Nehemias 9

1 Men paa den fire og tyvende Dag i samme Maaned samledes Israeliterne under Faste og i Sørgedragt med Jord paa Hovedet;

Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, with sackcloth, and dirt on them.

2 og de, der var af Israels Slægt, skilte sig ud fra alle fremmede og traadte frem og bekendte deres Synder og deres Fædres Misgerninger.

The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Saa rejste de sig paa deres Plads, og der blev læst op af Bogen med HERREN deres Guds Lov i en Fjerdedel af Dagen, og i en anden Fjerdedel bekendte de deres Synder og tilbad HERREN deres Gud.

They stood up in their place, and read in the scroll of the Torah of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and a fourth part they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God.

4 Og Jesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sjebanja, Bunni, Sjerebja, Bani og Kenani traadte op paa Leviternes Forhøjning og raabte med høj Røst til HERREN deres Gud;

Then Yeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani of the Levites stood up on the stairs, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 og Leviterne Jesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasjabneja, Sjerebja, Hodija, Sjebanja og Petaja sagde: »Staa op og lov HERREN eders Gud fra Evighed til Evighed!« Da lovede de hans herlige Navn, som er ophøjet over al Lov og Pris.

Then the Levites, Yeshua, and 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, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 Derpaa sagde Ezra: »Du, HERRE, er den eneste; du har skabt Himmelen, Himlenes Himle med al deres Hær, Jorden med alt, hvad der er paa den, Havene med alt, hvad der er i dem; du giver dem alle Liv, og Himmelens Hær tilbeder dig.

You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.

7 Du er Gud HERREN, der udvalgte Abram og førte ham bort fra Ur-Kasdim og gav ham Navnet Abraham;

You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur-Kasdim, gave him the name of Abraham,

8 og du fandt hans Hjerte fast i Troen for dit Aasyn og sluttede Pagt med ham om at give hans Afkom Kana'anæernes, Hetiternes, Amoriternes, Perizziternes, Jebusiternes og Girgasjiternes Land; og du holdt dit Ord; thi du er retfærdig.

found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his offspring, and have performed your words, for you are righteous.

9 Og da du saa vore Fædres Nød i Ægypten og hørte deres Raab ved det røde Hav,

“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Sea of Suf,

10 udførte du Tegn og Undere paa Farao og alle hans Tjenere og alt Folket i hans Land, fordi du vidste, at de havde handlet overmodigt med dem. Og saaledes skabte du dig et Navn, som du har den Dag i Dag.

and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.

11 Du kløvede Havet for deres Øjne, saa de vandrede midt igennem Havet paa tør Bund, og dem, der forfulgte dem, styrtede du i Dybet som Sten i vældige Vande.

You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

12 I en Skystøtte førte du dem om Dagen og i en Ildstøtte om Natten, saa den lyste for dem paa Vejen, de skulde vandre.

Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

13 Du steg ned paa Sinaj Bjerg, du talede med dem fra Himmelen og gav dem retfærdige Lovbud og tilforladelige Love, gode Anordninger og Bud.

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

14 Du kundgjorde dem din hellige Sabbat og paalagde dem Bud, Anordninger og Love ved din Tjener Moses.

and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant,

15 Du gav dem Brød fra Himmelen til at stille deres Sult og lod Vand springe ud af Klippen til at slukke deres Tørst. Og du bød dem drage hen og tage det Land i Besiddelse, som du med løftet Haand havde lovet dem.

and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.

16 Men vore Fædre blev overmodige og halsstarrige og hørte ikke paa dine Bud;

“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments,

17 de vægrede sig ved at lyde og ihukom ikke dine Undergerninger, som du havde gjort iblandt dem; de blev halsstarrige og satte sig i Hovedet at vende tilbage til Trældommen i Ægypten. Men du er Forladelsens Gud, naadig og barmhjertig, langmodig og rig paa Miskundhed, og du svigtede dem ikke.

and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did amongst them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.

18 Selv da de lavede sig et støbt Billede af en Kalv og sagde: Der er din Gud, som førte dig ud af Ægypten! og gjorde sig skyldige i svare Gudsbespottelser,

Yes, when they had made themselves a moulded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies,

19 svigtede du dem i din store Barmhjertighed ikke i Ørkenen; Skystøtten veg ikke fra dem om Dagen, men ledede dem paa Vejen, ej heller Ildstøtten om Natten, men lyste for dem paa Vejen, de skulde vandre.

yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

20 Du gav dem din gode Aand for at give dem Indsigt og forholdt ikke deres Mund din Manna, og du gav dem Vand til at slukke deres Tørst.

You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.

21 I fyrretyve Aar sørgede du for dem i Ørkenen, saa de ingen Nød led; deres Klæder sledes ikke op, og deres Fødder hovnede ikke.

“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.

22 Du gav dem Riger og Folkeslag; som du uddelte Stykke for Stykke. De tog Kong Sihon af Hesjbons Land og Kong Og af Basans Land i Besiddelse.

Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

23 Du gjorde deres Børn talrige som Himmelens Stjerner og førte dem ind i det Land, du havde lovet deres Fædre, at de skulde komme ind i og tage i Besiddelse;

You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said to their fathers that they should go in to possess it.

24 og Børnene kom og tog Landet i Besiddelse, og du underlagde dem Landets Indbyggere, Kana'anæerne, og gav dem i deres Haand, baade deres Konger og Folkene i Landet, saa de kunde handle med dem, som de fandt for godt.

“So the children went in and possessed the land; and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased.

25 De indtog befæstede Byer og frugtbart Land, og Huse, fulde af alle Slags Goder, tog de i Besiddelse og udhugne Cisterner, Vingaarde, Oliventræer og Frugttræer i Mængde; og de spiste sig mætte og blev fede og gjorde sig til gode med dine store Rigdomme.

They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

26 Men de var genstridige og satte sig op imod dig; de kastede din Lov bag deres Ryg, dræbte dine Profeter, som talte dem alvorligt til for at lede dem tilbage til dig, og gjorde sig skyldige i svare Gudsbespottelser.

“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.

27 Da gav du dem i deres Fjenders Haand, og de bragte Trængsel over dem. Men naar de da i deres Trængsel raabte til dig, hørte du dem i Himmelen og sendte dem i din store Barmhjertighed Befriere, som friede dem af deres Fjenders Haand.

Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviours who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries.

28 Men naar de fik Ro, handlede de atter ilde for dit Aasyn. Da overlod du dem i deres Fjenders Haand, og de undertvang dem. Men naar de atter raabte til dig, hørte du dem i Himmelen og udfriede dem i din Barmhjertighed Gang paa Gang.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,

29 Du talede dem alvorligt til for at lede dem tilbage til din Lov, men de var overmodige og vilde ikke høre paa dine Bud, og de syndede mod dine Lovbud, som dog holder det Menneske i Live, der gør efter dem; de vendte i Genstridighed Ryggen til og var halsstarrige og vilde ikke lyde.

and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.

30 I mange Aar var du langmodig imod dem og talede dem alvorligt til ved din Aand gennem dine Profeter; men da de ikke vilde høre, gav du dem til Pris for Hedningefolkene.

Yet many years you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

31 Dog har du i din store Barmhjertighed ikke helt tilintetgjort dem eller forladt dem, thi du er en naadig og barmhjertig Gud!

“Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you didn’t make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.

32 Og nu, vor Gud, du store, vældige, frygtelige Gud, som holder fast ved Pagten og Miskundheden! Lad ikke alle de Lidelser, der har ramt os, vore Konger, Øverster, Præster, Profeter, vore Fædre og hele dit Folk fra Assyrerkongernes Dage indtil i Dag, synes ringe for dine Øjne!

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

33 I alt, hvad der er kommet over os, staar du retfærdig, thi du har vist dig trofast, men vi var ugudelige.

However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.

34 Vore Konger, Øverster og Præster og vore Fædre handlede ikke efter din Lov og lyttede ikke til dine Bud og de Vidnesbyrd, du lod dem blive til Del.

Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them.

35 Da de var i Besiddelse af deres Rige og de store Rigdomme, du gav dem, og af det vidtstrakte, frugtbare Land, du oplod for dem, tjente de dig ikke, og de omvendte sig ikke fra deres onde Gerninger.

For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They didn’t turn from their wicked works.

36 Se, derfor er vi nu Trælle; i det Land, du gav vore Fædre, for at de skulde nyde dets Frugter og Rigdom, er vi Trælle;

“Behold, we are servants today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, behold, we are servants in it.

37 dets rige Afgrøde tilfalder de Konger, du for vore Synders Skyld har øvet Magten over os, og de gør, hvad de lyster, med vore Kroppe og vort Kvæg. Vi er i stor Nød!«

It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

38 I Henhold til alt dette indgaar vi med Navns Underskrift en urokkelig Pagt, og den beseglede Skrivelse er underskrevet af vore Øverster, Leviter og Præster.

Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”