Nehemia 1
1 Magi e weche Nehemia wuod Hakalia: E dwe mar Kislev e higa mar piero ariyo, kane pod antiere kama ochiel gi ohinga motegno mar Susa,
[I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].
2 Hanani, ma en achiel kuom owetena, nobiro koa Juda kaachiel gi joma moko, kendo ne apenjogi kuom jo-Yahudi mane otony, bende ne apenjogi kuom Jerusalem.
My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] Jerusalem.
3 Ne giwachona niya, “Jogo mane otony oa e twech kendo modwogo e gwengʼni nigi chandruok malich to gi wichkuot. Ohinga mar Jerusalem osemukore kendo dhorangeyege osewangʼ gi mach.”
They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”
4 Kane awinjo wechegi, to ne abet piny mi aywak. Kuom ndalo manok nakuyo kendo natweyo chiemo kalamo e nyim Nyasach polo.
When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in heaven.
5 Bangʼe ne alemo kama: “Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Polo, in Nyasaye maduongʼ kendo malich miwuoro, marito singruok mare mar hera gi jogo mohere kendo morito chikene.
I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.
6 Yie ichik iti kendo iyaw wangʼi mondo iwinj lemo ma jatichni lamo odiechiengʼ gotieno ne jotichni, ma gin jo-Israel. Ahulo richowa ma wan jo-Israel, kaachiel gi an kod od wuora wasetimoni;
Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.
7 waseketho e nyimi adier kendo ok waseluoro chike kod puonj mane imiyo jatichni Musa.
We have acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.
8 “Parie puonj mane imiyo jatichni Musa, kiwacho ni, ‘Ka ok ubedo jo-ratiro, to abiro keyou e dier ogendini,
“But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).
9 to ka udwogo ira kendo urito chikena, to kata obedo ni jou oke e tungʼ piny ka tungʼ piny, abiro chokogi ka agologi kuondego mi akelgi kama aseyiero kaka kar dak mar Nyinga.’
But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’
10 “Gin jotichgi kendo jogi, mane ireso gi tekoni maduongʼ kod badi maratego.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Yaye, Ruoth Nyasaye, mad ichik iti ne lamo mar jatichnini kendo bende ni lamo mag jotichni man-gi ilo mar miyo nyingi luor. Mi jatichni odhi maber ka inyise ngʼwono e nyim ngʼatni.” Ne an jatingʼ divai mar ruoth.
Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].
