Neemi 1

1 Men istwa Neemi, pitit gason Akalya a, jan li menm li te rakonte l' la. Se te nan mwa Kislèv. Lè sa a, wa Atagzèsès te gen ventan depi li t'ap gouvènen. Mwen menm, Neemi, mwen te lavil Souz, kapital peyi a.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Chachalyah. And it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan, the capital,

2 Anani, yonn nan frè m' yo, rive soti nan peyi Jida ansanm ak kèk lòt moun. Mwen mande yo nouvèl jwif yo, ti ponyen moun pèp Izrayèl ki te soti nan peyi kote yo te depòte yo epi ki tounen nan peyi yo a, ansanm ak nouvèl lavil Jerizalèm.

That there came Chanani, one of my brethren, himself with certain men of Judah: and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 Yo reponn mwen: Moun ki tounen soti nan peyi kote yo te depòte yo epi ki rete laba nan peyi nou an anba gwo pwoblèm. Yo pa konn sa pou yo fè tèlman yo wont. Kanta miray lavil Jerizalèm yo, yo te fin kraze. Gwo pòtay yo menm te menm jan an toujou depi dife te fin boule yo a.

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great misery and in disgrace; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and her gates are burnt with fire.

4 Lè m' tande sa, mwen chita atè, mwen pran kriye. Mwen pase anpil jou konsa nan gwo lapenn. Mwen pa manje, mwen t'ap lapriyè Bondye ki nan syèl la.

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned some days, and I was fasting, and praying before the God of heaven.

5 Mwen di: -Aa, Seyè, Bondye ki nan syèl la, ou se yon Bondye ki gen pouvwa, yon Bondye ki fè moun gen krentif pou ou. Ou kenbe pawòl ou te bay nan kontra ou la. Ou toujou gen pitye pou moun ki renmen ou, pou moun ki swiv lòd ou yo.

And I said, I beseech thee, O Lord the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth the covenant and kindness for those that love him and for those that keep his commandments:

6 Tanpri, voye je ou sou mwen menm k'ap sèvi ou la. Panche zòrèy ou pou tande lapriyè m'ap fè nan pye ou koulye a, lajounen kou lannwit, pou sèvitè ou yo, moun pèp Izrayèl yo. Mwen rekonèt tou sa moun pèp Izrayèl yo fè ki mal devan je ou. Mwen rekonèt ni mwen menm ni zansèt mwen yo nou fè peche.

Let thy ear now be attentive, and thy eyes be open, I entreat thee, to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I am praying this day before thee, by day and by night, in behalf of the children of Israel thy servants, and [as] I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, [with] which we have sinned against thee: yea, I also and my father's house have sinned.

7 Nou aji mal anpil avè ou. Nou pa swiv tout kòmandman, tout lòd ak tout regleman ou te bay Moyiz, sèvitè ou la, pou nou.

We have dealt very corruptly toward thee: and we have not kept the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.

8 Koulye a, chonje pawòl ou te bay Moyiz, sèvitè ou la, lòd ki di nou: Si nou menm, moun pèp Izrayèl yo, nou pa kenbe pawòl mwen yo, m'ap gaye nou sou latè nan mitan tout lòt nasyon yo.

Remember, I beseech thee, the word with which thou didst charge Moses thy servant, saying, If ye become truly unfaithful, I will indeed scatter you among the nations.

9 Men, si nou tounen vin jwenn mwen, si nou pran swiv kòmandman mwen yo pou nou fè sa m' di nou fè, yo te mèt depòte nou jouk byen lwen nan dènye bout latè a, m'ap sanble nou, m'ap fè nou tounen kote mwen chwazi pou m' rete a.

But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them: [then] though your outcasts should be at the utmost parts of heaven, from there will I gather them, and I will bring them unto the place which I have chosen to let my name dwell there.

10 Enben! Seyè, men yo, moun k'ap sèvi ou yo. Men pèp ou a, pèp ou te delivre ak gwo pouvwa ou ak fòs ponyèt ou a.

And they are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

11 Aa! Seyè, panche zòrèy ou pou tande lapriyè mwen menm, sèvitè ou, m'ap fè nan pye ou, lapriyè tout sèvitè ou yo ki pran plezi nan gen krentif pou ou. Tanpri, Seyè, fè tout bagay mache byen pou mwen jòdi a. Fè wa a resevwa m' byen. Lè sa a, mwen te chèf kanbiz wa a.

I beseech thee, O Lord, do let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who are desirous to fear thy name; and grant success, I pray thee, to thy servant this day, and let him find mercy in the sight of this man —But I was butler by the king.