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].
Ny tantaran’ i Nehemia, zanak’ i Hakalia. Tamin’ ny volana Kisleo tamin’ ny taona faharoa-polo, raha tany an-dapa any Sosana aho,
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.
dia tonga Hanany, anankiray amin’ ny rahalahiko, mbamin’ ny lehilahy sasany avy tany Joda; ary nanontaniako azy ny amin’ ny Jiosy efa afaka, izay sisa tamin’ ny fahababoana, ary ny amin’ i Jerosalema.
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.”
Ka hoy no navaliny ahy: Ny sisa tamin’ ny fahababoana izay any amin’ ny tany any dia mitondra fahoriana be sy latsa; ary voarodana ny mandan’ i Jerosalema sady nodoran’ ny afo ny vavahadiny.
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.
Ary rehefa nandre izany teny izany aho, dia nipetraka nitomany sady niferinaina andro maro ary nifady hanina sy nivavaka teo anatrehan’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra
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.
ka nanao hoe: Indrisy! ry Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny lanitra, Andriamanitra lehibe sy mahatahotra, Izay mitandrina fanekena sy famindram-po amin’ izay tia Azy sy mitandrina ny didiny,
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.
aoka hihaino ny sofinao ary hihiratra ny masonao, mba hohenoinao ny vavaky ny mpanomponao, izay ataoko eto anatrehanao ankehitriny andro aman’ alina ho an’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely mpanomponao sy izay anekeko ny fahotan’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, izay efa nanotanay taminao; fa izaho sy ny mpianakavin-draiko dia samy efa nanota avokoa.
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.
Efa nanao izay ratsy indrindra taminao izahay ka tsy nitandrina ny didy, na ny lalàna, na ny fitsipika, izay nandidianao an’ i Mosesy mpanomponao.
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]).
Hotsarovanao anie ilay teny nandidianao an’ i Mosesy mpanomponao hoe: Raha manao izay mahadiso ianareo, dia hampiely anareo any amin’ ny firenena maro Aho;
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.’
nefa raha miverina amiko kosa ianareo ka mitandrina ny didiko sy mankatò azy, na dia hisy voaroaka hatrany am-paravodilanitra aza ianareo, dia avy any no hanangonako azy, ka ho entiko ho ao amin’ ny fitoerana izay nofidiko hampitoerako ny anarako izy.
10 “We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
Ary ireo dia mpanomponao sy olonao, izay navotanao tamin’ ny herinao lehibe sy ny tananao mahery.
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].
Koa mitaraina aminao aho, ry Jehovah ô, mihainoa ny fivavaky ny mpanomponao sy ny fivavaky ny mpanomponao rehetra izay faly amin’ ny fahatahorana ny anaranao; ary hambinina anie ny mpanomponao anio, ary aoka hahazo famindram-po eo imason’ io lehilahy io aho. Fa mpitondra kapoaky ny mpanjaka aho.
