Nehemiah 9

1 And on the twenty and fourth day of this month were the children of Israel assembled with fasting, and in sackclothes, and with earth upon them.

Pada hari kedua puluh empat, masih di bulan ketujuh, seluruh rakyat Israel berkumpul untuk mengaku dosa. Mereka berpuasa, memakai kain karung, dan menaruh abu di atas kepala sebagai tanda berkabung karena dosa mereka sendiri. Mereka sudah memisahkan diri dari semua orang yang bukan bangsa Israel. Mereka berdoa mengakui dosa-dosa dan kesalahan-kesalahan mereka maupun nenek moyang mereka.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all children of the strangers: and they stood forward and made confession for their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their standing-place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God the fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they made confession, and prostrated themselves before the Lord their God.

Selama tiga jam, kitab Taurat dibacakan kepada mereka, dan selama tiga jam berikutnya mereka mengaku dosa di hadapan TUHAN sambil bersujud menyembah Dia.

4 Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua' and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebanyah, Bunni, Sherebyah, Bani, and Kenani, and they cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God.

Sekelompok orang Lewi— yaitu Yesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebanya, Buni, Serebya, Bani, dan Kenani— berdiri di panggung. Mereka memanjatkan doa dengan nyaring kepada TUHAN Allah.

5 Then said the Levites, Jeshua', and Kadmiel, Bani, Chashabneyah, Sherebyah, Hodiyah, Shebanyah, and Pethachyah, Arise! bless ye the Lord your God from eternity to eternity. And let men bless thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Selanjutnya, Yesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabneya, Serebya, Hodia, Sebanya, dan Petahya berkata, “Berdirilah dan pujilah TUHAN Allahmu yang hidup selama-lamanya!” Lalu mereka berdoa, “Ya, Allah yang mulia, biarlah Engkau dipuji dan diagungkan dengan segala hormat!

6 Thou indeed art the Eternal One alone: It is thou that hast made the heavens with all their host, the earth, and all that is upon her, the seas, and all that is in them, and thou givest life to them all; and the host of the heavens bow down before thee.

Ya Allah, Engkaulah TUHAN yang Mahaesa. Engkau yang menciptakan seluruh tingkat surga dan langit, bumi dan segala isinya, serta lautan dan semua yang ada di dalamnya. Engkau yang memberi kehidupan bagi segala makhluk. Pasukan malaikat surgawi pun bersujud menyembah-Mu.

7 Thou art indeed the Lord the [true] God, who didst choose Abram, and bring him forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and change his name to Abraham;

Engkaulah TUHAN Allah yang sudah memilih Abram. Engkau membawa dia keluar dari Ur di wilayah Babel dan mengubah namanya menjadi Abraham.

8 And thou didst find his heart faithful before thee: and thou madest with him the covenant to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Emorites, and the Perizittes, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashite—to give it to his seed: and thou hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.

Engkau mengetahui bahwa dia setia kepada-Mu, maka Engkau mengadakan perjanjian dengannya untuk memberikan negeri yang didiami bangsa Kanaan, Het, Amori, Feris, Yebus, dan Girgasi kepada anak cucunya. Engkau sudah menepati janji-Mu itu, karena Engkau adil dan setia.

9 And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry didst thou hear by the Red Sea;

Engkau melihat penderitaan nenek moyang kami di negeri Mesir dan mendengar jeritan mereka minta tolong di tepi Laut Merah.

10 And thou didst display signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they had dealt presumptuously against them; and thou didst [thus] make thyself a name, as it is this day.

Maka Engkau melakukan perbuatan dahsyat dan membuat keajaiban melawan raja Mesir, para pejabatnya, dan seluruh rakyatnya, sebab Engkau tahu betapa kejamnya mereka terhadap nenek moyang kami. Karena perbuatan ajaib-Mu itu, Engkau ditakuti bangsa-bangsa sampai sekarang.

11 And the sea didst thou divide before them, so that they passed through the midst of the sea on dry land; and their pursuers didst thou throw into the deeps, like a stone in mighty waters.

Engkau membelah Laut Merah di hadapan nenek moyang kami sehingga mereka bisa menyeberang melalui tanah yang kering. Ke dalam laut Engkau menenggelamkan pasukan Mesir yang mengejar mereka, bagaikan batu dilempar ke dasar lautan yang bergelora.

12 And by a pillar of cloud didst thou lead them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night, to give light unto them on the way whereon they should go.

Di padang belantara, Engkau menuntun mereka dengan tiang awan pada siang hari, dan pada waktu malam, Engkau menerangi jalan mereka dengan tiang berapi.

13 Also on mount Sinai camest thou down, and spokest with them from heaven; and thou gavest them upright ordinances, and truthful laws, good statutes and commandments;

Dari surga Engkau turun ke atas gunung Sinai dan berbicara kepada mereka. Engkau memberi mereka peraturan-peraturan dan ketetapan-ketetapan yang adil serta hukum-hukum dan perintah-perintah yang baik.

14 And thy holy sabbath madest thou known unto them, and commandments, statutes, and a law didst thou enjoin on them, by the hand of Moses thy servant.

Melalui hamba-Mu Musa, Engkau mengajar mereka untuk menjaga kesucian hari Sabat-Mu dan memberikan berbagai perintah, ketetapan, serta hukum kepada mereka.

15 And bread from heaven didst thou give them for their hunger, and water out of the rock broughtest thou forth for them for their thirst; and thou didst order them to go in to take possession of the land concerning which thou hadst lifted up thy hand to give it unto them.

Ketika umat-Mu lapar, Engkau menyediakan roti surgawi yang disebut manna. Ketika mereka haus, Engkau mengeluarkan air dari sebuah batu. Engkau memerintahkan mereka untuk merebut dan menduduki negeri yang sudah Engkau janjikan kepada mereka.

16 And they and our fathers acted presumptuously, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments.

Tetapi nenek moyang kami sombong. Mereka keras kepala dan tidak menaati perintah-perintah-Mu.

17 And they refused to obey, and remembered not thy marvelous deeds which thou hadst done with them; but they hardened their neck, and [spoke of] appointing a chief to return to their bondage, in their rebellion; but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and forsookest them not.

Mereka menolak untuk taat. Mereka lupa hal-hal ajaib yang sudah Engkau lakukan di hadapan mereka. Karena keras kepala, mereka malah ingin mengangkat seorang pemimpin untuk membawa mereka kembali ke dalam perbudakan di Mesir. Tetapi Engkau Allah yang maha pengampun. Engkau murah hati, penuh belas kasih, panjang sabar, dan setia. Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka.

18 Yea, although they had made for themselves a molten calf, and said, 'This is thy god that hath brought thee up out of Egypt,' and had practised great provocations:

Nenek moyang kami membuat berhala berbentuk anak sapi. Kata mereka, ‘Inilah dewa kita yang sudah membawa kita keluar dari Mesir.’ Mereka berulang kali menghina Engkau dengan perbuatan yang keterlaluan seperti itu.

19 Yet in thy abundant mercies didst thou not forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them on the way; nor the pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way whereon they should go.

“Namun, Engkau TUHAN yang maha pengasih! Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka di padang belantara. Tiang awan-Mu tetap menuntun mereka pada waktu siang dan tiang berapi tetap menerangi jalan mereka di kala malam.

20 And thy good spirit thou gavest to make them intelligent, and thy manna thou withheldest not from their mouth, and water thou gavest them for their thirst.

Roh-Mu memberikan kuasa kepada Musa untuk mengajar mereka dengan lemah lembut. Engkau tetap menurunkan manna untuk mereka makan dan menyediakan air ketika mereka haus.

21 And forty years didst thou provide for them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out; and their feet swelled not.

Selama empat puluh tahun di padang belantara Engkau memelihara mereka. Pakaian mereka tidak menjadi usang dan kaki mereka tidak pernah menjadi bengkak.

22 Thou gavest them also kingdoms and nations, which thou didst divide into various corners: and they took possession of the land of Sichon, even the land of the king of Cheshbon, and the land of 'Og the king of Bashan.

Engkau menolong mereka mengalahkan banyak kerajaan dan bangsa, lalu Engkau membagi-bagikan negeri Kanaan kepada suku-suku umat-Mu. Mereka mengambil alih seluruh wilayah Raja Sihon dari Hesbon dan Raja Og dari Basan.

23 And their children didst thou multiply like the stars of heaven, and then broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst ordered their fathers to enter in to take possession of it.

Engkau membuat anak cucu mereka sebanyak bintang-bintang di langit, dan menuntun mereka memasuki negeri yang sudah Engkau janjikan kepada nenek moyang mereka.

24 And the children entered in and took possession of the land; and thou didst humble before them the inhabitants of the land, the Cana'anites, and gavest them up into their hands, with their kings, and the nations of the land, that they might do with them according to their pleasure.

Saat umat-Mu masuk untuk menguasai, Engkau menolong mereka menaklukkan bangsa Kanaan, penduduk negeri ini. Engkau menyerahkan raja-raja dan rakyat mereka, sehingga nenek moyang kami berkuasa penuh atas mereka.

25 And they captured fortified cities, and a fat soil; and they took possession of houses full of all good things, hewn-out wells, vineyards, and olive-yards, and fruit trees in abundance; and they ate, and were satisfied, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

Bangsa Israel merebut kota-kota berbenteng dan tanah yang subur. Mereka merampas rumah-rumah yang penuh dengan berbagai harta, sumur-sumur yang sudah digali, kebun-kebun anggur dan zaitun yang sudah ditanami, juga pohon buah-buahan yang berlimpah. Mereka makan sampai kenyang dan menjadi gemuk. Bangsa Israel hidup senang karena kebaikan-Mu.

26 Then became they disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and they slew thy prophets who had warned them to bring them back unto thee, and they practised great provocations.

Tetapi kemudian mereka menjadi tidak taat kepada-Mu dan memberontak melawan Engkau. Mereka mengabaikan Hukum-Mu, dan membunuh para nabi-Mu yang memperingatkan mereka untuk kembali kepada-Mu. Mereka terus menghina Engkau dengan berbagai perbuatan yang sangat keterlaluan.

27 Thereupon thou gavest them up into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them: and in the time of their distress they used to cry unto thee, and thou ever heardest them from heaven; and according to thy abundant mercies thou wast wont to give them helpers, who helped them out of the hand of their adversaries.

Oleh sebab itu, Engkau menyerahkan umat-Mu kepada musuh-musuh yang menindas mereka. Di saat menderita, mereka berseru kepada-Mu minta tolong. Dari surga Engkau mendengar jeritan mereka, dan satu demi satu Engkau mengutus para hakim untuk menyelamatkan mereka, sebab Engkau penuh belas kasihan.

28 But when [once more] they had rest, they did again evil before thee: wherefore thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; and when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou wast wont to hear them from heaven, and thou didst ever deliver them according to thy mercies many times.

Namun, saat keadaan tenteram mereka kembali berdosa kepada-Mu. Maka Engkau membiarkan musuh-musuh menindas mereka. Ketika mereka berseru minta tolong lagi, Engkau mendengarkan mereka dari surga. Berulang kali Engkau tetap menyelamatkan mereka, sebab Engkau sungguh penuh belas kasihan.

29 And thou gavest them warning to bring them back unto thy law: yet they acted presumptuously, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, and sinned against thy ordinances, which a man is to do that he may live through them: and they rendered their shoulder rebellious, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

Engkau memberi peringatan kepada mereka untuk kembali pada hukum-Mu, tetapi mereka sombong dan tidak mau menaati perintah-perintah-Mu. Padahal, jika seseorang menaati perintah-perintah-Mu, dia akan hidup sejahtera, tetapi mereka terus saja berdosa, keras kepala, suka memberontak, dan menutup telinga terhadap Engkau.

30 Yet thou gavest them indulgence many years, and didst warn them through thy spirit by means of thy prophets; but they gave no ear: therefore didst thou give them up into the hand of the nations of the lands.

Selama bertahun-tahun, Engkau tetap sabar. Roh-Mu memberikan kuasa kepada para nabi untuk mengajar dan memperingatkan mereka, tetapi mereka tetap tidak mau taat. Maka Engkau membiarkan mereka dikalahkan oleh pasukan bangsa-bangsa di sekeliling mereka.

31 Yet in thy abundant mercies hast thou not made an entire end of them, and thou hast not forsaken them; for a gracious and merciful God art thou.

Walaupun begitu, Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka ataupun memusnahkan mereka seluruhnya, karena Engkau murah hati dan penuh belas kasihan.

32 And now, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest the covenant and kindness, let not be esteemed as little before thee all the hardship that hath befallen us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

Oleh sebab itu, ya Allah, Engkau yang sangat mengagumkan karena Engkau mahabesar, mahakuasa, dan selalu setia pada perjanjian-Mu, janganlah abaikan semua penderitaan yang sudah kami alami, baik para raja, imam, nabi, nenek moyang, maupun seluruh rakyat kami. Kami sudah tertindas sejak zaman raja Asyur sampai hari ini.

33 Nevertheless thou art righteous in all that is come over us; for thou hast acted [according to] truth, but we have done wickedly.

Semua hukuman yang sudah menimpa kami adalah wujud keadilan-Mu. Kami memang layak dihukum, karena kami sudah melakukan banyak kesalahan terhadap Engkau yang selalu setia.

34 Also our kings, our priests, and our fathers have not executed thy law, and have not listened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst warn them.

Para raja, pejabat, imam, dan nenek moyang kami tidak menaati hukum-hukum-Mu. Mereka tidak menghiraukan perintah-perintah dan peringatan-peringatan-Mu.

35 But they in their kingdom, and in thy abundant goodness which thou hadst given unto them, and in the ample and fat land which thou hadst given up before them, did indeed not serve thee, and they turned not away from their wicked deeds.

Mendekati waktu pembuangan umat Israel ke negeri Babel, saat mereka masih menikmati berbagai berkat yang Engkau limpahkan di negeri yang subur dan luas ini, mereka tidak melayani Engkau dan tidak berpaling dari perbuatan jahat mereka.

36 Behold, we are this day servants: and as regardeth the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat its fruit and its good things, behold, we are servants in it;

Lihatlah, ya Allah, negeri yang sudah Engkau berikan kepada nenek moyang kami sekarang dijajah bangsa lain. Di tanah kami sendiri, yang seharusnya kami nikmati, kami justru menjadi budak!

37 And it yieldeth its products in abundance for the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins; also over our bodies have they dominion, and over our cattle [also] at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

Hasil panen dan ternak kami menjadi milik para raja yang sudah Engkau tempatkan untuk menguasai kami. Bahkan kehidupan kami pun dikendalikan mereka! Ya, akibat dosa kami sendiri, sekarang kami sangat menderita.”

38 And because of all this, we make a faithful covenant, and write it down; and on the sealed document are our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

Berdasarkan doa pengakuan dosa itu, kami membuat sebuah perjanjian tertulis, yang disahkan dengan stempel oleh para pemimpin, orang-orang Lewi, dan imam-imam.