Nehemaya 1
1 Nke a bụ okwu Nehemaya nwa Hakalaya: Nʼọnwa Kislev, nke afọ ahụ mere ya iri afọ abụọ nke ọchịchị Ataksekses mgbe m nọ nʼụlọeze dị na Susa,
[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 otu nwanne m nwoke aha ya bụ Hanani, na ụfọdụ ndị ọzọ sitere Juda bịara ileta m. Ajụrụ m ha ajụjụ otu ihe si agara ndị Juu ahụ fọdụrụ, ndị si ebe dị iche iche lọta, jụọkwa ha maka Jerusalem.
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 Ha zara si: “Ndị ahụ niile lọtara nọ nʼoke nsogbu na ihere. A kụdara mgbidi Jerusalem; e sukwara ọnụ ụzọ ama ya niile ọkụ.”
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 Mgbe m nụrụ okwu ndị a, anọdụrụ m ala kwaa nnọọ akwa. Nʼezie, ajụrụ m iri ihe ọbụla ọtụtụ ụbọchị, nʼihi na eji m oge m niile kpee ekpere rịọ Chineke nke eluigwe arịrịọ,
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 si ya: “Gị, Onyenwe anyị Chineke nke eluigwe, onye dị ukwu na onye dịkwa egwu; gị onye na-edebe ọgbụgba ndụ ịhụnanya nke ndị ahụ hụrụ ya nʼanya na-edebekwa iwu ya niile. Biko nụrụ arịrịọ m.
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 Leda anya ebere gị ka ị nụrụ arịrịọ mụ bụ ohu gị na-arịọ gị ehihie na nʼabalị. Ana m ekwupụta mmehie anyị bụ ụmụ Izrel, ma nke m na ezinaụlọ nna m mere megide gị.
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 Anyị emela ihe jọrọ njọ megide gị. Anyị edebeghị iwu gị na ụkpụrụ gị nke i nyere ohu gị Mosis.
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 “Chetakwa ntụziaka inyere Mosis bụ ohu gị, na-asị, ‘Ọ bụrụ na unu emehie, mụ onwe m ga-achụsa unu nʼetiti mba dị iche iche.
“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 Ma ọ bụrụ na unu alaghachikwute m, debe ihe niile m nyere unu nʼiwu, a sikwa na a chụsara unu mee ka unu gbasaa ga nʼakụkụ niile nke ụwa, aga m achịkọta unu mee ka unu laghachi na Jerusalem bụ obodo m họpụtara nye Aha m.’
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 “Anyị bụ ndị ohu gị, bụrụkwa ndị i ji aka gị dị ike zọpụta.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Biko, Onyenwe anyị, nụrụ ekpere mụ bụ ohu gị, nụrụkwa ekpere ndị ohu gị niile ọ na-atọ ụtọ ịtụ egwu aha gị. Mee ka ihe gara ohu gị nke ọma taa site nʼimere ya ebere nʼihu nwoke a.” Nʼoge ahụ abụ m onye na-ebu ihe ọṅụṅụ eze.
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].
