Nehemaya 9
1 Nʼụbọchị nke iri abụọ na anọ nke otu ọnwa ahụ, ndị Izrel niile zukọkwara na obubu ọnụ, yiri uwe iru ụjụ, kpokwasịkwa onwe ha ntụ nʼisi.
On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].
2 Ndị si nʼagbụrụ Izrel wezugakwara onwe ha site nʼebe ndị mba ọzọ niile nọ. Ha guzoro nʼọnọdụ ha kwupụta mmehie ha na ajọ omume nke nna nna ha.
The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.
3 Ha guzokwara nʼebe ahụ ha nọ gụọ site nʼakwụkwọ iwu nke Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke ha ruo awa atọ. Ha jikwa awa atọ nke ọzọ kwupụta mmehie ha, na ife Onyenwe anyị Chineke ha ofufe.
The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.
4 Mgbe ahụ Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebanaya, Buni, Sherebaya, Bani na Kenani rigoro guzo nʼelu ihe nguzo ndị Livayị. Ha jiri oke olu kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke ha.
[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.
5 Ndị Livayị ndị a, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneia, Sherebaya, Hodia, Shebanaya na Petahaya sịrị, “Bilienụ ọtọ, too Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu, onye na-adị site nʼebighị ebi ruo ebighị ebi.” “Ka aha gị dị ebube bụrụ ihe a gọziri agọzi, ka ọ bụrụ ihe e buliri elu karịa ngọzị niile na otuto niile.
Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!
6 Gị onwe gị, naanị gị bụ Onyenwe anyị. Gị kere eluigwe, ọ bụladị eluigwe kachasị elu, na kpakpando niile nke mbara eluigwe, ụwa na ihe niile dị nʼime ya, oke osimiri niile na ihe niile dị nʼime ha. Ọ bụ gị na-enye ihe niile ndụ, usuu niile nke eluigwe na-akpọkwa isiala nye gị.
“You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.
7 “Gị, onwe gị bụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke ahụ, onye họpụtara Ebram site nʼobodo Ụọ nke ndị Kaldịa, kpọpụta ya, gụgharịa aha ya ka ọ bụrụ Ebraham.
“Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.
8 Ị hụkwara nʼobi ya kwesiri ntụkwasị obi nye gị, gị na ya gbakwara ndụ na ị ga-enye ụmụ ya ala ndị Kenan, nke ndị Het, nke ndị Amọrait, nke ndị Periz, nke ndị Jebus na nke ndị Gigash. I mezuola nkwa gị nʼihi na ị bụ onye ezi omume.
You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.
9 “Ị hụrụ nsogbu na iru ụjụ niile nke nna nna anyị ha nʼala Ijipt; ị nụkwara akwa ha nʼakụkụ Osimiri Uhie.
“You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.
10 I gosiri Fero na ndịisi ọchịchị ya na ndị ya niile ọtụtụ ihe ịrịbama na ọrụ ebube nʼihi na ị hụrụ otu ha siri site na nganga juru ha obi mesoo ndị gị mmeso ọjọọ. Ụwa niile maara aha gị taa nʼihi ọrụ ebube ndị a niile ị rụrụ.
Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!
11 I kewara Osimiri Uhie abụọ mee ka ndị gị site nʼala akọrọ gafee. Ma i mere ka ndị iro ha na-achụ ha ọsọ nwụọ nʼime oke osimiri ahụ. Ha mikpuru dịka nkume danyere nʼime mmiri, nke oke osimiri.
You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!
12 I ji ogidi igwe ojii duo nna nna anyị ha nʼehihie, ma were ogidi ọkụ duo ha nʼabalị, inye ha ìhè ka ha ghara ijehie ụzọ.
During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.
13 “I sitere nʼeluigwe gwa ha okwu, ị rịdatara nʼugwu Saịnaị, ị nyere ha iwu na ntụziaka niile ziri ezi, nyekwa ha ụkpụrụ na ihe niile dị mma nke enyere nʼiwu.
“When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.
14 I mere ka ha mata ụbọchị izuike gị dị nsọ, nyekwa ha iwu site nʼọnụ ohu gị Mosis, ka ha debe iwu gị na ụkpụrụ gị niile.
You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.
15 I sitere nʼeluigwe nye ha achịcha mgbe agụụ gụrụ ha, sitekwa na nkume nye ha mmiri mgbe akpịrị kpọrọ ha nkụ. I sịkwara ha baa nʼime ala ahụ inweta ala ahụ bụ nke i weliri aka gị ṅụọ iyi inye ha.
When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.
16 “Ma nna nna anyị ha erubeghị isi nʼokwu gị, nʼihi isiike ha na nganga ha.
“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.
17 Ha egeghị ntị ọbụla, ha echetakwaghị ihe ịrịbama niile i meere ha. Kama ha nupuru isi họpụtara onwe ha onyeisi ga-eduru ha ịlaghachi Ijipt. Ma ị bụ Chineke onye na-eme ebere, onye na-agbaghara mmehie ndị gị mgbe ọbụla. Ị bụ onye obiọma, onye iwe na-adịghị ewe ọsịịsọ. I jupụtara nʼịhụnanya na amara mgbe niile. Nʼihi ya, ị gbakụtaghị ha azụ,
They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.
18 ọ bụladị mgbe ha meere onwe ha nwa ehi ha kpụrụ akpụ kwuo sị, ‘Nke a bụ chi unu. Ọ bụ ya si nʼala Ijipt dupụta anyị,’ maọbụ mgbe ha mehiere megide gị nʼụzọ niile.
So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.
19 “Ma nʼihi obi ebere gị nke dị ukwuu, ị hapụghị ha ka ha nwụọ nʼọzara. Ogidi igwe ojii ahụ duuru ha ụbọchị niile, ma ogidi ọkụ ahụ dukwara ha abalị niile.
“Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.
20 I zitere ezi Mmụọ nke gị ime ka ha nwee uche. Ị gbochikwaghị mánà gị iru ha ọnụ, ị nyekwara ha mmiri nʼihi akpịrị ịkpọ nkụ ha.
You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.
21 Iri afọ anọ ka i debere ha ndụ nʼọzara. Ọ dịghị ihe kọrọ ha nʼoge ahụ. Uwe ha akaghị nka, ukwu ha azaghị.
For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].
22 “I nyere ha alaeze na mba dị iche iche, kenye ha ọbụladị ebe ndị dịkarịsịrị anya. Ha nwetara ala Saịhọn bụ eze Heshbọn, na ala Ọg bụ eze Bashan.
“You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].
23 I mere ka ụmụ Izrel mụbaa dịka kpakpando nke eluigwe, ị kpọbatara ha nʼala ahụ i gwara ndị bụ nna ha ka ha baa nweta.
You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.
24 Ụmụ ha banyere nweta ala ahụ. I meriri ndị Kenan nʼihu ha, bụ ndị bi nʼala ahụ. I weere ndị Kenan ahụ nyefee nʼaka ha, ha na ndị eze ha, na ndị niile bi nʼala ahụ ka ndị gị jiri ha mee ihe ọbụla ha kpebiri nʼobi ha.
Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.
25 Ndị gị nwetara ala mara mma, na ọtụtụ obodo e wusiri ike; ha nwetakwara ọtụtụ ụlọ nke ihe ọma juru nʼime ha, na olulu mmiri e gwuru nke ọma, na ubi vaịnị mkpụrụ dị, na ubi oliv, na ọtụtụ osisi ọma ndị ọzọ na-amị mkpụrụ. Ha rijuru afọ, ahụ ha mara mma ile anya, ha ṅụrikwara ọṅụ nʼihi ngọzị ị gọziri ha.
Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.
26 “Ma ha nupuru isi nʼokwu gị, jụ iwu gị, gbuo ndị amụma tụrụ ha mmehie ha nʼihu, meekwa ọtụtụ ihe ọjọọ ndị ọzọ dị iche iche.
“But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.
27 Nʼihi nke a, i nyefere ha nʼaka ndị iro ha, ndị kpagburu ha. Ma nʼime mkpagbu ha, ha kpọkuru gị, ị nọkwa nʼeluigwe nụ ekpere ha, sitekwa nʼobi ebere gị zigara ha ndị bịara zọpụta ha, na ndị napụtara ha site nʼaka ndị iro ha.
So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.
28 “Ma mgbe ihe bidoro ịgara ha nke ọma, ha mekwara ihe jọrọ njọ nʼihu gị. Ọzọkwa, i nyefere ha nʼaka ndị iro ha ka ndị iro ha merie ha. Ma mgbe ọbụla ndị gị chegharịkwutere gị, kpọkuo gị ka i nyere ha aka, ị na-anụ arịrịọ ha, sitekwa nʼobi ebere gị gbapụta ha.
“But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.
29 “Ị dọrọ ha aka na ntị sị ha lọghachi debe ihe i nyere nʼiwu. Ma ha sitere na nganga juru ha obi jụ idebe iwu gị. Ha mehiere megide ihe niile i nyere nʼiwu, ọ bụ ezie na ha maara na idebe ya ga-ewetara ha ndụ. Ma site nʼisiike ha, ha gbakụtara gị azụ, bụrụ ndị isiike na ndị jụrụ ige ntị.
“You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.
30 Ma i sitere na ntachiobi gị nye ha ogologo oge ichegharị; ị dọrọ ha aka na ntị site nʼọnụ ndị amụma gị, ma ha egeghị ntị. Ya mere, i kwenyekwara ka ndị iro ha merie ha ọzọ.
You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.
31 Ma nʼihi obi ebere gị i bibighị ha kpamkpam; ị gbakụtakwaghị ha azụ nʼihi na ị bụ Chineke onye dị ebere na onye amara.
But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!
32 “Ugbu a, Chineke anyị, Chineke dị ukwuu, onye dị ike dịkwa ebube, onye na-edebe ọgbụgba ndụ ịhụnanya ya, ka ọnọdụ ihe isi ike a ghara ịbụ ihe nta nʼanya gị. Ntaramahụhụ nke dakwasịrị anyị, ndị eze anyị na ndị ndu anyị, ndị nchụaja anyị, ndị amụma anyị, nna nna anyị ha na ndị gị niile, site nʼoge ndị eze Asịrịa buru ụzọ lụgbuo anyị nʼagha tutu ruo taa.
“Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.
33 Ma gị onwe gị bụ onye ezi omume, nʼihe niile bịakwasịrị anyị; Ị mere ihe kwesiri, ebe anyị onwe anyị mere ajọ omume.
[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.
34 Ndị eze anyị, ndị ndụ anyị na ndị nchụaja na nna nna anyị edebeghị iwu gị; ha aṅaghịkwa ntị nʼihe niile i nyere nʼiwu maọbụ ihe ama gị nke ị dọrọ ha aka na ntị idebe.
Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.
35 Ọ bụladị mgbe ha nọ nʼalaeze nke aka ha na-ekpori ndụ, nke oke ịdị mma gị nke ị mere ka o rute ha aka, nʼala ọma ahụ sara mbara nwere ume i nyere ha, ha efeghị gị ofufe, ha esitekwaghị nʼụzọ ọjọọ ha chigharịa.
Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.
36 “Ma lee, anyị bụ ndị ohu taa, e, anyị bụ ndị ohu nʼala ahụ i nyere nna nna anyị ha, ka ọ bụrụ ebe ha ga-esi rie mkpụrụ ọ mịpụtara na ihe ọma ọ na-amịpụta.
“So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.
37 Nʼihi mmehie anyị, mkpụrụ ọma niile a na-esi na ya wepụta ka ndị eze ahụ niile i mere ka ha na-achị anyị na-ewere. Ha nwere ike nʼahụ anyị, na nʼebe anụ ụlọ anyị dị ka o si dị ha mma. Anyị na-ahụjukwa anya.
Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.
38 “Nʼihi ihe ndị a niile, anyị na-ekwe gị nkwa ugbu a na anyị ga-efe gị. Anyị, ndịisi anyị, ndị Livayị na ndị nchụaja, na-etinye aha anyị nʼọgbụgba ndụ a.”
“However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”
