Nehemia 9

1 Mweri-inĩ o ro ũcio, mũthenya wa mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na ĩna, andũ a Isiraeli makĩũngana hamwe mehingĩte kũrĩa irio na makehumba nguo cia makũnia, o na makeitĩrĩria tĩĩri mĩtwe yao.

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

2 Arĩa maarĩ a rũciaro rwa andũ a Isiraeli nĩmeyamũranĩtie na ageni othe. Makĩrũgama o andũ handũ hao, makiumbũra mehia mao na waganu wa maithe mao.

Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Makĩrũgama o ro hau maarĩ, magĩthoma Ibuku rĩa Watho wa Jehova Ngai wao ihinda rĩa gĩcunjĩ gĩa kana kĩa mũthenya, na magĩtũmĩra gĩcunjĩ o kĩngĩ gĩa kana makiumbũra mehia na magĩthathaiyagia Jehova Ngai wao.

While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

4 Na rĩrĩ, ngathĩ-inĩ nĩ haarũgamĩte Alawii, nĩo Jeshua, na Bani, na Kadimieli, na Shebania, na Buni, na Sherebia, na Bani, na Kenani, nao magakayagĩra Jehova Ngai wao na mĩgambo maanĩrĩire.

And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Nao Alawii nĩo Jeshua, na Kadimieli, na Bani, na Hashabineia, na Sherebia, na Hodia, na Shebania, na Pethahia, makiuga atĩrĩ, “Rũgamai mũgooce Jehova Ngai wanyu, ũcio ũtũũraga tene na tene.” “Kũrathimwo nĩ rĩĩtwa rĩaku rĩrĩ riiri, narĩo rĩrotũũgĩrio gũkĩra ũgooci na irathimo ciothe.

Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Wee wiki nowe Jehova. Nĩwe wombire igũrũ, o igũrũ kũrĩa kũraya mũno, na ũkĩũmba mbũtũ cia njata ciakuo, na thĩ na kĩrĩa gĩothe kĩrĩ kuo, na maria na indo ciothe iria irĩ thĩinĩ wamo. Nĩwe ũheaga indo ciothe muoyo, nacio mbũtũ cia igũrũ nĩigũthathaiyagia.

You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.

7 “Wee nĩwe Jehova Ngai, ũrĩa wathuurire Aburamu ũkĩmũruta Uri-ya-Akalidei na ũkĩmũtua rĩĩtwa rĩngĩ Iburahĩmu.

You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

8 Nĩwonire atĩ ngoro yake nĩyakwĩhokete, nawe ũkĩgĩa na kĩrĩkanĩro nake atĩ nĩũkahe njiaro ciake bũrũri wa Akaanani, na wa Ahiti, na wa Aamori, na wa Aperizi, na wa Ajebusi, na wa Agirigashi. Nĩũhingĩtie kĩĩranĩro gĩaku nĩ tondũ ũrĩ mũthingu.

You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites— to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

9 “Nĩwonire ũrĩa maithe maitũ ma tene maathĩĩnĩkire marĩ bũrũri wa Misiri; ũkĩigua kĩrĩro kĩao marĩ hau Iria-inĩ Itune.

You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

10 Ũkĩringa ciama na morirũ, na ũgĩũkĩrĩra Firaũni, na anene ake othe, na andũ a bũrũri wake othe, nĩgũkorwo nĩwamenyete ũrĩa andũ a Misiri metĩĩaga makĩmahinyĩrĩria. Nawe ũkĩĩgĩĩra igweta, rĩrĩa rĩtũũraga nginya ũmũthĩ.

You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

11 Nĩwagayanirie Iria Itune mbere yao, nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩtuĩkanĩria iria gatagatĩ harĩa haatuĩkĩte thĩ nyũmũ, no arĩa maamaingatithĩtie ũkĩmaikia kũu kũriku o ta ihiga rĩikĩtio maaĩ-inĩ mariku mũno.

You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.

12 Mũthenya wamatongoragia na gĩtugĩ gĩa itu, naguo ũtukũ ũkamatongoria na gĩtugĩ kĩa mwaki gĩa kũmamũrĩkĩra njĩra ĩrĩa mekũgera.

You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

13 “Nĩwaikũrũkire Kĩrĩma-inĩ gĩa Sinai, ũkĩmaarĩria kuuma igũrũ. Nĩwamaheire mĩtabarĩre na mawatho ma kĩhooto na magĩrĩru, na kĩrĩra gĩaku gĩa kũrũmĩrĩrwo, o na maathani mega.

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

14 Nĩwamamenyithirie Thabatũ yaku theru na ũkĩmahe maathani, na kĩrĩra gĩaku gĩa kũrũmĩrĩrwo, na mawatho kũgerera kanua ka Musa ndungata yaku.

You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

15 Hĩndĩ ya ngʼaragu nĩwamaheire irio kuuma igũrũ, na rĩrĩa maarĩ anyootu ũkĩmahe maaĩ kuuma rwaro-inĩ rwa ihiga; wamaathire mathiĩ makegwatĩre bũrũri ũrĩa wehĩtĩte woete guoko na igũrũ atĩ nĩũkamahe.

In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.

16 “No rĩrĩ, maithe maitũ ma tene magĩĩtĩĩa na makĩũmia ngoro ciao, makĩaga gwathĩkĩra maathani maku.

But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

17 Makĩrega kũigua na makĩaga kũririkana ciama iria waringĩte gatagatĩ-inĩ kao. Nĩmoomirie ngingo, na tondũ wa ũremi wao magĩĩthuurĩra mũtongoria nĩgeetha macooke ũkombo-inĩ wao. No rĩrĩ, we ũrĩ Ngai ũrekanagĩra mehia, na ũrĩ mũtugi na mũigua tha, ndũhiũhaga kũrakara na ũiyũrĩtwo nĩ wendo. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndwamatiganĩirie,

They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

18 o na rĩrĩa methondekeire mũhianano wa njaũ, makiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ĩno nĩyo ngai yanyu ĩrĩa yamũrutire bũrũri wa Misiri,’ kana o na rĩrĩa meekire maũndũ mooru mũno ma gũkũruma.

Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

19 “Tondũ wa tha ciaku nyingĩ, ndwamatiganĩirie kũu werũ-inĩ. Gĩtugĩ gĩa itu gĩtiagire kũmatongoria njĩra-inĩ yao mũthenya, kana gĩtugĩ kĩa mwaki gĩkĩaga kũmamũrĩkĩra ũtukũ njĩra ĩrĩa mekũgerera.

You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

20 Wamaheire Roho waku mwega amarutage. Ndwagire kũmahe mana marĩe, kana ũkĩaga kũmahe maaĩ maanyoota.

You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

21 Ihinda rĩa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna nĩwamatũũririe werũ-inĩ; matiagire kĩndũ o nakĩ, ningĩ nguo ciao itiigana gũthira, kana magũrũ mao makĩimba.

For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

22 “Nĩwamaheire mothamaki na ndũrĩrĩ, ũkĩmagaĩra o nginya mĩhaka-inĩ ya kũraya. Magĩtaha bũrũri wa Sihoni mũthamaki wa Heshiboni, na bũrũri wa Ogu mũthamaki wa Bashani.

You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.

23 Waingĩhirie ariũ ao o ta njata cia matu-inĩ na ũkĩmakinyia bũrũri ũrĩa werĩte maithe mao matoonye makawĩgwatĩre ũtuĩke wao.

You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

24 Ariũ ao nĩmatoonyire, makĩĩgwatĩra bũrũri ũcio. Ũgĩtooria andũ a Kaanani arĩa maatũũraga bũrũri ũcio mbere yao; ũkĩneana andũ a Kaanani kũrĩ o, hamwe na athamaki ao na andũ a bũrũri ũcio, ũkĩmaneana moko-inĩ mao meke nao o ũrĩa mangĩendire.

So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

25 Nĩmatunyanire matũũra maarĩ mairigĩre na thingo cia hinya, na mĩgũnda mĩnoru, makĩĩgwatĩra nyũmba ciaiyũrĩte indo njega cia mĩthemba yothe, na ithima iria cienjetwo, na mĩgũnda ya mĩthabibũ, na mĩgũnda ya mĩtamaiyũ, na mĩtĩ mĩingĩ mũno ya matunda. Makĩrĩa, nginya makĩhũũna na makĩagĩra mĩĩrĩ; magĩkenera wega waku mũingĩ.

They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

26 “No nĩmagire gwathĩka, magĩkũremera, na makĩhutatĩra watho waku. Nĩmooragire anabii aku arĩa maamataaraga nĩguo mamacookie kũrĩ we; magĩĩka maũndũ mooru mũno ma gũkũruma.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

27 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ũkĩmaneana moko-inĩ ma thũ ciao, nacio ikĩmahinyĩrĩria. No rĩrĩa maahinyĩrĩirio, magĩgũkaĩra. Ũkĩmaigua kuuma igũrũ, na tondũ wa tha ciaku nyingĩ ũkĩmahe andũ a kũmahonokia, nao makĩmateithũra kuuma moko-inĩ ma thũ ciao.

So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

28 “No maarĩkia kũgĩa na ũhurũko, magĩcookerera gwĩka maũndũ mooru maitho-inĩ maku. Hĩndĩ ĩyo ũkĩmatiganĩria moko-inĩ ma thũ ciao nĩgeetha imaathe. Na rĩrĩa maagũkaĩire rĩngĩ, ũkĩmaigua ũrĩ o kũu igũrũ, na tondũ wa tha ciaku nĩwamahonokagia kaingĩ.

But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

29 “Nĩwamataarire macookerere watho waku, no-o magĩĩtĩĩa na makĩrega gwathĩkĩra maathani maku. Makĩĩhia nĩkũregana na mawatho maku marĩa mangĩtũũria mũndũ muoyo angĩmaathĩkĩra. Nĩ ũndũ wa kũngʼathia, magĩkũhutatĩra, makĩũmia ngingo, na makĩrega gũkũigua.

You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They stubbornly shrugged their shoulders; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

30 Nĩwamakirĩrĩirie mĩaka mĩingĩ. Na ũndũ wa Roho waku, nĩwamakaanagia na tũnua twa anabii aku. No matiigana gũkũigua, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio ũkĩmaneana moko-inĩ ma ndũrĩrĩ iria maariganĩtie nacio.

You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

31 No tondũ wa tha ciaku nyingĩ, ndwamaniinire kana ũkĩmatiganĩria, nĩgũkorwo ũrĩ Mũrungu mũtugi na mũigua tha.

But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 “Na rĩu-rĩ, Wee Ngai witũ, Mũrungu mũnene ũrĩ hinya na wa gwĩtigĩrwo, o wee ũhingagia kĩrĩkanĩro gĩaku kĩa wendo, ndũkareke moritũ maya moneke arĩ ũndũ mũnini maitho-inĩ maku, moritũ maya matũkorete, na magakora athamaki aitũ na atongoria aitũ, na magakora athĩnjĩri-Ngai na anabii aitũ, na magakora maithe maitũ na andũ aku othe, kuuma matukũ ma athamaki a Ashuri nginya ũmũthĩ.

So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33 Maũndũ-inĩ macio mothe matũkorete, wee ũkoretwo ũrĩ na kĩhooto; wĩkĩte maũndũ na wĩhokeku, o rĩrĩa ithuĩ tũhĩtĩtie.

You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

34 Athamaki aitũ, na atongoria aitũ, na athĩnjĩri-Ngai aitũ na maithe maitũ, matiarũmĩrĩire watho waku; matiathikĩrĩirie maathani maku kana mataaro marĩa wamaheire.

Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

35 O na rĩrĩa maarĩ ũthamaki-inĩ wao, magĩkenagĩra wega waku mũnene bũrũri-inĩ ũcio mwariĩ na mũnoru ũrĩa wamaheete, matiagũtungatĩire kana magĩtigana na njĩra ciao cia waganu.

For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

36 “No rĩrĩ, ũmũthĩ ũyũ tũrĩ ngombo, ngombo bũrũri-inĩ ũrĩa waheire maithe maitũ ma tene nĩguo marĩĩage matunda maguo na indo iria ingĩ njega ikũraga kuo.

So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!

37 Tondũ wa mehia maitũ, magetha maguo maingĩ mathiiaga kũrĩ athamaki arĩa ũigĩte igũrũ riitũ. Maathaga mĩĩrĩ iitũ na ngʼombe ciitũ o ũrĩa mekwenda. Tũrĩ ahinyĩrĩrie mũno.

Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

38 “Nĩ ũndũ wa ũguo-rĩ, nĩtũgũthondeka kĩrĩko gĩa gũtũũra na twandĩkanĩre, nao atongoria aitũ, na Alawii aitũ na athĩnjĩri-Ngai aitũ makĩhũũre mũhũũri.”

In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”