< Neemi 1 >
1 Pawòl a Néhémie yo, fis Hacalia a. Alò, sa te fèt nan mwa Kisleu a, nan ventyèm ane a, pandan mwen te nan kapital Suse la,
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 ke Hanani, youn nan frè mwen yo, e kèk nan mesye ki soti Juda yo te vini. Mwen te mande yo sou Jwif yo ki te chape, e ki te reziste malgre kaptivite a, epi sou Jérusalem.
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 Yo te di mwen: “Retay ki la nan pwovens lan, ki te chape e ki te reziste malgre kaptivite a nan gwo pwoblèm ak dezolasyon. Miray Jérusalem nan kraze nèt e pòtay li yo fin brile ak dife.”
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 Lè m te tande pawòl sila yo, mwen te chita la, mwen te kriye e fè gwo plent pandan kèk jou; epi mwen t ap fè jèn avèk lapriyè devan Bondye syèl la.
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 Mwen te di: “Mwen sipliye W, O SENYÈ syèl la, Bondye ki gran e mèvèye a, ki gade akò Li avèk lanmou dous Li pou sila ki renmen Li yo e ki kenbe kòmandman Li yo,
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 ke zòrèy W kapab atantif e zye Ou yo louvri pou tande lapriyè sèvitè Ou a ke mwen ap fè devan Ou koulye a, lajounen kon lannwit, nan non a fis Israël yo, pou konfese peche a fis Israël yo ke nou te fè kont Ou menm. Mwen menm avèk lakay papa m te peche.
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 Nou te byen konwonpi nan zak nou te fè kont Ou yo, e nou pa t kenbe kòmandman yo, règleman yo, òdonans yo, ke ou te kòmande a sèvitè Ou a, Moïse.
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 “Sonje pawòl ke Ou te kòmande sèvitè Ou a, Moïse, lè Ou te di: ‘Si nou pa fidèl, Mwen va gaye nou pami pèp yo;
Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse you among the nations.
9 men si nou retounen kote Mwen, kenbe kòmandman Mwen yo, e fè yo, malgre sila nan nou ki te gaye nan zòn pi izole nan syèl yo, Mwen va ranmase yo soti la, pou mennen yo rive nan plas kote Mwen te chwazi pou non Mwen te abite a.’
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 “Yo se sèvitè Ou e pèp Ou ke Ou te rachte pa gran pouvwa Ou, ak men pwisan Ou.
And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful hand.
11 O Senyè, mwen sipliye W, pou zòrèy ou kapab atantif a lapriyè a sèvitè Ou a ak lapriyè a sèvitè Ou yo ki pran plezi nan louwe non Ou. Fè sèvitè Ou a reyisi nan jou sila a, e bay li mizerikòd devan nonm sila a.” Alò, se te mwen ki te pote tas pou wa a.
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.