Ezra 9
1 Bangʼ ka magi duto nosetim, jotelo nobiro ira kendo owacho niya, “Jo-Israel kaachiel gi jodolo kod jo-Lawi, ok osethegore gi joma ne gikiewogo kuom yoregi mamono, kaka mago mag jo-Kanaan, jo-Hiti, jo-Perizi, jo-Jebus, jo-Amon, jo-Moab, jo-Misri kod jo-Amor.
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 Gisekawo nyi joma ok jo-Yahudi, makoro odak e pinygi, kendo yawuotgi bende gisekendonegi nyi jogo. Kamano, oganda maler mar Nyasaye osedwanyore gi joma ok jo-Yahudi. To jotelo gi jodongo ema osebedo joketho moloyoe jomoko.”
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 Kane awinjo wachno, ne ayiecho kandhona kod lepa, apudho yie wiya kod yie tika mi abedo piny ka an-gi bwok malich.
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 Eka jogo duto mane oluoro wach Nyasach Israel nochokore buta nikech gima rach mane joma odwogo koa e twech Babulon otimo. Kendo ne abedo kanyo ka an-gi bwok malich nyaka ochopo sa misango mar odhiambo.
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 Kane ochopo sa misango mar odhiambo, ne achungo aa kama ne abetie, gi kandhona kod lepa koyiech, mi apodho gi chonga ka atingʼo bedena malo ne Jehova Nyasaye Nyasacha.
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 Kendo ne alemo kama: “Nyasacha, an-gi wichkuot malich kod kuyo ma ok anyal tingʼo wangʼa malo kangʼiyi, nikech richowa boyo moyombo wiyewa kendo kethowa osechopo e polo.
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 Koa e ndalo mar kwerewa nyaka chil kawuono, wasebedo joketho ahinya. Nikech richo ma wasetimo, ruodhi mag pinje mamoko osenegowa kaachiel gi ruodhiwa kod jodolo mag-wa kendo giseterowa e twech kendo yako gigewa, mi wasebedo gi wichkuot maduongʼ nyaka chil kawuono.
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 “To koro sani, kuom kinde matin, Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachwa osebedo jangʼwono moweyonwa joma otony kendo omiyowa kama wanyalo dakie e kari maler mar lemo. Isedwogo chunywa, kendo iweyonwa thuolo mondo dendwa oduogi e twech ma wantiereni.
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 Kata bed ni wan wasumbini kamano, to Nyasachwa pod ok ojwangʼowa e twech marwa. Osemiyowa ngʼwonone e nyim wangʼ ruodhi mag Pasia: Osemiyowa ngima manyien mondo oger manyien od Nyasachwa, to bende wager kuonde momukore, kendo osebedonwa kaka ohinga molworo Juda kod Jerusalem.
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 “To sani, yaye Nyasachwa, en angʼo ma wanyalo wacho bangʼ ma? Nimar ok waseluoro chike
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 mane imiyowa kokalo kuom jotichni ma jonabi, kiwacho ni, ‘Piny ma udonje mondo ukaw en piny mopongʼ gi anjawo mag joge. Kuom timbegi mamono gisepongʼo pinyni gi chido margi koa giko koni nyaka giko kocha.
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 Emomiyo, kik uchiw nyiu mondo kend gi yawuotgi, kata kawo nyigi ne yawuotu. Kik ubed gi singruok mar osiep kodgi sa moro amora, mondo omi ubed motegno kendo ucham gik mabeyo mag pinyni kendo uweye ne nyithindu kaka girkeni manyaka chiengʼ.’
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 “Gima osetimorenwa en nikech timbewa mamono kod kethowa ma ok odhi kare, to kata kamano, Nyasachwa, ne ok ikumowa moromore gi richowago, to niweyo jowa otony, mi wabedo thuolo kaka koroni.
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 Bende dwachak waketh chikegi kendo wanywomre gi joma timo timbe mamono kama? Donge iyi diwangʼ kodwa matek madimi itiekwa, maonge ngʼama ditony kata achiel?
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Yaye Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Israel, in ja-ratiro! Owewa odiechiengni kaka joma otony. Eri wan e nyimi kaka joricho ma bura oloyo, kendo nikech richowago, onge ngʼato kuomwa manyalo chungo e nyimi.”
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
