Ezra 9
1 Mgbe e mesịrị ihe ndị a, ndịisi bịakwutere m sị, “Ndị Izrel na ndị nchụaja, na ndị Livayị, ekewapụghị onwe ha site nʼetiti ndị agbataobi ha, na omume arụ ha niile, dịka nke ndị Kenan, na ndị Het; na ndị Periz, na ndị Jebus, na ndị Amọn, na ndị Moab, na ndị Ijipt, na ndị Amọrait.
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 Ha alụtarala onwe ha nwunye site nʼụmụ ndị inyom mba ọzọ ndị a, lụtakwara ụmụ ha ndị ikom. Ha agwakọtala mkpụrụ nsọ na ndị dị iche iche nọ ha gburugburu. Ọ bụ ndị ndu na ndịisi ọchịchị ha bụ ndị butere ụzọ nʼibi ndụ ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi a.”
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 Ma mgbe m nụrụ nke a, adọwara m uwe ahụ m na uwe mwụda m, dọpụkwa ụfọdụ agịrị isi nke isi m, na ajị afụọnụ m, nọdụkwa ala nʼọnọdụ mgbagwoju anya.
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 Mgbe ahụ, ndị niile mara jijiji nʼokwu Chineke nke Izrel, gbakọtara m gburugburu nʼihi ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nke ndị ahụ e mere ka ha jee biri na mba ọzọ lọtaranụ. Mụ onwe m nọkwa nʼọnọdụ mgbagwoju anya ruo oge ịchụ aja nsure ọkụ nke anyasị.
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 Nʼikpeazụ, nʼoge aja uhuruchi, esitere m nʼiweda onwe m ala bilie, eji m uwe na uwe mwụda dọkara adọka daa nʼala nʼikpere m, chilie aka m abụọ elu, tikuo Onyenwe anyị Chineke m
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 nʼekpere sị, “Ihere na-eme m, Chineke m, amaghị otu m ga-esi lelie anya m lekwasị gị nʼihu, nʼihi na mmehie anyị babigara ụba oke, ikpe ọmụma dị na-eche anyị dịkwa ukwuu, nʼezie o ruola eluigwe.
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 Site nʼụbọchị nna nna anyị ha ruo taa, ikpe ọmụma anyị adịla ukwuu. Nʼihi mmehie anyị, anyị na ndị eze anyị, na ndị nchụaja anyị ka enyefere nʼaka mma agha, na ndọta nʼagha, na ịpụnara anyị ihe nʼike na nweda nʼala nʼaka ndị eze ala mba ọzọ, dịka ọ dị taa.
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 “Ma ugbu a, na nwa oge nta a, gị bụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị egosila anyị amara, mee ka ole na ole fọdụrụ anyị. O nyeela anyị ọnọdụ siri ike nʼime ebe nsọ ya. Chineke anyị na-enye anya anyị ìhè, mee ka anyị kurutu ume ndụ nʼoge a site nʼọnọdụ ịbụ ohu anyị.
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 Nʼihi na ndị ohu ka anyị bụ, ma nʼihi obiọma na obi ebere gị, ị gbakụtaghị anyị azụ nʼọnọdụ ịbụ ohu anyị. Kama i mere ka ndị eze Peshịa gosi anyị obi ebere. Ha enyekwala anyị ndụ ọhụrụ, nke anyị ga-eji nwee ike wughachi ụlọnsọ Chineke anyị, ma wuziekwa ebe ya niile dakpọrọ adakpọ. Ọzọkwa, o nyekwala anyị ebe ize ndụ site na mwugharị nke mgbidi Juda na Jerusalem.
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 “Ugbu a, Chineke anyị, gịnịkwa ka anyị nwere ikwu banyere ihe ndị a niile mere? Lee na anyị ahapụla gị ọzọ, hapụkwa ịgbaso iwu gị,
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 nke i ji dọọ anyị aka na ntị site nʼọnụ ndị amụma, bụ ndị ohu gị. Nʼihi na i si nʼọnụ ha kwuo sị, ‘Ala ahụ unu na-abanye inweta bụ ala nke ndị bi nʼime ya mere ka ọ rụọ arụ. Nʼihi na ndị bi nʼime ya esitela nʼomume ọjọọ ha mee ka akụkụ ala ahụ niile rụọ arụ.
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 Ya mere, unu enyekwala ụmụ ha ndị ikom ụmụ unu ndị inyom ka ha lụrụ, maọbụ kwenye ka ụmụ unu ndị ikom lụọ ụmụ ha ndị inyom. Unu achọkwala udo nke ọdịmma ọbụla nʼetiti unu na ha nʼoge ọbụla, ka unu dị ike, rie ezi ihe nke ala ahụ, hapụkwara ya ụmụ unu dịka ihe nketa ha ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.’
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 “Ma ihe niile dakwasịrị anyị bụ maka ajọ omume anyị, nʼihi ikpe ọmụma dị ukwuu anyị. Ma lee, Chineke anyị ataghị anyị ahụhụ dịka ịdị ukwuu nke mmehie anyị si dị, kama, o mekwara ka ole na ole nʼime anyị fọdụ.
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 Ma anyị ọ ga-emebi iwu gị ọzọ, site nʼịlụ ndị a rụrụ arụ nʼomume ha? Ị gaghị eweso anyị iwe ruo na ị ga-ebibi anyị kpamkpam, na-afọdụghị otu onye?
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Ma gị, Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel, ị bụ onye ezi omume. Lee anyị ka anyị guzo nʼihu gị nʼọnọdụ ikpe ọmụma anyị, ọ bụ ezie na o nweghị onye ọbụla nʼime anyị kwesiri iguzo nʼihu gị nʼihi nke a.”
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
