Nehemia 2
1 Gbe ɖeka, le ɣleti enelia me le Fia Artazerses ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe blaevelia me, esi menɔ wain kum na fia la la, fia la biam be,
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, when the wine was brought in for him, I picked it up and gave it to the king. I had never before appeared before him looking sad,
2 “Nu ka ta nèlé blanui ale, evɔ mèhele dɔ lém o? Esia menye naneke wu dzi ƒe nuxaxa o.”
so the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad, even though you don't seem to sick? You must be really upset.” I was absolutely terrified,
3 Megblɔ na fia la be, “Fia nenɔ agbe tegbee.”
but I replied to the king, “Long live the king live! How can I help being sad? The city where my forefathers are buried is in ruins, and its gates have been burned down.”
4 Fia la biam be, “Ekema nu ka woawɔ na wò?” Medo gbe ɖa na dziƒo ƒe Mawu la,
“So what do you want?” the king asked me. I prayed to the God of heaven, and answered the king,
5 eye megblɔ na fia la be, “Ne edze fia la ŋu, eye nève wò dɔla nu la, ekema dɔm ɖe Yuda ƒe du me, afi si woɖi fofonyewo ɖo ne magbugbɔ du la atu.”
“If it pleases Your Majesty, and if you are happy with me, I request you send me to Judah, to the city where my forefathers are buried, so I can rebuild it.”
6 Emegbe fia la, ame si ƒe axadzi fiasrɔ̃ la nɔ anyi ɖo la biam be, “Ŋkeke nenie nèle mɔ zɔ ge, eye gbe ka gbee nàtrɔ agbɔ?” Edze fia la ŋu be wòadɔm, eya ta meɖo ŋkeke nɛ.
The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you come back?” The king agreed to send me, and I told him how long I would be gone.
7 Megabia nu bubu hã fia la be, “Ne edze ŋuwò la, ekema meɖe kuku be nàŋlɔ agbalẽ ade asinye na mɔmefia siwo le Frat tɔsisi la ƒe ɣetoɖoƒe, eye nàbia tso wo si be woaɖe mɔ nam mato woƒe dukɔwo me ayi Yudanyigba dzi dedie.
I also asked him, “If it pleases Your Majesty, let letters be provided to give to the governors west of the Euphrates, so that they will allow me to pass safely until I reach Judah.
8 Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, nàŋlɔ agbalẽ na Asaf, ame si kpɔa fia la ƒe ave dzi, eye nàna wòana atim hena daɖedziwo kple agbowo na mɔ si le gbedoxɔ la gbɔ, hena dua ƒe gliwo kple xɔ aɖe tutu na ɖokuinye.” Esi wònye be, nye Mawu ƒe amenuveve ƒe asi nɔ dzinye ta la, fia la lɔ̃ ɖe nye biabiawo dzi.
May I also have a letter for Asaph, warden of the king's forest, so he can give me timber to make beams for the gates of Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for the house I will live in.” Because my gracious God was upon me, the king gave me what I asked.
9 Esi meɖo dukɔ siwo nɔ Frat Tɔsisi la ƒe ɣetoɖoƒe la, metsɔ fia la ƒe agbalẽwo na mɔmefiawo. Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, etsɔ aʋafia kple asrafo sɔdolawo kpe ɖe ŋunye.
Then I went to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king also sent a military escort of cavalry with me.
10 Ke esi Sanbalat, Horonitɔ kple Tobia, Amonitɔ, ame siwo nye dɔnunɔlawo se nya sia la, dzi ku wo vevie ŋutɔ be ame aɖe va nyui di ge na Israelviwo.
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were upset. For them this was a total disaster—that someone had arrived to help out the Israelites.
11 Meyi Yerusalem, eye esi menɔ dua me ŋkeke etɔ̃ la,
I arrived in Jerusalem and rested for three days.
12 mía kple ŋutsu ʋɛ aɖewo míedo go le zã me. Nyemegblɔ nu si nye Mawu tsɔ de nye dzi me be mawɔ na Yerusalem na ame aɖeke o. Lã siwo wodona la ɖeke menɔ gbɔnye o, negbe esi dom menɔ ko.
Then I got up during the night and went out with just a few men. I didn't explain to anyone what my God had put in my head to do for Jerusalem. I only took one horse to ride.
13 Le zã me la, míedo go to Balimegbo la me ɖo ta Yakal ƒe Vudo la gbɔ, heyi Aɖukpogbo la gbɔ be míakpɔ gli gbagbãwo kple agbo siwo wotɔ dzoe la ɖa.
So I rode in the dark through the Valley Gate toward the Spring of the Serpent and the Refuse Gate, and I inspected Jerusalem's walls that had been knocked over and the gates that had been burned down.
14 Emegbe la, míeyi ŋgɔ heva Vudogbo la kple fia ƒe ta la gbɔ, gake teƒea mekeke na lã si dom menɔ la be wòato ayi ŋgɔ o,
Then I continued on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but we couldn't get through as there wasn't enough room to pass.
15 eya ta meto balime la le zã me henɔ ŋku lém ɖe gli la ŋu. Mlɔeba la, metrɔ gava to Balimegbo la me heva aƒe me.
So I went up along the valley in the dark and inspected the wall. Then I returned, going back through the Valley Gate.
16 Dua ŋu dzɔlawo menya be medo go de afi siawo o, eye womenya nu si ta mede o, elabena nyemegblɔ nya aɖeke na Yudatɔwo, nunɔlawo, bubumewo kple dɔnunɔlawo tso nye ɖoɖowo ŋu haɖe kura o. Nyemegblɔe na ame siwo le dɔa wɔ ge gɔ̃ hã o.
Those in charge of the city had no idea where I had gone or what I was doing, because I hadn't yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, or officials or any others about the construction plans.
17 Megblɔ na wo azɔ be, “Mienya dzɔgbevɔ̃e si dzɔ ɖe Yerusalem dzi nyuie. Dua gbã, eye agboawo fia. Miva, mina míagbugbɔ Yerusalem ƒe gli aɖo, eye míaɖe ŋukpe sia ɖa le mía dzi!”
Then I said to them, “Look at the trouble we're in! Jerusalem is a heap of rubble, and its gates have been burned down. Come on, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we won't be so ashamed any more.”
18 Megblɔ ale si Mawu ƒe amenuveve ƒe asi le dzinyee kple ale si fia la gblɔ nam hã na wo. Woɖo eŋuti enumake be, “Enyo! Mina míagbugbɔ gli la aɖo!” Ale míedze dɔ nyui sia gɔme.
Then I explained to them how good God had been to me, and what the king had told me. “Let's get on with the rebuilding,” they replied, and they set to work enthusiastically.
19 Ke esi Sanbalat Horonitɔ kple Tobia Amonitɔ kple Gesem Arabiatɔ la, se nye ɖoɖoawo la, woɖu fewu le mía ŋu hegblɔ be, “Nu kae nye esi wɔm miele hele aglã dzem ɖe fia la ŋu ale?”
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab got to hear about it, they mocked and taunted us, asking, “What are you up to? Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 Ke meɖo eŋu be, “Dziƒo ƒe Mawu la ana dzidzedze mí eƒe dɔlawo míagbugbɔ gli sia aɖo, ke miawo la, miaƒe asi manɔ dɔ sia me loo alo miakpɔ gome le Yerusalem alo axɔ ŋkɔ le ewɔwɔ me alo eƒe ɖe nanye mia tɔ o.”
But I replied, telling them, “The God of heaven, he will make sure we're successful. We, his servants, will begin rebuilding, but Jerusalem doesn't belong to you, and you have no authority over it or claim to it.”
