Nehemiah 9

1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

Pada hari kedua puluh empat, masih di bulan ketujuh, seluruh rakyat Israel berkumpul untuk mengaku dosa. Mereka berpuasa, memakai kain karung, dan menaruh abu di atas kepala sebagai tanda berkabung karena dosa mereka sendiri. Mereka sudah memisahkan diri dari semua orang yang bukan bangsa Israel. Mereka berdoa mengakui dosa-dosa dan kesalahan-kesalahan mereka maupun nenek moyang mereka.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshiped the LORD their God.

Selama tiga jam, kitab Taurat dibacakan kepada mereka, dan selama tiga jam berikutnya mereka mengaku dosa di hadapan TUHAN sambil bersujud menyembah Dia.

4 Then stood upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

Sekelompok orang Lewi— yaitu Yesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebanya, Buni, Serebya, Bani, dan Kenani— berdiri di panggung. Mereka memanjatkan doa dengan nyaring kepada TUHAN Allah.

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, [and] Pethahiah, said, Stand up [and] bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Selanjutnya, Yesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabneya, Serebya, Hodia, Sebanya, dan Petahya berkata, “Berdirilah dan pujilah TUHAN Allahmu yang hidup selama-lamanya!” Lalu mereka berdoa, “Ya, Allah yang mulia, biarlah Engkau dipuji dan diagungkan dengan segala hormat!

6 Thou, [even] thou, [art] LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all [things] that [are] in it, the seas, and all that [is] in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshipeth thee.

Ya Allah, Engkaulah TUHAN yang Mahaesa. Engkau yang menciptakan seluruh tingkat surga dan langit, bumi dan segala isinya, serta lautan dan semua yang ada di dalamnya. Engkau yang memberi kehidupan bagi segala makhluk. Pasukan malaikat surgawi pun bersujud menyembah-Mu.

7 Thou [art] the LORD the God, who chosest Abram, and broughtest him forth from Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

Engkaulah TUHAN Allah yang sudah memilih Abram. Engkau membawa dia keluar dari Ur di wilayah Babel dan mengubah namanya menjadi Abraham.

8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him, to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give [it], [I say], to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou [art] righteous:

Engkau mengetahui bahwa dia setia kepada-Mu, maka Engkau mengadakan perjanjian dengannya untuk memberikan negeri yang didiami bangsa Kanaan, Het, Amori, Feris, Yebus, dan Girgasi kepada anak cucunya. Engkau sudah menepati janji-Mu itu, karena Engkau adil dan setia.

9 And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;

Engkau melihat penderitaan nenek moyang kami di negeri Mesir dan mendengar jeritan mereka minta tolong di tepi Laut Merah.

10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as [it is] this day.

Maka Engkau melakukan perbuatan dahsyat dan membuat keajaiban melawan raja Mesir, para pejabatnya, dan seluruh rakyatnya, sebab Engkau tahu betapa kejamnya mereka terhadap nenek moyang kami. Karena perbuatan ajaib-Mu itu, Engkau ditakuti bangsa-bangsa sampai sekarang.

11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

Engkau membelah Laut Merah di hadapan nenek moyang kami sehingga mereka bisa menyeberang melalui tanah yang kering. Ke dalam laut Engkau menenggelamkan pasukan Mesir yang mengejar mereka, bagaikan batu dilempar ke dasar lautan yang bergelora.

12 Moreover, thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

Di padang belantara, Engkau menuntun mereka dengan tiang awan pada siang hari, dan pada waktu malam, Engkau menerangi jalan mereka dengan tiang berapi.

13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

Dari surga Engkau turun ke atas gunung Sinai dan berbicara kepada mereka. Engkau memberi mereka peraturan-peraturan dan ketetapan-ketetapan yang adil serta hukum-hukum dan perintah-perintah yang baik.

14 And madest known to them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

Melalui hamba-Mu Musa, Engkau mengajar mereka untuk menjaga kesucian hari Sabat-Mu dan memberikan berbagai perintah, ketetapan, serta hukum kepada mereka.

15 And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

Ketika umat-Mu lapar, Engkau menyediakan roti surgawi yang disebut manna. Ketika mereka haus, Engkau mengeluarkan air dari sebuah batu. Engkau memerintahkan mereka untuk merebut dan menduduki negeri yang sudah Engkau janjikan kepada mereka.

16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

Tetapi nenek moyang kami sombong. Mereka keras kepala dan tidak menaati perintah-perintah-Mu.

17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst perform among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Mereka menolak untuk taat. Mereka lupa hal-hal ajaib yang sudah Engkau lakukan di hadapan mereka. Karena keras kepala, mereka malah ingin mengangkat seorang pemimpin untuk membawa mereka kembali ke dalam perbudakan di Mesir. Tetapi Engkau Allah yang maha pengampun. Engkau murah hati, penuh belas kasih, panjang sabar, dan setia. Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka.

18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This [is] thy God that brought thee out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

Nenek moyang kami membuat berhala berbentuk anak sapi. Kata mereka, ‘Inilah dewa kita yang sudah membawa kita keluar dari Mesir.’ Mereka berulang kali menghina Engkau dengan perbuatan yang keterlaluan seperti itu.

19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

“Namun, Engkau TUHAN yang maha pengasih! Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka di padang belantara. Tiang awan-Mu tetap menuntun mereka pada waktu siang dan tiang berapi tetap menerangi jalan mereka di kala malam.

20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

Roh-Mu memberikan kuasa kepada Musa untuk mengajar mereka dengan lemah lembut. Engkau tetap menurunkan manna untuk mereka makan dan menyediakan air ketika mereka haus.

21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not.

Selama empat puluh tahun di padang belantara Engkau memelihara mereka. Pakaian mereka tidak menjadi usang dan kaki mereka tidak pernah menjadi bengkak.

22 Moreover, thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

Engkau menolong mereka mengalahkan banyak kerajaan dan bangsa, lalu Engkau membagi-bagikan negeri Kanaan kepada suku-suku umat-Mu. Mereka mengambil alih seluruh wilayah Raja Sihon dari Hesbon dan Raja Og dari Basan.

23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess [it].

Engkau membuat anak cucu mereka sebanyak bintang-bintang di langit, dan menuntun mereka memasuki negeri yang sudah Engkau janjikan kepada nenek moyang mereka.

24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

Saat umat-Mu masuk untuk menguasai, Engkau menolong mereka menaklukkan bangsa Kanaan, penduduk negeri ini. Engkau menyerahkan raja-raja dan rakyat mereka, sehingga nenek moyang kami berkuasa penuh atas mereka.

25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards and olive-yards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they ate and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

Bangsa Israel merebut kota-kota berbenteng dan tanah yang subur. Mereka merampas rumah-rumah yang penuh dengan berbagai harta, sumur-sumur yang sudah digali, kebun-kebun anggur dan zaitun yang sudah ditanami, juga pohon buah-buahan yang berlimpah. Mereka makan sampai kenyang dan menjadi gemuk. Bangsa Israel hidup senang karena kebaikan-Mu.

26 Nevertheless, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets who testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

Tetapi kemudian mereka menjadi tidak taat kepada-Mu dan memberontak melawan Engkau. Mereka mengabaikan Hukum-Mu, dan membunuh para nabi-Mu yang memperingatkan mereka untuk kembali kepada-Mu. Mereka terus menghina Engkau dengan berbagai perbuatan yang sangat keterlaluan.

27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to thee, thou hearedest [them] from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them deliverers, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

Oleh sebab itu, Engkau menyerahkan umat-Mu kepada musuh-musuh yang menindas mereka. Di saat menderita, mereka berseru kepada-Mu minta tolong. Dari surga Engkau mendengar jeritan mereka, dan satu demi satu Engkau mengutus para hakim untuk menyelamatkan mereka, sebab Engkau penuh belas kasihan.

28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore thou leftest them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned and cried to thee, thou hearedest [them] from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

Namun, saat keadaan tenteram mereka kembali berdosa kepada-Mu. Maka Engkau membiarkan musuh-musuh menindas mereka. Ketika mereka berseru minta tolong lagi, Engkau mendengarkan mereka dari surga. Berulang kali Engkau tetap menyelamatkan mereka, sebab Engkau sungguh penuh belas kasihan.

29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again to thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man doeth, he shall live in them: ) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

Engkau memberi peringatan kepada mereka untuk kembali pada hukum-Mu, tetapi mereka sombong dan tidak mau menaati perintah-perintah-Mu. Padahal, jika seseorang menaati perintah-perintah-Mu, dia akan hidup sejahtera, tetapi mereka terus saja berdosa, keras kepala, suka memberontak, dan menutup telinga terhadap Engkau.

30 Yet many years didst thou forbear over them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the lands.

Selama bertahun-tahun, Engkau tetap sabar. Roh-Mu memberikan kuasa kepada para nabi untuk mengajar dan memperingatkan mereka, tetapi mereka tetap tidak mau taat. Maka Engkau membiarkan mereka dikalahkan oleh pasukan bangsa-bangsa di sekeliling mereka.

31 Nevertheless, for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou [art] a gracious and merciful God.

Walaupun begitu, Engkau tidak meninggalkan mereka ataupun memusnahkan mereka seluruhnya, karena Engkau murah hati dan penuh belas kasihan.

32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

Oleh sebab itu, ya Allah, Engkau yang sangat mengagumkan karena Engkau mahabesar, mahakuasa, dan selalu setia pada perjanjian-Mu, janganlah abaikan semua penderitaan yang sudah kami alami, baik para raja, imam, nabi, nenek moyang, maupun seluruh rakyat kami. Kami sudah tertindas sejak zaman raja Asyur sampai hari ini.

33 But thou [art] just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

Semua hukuman yang sudah menimpa kami adalah wujud keadilan-Mu. Kami memang layak dihukum, karena kami sudah melakukan banyak kesalahan terhadap Engkau yang selalu setia.

34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened to thy commandments and thy testimonies, with which thou didst testify against them.

Para raja, pejabat, imam, dan nenek moyang kami tidak menaati hukum-hukum-Mu. Mereka tidak menghiraukan perintah-perintah dan peringatan-peringatan-Mu.

35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

Mendekati waktu pembuangan umat Israel ke negeri Babel, saat mereka masih menikmati berbagai berkat yang Engkau limpahkan di negeri yang subur dan luas ini, mereka tidak melayani Engkau dan tidak berpaling dari perbuatan jahat mereka.

36 Behold, we [are] servants this day, and [for] the land that thou gavest to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good of it, behold, we [are] servants in it:

Lihatlah, ya Allah, negeri yang sudah Engkau berikan kepada nenek moyang kami sekarang dijajah bangsa lain. Di tanah kami sendiri, yang seharusnya kami nikmati, kami justru menjadi budak!

37 And it yieldeth much increase to the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we [are] in great distress.

Hasil panen dan ternak kami menjadi milik para raja yang sudah Engkau tempatkan untuk menguasai kami. Bahkan kehidupan kami pun dikendalikan mereka! Ya, akibat dosa kami sendiri, sekarang kami sangat menderita.”

38 And because of all this we make a sure [covenant], and write [it]; and our princes, Levites, [and] priests, set their seals [to it].

Berdasarkan doa pengakuan dosa itu, kami membuat sebuah perjanjian tertulis, yang disahkan dengan stempel oleh para pemimpin, orang-orang Lewi, dan imam-imam.