Nehemia 1
1 Ici nĩcio ciugo cia Nehemia mũrũ wa Hakalia: Atĩrĩrĩ, mweri-inĩ wa Kiselevu wa mwaka wa mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ, rĩrĩa ndaarĩ thĩinĩ wa nyũmba ya ũthamaki kũu Shushani-rĩ,
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 Hanani, ũmwe wa ariũ a baba, agĩũka kuuma Juda arĩ na andũ angĩ, na ngĩmahooya ũhoro wa matigari ma Ayahudi arĩa maahonokete gũtahwo, o na ngĩmahooya ũhoro wa Jerusalemu.
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 Nao makĩnjookeria atĩrĩ, “Andũ arĩa maahonokire gũtahwo, o acio marĩ kũu bũrũri-inĩ, marĩ na thĩĩna mũnene na makanyararwo mũno. Rũthingo rwa Jerusalemu nĩrũmomore, na ihingo ciaruo igacinwo na mwaki.”
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 Rĩrĩa ndaiguire maũndũ macio, ngĩikara thĩ, ngĩrĩra. Ngĩikara ngĩcakayaga matukũ maigana ũna, ngĩĩhinga kũrĩa irio na ngĩhooya Ngai wa igũrũ.
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5 Ningĩ ngiuga atĩrĩ: “Wee Jehova Ngai wa Igũrũ, wee Mũrungu mũnene na wa kũmakania, ũrĩa ũhingagia kĩrĩkanĩro gĩake kĩa wendo kũrĩ arĩa mamwendete na magaathĩkĩra maathani make,
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 ndagũthaitha ũtege gũtũ gwaku, na ũhingũre maitho maku ũigue ihooya rĩrĩa ndungata yaku ĩrahooya ĩrĩ mbere yaku mũthenya na ũtukũ nĩ ũndũ wa ndungata ciaku, andũ a Isiraeli. Nĩngumbũra mehia ma andũ a Isiraeli, na makwa, na ma nyũmba ya baba, marĩa ithuĩ tũkwĩhĩirie.
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 Nĩtwĩkĩte maũndũ ma waganu mũnene harĩwe. Tũtiathĩkĩire maathani na irĩra cia watho waku cia kũrũmĩrĩrwo, o na mawatho marĩa waheire Musa ndungata yaku.
We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.
8 “Ririkana ũrutani ũrĩa waheire Musa ndungata yaku, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũngĩaga kwĩhokeka, nĩngamũhurunja gatagatĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ,
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 no mũngĩkanjookerera na mwathĩkĩre maathani makwa, hĩndĩ ĩyo o na andũ anyu arĩa maatahĩtwo magatwarwo ituri cia thĩ kũrĩa kũraya mũno, nĩngamacookereria ndĩmarute kuo, ndĩmarehe kũndũ kũrĩa thuurĩte gũtuĩke gĩikaro kĩa Rĩĩtwa rĩakwa.’
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 “Acio nĩ ndungata ciaku na andũ aku, arĩa wakũũrire na ũndũ wa hinya waku mũnene na guoko gwaku kũrĩ ũhoti.
They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand.
11 Wee, Jehova, ndagũthaitha ũtege gũtũ ũigue mahooya ma ndungata ĩno yaku, o na mahooya ma ndungata ciaku iria ikenagio nĩ gwĩtigĩra rĩĩtwa rĩaku. Kĩreke ndungata yaku ĩgaacĩre ũmũthĩ na ũndũ wa gũtũma ĩtĩkĩrĩke harĩ mũndũ ũyũ.” Nĩ niĩ ndatwaragĩra mũthamaki kĩndũ gĩa kũnyua.
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.)
