< Nehemiah 1 >
1 Hakaliah capa Nehemiah ol khaw kum kul Kislev hla vaengah om coeng. Te vaengah kai tah Shushan rhalmah im ah ka om.
The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. And it happened that, in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the capital city of Susa.
2 Te vaengah ka manuca rhoek khuikah pakhat Hanani ha pawk. Amah neh Judah lamkah hlang rhoek khaw om. Amih taengah tamna lamloh aka sueng rhalyong Judah kawng neh Jerusalem kawng te ka dawt.
And Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived, he and some men of Judah. And I questioned them about the Jews who had remained and were left behind from the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
3 Te vaengah paeng khuikah yoethae len khui neh kokhahnah khuiah tamna lamkah aka sueng, aka sueng rhoek loh kai taengah, “Jerusalem vongtung tim tih a vongka khaw hmai neh a hlup uh coeng,” a ti uh.
And they said to me: “Those who have remained and have been left behind from the captivity, there in the province, are in great affliction and in disgrace. And the wall of Jerusalem has been broken apart, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 He ol he ka yaak vaengah ka ngol tih ka rhap. Khohniyung ah ka nguekcoi neh ka om. Vaan Pathen mikhmuh ah ka yaeh tih ka thangthui.
And when I had heard this manner of words, I sat down, and I wept and mourned for many days. I fasted and prayed before the face of the God of heaven.
5 Te phoeiah, “Aw, vaan kah Pathen Yahweh, ka om Khohni, Pathen tah len tih rhih om pai. Amah aka lungnah taeng neh a olpaek aka ngaithuen taengah paipi neh sitlohnah a ngaithuen pah.
And I said: “I beg you, O Lord, God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love you and who keep your commandments:
6 Na sal kah thangthuinah te yaak hamla na hna khui tih na mik aka dai la om laeh. Kai he tihnin ah khaw na sal Israel ca ham khoyin khothaih na mikhmuh ah ka thangthui coeng. Namah taengah ka tholh uh bangla Israel ca kah tholhnah te kam phoe. Kamah neh a pa imkhui khaw ka tholh uh coeng.
may your ears be attentive, and may your eyes be open, so that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you today, night and day, for the sons of Israel, your servants. And I am confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, which they have sinned against you. We have sinned, I and my father’s house.
7 Na taengah laikoi la ka laikoi uh coeng tih na sal Moses taengah na uen olpaek neh oltlueh khaw, laitloeknah khaw ka ngaithuen uh pawh.
We have been seduced by vanity. And we have not kept your commandments and ceremonies and judgments, which you have instructed to your servant Moses.
8 Na sal Moses ol na uen tih, “Boe na koek uh dongah nangmih te pilnam lakli ah kan taekyak ni,” na ti nah te thoelh laeh.
Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse you among the nations.
9 Tedae kai taengla na mael uh tih ka olpaek he ngaithuen neh na vai atah vaan khobawt la nangmih aka heh te om cakhaw amih te te lamloh ka coi vetih ka ming om sak ham ka coelh hmuen la amih te pahoi ka khuen rhoe ka khuen ni,’ na ti.
But if you will return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, even if you will have been led away to the furthest reaches of the heavens, I will gather you from there, and I will lead you back to the place that I have chosen so that my name would dwell there.’
10 Amih te na sal neh na pilnam ni. Te rhoek te na len thadueng neh, na tlungluen kut neh na lat.
And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful hand.
11 Ka Boeipa aw, na sal rhoek kah thangthuinah taengah khaw na ming rhih ham aka omtoem na sal rhoek kah thangthuinah dongah na hna aka khui sak la om laeh. Tihnin kah na sal te khaw thaihtak sak laeh. Anih te hlang mikhmuh ah haidamnah neh pae,” ka ti. Te vaengah kai tah manghai taengah tuitul kung la ka om.
I beg you, O Lord, may your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who are willing to fear your name. And so, guide your servant today, and grant to him mercy before this man.” For I was the cupbearer of the king.