Ezra 9
1 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.
Zitachitika izi, atsogoleri anabwera kwa ine nati, “Aisraeli, kuphatikizanso ansembe ndi Alevi, sanadzipatule ku makhalidwe onyansa a anthu a mitundu ina amene ayandikana nafe: Akanaani, Ahiti, Aperezi, Ayebusi, Aamoni, Amowabu, Aigupto ndi Aamori.
2 [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.”
Zomwe zikuchitika ndi izi. Aisraeli ena ndi ana awo aamuna anayamba kukwatira ana aakazi a anthuwa. Choncho mtundu wopatulika wadzisokoneza ndi mitundu ya anthu a mʼderali. Ndipo atsogoleri ndi akuluakulu ndiwo akupambana pa makhalidwe osakhulupirikawa.”
3 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].
Nditamva zimenezi, ndinangʼamba chovala changa ndi mwinjiro wanga ndipo ndinamwetula tsitsi la kumutu kwanga ndi ndevu zanga nʼkukhala pansi ndili wokhumudwa.
4 [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].
Ndinakhala pansi chomwecho wokhumudwa mpaka nthawi ya nsembe ya madzulo. Ndipo onse amene ankaopa mawu a Mulungu wa Israeli chifukwa cha kusakhulupirika kwa anthu obwerako ku ukapolo anayamba kubwera kwa ine kudzasonkhana.
5 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,
Ndipo pa nthawi ya nsembe ya madzulo, ndinadzidzimuka mu mtima wanga wokhumudwa nʼkuyimirira, zovala zanga ndi mwinjiro wanga zikanali zongʼambika ndipo ndinagwada ndi kukweza manja anga kwa Yehova Mulungu wanga
6 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.
ndipo ndinapemphera kuti, “Inu Mulungu wanga, ndine wamanyazi ndi wachisoni moti sindingathe kukweza nkhope yanga kwa Inu Mulungu wanga, chifukwa machimo athu akwera kupambana mitu yathu, ndipo kulakwa kwathu kwafika ku thambo.
7 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.
Ndipo chifukwa cha machimo athu, ifeyo, mafumu athu, ndi ansembe athu takhala akutipereka mʼmanja mwa mafumu a mitundu ina ya anthu kuti atiphe pa nkhondo, atitenge ku ukapolo, atilande zinthu zathu ndi kutichititsa manyazi monga zilili leromu.
8 “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.
“Koma tsopano, pa kanthawi kochepa, Inu Yehova Mulungu wathu mwaonetsa kukoma mtima. Inu mwalola kuti ena mwa ife tipulumuke ku ukapolo ndi kutipatsa cholowa mʼmalo anu oyera. Mwatipulumutsa ku ukapolo ndi kutipatsa mpumulo pangʼono mu ukapolo wathu.
9 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.
Ndifedi akapolo. Koma Inu Yehova simunatileke mu ukapolo wathu. Mwationetsa chikondi chanu chosasinthika pamaso pa mafumu a ku Perisiya. Mwatitsitsimutsa kuti timange Nyumba yanu pokonzanso mabwinja ake. Mwatitchinjiriza mʼdziko la Yuda ndi Yerusalemu.
10 “Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
“Koma tsopano, Inu Mulungu wathu, kodi tinganene chiyani titachita zoyipa zonsezi? Ife taphwanya malamulo anu
11 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.
amene munawapereka kudzera mwa atumiki anu aneneri. Inu munati, ‘Dziko limene mukulowamolo kuti likhale cholowa chanu, ndi dziko lodetsedwa ndi zonyansa za mitundu ya mʼmayikomo. Ndipo adzaza dzikolo ndi zochita zawo zonyansa.
12 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.’
Nʼchifukwa chake, musapereke ana anu aakazi kuti akwatiwe ndi ana awo aamuna kapena kulola kuti ana awo aakazi akwatiwe ndi ana anu aamuna. Musagwirizane nawo, kapena kuchita nawo malonda kuti mukhale amphamvu ndi kudya zokoma za mʼdzikomo ndi kusiyira ana anu dzikoli ngati cholowa chawo mpaka kalekale.’
13 “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.
“Tsono pambuyo pa zonse zimene zatigwera chifukwa cha ntchito zathu zoyipa ndi uchimo wathu waukulu, komanso pambuyo poona kuti Inu Mulungu wathu simunangotilanga kokha pangʼono kuyerekeza ndi kuchimwa kwathu komanso mwalola kuti ena mwa ife tipulumuke,
14 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.
kodi ife nʼkuphwanyanso malamulo anu ndi kukwatirana ndi anthu amitundu ina amene amachita zonyansa zimenezi? Kodi simudzatikwiyira ndi kutiwononga kwathunthu popanda wina wotsala kapena wopulumuka?
15 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.”
Inu Yehova, Mulungu wa Israeli, ndinu wachifundo, pakuti ndife otsala amene tapulumuka monga mmene zilili lero lino. Ife tayima pamaso panu ngakhale tikudziwa kuchimwa kwathu pakuti palibe munthu amene angathe kuyima pamaso panu chifukwa cha machimo ake.”
