Nehemia 1
1 O NA olelo a Nehemia ke keiki a Hakalia. I ka malama o Kiseleu, i ka iwakalua o ka makahiki, iloko no wau o Susana o ka pakaua;
[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 A hiki mai la o Hanani, kekahi o na hoahanau o'u, oia a mo kekahi mau kanaka o ka Iuda; a ninau aku au ia lakou no ka poe o ka Iuda i pakele, ka poe i koe i ka lawe pio ana, a no Ierusalema no hoi.
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 A i mai la lakou ia'u, O ka poe i haaleleia malaila, ma ka mokuna, ka poe i koe i ka lawe pio ana, iloko no lakou o ka popilikia nui a me ka hoinoia mai; a o ka pa o Ierusalema, ua hoohioloia, a o na panipuka no hoi ona, ua pau i ke ahi.
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 A i ko'u lohe ana i keia mau mea, noho no au ilalo, a uwe iho la, a kaniuhu no hoi i kekahi mau la, e hoopololi ana a e pule ana hoi imua o ke Akua o ka lani,
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 A i aku la, Ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e Iehova ke Akua o ka lani, ke Akua nui hooweliweli, e malama ana i ka berita a i ke aloha no ka poe i aloha aku ia ia a malama hoi i kana mau kauoha;
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 E haliu mai no kou pepeiao, a e kaakaa kou mau maka i lohe oe i ka pule a kau kauwa, a'u e pule aku nei imua ou i keia la. i ke ao a me ka po, no na mamo a Iseraela, kau poe kauwa; e hai aku ana hoi i na hewa a na mamo a Iseraela a makou i hana hewa a aku ai ia oe; owau a me ko ka hale o ko'u makuakane, ua hana hewa no makou.
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 Ua hana ino loa aku no makou ia oe, aole hoi i malama makou i na kauoha, a me na kanawai a me na olelo kupaa, au i kauoha mai ai ia Mose i kau kauwa.
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 Ke noi aku nei au ia oe o hoomanao oe i ka olelo au i kauoha mai ai ia Mose i kau kauwa, i mai la, A hana hewa oukou, e hoopuehu aku no au ia oukou iwaena o na lahuikanaka;
“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 Aka, ina huli mai oukou ia'u, a malama i ka'u mau kauoha, a hana hoi ia; alaila ina i kipakuia kekahi o oukou ma ka palena o ka lani, e houluulu au ia lakou malaila mai, a e lawe mai ia lakou ma kahi a'u i wae ai e waiho i ko'u inoa malaila.
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 A, o lakou la, o kau poe kauwa no a me kou poe kanaka, au i hoopakele ai me kou mana nui, a me kou lima ikaika.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e ka Haku e, e haliu mai kou pepeiao i ka pule a kau kauwa, a i ka pule a kau mau kauwa e makemake ana e makau i kou inoa; a e kokua mai oe i kau kauwa, i keia la, a haawi mai ia ia i ka lokomaikaiia mai imua o keia kanaka. No ka mea, owau ka mea lawe kiaha no ke alii.
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].
