Nehemiah 9
1 And in the twenty and fourth day of this month have the sons of Israel been gathered, with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them;
Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwaleyonyanga abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuthana ngokuzila ukudla, langamasaka, lenhlabathi phezu kwabo.
2 and the seed of Israel are separated from all sons of a stranger, and stand and confess concerning their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers,
Inzalo yakoIsrayeli yasizehlukanisa labo bonke abezizweni; basebesima bavuma izono zabo lobubi baboyise.
3 and rise up on their station, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth of the day, and a fourth they are confessing and bowing themselves to Jehovah their God.
Basebesukuma endaweni yabo yokuma, bafunda egwalweni lomlayo weNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo ingxenye yesine yosuku; njalo ngengxenye yesine bavuma futhi bakhonza iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo.
4 And there stand up on the ascent, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and they cry with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.
Lezikhwelweni zamaLevi kwakumi oJeshuwa, loBani, uKadimiyeli, uShebaniya, uBuni, uSherebiya, uBani, uKenani; bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo.
5 And the Levites say, [even] Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, 'Rise, bless Jehovah your God, from the age unto the age, and they bless the name of Thine honour that [is] exalted above all blessing and praise.
AmaLevi, oJeshuwa, loKadimiyeli, uBani, uHashabineya, uSherebiya, uHodiya, uShebaniya, uPethahiya basebesithi: Sukumani libusise iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kusukela ephakadeni kuze kube nininini; kalibusiswe ibizo lakho elilodumo eliphakanyiswe phezu kwaso sonke isibusiso lendumiso.
6 Thou [art] He, O Jehovah, Thyself — Thou hast made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that [are] on it, the seas and all that [are] in them, and Thou art keeping all of them alive, and the host of the heavens to Thee are bowing themselves.
Nguwe oyiNkosi wena wedwa, wena wenza amazulu, izulu lamazulu lalo lonke ibutho lawo, umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo, izinlwandle lakho konke okukuzo, wena uyagcina konke kuphila; lebutho lamazulu liyakukhonza.
7 'Thou [art] He, O Jehovah God, who didst fix on Abraham, and didst bring him out from Ur of the Chaldeans, and didst make his name Abraham,
Wena uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu, owakhetha uAbrama wamkhupha eUri yamaKhaladiya, wenza ibizo lakhe laba nguAbrahama;
8 and didst find his heart stedfast before Thee, so as to make with him the covenant, to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give [it] to his seed. 'And Thou dost establish Thy words, for Thou [art] righteous,
wafica inhliziyo yakhe ithembekile phambi kwakho, wenza laye isivumelwano sokunika ilizwe lamaKhanani, amaHethi, amaAmori, lamaPerizi, lamaJebusi, lamaGirigashi, ukulinika inzalo yakhe; uwamisile amazwi akho, ngoba ulungile.
9 and dost see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry hast heard by the sea of Suph,
Wabona ukuhlupheka kwabobaba eGibhithe, wezwa ukukhala kwabo ngasoLwandle oluBomvu,
10 and dost give signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land, for Thou hast known that they have acted proudly against them, and Thou makest to Thee a name as [at] this day.
wenza izibonakaliso lezimangaliso kuFaro lakuzo zonke inceku zakhe lakubo bonke abantu belizwe lakhe, ngoba wazi ukuthi baziphatha ngokuzigqaja kubo; njalo wazenzela ibizo njengalamuhla.
11 And the sea Thou hast cleaved before them, and they pass over into the midst of the sea on the dry land, and their pursuers Thou hast cast into the depths, as a stone, into the strong waters.
Wehlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo ukuze bachaphe phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomileyo; wasuphosela ababaxotshayo ezinzikini njengelitshe emanzini alamandla.
12 And by a pillar of cloud Thou hast led them by day, and by a pillar of fire by night, to lighten to them the way in which they go.
Wasubakhokhela ngensika yeyezi emini langensika yomlilo ebusuku ukubakhanyisela indlela abazahamba ngayo.
13 'And on mount Sinai Thou hast come down, even to speak with them from the heavens, and Thou dost give to them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commands.
Wehlela phezu kwentaba yeSinayi, wakhuluma labo usemazulwini, wabanika izahlulelo eziqondileyo, lemilayo eqotho, izimiso lemilayezelo elungileyo,
14 And Thy holy sabbath Thou hast made known to them, and commands, and statutes, and law, Thou hast commanded for them, by the hand of Moses Thy servant;
wabazisa isabatha lakho elingcwele, wabalaya imilayo, lezimiso, lomthetho, ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yakho.
15 and bread from the heavens Thou hast given to them for their hunger, and water from a rock hast brought out to them for their thirst, and dost say to them to go in to possess the land that Thou hast lifted up Thy hand to give to them.
Wabanika isinkwa esivela emazulwini ekulambeni kwabo, lamanzi edwaleni wabakhuphela wona ekomeni kwabo; wabatshela ukuthi bazangena badle ilifa lelizwe owaphakamisa isandla sakho ukubanika lona.
16 'And they and our fathers have acted proudly, and harden their neck, and have not hearkened unto Thy commands,
Kodwa bona labobaba baziphatha ngokuzigqaja, benza lukhuni intamo yabo, kabayilalelanga imilayo yakho.
17 yea, they refuse to hearken, and have not remembered Thy wonders that Thou hast done with them, and harden their neck and appoint a head, to turn back to their service, in their rebellion; and Thou [art] a God of pardons, gracious, and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and hast not forsaken them.
Yebo, bala ukulalela, kabakhumbulanga izimangaliso zakho owazenza kubo; kodwa bazenza lukhuni intamo yabo, lekuvukeleni kwabo bamisa induna ukuze babuyele ebugqilini babo. Kodwa wena unguNkulunkulu wezintethelelo, olomusa, lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela, lowande ngothando, kawubatshiyanga.
18 'Also, when they have made to themselves a molten calf, and say, this [is] thy god that brought thee up out of Egypt, and do great despisings,
Lalapho sebezenzele ithole elibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa bathi: Lo nguNkulunkulu wakho, owakwenyusa eGibhithe, benza ukuhlambaza okukhulu,
19 and Thou, in Thine abundant mercies, hast not forsaken them in the wilderness — the pillar of the cloud hath not turned aside from off them by day, to lead them in the way, and the pillar of the fire by night, to give light to them and the way in which they go.
kodwa wena ngezihawu zakho ezinengi kawubatshiyanga enkangala; insika yeyezi kayisukanga kubo emini, ukubakhokhela endleleni, lensika yomlilo ebusuku, ukubakhanyisela lendlela abazahamba ngayo.
20 'And Thy good Spirit Thou hast given, to cause them to act wisely; and Thy manna Thou hast not withheld from their mouth, and water Thou hast given to them for their thirst,
Wabanika umoya wakho omuhle ukubafundisa, lemana yakho kawuyigodlanga emlonyeni wabo, wabanika amanzi ekomeni kwabo.
21 and forty years Thou hast nourished them in a wilderness; they have not lacked; their garments have not worn out, and their feet have not swelled.
Yebo, iminyaka engamatshumi amane wabondla enkangala, kabaswelanga lutho; izigqoko zabo kaziguganga, lenyawo zabo kazivuvukanga.
22 'And Thou givest to them kingdoms, and peoples, and dost apportion them to the corner, and they possess the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
Wasebanika imibuso lezizwe, wababela kwaze kwaba semagumbini; njalo badla ilifa lelizwe likaSihoni lelizwe lenkosi yeHeshiboni lelizwe likaOgi inkosi yeBashani.
23 And their sons Thou hast multiplied as the stars of the heavens, and bringest them in unto the land that Thou hast said to their fathers to go in to possess.
Wandisa abantwana babo njengenkanyezi zamazulu, wabangenisa elizweni owawutshele oyise ukuthi bazangena badle ilifa lalo.
24 'And the sons come in, and possess the land, and Thou humblest before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and givest them into their hand, and their kings, and the peoples of the land, to do with them according to their pleasure.
Sebengenile abantwana babo badla ilifa lelizwe; wehlisela phansi phambi kwabo abahlali belizwe, amaKhanani, wabanikela esandleni sabo, lamakhosi abo, labantu belizwe, ukuze benze ngabo ngokwentando yabo.
25 And they capture fenced cities, and fat ground, and possess houses full of all good, digged-wells, vineyards, and olive-yards, and fruit-trees in abundance, and they eat, and are satisfied, and become fat, and delight themselves in Thy great goodness.
Basebethumba imizi ebiyelweyo, lelizwe elivundileyo, badla ilifa lezindlu ezigcwele konke okuhle, imithombo egejiweyo, izivini, lezivande zemihlwathi, lezihlahla zezithelo ngobunengi. Badla-ke basutha, bazimuka, bazithokozisa ngokuhle kwakho okukhulu.
26 'And they are disobedient, and rebel against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their back, and Thy prophets they have slain, who testified against them, to bring them back unto Thee, and they do great despisings,
Kube kanti kabalalelanga, bakuvukela wena, bawuphosela umlayo wakho emva komhlana wabo, babulala abaprofethi bakho abafakaza bemelene labo ukubaphendulela kuwe, benza ukuhlambaza okukhulu.
27 and Thou givest them into the hand of their adversaries, and they distress them, and in the time of their distress they cry unto Thee, and Thou, from the heavens, dost hear, and, according to Thine abundant mercies, dost give to them saviours, and they save them out of the hand of their adversaries.
Ngakho wabanikela esandleni sezitha zabo ezabahluphayo; kwathi ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwabo bakhala kuwe, wena-ke wezwa usemazulwini; langokwezisa zakho ezinengi wabanika abasindisi ababasindisa esandleni sezitha zabo.
28 'And when they have rest, they turn back to do evil before Thee, and Thou dost leave them in the hand of their enemies, and they rule over them; and they turn back, and call Thee, and Thou from the heavens dost hear, and dost deliver them, according to Thy mercies, many times,
Kodwa sebephumulile benza okubi futhi phambi kwakho; ngakho wabatshiya esandleni sezitha zabo zaze zababusa; sebebuyile bakhala kuwe, wena wezwa usemazulwini; wabakhulula ngokwezisa zakho izikhathi ezinengi.
29 and dost testify against them, to bring them back unto Thy law; and they — they have acted proudly, and have not hearkened to Thy commands, and against Thy judgments have sinned, — which man doth and hath lived in them — and they give a refractory shoulder, and their neck have hardened, and have not hearkened.
Wafakaza umelene labo ukuze ubenze babuyele emlayweni wakho; kube kanti bona baziphatha ngokuzigqaja, kabayilalelanga imilayo yakho, kodwa bemelene lezahlulelo zakho bona bemelene lazo (okuthi umuntu ezenza uzaphila ngazo), banika ihlombe lobuqholo, benza lukhuni intamo yabo, kabaze balalela.
30 'And Thou drawest over them many years, and testifiest against them by Thy Spirit, by the hand of Thy prophets, and they have not given ear, and Thou dost give them into the hand of peoples of the lands,
Wababekezelela iminyaka eminengi, wafakaza umelene labo ngomoya wakho ngesandla sabaprofethi bakho, kodwa kababekanga indlebe. Ngakho wabanikela esandleni sabantu bezizwe.
31 and in Thine abundant mercies Thou hast not made them a consumption, nor hast forsaken them; for a God, gracious and merciful, [art] Thou.
Kanti ngezisa zakho ezinengi kawubaqedanga, kawubatshiyanga; ngoba unguNkulunkulu olomusa lesihawu.
32 'And now, O our God — God, the great, the mighty, and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness — let not all the travail that hath found us be little before Thee, for our kings, for our heads, and for our priests, and for our prophets, and for our fathers, and for all Thy people, from the days of the kings of Asshur unto this day;
Ngakho khathesi, Nkulunkulu wethu, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla lowesabekayo, ogcina isivumelwano lomusa, kakungabi kuncinyane phambi kwakho ukuhlupheka konke, okusificileyo, amakhosi ethu, iziphathamandla zethu, labapristi bethu, labaprofethi bethu, labobaba, labo bonke abantu bakho, kusukela ensukwini zamakhosi eAsiriya kuze kube lamuhla.
33 and Thou [art] righteous concerning all that hath come upon us, for truth Thou hast done, and we have done wickedly;
Kodwa ubulungile mayelana lakho konke okusehleleyo, ngoba wenzile ngokuqonda, kodwa thina senze ngobubi.
34 and our kings, our heads, our priests, and our fathers, have not done Thy law, nor attended unto Thy commands, and to Thy testimonies, that Thou hast testified against them;
Lamakhosi ethu, iziphathamandla zethu, abapristi bethu, labobaba bethu kabawenzanga umlayo wakho, kabalalelanga imithetho yakho lezifakazelo zakho owazifakaza umelene labo.
35 and they, in their kingdom, and in Thine abundant goodness, that Thou hast given to them, and in the land, the large and the fat, that Thou hast set before them, have not served Thee, nor turned back from their evil doings.
Ngoba bona kabakukhonzanga embusweni wabo lekulungeni kwakho okunengi owabanika khona lemazweni abanzi lavundileyo owawabeka phambi kwabo; njalo kabaphendukanga ezenzweni zabo ezimbi.
36 'Lo, we — to-day — [are] servants, and the land that Thou hast given to our fathers, to eat its fruit and its good — lo, we [are] servants on it,
Khangela, siyizigqili lamuhla, yebo, ilizwe owalinika obaba ukuthi badle isithelo salo lokuhle kwalo, khangela, siyizigqili kulo.
37 and its increase it is multiplying to the kings whom Thou hast set over us in our sins; and over our bodies they are ruling, and over our cattle, according to their pleasure, and we [are] in great distress.
Njalo isivuno salo lisandisela amakhosi owabeke phezu kwethu ngenxa yezono zethu; njalo abusa phezu kwemizimba yethu laphezu kwezifuyo zethu ngokwentando yawo; sesisesizini olukhulu.
38 And for all this we are making a stedfast covenant, and are writing, and over him who is sealed [are] our heads, our Levites, our priests.'
Langenxa yakho konke lokhu senza isivumelwano esiqinileyo, sisibhala; iziphathamandla zethu, amaLevi ethu, abapristi bethu, basebefaka uphawu phezu kwaso.
