Nihemaia 1
1 Amo sia: da Nihemaia (Ha: galaia egefe) amo ea hawa: hamosu olelesa. Adasegesisi da Besia soge amoga hina bagade esalu. Ea ouligisu hou ode20 amola oubi ea dio Gisilefe amoga, na, Nihemaia, na da Besia bisili moilai bai bagade amo Susa, amo ganodini esalebe ba: i.
[I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].
2 Na olalali afae amo ea dio Hana: inai, e amola eno dunu gilisili da Yuda soge fisili, nama doaga: i. Na da Yelusaleme moilai bai bagade ea hou, amola ninia Yu fi musa: mugululi asi, Yuda sogega buhagi, amo ilia hou ilima adole ba: i.
My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] Jerusalem.
3 Ilia da amo hou nama adole i. Musa: mugululi asi dunu mogili da bogoi dagoi. Be mogili da buhagili, Yuda soge ganodini esala, da se bagade nabawane esala. Ga fi dunu gadenene esala da Yu dunu amo higale ba: sa, ilia sia: i. Yelusaleme gagoi dobea amo musa: mugululi sa: i dagoi, amo da bu hame gagoi. Amola logo ga: su musa: laluga nei, amo da bu hame ga: si.
They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”
4 Na da amo sia: nababeba: le, fila sa: ili amola bagadewane dinanu. Eso didia amoga, na da dinanuwane, ha: i mae nawane Godema sia: ne gadolalu.
When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in heaven.
5 Na da amane sia: ne gadoi, “Hina Gode Hebene ganodini esala! Di da bagadedafa amola ninia Diba: le beda: i bagade. Dia gousa: su, amo Di da Dima asigi amola nabasu dunu amo fidima: ne hamoi, amo Di da mae fisili dawa: lala.
I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.
6 Hina Gode! Na hou ba: ma amola na sia: ne gadosu nabima! Na da dia fi dunu amo Isala: ili fi dunu amola uda, na da gasi huluane amola eso huluane amoga ili fidima: ne, Dima sia: ne gadolala. Dafawane! Ninia Isala: ili dunu da wadela: le hamoi dagoi. Na amola na aowalali dunu da wadela: i hou hamoi dagoi.
Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.
7 Ninia da Dima wadela: i hou hamosu, amola Dia sia: hame nabasu. Ninia Dia sema amo Di da dia hawa: hamosu dunu Mousese ea lafidili ninima i, amoma hame fa: no bobogesu.
We have acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.
8 Dia da Mousesema sia: i liligi bu dawa: ma, amane, ‘Dilia Isala: ili dunu da Na sia: hame nabasea, Na da dilia fi afagogole, ga fi dunu amo ganodini esaloma: ne sefasimu.
“But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).
9 Be amasea, dilia da Nama, Na dilima hamoma: ne sia: i defele Nama bu sinidigisia, Na da dili soge amoga Nama nodone sia: ne gadomusa: Na da ilegei, amo sogega Na da dili bu oule misunu,’ Di da amane sia: i dagoi.
But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’
10 Hina Gode! Amo dunu da Dia hawa: hamosu dunu! Ilia da Dia ilegei fi dunu! Di da Dia gasa bagade amoga, amo fi dunu gaga: i dagoi.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Amaiba: le, na sia: ne gadosu amola Dia hawa: hamosu dunu eno ilia Dima nodomusa: dawa: , ilia sia: ne gadosu amola nabima. Hina bagade da na sia: noga: le nabima: ne, Di da ea dogo ganodini hawa: hamoma!” na amane sia: ne gadoi. Amo esoga na da Besia hina bagade amo ea waini hano iasu dunu esalu.
Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].
