma-t’-KHA may-ee-r’-KHA y’-ru-sha-LA-im har kod-SHE-kha KEE va-kha-ta-AY-nu u-va-a-vo-NOT a-vo-TAY-nu y’-ru-sha-LA-im v’-a-m’-KHA l’-kher-PAH l-khol s’-vee-vo-TAY-nu

The Jews and Jerusalem Are One

In his prayer, Daniel lists three compelling reasons for Hashem (God) to accept his prayer and redeem the people from Babylonia: For the sake of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), of the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple) and of the Jewish people. Regarding Yerushalayim, Danielpoints out that it is an embarrassment to God when His beautiful city lies in ruins. He further questions how Hashem can ignore the Temple Mount where His presence was manifest most clearly on earth. Lastly, it is a desecration of God’s name when His chosen people are despised. Daniel groups Yerushalayim and the Jewish people together, “Yerushalayim and Your people have become a mockery among all who are around us,” since the Jews and Yerushalayim are one. Without their holy city, how can they succeed in exile, and how can Yerushalayim flourish without her children? Read about the modern fulfillment of Daniel's words in The Israel Bible Daily Inspirations devotional.