Nehemia 1
1 Esiae nye Nehemia, Hakalia ƒe vi ƒe nyawo. Le ɣleti wuievelia me, le Persia fia, Artazerses ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe blaevelia me, esime menɔ Susa fiasã la me la,
These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,
2 nɔvinye Yudatɔ aɖe si woyɔna be, Hanani kple ame aɖewo tso Yuda va be yewoakpɔm ɖa. Mebia nya tso ale si nuwo nɔ le Yerusalem la ŋu. Mebia be, “Aleke nuwo le na Yudatɔ siwo gbɔ tso aboyo me va Yerusalem?”
Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah. So I questioned them about the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 Woɖo eŋu be, “Nuwo menyo kura o, ame siwo gbɔ tso aboyome la, le xaxa kple ŋukpe gã aɖe me; womu Yerusalem ƒe gliwo ƒu anyi eye wotɔ dzo agboawo.”
And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
4 Esi mese nya siawo la, menɔ anyi, eye mefa avi. Le nyateƒe me la, metsi nu dɔ ŋkeke geɖewo, eye mewɔ ɣeyiɣi ma ŋu dɔ hedo gbe ɖa na dziƒo ƒe Mawu la be,
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5 “O! Aƒetɔ Yehowa, Mawu gã si ŋu ŋɔdzi le, Mawu si wɔa eƒe ŋugbedodowo dzi, eye wòvea ame siwo lɔ̃nɛ, eye wowɔa eƒe sewo dzi la nu, se nye gbedodoɖa.
Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,
6 Wò to nenɔ te, eye wò ŋkuwo nenɔ ʋuʋu be nàse gbe si dom wò dɔla le ɖa zã kple keli le ŋkuwòme, ɖe wò dɔlawo, Israel dukɔ ta. Meʋu nu vɔ̃ siwo mí Israelviwo, nye ŋutɔ kple fofonye ƒe aƒe míewɔ ɖe ŋuwò la me.
let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.
7 Míewɔ nu tovowo ɖe ŋutiwò, míewɔ wò sededewo, ɖoɖowo kple se siwo wò dɔla Mose de na mí la dzi o.
We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.
8 “Meɖe kuku, ɖo ŋku nya si nègblɔ na wò dɔla, Mose la dzi! Wòe gblɔ be: ‘Ne miewɔ nu vɔ̃ la, makaka mi ɖe dukɔwo dome,
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,
9 ke ne mietrɔ va gbɔnye, eye miewɔ nye seawo dzi la togbɔ be woɖe aboyo mi yi xexea me ƒe dzogoe didiƒetɔwo mee hã la, makplɔ mi tso teƒe mawo, eye makplɔ mi va teƒe si metia be wòanye nye ŋkɔ ƒe nɔƒe.’
but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’
10 “Wò dɔlawoe míenye, dukɔ si nètsɔ wò ŋusẽ gã kple wò alɔ sesẽ la ɖee lae míenye.
They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand.
11 O! Aƒetɔ, meɖe kuku, se nye gbedodoɖa! Ɖo to mí, ame siwo kpɔa dzidzɔ be míade bubu ŋuwò la ƒe gbedodoɖa. Meɖe kuku, kpe ɖe ŋunye fifi laa esi mele fia la gbɔ yim be mabiae be wòana kpekpeɖeŋu tɔxɛm. Dee eƒe dzi me be wòave nunye.” Fia la ƒe ahakulae menye.
O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)
