Nehemia 9

1 Le ɣleti sia ke ƒe ŋkeke blaeve-vɔ-enelia gbe la, Israelviwo gava kpe ta. Azɔ la, wotsi nu dɔ, ta akpanya, eye wolɔ ke kɔ ɖe ta me.

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

2 Israelviwo ɖe wo ɖokui ɖe aga tso amedzrowo gbɔ. Wotsi tsitre ɖe wo nɔƒewo, eye woʋu woawo ŋutɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃ kple wo fofowo ƒe nu tovowo wɔwɔ me.

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

3 Woxlẽ Seawo tso Yehowa, woƒe Mawu, ƒe Segbalẽ la me gaƒoƒo etɔ̃, eye wowɔ gaƒoƒo etɔ̃ bubu ŋu dɔ heʋu woƒe nu vɔ̃wo me hesubɔ Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la.

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 worshipped the LORD their God.

4 Levitɔ aɖewo nɔ agba la dzi, eye wonɔ Yehowa kafum kple aseyetsohawo. Ame siawoe nye, Yesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebania, Buni, Serebia, Bani kple Kenani.

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

5 Levitɔwo ƒe kplɔlawo gblɔ na ameawo be, “Mitsi tsitre miakafu Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la, elabena eli tso mavɔ me yi mavɔ me. Mikafu eƒe ŋkɔ kɔkɔe la! Elolo sãa wu nu si míate ŋu abu kple ale si míate ŋu agblɔ!” Kplɔla siawoe nye Yesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabneia, Serebia, Hodia, Sebania kple Petahia.

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 your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Ezra do gbe ɖa be, “O! Yehowa, wò ɖeka koe nye Mawu. Wòe wɔ dziƒo kple dziƒowo ƒe dziƒo, anyigba kple atsiaƒu kple nu siwo katã le wo me. Wòe kpɔa wo katã dzi, eye wòe mawudɔlawo katã subɔna.

You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you.

7 “Wòe nye Yehowa Mawu, ame si tia Abram, eye nèkplɔe do goe tso Ur le Kaldea, eye nètrɔ ŋkɔ nɛ be Abraham.

You are the LORD the God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham;

8 Esi wòwɔ nuteƒe na wò la, èbla nu kplii tegbee be yeatsɔ Kanaantɔwo, Hititɔwo, Amoritɔwo, Perizitɔwo, Yebusitɔwo kple Girgasitɔwo ƒe anyigba anae kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo tegbetegbe. Èwɔ wò ŋugbedodo dzi, elabena ènye nuteƒewɔla.

And found his heart faithful before you, and made 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 have performed your words; for you are righteous:

9 “Èkpɔ mía tɔgbuiwo ƒe fukpekpe kple nuxaxa le Egipte, eye nèse woƒe ɣlidodo tso Ƒu Dzĩ la to.

And did see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red sea;

10 Èwɔ dzesi kple nukunu triakɔwo fia Fia Farao kple eƒe amewo, elabena ènya fu siwo Egiptetɔwo nɔ wo wɔm. Èxɔ ŋkɔ gã le nu gã siwo nèwɔ, eye womaŋlɔ wo be akpɔ o la ta.

And showed signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for you knew that they dealt proudly against them. So did you get you a name, as it is this day.

11 Èma atsiaƒu la ɖe akpa eve me, ale be wò amewo nate ŋu azɔ anyigba ƒuƒui dzi atso atsiaƒu la! Gake ètsrɔ̃ woƒe futɔwo ɖe atsiaƒu la ƒe gogloƒe. Wonyrɔ abe kpe ene ɖe atsiaƒu la me.

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

12 Ètsɔ lilikpo dodo kplɔ mía tɔgbuiwo le ŋkeke me, eye nèkplɔ wo kple dzosɔti le zã me, ale be woate ŋu akpɔ mɔ.

Moreover you led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

13 “Èɖiɖi va Sinai to la dzi, èƒo nu kpli wo tso dziƒo, eye nèna Se kple ɖoɖo nyui siwo le eteƒe la wo.

You came down also upon mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

14 Ède Se na wo tso Dzudzɔgbe kɔkɔe la ŋu, ède Seawo na wo to wò dɔla, Mose dzi be woawɔ wo katã dzi.

And made known unto them your holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses your servant:

15 “Esi dɔ wu wo la, èna nuɖuɖu wo tso dziƒo, eye esi tsikɔ wu wo la, èna tsi wo tso agakpe la me. Èɖe gbe na wo be woayi aɖaxɔ anyigba si nèka atam be yeana wo.

And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promised them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.

16 Ke mía tɔgbuiwo nye dadalawo kple kɔlialiatɔwo, eye wogbe toɖoɖo wò Seawo.

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

17 “Wogbe wò Seawo dzi wɔwɔ, eye womebu nukunu siwo nèwɔ le wo dome o, ke boŋ wodze aglã, eye wotia kplɔla aɖe be wòakplɔ yewo atrɔ ayi kluvinyenye me le Egipte! Ke tsɔtsɔke ƒe Mawu kple amenuvela nènye. Mèdoa dɔmedzoe kabakaba o; lɔlɔ̃ kple nublanuikpɔkpɔ sɔ gbɔ le mewò, eya ta megble wo ɖi o,

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of your wonders that you did among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsook them not.

18 togbɔ be wowɔ sikanyivilegba, eye wogblɔ be ‘Esiae nye míaƒe mawu! Eyae kplɔ mi tso Egipte’ hã. Wowɔ nu vɔ̃ le mɔ geɖewo nu,

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God that brought you up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

19 ke le wò amenuveve ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ ta la, mègble wo ɖi be woaku le gbedzi o! Alilĩkpododo la kplɔa wo yia ŋgɔe gbe sia gbe, eye dzosɔti la fiaa mɔ wo le zã me.

Yet you in your manifold mercies forsook 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 wherein they should go.

20 Èɖo wò Gbɔgbɔ nyui la ɖa be wòafia nu wo. Mèdzudzɔ mananana wo tso dziƒo o, mèdzudzɔ tsinana wo be wòatsi woƒe tsikɔwuame nu o.

You gave also your good spirit to instruct them, and withheld not your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.

21 Èkpɔ wo dzi ƒe blaene le gbedzi, naneke mehiã wo le ɣeyiɣi ma me o. Woƒe awuwo mevuvu o, eye woƒe afɔwo hã mete o!

Yea, forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

22 “Èkpe ɖe wo ŋu woɖu fiaɖuƒe gãwo kple dukɔ geɖewo dzi, eye nèda wò amewo ɖe anyigba la ƒe dzogoe ɖe sia ɖe dzi. Woxɔ Fia Sixɔn, Amoritɔwo ƒe fia, si nɔ Hesbon kple Ɔg, Basan fia, ƒe anyigbawo.

Moreover you gave them kingdoms and nations, and did 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.

23 Èna Israelviwo dzi sɔ gbɔ fũu abe dziƒoɣletiviwo ene, eye nèkplɔ wo va anyigba si ŋugbe nèdo na wo tɔgbuiwo la dzi.

Their children also multiplied you as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land, concerning which you had promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

24 Èbɔbɔ dukɔ blibowo ɖe anyi le wo ŋgɔ, Kanaan fiawo kple woƒe amewo gɔ̃ hã zu ŋusẽmanɔŋutɔwo!

So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

25 Wò amewo xɔ du gã siwo woglã la kple agbledenyigba nyuiwo. Woxɔ aƒe geɖe siwo me nu nyuiwo abe vudo, waingblewo, amitivewo kple kutsetseti geɖewo ene la le. Ale woɖu nu ɖi ƒo, eye wò yayrawo sɔ gbɔ ɖe wo dzi.

And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells dug, vineyards, and olive yards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

26 “Ke, togbɔ be nèwɔ esiawo katã na wo hã la, wosẽ to, eye wodze aglã ɖe ŋuwò. Woɖe asi le wò sewo ŋu, wowu nyagblɔɖila siwo gblɔ na wo be woatrɔ ava gbɔwò, eye wogawɔ nu vɔ̃ vɔ̃ɖi bubu geɖewo.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their backs, and slew your prophets which testified against them to turn them to you, and they wrought great provocations.

27 Ale nètsɔ wo de asi na woƒe futɔwo. Ke le woƒe xaxaɣiwo me la, wodo ɣli na wò, èse woƒe ɣlidodo tso dziƒo, eye le wò amenuveve ta la, èɖo amewo ɖa be woaɖe wo tso woƒe futɔwo ƒe

Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto you, you heard them from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

28 “Ke esi nuwo nɔ yiyim na wo nyuie ko la, wò amewo gatrɔ ɖe nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ŋu, eye nègana woƒe futɔwo gaɖu wo dzi. Ke ne wò amewo trɔ va gbɔwò, ɖe kuku na wò, bia wò kpekpeɖeŋu ko la, ègaɖoa to wo tso dziƒo, eye nèɖea wo to wò amenuveve gã la me!

But after they had rest, they did evil again before you: therefore left you them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto you, you heard them from heaven; and many times did you deliver them according to your mercies;

29 Èhea to na wo ale be nàtrɔ wo ɖe wò seawo ŋu. Ke, togbɔ be wò seawo dzi wɔwɔe naa agbe ame hã la, wò amewo nye dadalawo, eye womeɖo to o, ke boŋ woyi nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ dzi.

And testified against them, that you might bring them again unto your law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto your commandments, but sinned against your judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them; ) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

30 Ègbɔ dzi ɖi na wo ƒe geɖewo, eye to wò Gbɔgbɔ dzi la, èna nyagblɔɖilawo ƒo nu na wo be woadzudzɔ nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ, ke womeɖo to wo o. Ale nègana dukɔ siwo subɔa trɔ̃wo la gaɖu wo dzi.

Yet many years did you forbear them, and testified against them by your spirit in your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you them into the hand of the people of the lands.

31 Ke le wò amenuveve sɔ gbɔ la ta la, mètsrɔ̃ wo keŋkeŋ alo gble wo ɖi o. Mawu amenuvetɔ kple dɔmenyotɔ gãe nènye!

Nevertheless for your great mercies' sake you did not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.

32 “Eya ta, azɔ la, Oo, Mawu gã, si ŋu ŋɔdzi le, wò ame si wɔa wò lɔlɔ̃ kple amenuveve ƒe ŋugbedodo dzi la, mègana fukpekpe siwo katã va mía dzi la, naɖi nu tsɛ aɖeke le wò ŋkume o. Fukpekpe geɖewo va míawo ŋutɔ, míaƒe fiawo, fiaviwo, nyagblɔɖilawo kple tɔgbuiwo dzi ɣeyiɣi si Asiria fia ɖu mía dzi zi gbãtɔ va se ɖe egbe.

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keep covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before you, that has come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

33 Tɔwò dzɔ ɣe sia ɣi si nèhe to na mí. Míewɔ nu vɔ̃ ale gbegbe be nu si dze mí la koe nèwɔ mí.

Nevertheless you are just in all that is brought upon us; for you have done right, but we have done wickedly:

34 Míaƒe fiawo, dumegãwo, nunɔlawo kple mía tɔgbuiwo mewɔ wò sewo dzi o, eye womeɖo to wò nuxlɔ̃amenyawo o.

Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor hearkened unto your commandments and your testimonies, wherewith you did testify against them.

35 Togbɔ be èwɔ nukunu geɖewo na wo, eye nèkɔ wò amenuveve ɖe wo dzi fũu hã la, womesubɔ wò o. Èna anyigba gã aɖe si nyoa nu la wo, gake wogbe asiɖeɖe le woƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo ŋu.

For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and fat land which you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

36 “Ale míeganye kluviwo le afii, le anyigba si dzi nu nyuiwo bɔ ɖo fũu la dzi! Míeganye kluviwo le nu nyui gbogbo siawo dome!

Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that you gave unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:

37 Anyigba sia dzi nuku nyuiwo va yi fia siwo nèna woɖu mía dzi le míaƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta la ƒe asime. Wokpɔ ŋusẽ ɖe míaƒe ŋutilã kple míaƒe lãwo dzi. Míesubɔa wo abe ale si wodi ene, eye míezu nublanuitɔ gãwo.”

And it yields much increase unto the kings whom you have 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.

38 “Le esiawo katã ta la, míegale ŋugbe dom be míasubɔ Aƒetɔ la, eya ta mí kple míaƒe dumegãwo kple Levitɔwo kple nunɔlawo míele asi dem nubabla sia te.”

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.