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,

The history of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. Now it came about, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when I was in Shushan, the king's town,

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?”

That Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah; and in answer to my request for news of the Jews who had been prisoners and had got away, and of 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.”

They said to me, The small band of Jews now living there in the land are in great trouble and shame: the wall of Jerusalem has been broken down, and its doorways 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,

Then, after hearing these words, for some days I gave myself up to weeping and sorrow, seated on the earth; and taking no food I made prayer to 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.

And said, O Lord, the God of heaven, the great God, greatly to be feared, keeping faith and mercy with those who have love for him and are true to his laws:

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 ear now take note and let your eyes be open, so that you may give ear to the prayer of your servant, which I make before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel, your servants, while I put before you the sins of the children of Israel, which we have done against you: truly, I and my father's people are sinners.

7 Míewɔ nu tovowo ɖe ŋutiwò, míewɔ wò sededewo, ɖoɖowo kple se siwo wò dɔla Mose de na mí la dzi o.

We have done great wrong against you, and have not kept the orders, the rules, and the decisions, which you gave to 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,

Keep in mind, O Lord, the order you gave your servant Moses, saying, If you do wrong I will send you wandering among the peoples:

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 come back to me and keep my orders and do them, even if those of you who have been forced out are living in the farthest parts of heaven, I will get them from there, and take them back to the place marked out by me for the resting-place of my name.

10 “Wò dɔlawoe míenye, dukɔ si nètsɔ wò ŋusẽ gã kple wò alɔ sesẽ la ɖee lae míenye.

Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have made yours by your great power and by your strong 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, let your ear take note of the prayer of your servant, and of the prayers of your servants, who take delight in worshipping your name: give help, O Lord, to your servant this day, and let him have mercy in the eyes of this man. (Now I was the king's wine-servant.)