Nehemiya 9

1 Pa tsiku la 24 la mwezi womwewo, Aisraeli anasonkhana pamodzi ndi kusala chakudya, kuvala ziguduli ndi kudzithira dothi pa mutu.

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

2 Aisraeliwa anadzipatula pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina ndipo anayimirira nayamba kuwulula machimo awo ndi zolakwa za makolo awo.

Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Anthuwo anayimirira pomwepo, ndipo anamva mawu a mʼbuku la malamulo a Yehova akuwerengedwa kwa maora enanso atatu ndipo anakhala maora ena atatu akuwulula machimo awo ndi kupembedza Yehova Mulungu wawo.

While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

4 Pa makwerero okhalapo alevi anayimirirapo anthu awa: Yesuwa, Bani, Kadimieli, Sebaniya, Buni, Serebiya, Bani ndi Kenani. Iwowa ankapemphera mokweza mawu kwa Yehova Mulungu wawo.

And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Ndipo Alevi awa: Yesuwa, Kadimieli, Bani, Hasabaneya, Serebiya, Hodiya, Sebaniya ndi Petahiya anati: “Imirirani ndipo mutamande Yehova Mulungu wanu, amene ndi wamuyaya.” “Litamandike dzina lake laulemerero limene liposa madalitso ndi matamando onse.

Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Inu nokha ndiye Yehova. Munalenga kumwamba, ngakhale kumwambamwamba, zolengedwa zonse zimene zili mʼmenemo. Munalenga dziko ndi zonse zokhalamo, nyanja ndi zonse zili mʼmenemo. Zonse mumazisunga ndi moyo ndipo zonse za kumwamba zimakupembedzani.

You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.

7 “Inu ndinu Yehova Mulungu amene munasankha Abramu ndi kumutulutsa mʼdziko la Uri wa ku Kaldeya ndi kumutcha dzina lake Abrahamu.

You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

8 Inu munaona kuti mtima wake unali wokhulupirika kwa inu, ndipo munapangana naye pangano lakuti mudzapereka kwa zidzukulu zake dziko la Akanaani Ahiti, Aamori, Aperezi, Ayebusi ndi Agirigasi. Inu mwasunga lonjezo lanu chifukwa ndinu wolungama.

You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites— to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

9 “Munaona kuzunzika kwa makolo athu ku Igupto. Munamva kufuwula kwawo pa Nyanja Yofiira.

You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

10 Inu munachita zizindikiro zozizwitsa ndi zodabwitsa kutsutsana ndi Farao, pamaso pa Farao, nduna zake ndi anthu onse a mʼdziko lake, pakuti Inu munadziwa kuti anazunza makolo athu. Inu munadzipangira nokha dzina, monga zilili mpaka lero lino.

You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

11 Inu munagawa nyanja anthu anu akupenya, kotero kuti anadutsa powuma, koma munamiza mʼmadzi akuya anthu amene ankawalondola monga mmene uchitira mwala mʼmadzi ozama.

You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.

12 Masana munkawunikira ndi chipilala cha mtambo ndipo usiku munkawunikira ndi chipilala cha moto njira yonse imene ankayendamo.

You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

13 “Munatsika pa Phiri la Sinai, ndipo munawayankhula kuchokera kumwamba. Munawapatsa malangizo olungama, ziphunzitso zoona ndiponso malamulo abwino.

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

14 Inu munawadziwitsa kuti tsiku lanu la Sabata ndi loyera ndipo munawapatsa malamulo ndi ziphunzitso.

You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

15 Pamene anali ndi njala munawapatsa buledi wochokera kumwamba. Pamene anali ndi ludzu munawapatsa madzi otuluka mʼthanthwe. Munawawuza kuti apite kukalanda dziko limene munalonjeza kuti mudzawapatsa.”

In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.

16 “Koma makolo athu anadzikuza ndi kuwumitsa khosi, ndipo iwo sanamvere malamulo anu.

But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

17 Anakana kumvera ndipo sanakumbukire zodabwitsa zimene munachita pakati pawo. Koma iwo anawumitsa khosi, nakuwukirani podzisankhira okha mtsogoleri kuti awatsogolere kubwerera ku ukapolo ku dziko la Igupto. Koma ndinu Mulungu wokhululukira, wokoma mtima ndi wachifundo wosapsa mtima msanga ndi wachikondi chachikulu chosasinthika. Choncho Inu simunawasiye.

They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

18 Ngakhale pamene iwo anadziwumbira fano la mwana wangʼombe ndi kuti, ‘Uyu ndi mulungu wanu amene anakutulutsani mʼdziko la Igupto,’ kapena pamene anachita chipongwe choopsa.

Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

19 “Koma Inu ndi chifundo chanu chachikulu, simunawasiye mʼchipululu. Chipilala cha mtambo sichinasiye kuwatsogolera pa njira yawo masana ndipo chipilala cha moto sichinasiye kuwatsogolera pa njira yawo usiku.

You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

20 Inu munawapatsa mzimu wanu wabwino kuti uwalangize. Inu simunawamane chakudya cha mana chija, ndipo munawapatsa madzi akumwa.

You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

21 Munawasunga zaka makumi anayi mʼchipululu ndipo sanasowe kanthu kalikonse. Zovala zawo sizinathe kapena mapazi awo kutupa.”

For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

22 “Inu munawapatsa mafumu ndi mayiko mʼmanja mwawo. Munawagawiranso mayiko achilendo akutali kwambiri. Munabwera nawo mʼdziko la Sihoni mfumu ya Hesiboni ndi dziko la Ogi mfumu ya Basani kuti alowemo nʼkulitenga kukhala lawo.

You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.

23 Munachulukitsa ana awo aamuna ngati nyenyezi za mlengalenga. Ndipo munawabweretsa mʼdziko limene munawuza makolo awo kuti alilowe ndi kulitenga.

You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

24 Choncho zidzukulu zawo zinapita ndi kukalandira dzikolo. Inu munagonjetsa pamaso pawo, Akanaani amene amakhala mʼdzikolo. Inde munapereka mʼmanja mwawo mafumu awo pamodzi ndi anthu a mʼdzikomo kuti achite nawo monga angafunire.

So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

25 Iwo analanda mizinda yotetezedwa ndi dziko lachonde. Anatenganso nyumba zodzaza ndi zinthu zonse zabwino, zitsime zokumbidwa kale, mitengo ya mphesa, mitengo ya olivi ndi mitengo yambiri ya zipatso. Ndipo anadya nakhuta ndipo anali athanzi. Choncho ankakondwa chifukwa cha ubwino wanu wopambana.

They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

26 “Komabe iwo anakhala osamvera ndipo anakuwukirani nafulatira malamulo anu. Anapha aneneri anu, amene anakawadandaulira kuti abwerere kwa Inu. Anachita chipongwe choopsa.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

27 Pamene anazunzidwa anafuwulira kwa Inu, ndipo Inu munawamvera muli kumwambako. Ndipo mwa chifundo chanu chachikulu munkawapatsa atsogoleri amene ankawapulumutsa mʼmanja mwa adani awo.”

So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

28 “Koma akangokhala pa mtendere ankayambanso kuchita zoyipa pamaso panu. Choncho munkawapereka mʼmanja mwa adani awo amene ankawalamulira. Komabe pamene ankabwerera ndi kumalira kwa Inu, Inu munkawamva muli kumwambako. Chifukwa cha chifundo chanu chochuluka, nthawi zonse munkawapulumutsa.

But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

29 “Inu munkawachenjeza kuti abwerere ndi kuyamba kutsata malamulo anu. Koma iwo ankadzitukumula ndipo sankamvera malamulo anu. Iwo anachimwira malangizo anu amene munati ‘Amapatsa moyo kwa munthu wowamvera.’ Iwo ankakufulatirani, nawumitsa makosi awo osafuna kukumverani.

You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They stubbornly shrugged their shoulders; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

30 Munapirira nawo kwa zaka zambiri. Munkawachenjeza ndi Mzimu wanu kudzera mwa aneneri anu, koma iwo sankakumverani. Choncho munawapereka mʼmanja mwa anthu a mayiko ena.

You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

31 Komabe mwachifundo chanu chachikulu simuwatheretu kapena kuwataya pakuti ndinu Mulungu wokoma mtima ndi wachifundo.

But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 “Nʼchifukwa chake, tsono, Inu Mulungu wathu, Mulungu wamkulu, wamphamvu ndi woopsa kwambiri mumasunga pangano ndi chikondi chosasinthika. Musalole kuti mavuto onse amene atigwera ife, mafumu athu, atsogoleri athu, ansembe athu, aneneri athu, makolo athu ndi anthu ena onse kuyambira nthawi ya mafumu a ku Asiriya mpaka lero aoneke ochepa pamaso panu.

So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33 Koma Inu mwakhala wolungama pa zonse zimene zakhala zikutichitikira. Mwachita zokhulupirika, koma ife tachita zolakwa.

You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

34 Ndipotu mafumu athu, atsogoleri athu, ansembe athu ndi makolo athu sanatsatire mawu anu. Iwo sanalabadire za malamulo anu ngakhale mawu anu owachenjeza amene munawapatsa.

Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

35 Ngakhale ankadzilamulira okha, nʼkumalandira zabwino zochuluka mʼdziko lalikulu ndi lachonde limene munawapatsa, koma iwo sanakutumikireni kapena kusiya ntchito zawo zoyipa.

For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

36 “Tsono, taonani! Ife lero ndife akapolo, ndife akapolo mʼdziko limene munapereka kwa makolo athu kuti azidya zipatso zake ndi zabwino zake zonse.

So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!

37 Tsono chifukwa cha machimo athu, mafumu amene munawayika kuti azitilamulira angodzilemeretsa ndi chuma chambiri cha dzikoli. Iwo ali ndi mphamvu zolamulira matupi athu ndi ngʼombe zathu momwe afunira. Zedi, ife tili mʼmavuto aakulu.”

Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

38 “Chifukwa cha zonsezi, ife tikuchita mgwirizano wokhazikika, pochita kulemba, ndipo atsogoleri athu, Alevi athu ndi ansembe athu asindikiza chidindo chawo pa mgwirizanowo.”

In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”