Nehemiah 9
1 Te hla kah hnin kul neh hnin li vaengah tah Israel ca rhoek yaehnah neh, tlamhni neh, tingtun uh tih a soah laipi a phuluh.
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 Te vaengah Israel kah tiingan tah kholong ca boeih taeng lamloh hoep uh tih pai uh. Amamih kah tholhnah neh a napa rhoek thaesainah te a phoe puei uh.
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 Amamih paihmuen ah pai uh tih a Pathen BOEIPA kah olkhueng cabu te hnin at ah voei li a tae uh. A tholhnah te voei li a phoe puei uh phoeiah a Pathen BOEIPA te a bawk uh.
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 Te vaengah Levi Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Buni, Sherbiah, Bani, Kenanih tah kham ah pai tih a Pathen BOEIPA te ol a len la a khue khue.
[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.
5 Te phoeiah Levi Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah loh, “Thoo uh, nangmih kah Pathen Yahweh te khosuen lamloh kumhal duela uum uh, namah kah thangpomnah ming tah a yoethen pai tih yoethennah neh koehnah cungkuem soah a pomsang pai.
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 Yahweh amah khaw namah ni. Nang namah bueng loh vaan phoeikah vaan khaw, vaan rhoek neh a caempuei boeih, diklai neh a so kah boeih, tuitunli neh a khuikah boeih te na saii. A cungkuem te na hing sak tih vaan caempuei khaw namah taengah bakop uh.
“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 Namah he Yahweh Pathen ni. Abram te na coelh. Anih te Khalden Ur lamloh na khuen tih a ming te Abraham la na khueh pah.
“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 A thinko loh na mikhmuh ah a uepom te na hmuh dongah Kanaan, Khitti, Amori, Perizzi, Jebusi, Girgashi khohmuen te paek hamla anih taengah paipi na saii. Na dueng dongah a tiingan taengah paek ham khaw na ol te na pai puei.
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 Egypt ah a pa rhoek kah phacipphabaem te na hmuh. Carhaek tuili ah amih kah a pang te khaw na yaak coeng.
“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 Miknoek neh kopoekrhai te Pharaoh taengah khaw, a sal boeih taengah khaw, a khohmuen pilnam boeih taengah khaw na tueng sak coeng. Amih taengah a lokhak te na ming dongah tahae khohnin duela namah ming ham na saii.
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 Tuitunli pataeng amih mikhmuh ah na phih tih tuitunli laklung lamloh laiphuei dongah kat uh. Tedae amih aka hloem rhoek te tui len khuiah lungto bangla a laedil la na voeih.
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 Amih te khothaih ah cingmai tung neh na mawt tih, khoyin ah amih te hmai tung neh na tue dongah a longpuei ah cet uh.
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 tlang ah na suntla tih amih te vaan lamloh na voek. Te vaengah amih te a thuem laitloeknah neh oltak olkhueng khaw, oltlueh neh a then olpaek te khaw 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 Namah kah cimcaihnah Sabbath te amih na ming sak tih olpaek, oltlueh neh olkhueng na sal Moses kut lamloh amih taengah na uen.
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 Amih kah khokha khuiah khaw amih te vaan lamkah buh na paek. A tuihalh khuiah amih te thaelpang khui lamkah tui na paek. Amih taengah khohmuen pang hamla kun ham khaw na thui pah. Te te amih taengah paek ham na kut na thueng coeng.
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 Tedae amih neh a pa rhoek te lokhak uh tih a rhawn te a mangkhak sakuh. Te dongah na olpaek te hnatun uh pawh.
“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.
17 Hnatun ham a aal uh tih namah kah khobaerhambae te poek uh pawh. Te te amih taengah na saii dae a rhawn mangkhak uh tih, a boekoek neh amamih pinyennah la mael ham boeilu a tuek uh. Tedae namah tah khodawkngainah, thinphoei neh lungvatnah, thintoek aka ueh, sitlohnah boei neh sitlohnah la na om dongah amih te na hnoo pawh.
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 Amamih ham mueihlawn vaitoca a saii uh vaengah pataeng khaw, “He tah Egypt lamloh nang aka khuen na pathen ni,” a ti uh dongah kokhahnah a len a saii uh.
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 Namah tah na haidamnah len tih amih tekhosoek ah hnoo pawh. Longpuei ah amih mawt hamla khothaih ah amih hmaikah cingmai tung kha a nong moenih. Hmai tung loh khoyin ah amih te a tue tih longpuei ah te pongpa uh.
“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 Amih cangbam hamla na Mueihla then te na paek. Na manna te amih ka lamloh na hloh moenih. Amih kah tuihalh vaengah khaw amih te tui na paek.
You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.
21 Amih te kum sawmli na cangbam tih khosoek ah a vawt uh moenih. A himbai khaw hmawn pawt tih a kho khaw phat uh pawh.
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 Amih te ram neh pilnam na paek tih a kaelcong lam khaw amih na phaeng. Te dongah Sihon khohmuen, Heshbon manghai khohmuen neh Bashan manghai Oga khohmuen te a pang uh.
“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 Amih koca rhoek te vaan kah aisi bangla na ping sak tih amih te khohmuen pakhat la na thak. Te te a napa rhoek taengah khaw kun sak ham neh pang sak ham na thui coeng.
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 A ca rhoek te kun uh tih khohmuen te a pang uh. Te vaengah amih mikhmuh ah khohmuen kah khosa Kanaan rhoek te na kunyun sak. Te rhoek te a manghai khaw, khohmuen pilnam khaw, a kolonah bangla a taengah saii ham amih kut 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 Te vaengah khopuei cakrhuet neh khohmuen laithen rhoek a loh uh. Thennah cungkuem aka bae im khaw, tuito a vueh tangtae, misurdum neh olive khaw, caak thing cungkuem la, a pang uh. A caak uh tih a cung uh phoeiah tah tha uh. Te dongah namah kah thennah neh muep hnae uh.
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 Te pataeng a koek tih nang te n'tloelh uh. Na olkhueng te a nam la a rhoe uh tih amih te namah taengla mael sak ham amih taengah aka laipai na tonghma rhoek te a ngawn uh phoeiah kokhahnah muep a saii uh.
“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 Te dongah amih te a rhal kut ah na paek tih amih te a daengdaeh uh. Tedae amih kah citcai tue ah tah namah taengah pang uh tih namah loh vaan lamkah na yaak. Te cakhaw na haidamnah a len neh amih te khangnah na paek tih amih te a rhal kut lamloh na khang.
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 Te phoeiah amih te na mikhmuh ah boethae saii ham a muel la mael uh. Te dongah amih te a thunkha kut dongla na hnoo tih amih te a taemrhai uh. Te vaengah mael uh tih namah taengah a pang uh hatah namah loh vaan lamkah na yaak. A tue te yet khuiah amih te na haidamnah neh na huul.
“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 Amih te na olkhueng dongla mael sak ham a taengah na rhalrhing sak. Tedae a lokhak uh dongah na olpaek neh na laitloeknah te hnatun uh pawh. Amih taengkah a tholh uh te hlang loh a vai tih amih taengah nunan a hing pah. Te vaengah laengpang a duen uh tih boe a koek uh dongah a rhawn mangkhak neh ol hnatun uh pawh.
“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 Amih te kum a sen na dangrhoek tih amih taengah na Mueihla neh na tonghma rhoek kut lamloh na rhalrhing dae hnakaeng uh pawh. Te dongah amih te diklai pilnam kut 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 Tedae na haidamnah a len dongah amih te a bawtnah hil na saii moenih. Namah te lungvatnah neh thinphoei Pathen la na om dongah amih te na hnoo moenih.
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 Te dongah kaimih kah Pathen tah boeilen hlangrhalh neh rhih om Pathen pawn ni. Paipi neh sitlohnah khaw a ngaithuen. Bongboepnah cungkuem he na mikhmuh ah a mailai moenih. Te te kaimih soah, kaimih kah manghai rhoek soah, kaimih kah mangpa soah, kaimih kah khosoih rhoek soah, kaimih kah tonghma rhoek soah, a pa rhoek soah, na pilnam boeih soah khaw Assyria manghai tue lamloh tahae khohnin duela ha tueng.
“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 Kaimih taengla aka thoeng boeih soah khaw namah na dueng bal pueng. Oltak la na saii dongah ka boe uh coeng.
[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.
34 Ka manghai rhoek, ka mangpa rhoek, ka khosoih rhoek neh a pa rhoek long khaw na olkhueng te vai uh pawh. Amih taengah na rhalrhing sak bangla na olpaek taeng neh na olphong taengah khaw a hnatung uh moenih.
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 Amih te a ram khuiah khaw na thennah neh a taengah muep na paek. Khohmuen ah hubung neh lothen te amih mikhmuh ah na paek dae na taengah thothueng uh pawt tih a khoboe thae lamloh mael uh pawh.
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 Kaimih tah tihnin ah sal la ka poeh uh coeng he. Khohmuen te khaw a thennah neh a thaih caak hamla a pa rhoek taengah na paek coeng dae kaimih tah a khuiah sal la ka om coeng he.
“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 tholh uh dongah kaimih soah na khueh manghai rhoek ham tah a cangvuei khaw a bom pah. Te vaengah kaimih pum soah a taemrhai tih ka rhamsa soah a kolonah bangla a saiiuh. Te dongah citcai neh muep ka omuh.
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 He boeih ham khaw kaimih loh olkamnah ka saii uh tih ka daek uh. Te vaengah kaimih kah mangpa rhoek, Levi rhoek neh khosoih rhoek taengah catui ka hnahuh.
“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.”
