Nehemiah 1
1 [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].
O NA olelo a Nehemia ke keiki a Hakalia. I ka malama o Kiseleu, i ka iwakalua o ka makahiki, iloko no wau o Susana o ka pakaua;
2 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.
A hiki mai la o Hanani, kekahi o na hoahanau o'u, oia a mo kekahi mau kanaka o ka Iuda; a ninau aku au ia lakou no ka poe o ka Iuda i pakele, ka poe i koe i ka lawe pio ana, a no Ierusalema no hoi.
3 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.”
A i mai la lakou ia'u, O ka poe i haaleleia malaila, ma ka mokuna, ka poe i koe i ka lawe pio ana, iloko no lakou o ka popilikia nui a me ka hoinoia mai; a o ka pa o Ierusalema, ua hoohioloia, a o na panipuka no hoi ona, ua pau i ke ahi.
4 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.
A i ko'u lohe ana i keia mau mea, noho no au ilalo, a uwe iho la, a kaniuhu no hoi i kekahi mau la, e hoopololi ana a e pule ana hoi imua o ke Akua o ka lani,
5 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.
A i aku la, Ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e Iehova ke Akua o ka lani, ke Akua nui hooweliweli, e malama ana i ka berita a i ke aloha no ka poe i aloha aku ia ia a malama hoi i kana mau kauoha;
6 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.
E haliu mai no kou pepeiao, a e kaakaa kou mau maka i lohe oe i ka pule a kau kauwa, a'u e pule aku nei imua ou i keia la. i ke ao a me ka po, no na mamo a Iseraela, kau poe kauwa; e hai aku ana hoi i na hewa a na mamo a Iseraela a makou i hana hewa a aku ai ia oe; owau a me ko ka hale o ko'u makuakane, ua hana hewa no makou.
7 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.
Ua hana ino loa aku no makou ia oe, aole hoi i malama makou i na kauoha, a me na kanawai a me na olelo kupaa, au i kauoha mai ai ia Mose i kau kauwa.
8 “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]).
Ke noi aku nei au ia oe o hoomanao oe i ka olelo au i kauoha mai ai ia Mose i kau kauwa, i mai la, A hana hewa oukou, e hoopuehu aku no au ia oukou iwaena o na lahuikanaka;
9 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.’
Aka, ina huli mai oukou ia'u, a malama i ka'u mau kauoha, a hana hoi ia; alaila ina i kipakuia kekahi o oukou ma ka palena o ka lani, e houluulu au ia lakou malaila mai, a e lawe mai ia lakou ma kahi a'u i wae ai e waiho i ko'u inoa malaila.
10 “We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
A, o lakou la, o kau poe kauwa no a me kou poe kanaka, au i hoopakele ai me kou mana nui, a me kou lima ikaika.
11 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].
Ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e ka Haku e, e haliu mai kou pepeiao i ka pule a kau kauwa, a i ka pule a kau mau kauwa e makemake ana e makau i kou inoa; a e kokua mai oe i kau kauwa, i keia la, a haawi mai ia ia i ka lokomaikaiia mai imua o keia kanaka. No ka mea, owau ka mea lawe kiaha no ke alii.
