Nehemiah 9
1 On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].
Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane aleyonyanga, ama-Israyeli ahlangana ndawonye, azila ukudla egqoke amasaka njalo bezithele uthuli emakhanda abo.
2 The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.
Labo ababengabako-Israyeli ngomdabuko bazehlukanisa kwabezizwe. Bema ezindaweni zabo bavuma izono zabo lobubi babokhokho babo.
3 The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.
Bema khonapho ababekhona babala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaThixo uNkulunkulu wabo okwengxenye yesine yosuku, kwathi enye ingxenye yesine babevuma izono zabo njalo bekhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.
4 [Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.
Ethaleni kwakumi abaLevi, uJeshuwa, loBhani, loKhadimiyeli, loShebhaniya, loBhuni, loSherebhiya, loBhani loKhenani, abamemeza baqongisa amazwi kuThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.
5 Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!
Njalo abaLevi ababalisa uJeshuwa, loKhadimiyeli, loBhani, loHashabhineya, loSherebhiya, loHodiya, loShebhaniya, loPhethahiya bathi: “Sukumani lidumise uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, okhona kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade. Libusisiwe ibizo lakho elingcwele, sengathi lingaphakanyiswa ngaphezulu kwakho konke ukubusiswa lokudunyiswa.
6 “You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.
Wena wedwa unguThixo. Wenza amazulu, kanye lamazulu aphezukonke, lazozonke izinkanyezi zawo, umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo, inlwandle lakho konke okukuzo. Uyapha ukuphila kukho konke, lamabutho wonke asezulwini ayakukhonza.
7 “Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.
UnguThixo uNkulunkulu, owakhetha u-Abhrama wamkhupha e-Uri lamaKhaladiya wambiza ngokuthi ngu-Abhrahama.
8 You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.
Wabona ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe yayithembekile kuwe, ngakho wenza isivumelwano laye ukupha izizukulwane zakhe ilizwe lamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaJebusi lamaGigashi. Usigcinile isithembiso sakho ngoba ulungile.
9 “You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.
Wakubona ukuhlupheka kwabokhokho bethu eGibhithe; wezwa ukukhala kwabo eLwandle oluBomvu.
10 Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!
Wathumela izibonakaliso ezingumangaliso lezimanga kuFaro, kuzozonke izinduna zakhe lakubo bonke abantu belizwe lakhe, ngoba wawukwazi ukuthi amaGibhithe abaphatha njani ngodlakela. Wazenzela ibizo, elimiyo kuze kube lamuhla.
11 You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!
Walwehlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo, ukuze bedlule kulo emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa waphosela labo ababebaxhuma ekujuleni, njengelitshe liphoselwa ethwaceni lwamanzi.
12 During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.
Emini wawubakhokhela ngensika yeyezi, ebusuku ngensika yomlilo ukubapha ukukhanya endleleni ababehamba ngayo.
13 “When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.
Wehla weza eNtabeni yaseSinayi; wakhuluma kubo usezulwini. Wabapha izimiso lemithetho eqondileyo njalo elungileyo, lezimemezelo lemilayo elungileyo.
14 You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.
Wabazisa ngeSabatha lakho elingcwele njalo wabapha imilayo, lezimiso lemithetho ngenceku yakho uMosi.
15 When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.
Ngesikhathi belambile wabapha isinkwa sivela ezulwini njalo ekomeni kwabo wabalethela amanzi ephuma edwaleni; wabatshela ukuthi bangene balithathe ilizwe owafunga uphakamisa isandla ukubapha.
16 “But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.
Kodwa bona, okhokho bethu, baba yiziqholo baqinisa intamo, kabaze balalela imilayo yakho.
17 They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.
Bala ukulalela njalo behluleka ukukhumbula izimanga owazenzayo phakathi kwabo. Baqinisa intamo kwathi ekuhlamukeni kwabo bakhetha umkhokheli ukuze babuyele ebugqilini babo. Kodwa unguNkulunkulu oxolelayo, olomusa lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela kodwa wandile ngothando. Ngakho kawubafulathelanga,
18 So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.
lalapho sebezibumbele isithombe sethole besithi, ‘Lo ngunkulunkulu wenu owalikhuphayo eGibhithe,’ lanxa benze amanyala esabekayo.
19 “Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.
Ngenxa yesihawu sakho esikhulu kawubakhalalanga enkangala. Emini insika yeyezi kayikhawulanga ukubakhokhela endleleni yabo, loba insika yomlilo ebusuku ukukhanyisa indlela ababemele bahambe ngayo.
20 You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.
Wanika uMoya wakho omuhle ukubafundisa. Kawuyigodlanga imana yakho emilonyeni yabo, njalo wabapha amanzi ukucitsha umhawu wabo.
21 For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].
Okweminyaka engamatshumi amane wabagcina enkangala; kabazange baswele lutho, izembatho zabo kaziguganga lezinyawo zabo kazivuvukanga.
22 “You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].
Wabapha imibuso lezizwe, wababela lemingcele ekude. Balithatha ilizwe likaSihoni inkosi yaseHeshibhoni lelizwe lika-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani.
23 You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.
Wenza amadodana abo aba manengi njengezinkanyezi zomkhathi, wabaletha elizweni owawutshele okhokho babo ukuba bangene kulo balithathe.
24 Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.
Amadodana abo angena alithatha ilizwe. Wawehlukanisa phambi kwabo amaKhenani, ababehlala phakathi kwelizwe; wanikela amaKhenani kubo, ndawonye lamakhosi awo labantu belizwe, ukuba benze kubo njengokuthanda kwabo.
25 Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.
Bathumba amadolobho abiyelweyo lomhlaba ovundileyo; bazithatha izindlu ezazigcwaliswe ngakho konke okuhle, lemithombo eyayivele igejiwe, izivini, lezivande zama-oliva lezihlahla ezinengi ezezithelo. Badla bazitika bakhithika imikhaba; bazithokozisa ngokulunga kwakho okukhulu.
26 “But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.
Kodwa kabalalelanga bakuhlamukela; umthetho wakho bawubeka ngemva kwabo. Babulala abaphrofethi bakho, ababebakhuza ukuze babuyele kuwe; bahlambaza ngendlela eyesabekayo.
27 So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.
Ngakho wabanikela ezitheni zabo, zabancindezela. Kodwa kwathi sebencindezelwe bakhala kuwe. Usezulwini wabezwa, kwathi ngesihawu sakho esikhulu wabapha abakhululi, ababahlengayo ezandleni zezitha zabo.
28 “But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.
Kodwa bonela ukuphumula, baphinda njalo benza okubi phambi kwakho. Wase ubadela ezandleni zezitha zabo ukuthi zibabuse. Kwathi lapho sebekhala kuwe njalo, wezwa usezulwini, kwathi ngesihawu sakho wabakhulula izikhathi ngezikhathi.
29 “You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.
Wabaxwayisa ukuthi babuyele emthethweni wakho, kodwa baqholoza kabaze bayilalela imilayo yakho. Benza isono ngezimiso zakho, okuthi nxa umuntu ezilalela aphile. Ngobuqholo bakufulathela, baqinisa intamo, bala ukulalela.
30 You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.
Okweminyaka eminengi wababekezelela. NgoMoya wakho wabakhuza ngabaphrofethi bakho. Kodwa kabananzanga, ngakho wabanikela ebantwini abakhelene labo.
31 But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!
Kodwa ngomusa wakho omkhulu kawubaqedanga njalo kawubadelanga, ngoba unguNkulunkulu olomusa, olozwelo.
32 “Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.
Ngakho-ke manje, Oh Nkulunkulu wethu, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla njalo omangalisayo, ogcina isivumelwano sakhe sothando, ungadeleli bonke lobu ubunzima obusehleleyo thina laphezu kwamakhosi ethu labakhokheli, phezu kwabaphristi labaphrofethi bethu, phezu kwabobaba labantu bakho bonke, kusukela ensukwini zamakhosi ase-Asiriya kuze kube lamuhla.
33 [We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.
Kukho konke lokho okwenzakeleyo kithi, ubeqotho; wenze ngokuthembeka, thina sisenza okubi.
34 Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.
Amakhosi ethu, abakhokheli bethu, abaphristi bethu labobaba abawulandelanga umthetho wakho; abayinanzanga imilayo yakho izixwayiso owabapha zona.
35 Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.
Loba babesembusweni wabo, bekholisa ukulunga kwakho kubo elizweni elibanzi elivundileyo lelo owabapha lona, kabakukhonzanga futhi kabaguqukanga ezindleleni zabo ezimbi.
36 “So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.
Kodwa ake ubone, siyizigqili lamuhla, izigqili elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu ukuthi badle izithelo zalo lezinye izinto ezinhle eziphuma kulo.
37 Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.
Ngenxa yezono zethu, isivuno salo esinengi siya emakhosini osuwabeke phezu kwethu. Abusa phezu kwemizimba yethu laphezu kwezinkomo zethu njengokuthanda kwawo. Siphakathi kosizi olumangalisayo.”
38 “However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”
“Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, sesisenza isivumelwano esibophayo, sisibhala phansi, njalo abakhokheli bethu, abaLevi labaphristi bethu bafaka uphawu lwabo kuso.”
