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].
Mashoko aNehemia mwanakomana waHakaria: Mumwedzi waKisirevhi mugore ramakumi maviri, pandainge ndiri panhare yeSusa,
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.
Hanani, mumwe wehama dzangu, akauya achibva kuJudha navamwe varume, ndikavabvunza pamusoro pavaJudha vakasara avo vakapunyuka pakutapwa, uyewo napamusoro peJerusarema.
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.”
Vakati kwandiri, “Avo vakapunyuka pakutapwa uye vakadzokera kudunhu vari mudambudziko guru napakunyadziswa. Rusvingo rweJerusarema rwakakoromorwa, uye masuo arwo akapiswa nomoto.”
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.
Pandakanzwa zvinhu izvi, ndakagara pasi ndikachema. Ndakaita mazuva ndichichema, ndichinyengetera uye ndichitsanya pamberi paMwari wokudenga.
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.
Ipapo ndakati: “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari wokudenga, Mwari mukuru uye anotyisa anochengeta sungano yake yorudo naavo vanomuda uye vanoteerera mirayiro yake,
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.
nzeve yenyu ngaiteerere uye meso enyu asvinure kuti munzwe munyengetero womuranda wenyu wandinonyengetera pamberi penyu masikati nousiku nokuda kwavaranda venyu, vanhu veIsraeri.
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.
Takaita zvakaipa kwazvo pamberi penyu. Hatina kuteerera zvamakarayira, mitemo yenyu nemirayiro yamakapa Mozisi muranda wenyu.
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]).
“Rangarirai zvamakarayira muranda wenyu Mozisi, muchiti, ‘Kana musina kutendeka, ndichakuparadzirai pakati pendudzi,
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.’
asi kana mukadzokera kwandiri uye mukateerera zvandakarayira, ipapo kunyange kana vakatapwa vavanhu venyu vari kumagumo edenga, ndichavaunganidza vabveko ndigovauyisa kunzvimbo yandakasarudza kuti ive ugaro hweZita rangu.’
10 “We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
“Varanda venyu nevanhu venyu, vamakadzikinura nesimba renyu guru uye noruoko rwenyu rune simba.
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].
Haiwa Jehovha, nzeve yenyu ngainzwe munyengetero womuranda wenyu uyu nomunyengetero wavaranda venyu vanofarira kukudza zita renyu. Itai kuti muranda wenyu abudirire nhasi uye mumupe nyasha pamberi pomurume uyu.” Ndakanga ndiri mudiri wamambo.
