Nehemiah 9
1 To khrah ni pumphae palito naah, Israelnawk loe maeto ah amkhueng o moe, buhzah o, kazii angzaeng o moe, lu nuiah maiphu ang phuih o.
On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].
2 Israel caanawk boih loe minawk kalah hoi kamhoe ah oh o, angmacae ohhaih ahmuen ah angdoet o moe, angmacae zaehaih, ampanawk mah sakpazae ih hmuennawk to taphong o.
The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.
3 Angmacae ohhaih ahmuen ah angdoet o moe, nito thungah atue thumto thung angmacae Angraeng Sithaw ih kaalok to kroek o; kalah atue thumto thungah zaehaih taphong o moe, angmacae Angraeng Sithaw to bok o.
The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.
4 Thlung nuiah angdoe Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Khenani hoi Levi mah, angmacae ih Angraeng Sithaw to tha hoiah kawk o.
[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.
5 To pacoengah Levi kami, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah hoi Pethahiah cae mah, angdoe oh loe, dungzan hoi dungzan khoek to nangmacae ih Angraeng Sithaw to tahamhoihaih paek oh; tahamhoihaih hoi saphawhaihnawk boih nuiah, na hmin lensawkhaih om nasoe.
Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!
6 Angraeng loe Nang ni, Angraeng loe nang khue ni; vannawk, kasang koek vannawk, cakaehnawk boih, long hoi athung ah kaom hmuennawk boih, tuipui hoi athung ah kaom hmuennawk boih to na sak moe, hinghaih na paek; van ih hmuennawk boih mah nang to ang bok o.
“You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.
7 Nang loe Khaldea prae, Ur avang hoiah Abram to na qoih moe, Abraham, tiah ahmin phuikung ah na oh.
“Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.
8 Anih loe nang khaeah oep kaom ah kho a sak, tiah na hnuk pongah, a caanawk khaeah, Kanaan, Hit, Amor, Periz, Jebus hoi Girgash kaminawk ih prae to paek hanah, anih hoi lokkamhaih na sak. Na sak ih lokkamhaih baktih toengah na koepsak.
You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.
9 Kaicae ampanawk mah Izip prae thungah tongh o ih patanghaih to na hnuk moe, Tuipui kathim taeng ih nihcae hanghaih lok to na thaih pae.
“You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.
10 Nihcae to Izip kaminawk mah amoekhaih hoiah pacaekthlaek pongah, Faro hoi anih ih tamnanawk boih, prae thung ih kaminawk boih khaeah angmathaih hoi dawnrai hmuen to nam tuengsak. To pongah nangmah hanah ahmin to na sak moe, vaihni ni khoek to cak poe.
Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!
11 Nihcae hmaa ah tui to na pakhoih pae moe, tuipui umli ah saoeng ah caeh baktih toengah nihcae to na caehsak; toe nihcae pacaekthlaek kaminawk loe kathuk tui thungah thlung kazit vah baktiah na vah.
You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!
12 Khodai ah tamai hoiah na zaeh moe, a caeh o haih loklam hnuksak hanah hmaithaw hoiah na zaeh.
During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.
13 Sinai mae ah nang zoh tathuk moe, van hoiah nihcae khaeah lok na thuih pae; katoeng lokcaekhaih, zaehhoihhaih kaaloknawk, kahoih lok takroekhaih hoi thuitaekhaih loknawk to nihcae hanah na paek.
“When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.
14 Nihcae khaeah nangmah ih ciimcai Sabbath to na panoeksak, zaehhoihhaih dannawk, lok takroekhaih daan hoi thuitaekhaih daannawk to, na tamna Mosi khaeah na paek.
You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.
15 Zok amthlam o naah van hoiah takaw na paek moe, tui anghaeh o naah thlung thung hoiah tui to na paek; nihcae khae paek han lokkamhaih na sak baktih toengah prae thungah akun moe, prae to qawk ah toep hanah na thuih pae.
When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.
16 Toe kam panawk loe amoek o moe, palungthah o pongah, na paek ih loknawk to pazui o ai.
“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.
17 Lok tahngai o ai, nihcae khaeah na sak pae ih dawnrai hmuennawk doeh poek o ai; palungthah o pongah, tamna ah oh o haih Izip prae ah amlaem let hanah, angmacae zaehoikung maeto suek o; toe nang loe zae tahmenkung Sithaw, tahmenhaih hoi palungnathaih na tawnh pongah, palung na phuisak ai moe, kathuk tahmenhaih to nam tuengsak, nihcae to na pahnawt sut ai.
They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.
18 Ue, nihcae loe angmacae han maitaw caa krang to sak o moe, Hae loe Izip prae thung hoi nangcae zaehoikung sithaw ah oh, tiah a thuih o moe, na hmin to set o sak;
So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.
19 toe Nang loe palung na sawk pongah, nihcae to praezaek ah na pahnawt sut ai; khodai ah nihcae caehhaih loklam patuek hanah, tamai nang khoengsak ving ai moe, khoving ah nihcae loklam hnuksak hanah hmaithaw doeh na duehsak ai.
“Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.
20 Nihcae thuitaek hanah kahoih na Muithla to na paek; nihcae caak hanah manna doeh na paawt ai, nihcae tui anghaeh o naah tui na paek.
You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.
21 Ue, saning quipalito thung nihcae to praezaek ah na pacah, nihcae loe angaihaih tidoeh tawn o ai; nihcae ih khukbuen loe prawn ai, khok doeh bawk o ai.
For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].
22 Nihcae hanah minawk ih prae, kangthla parai ah kaom kaminawk ih ahmuen amae to na paek; Heshbon siangpahrang Sihon ih prae hoi Bashan siangpahrang Og ih prae doeh nihcae mah lak o.
“You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].
23 A caanawk doeh van ih cakaeh zetto nang pungsak moe, ampanawk khaeah qawktoepsak hanah na thuih ih, prae thungah na caeh haih.
You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.
24 Nihcae ih caanawk loe caeh o moe, prae to a toep o; nihcae hmaa ah to prae thungah kaom Kanaan kaminawk to na pacaekthlaek moe, Kanaan kaminawk hoi nihcae ih siangpahrangnawk to koeh baktiah a sak o hanah, nihcae ban ah na paek.
Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.
25 Tapang thungh ih vangpuinawk, kahoih prae to nihcae mah lak pae o moe, hmuenmae congca hoi kakoi imnawk doeh a toep o; tuipuek tuinawk, misur takhanawk, olive takhanawk hoi kapop parai thingthai qumponawk doeh a toep o; zok kamhah ah a caak o moe, thawk o hruk; na lensawkhaih hoi na hoihhaih thungah anghoehaih hoiah kho a sak o.
Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.
26 Toe nihcae loe lok tahngai o ai, na nuiah misa angthawk o; na patuk ih loknawk to hnukbangah vah o moe, nang khaeah amlaem let han thuikung, tahmaanawk to a hum o; to tiah na nuiah panuet thok hmuen to nihcae mah sak o.
“But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.
27 To pongah angmacae ih misa ban ah nihcae to na paek moe, a misanawk mah nihcae to pacaeklthlaek o; toe raihaih tongh o moe, nang khaeah ang hangh o naah loe, nihcae hanghaih lok to van hoiah na thaih pae; angmacae misanawk ih ban thung hoi pahlong hanah, kalen parai tahmenhaih rang hoiah nihcae pahlongkung to na paek.
So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.
28 Toe monghaih hoi a oh o pacoengah loe, na hmaa ah kahoih ai hmuen to a sak o let; to pongah nihcae to uk hanah angmacae ih misa ban ah na paek; toe nang khaeah amlaem o moe, a hangh o let naah, van hoiah na thaih pae; nam lunghaih rang hoiah nihcae to vaihi hoi vaihi na pahlong.
“But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.
29 Na patuk ih lok pazui hanah na thuitaek cadoeh, nihcae loe amoek o moe, na paek ih loknawk to pazui o ai; patukhaih lok pazui kami loe hing tih, tiah kaom lok takroekhaih nuiah zaehaih a sak o; palung thah o moe, lok to a aek o, lok tahngai o ai.
“You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.
30 Saning paroeai thung nihcae nuiah palung na sawk moe, nangmah ih tahmaanawk khaeah kaom na Muithla hoiah na thuitaek cadoeh, nihcae mah tahngai o ai pongah, to ah kaom prae kaminawk ban ah na paek.
You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.
31 Toe kalen parai na tahmenhaih, amlunghaih, tahmenhaih hoi kakoi Sithaw ah na oh pongah, nihcae to nang hmaasak ai moe, na pahnet ai.
But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!
32 To pongah Aw kaicae ih Sithaw, Lensawk, thacak hoi zitthok Sithaw, palungnathaih hoi lokmaihaih pakuemkung, Assyria siangpahrang dung hoi kamtong vaihni ni khoek to, kaicae ih siangpahrangnawk, angraengnawk, qaimanawk, tahmaanawk, kam panawk hoi nangmah ih kaminawk boih nuiah kaom raihaihnawk boih to tiah doeh kaom ai hmuen tetta ah angcoengsak hmah.
“Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.
33 Kaicae nuiah nang phaksak ih hmuennawk boih loe toeng; ka zae o haih pongah, katoeng ah lok nang caek.
[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.
34 Kaicae ih siangpahrang, angraeng, qaima hoi kam panawk loe, nang ih kaalok to pazui o ai; na paek ih loknawk hoi na thuih ih loknawk, tiah doeh sah o ai.
Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.
35 Nihcae han paroeai lensawk na hoihhaih hoiah na paek ih kakawk parai ahmuen hoi kahoih prae ah kho a sak o naah doeh, nihcae mah na tok to sah o ai, kahoih ai loklam doeh caeh o taak ai.
Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.
36 Khenah, vaihi loe tamna ah ni ka oh o boeh, athaih to caak moe, athung ih kahoih hmuen to qawktoep hanah, kam panawk khaeah na paek ih prae thungah, misong ah ni ka oh o boeh.
“So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.
37 Ka zae o boeh pongah, ka tawnh o ih cangnawk loe, kaicae nuiah na suek ih siangpahrangnawk khaeah phak boih boeh; nihcae mah ang uk o moe, maitawnawk doeh angmacae koeh baktiah a sak o; kaicae loe palungsethaih hoiah ni ka oh o sut boeh, tiah a thuih.
Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.
38 Hae baktih kawng pongah, palung aduehaih casuk to ka sak o; to palung aduehaih casuk to kaicae zaehoikung, Levinawk hoi qaimanawk mah catui daengh o.
“However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”
