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,
The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. And it happened that, in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the capital city 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.
And Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived, he and some men of Judah. And I questioned them about the Jews who had remained and were left behind from the captivity, and 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 said to me: “Those who have remained and have been left behind from the captivity, there in the province, are in great affliction and in disgrace. And the wall of Jerusalem has been broken apart, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 Rĩrĩa ndaiguire maũndũ macio, ngĩikara thĩ, ngĩrĩra. Ngĩikara ngĩcakayaga matukũ maigana ũna, ngĩĩhinga kũrĩa irio na ngĩhooya Ngai wa igũrũ.
And when I had heard this manner of words, I sat down, and I wept and mourned for many days. I fasted and prayed before the face of 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,
And I said: “I beg you, O Lord, God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love you and who keep your 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.
may your ears be attentive, and may your eyes be open, so that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you today, night and day, for the sons of Israel, your servants. And I am confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, which they have sinned against you. We have sinned, I and my father’s house.
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 been seduced by vanity. And we have not kept your commandments and ceremonies and judgments, which you have instructed to your servant Moses.
8 “Ririkana ũrutani ũrĩa waheire Musa ndungata yaku, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũngĩaga kwĩhokeka, nĩngamũhurunja gatagatĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ,
Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse 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 will return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, even if you will have been led away to the furthest reaches of the heavens, I will gather you from there, and I will lead you back to the place that I have chosen so that my name would dwell there.’
10 “Acio nĩ ndungata ciaku na andũ aku, arĩa wakũũrire na ũndũ wa hinya waku mũnene na guoko gwaku kũrĩ ũhoti.
And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful 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.
I beg you, O Lord, may your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who are willing to fear your name. And so, guide your servant today, and grant to him mercy before this man.” For I was the cupbearer of the king.
