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,
[I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].
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.
My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] 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.”
They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”
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.
When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in 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,
I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.
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.
Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.
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 acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.
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;
“But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).
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 return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’
10 “Yo se sèvitè Ou e pèp Ou ke Ou te rachte pa gran pouvwa Ou, ak men pwisan Ou.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
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.
Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].
