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.

Words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it cometh to pass, in the month of Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I have been in Shushan the palace,

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.

and come in doth Hanani, one of my brethren, he and men of Judah, and I ask them concerning the Jews, the escaped part that have been 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 say to me, 'Those left, who have been left of the captivity there in the province, [are] in great evil, and in reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been 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 cometh to pass, at my hearing these words, I have sat down, and I weep and mourn [for] days, and I am fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

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 say, 'I beseech thee, O Jehovah, God of the heavens, God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and kindness for those loving Him, and for those keeping His commands,

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 Thine ear be, I pray Thee, attentive, and Thine eyes open, to hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant, that I am praying before Thee to-day, by day and by night, concerning the sons of Israel Thy servants, and confessing concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, that we have sinned against Thee; yea, I and the house of my father 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 acted very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commands, and the statutes, and the judgments, that 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 pray Thee, the word that Thou didst command Moses Thy servant, saying, Ye — ye trespass — I scatter you among peoples;

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.

and ye have turned back unto Me, and kept My commands, and done them — if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, thence I gather them, and have brought them in unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to tabernacle 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 ransomed 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, let, I pray Thee, Thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of Thy servant, and unto the prayer of Thy servants, those delighting to fear Thy Name; and give prosperity, I pray Thee, to Thy servant to-day, and give him for mercies before this man;' and I have been butler to the king.