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 words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

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, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning 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 said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof 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,

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed 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.

And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe 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 ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned 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 dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commanded 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 beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad 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 turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

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 redeemed 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, I beseech you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.