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. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the palace,
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, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning 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.”
They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burnt 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, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed 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,
and said, “I beg you, LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness 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 ear now be attentive and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against you. Yes, 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 dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
8 “Ririkana ũrutani ũrĩa waheire Musa ndungata yaku, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũngĩaga kwĩhokeka, nĩngamũhurunja gatagatĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ,
“Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you amongst the peoples;
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 my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’
10 “Acio nĩ ndungata ciaku na andũ aku, arĩa wakũũrire na ũndũ wa hinya waku mũnene na guoko gwaku kũrĩ ũhoti.
“Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong 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.
Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.
