Nehemiah 1
1 Pa inge takinyen orekma yohk su Nehemiah, wen natul Hacaliah, el orala. Ke malem in Kislev in yac aklongoul ma Artaxerxes el tokosra fulat lun Persia, nga, Nehemiah, muta Susa, siti fulat lun acn Persia.
[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 Hanani, sie sin tamulel luk, el wi u se tuku Judah me, ac nga siyuk selos ke acn Jerusalem ac ke mwet Jew wiasr su folokla liki sruoh in acn Babylonia.
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 Elos fahk nu sik lah mwet su painmoulla ac folokla muta yen selos ah, arulana upa moul lalos, ac mwetsac su muta apkuran nu yorolos elos aklusrongtenyalos. Na elos fahk pac nu sik lah pot Jerusalem srakna musalla oan, oayapa mutunpot uh soenna orekla tukun pacl se firiryak ah.
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 Ke nga lohng ma inge nukewa, nga putati ac tung. Nga asor ke len na pus, ac nga tiana mongo. Nga pre nu sin God ac fahk,
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 “LEUM GOD lun Kusrao! Kom fulat, ac kut arulana sangeng sum. Kom oaru na in karingin wuleang lom nu selos su lungse kom ac oru ma kom sapkin.
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 Ngetma liyeyu, LEUM GOD, ac porongo pre luk, ke nga siyuk len ac fong ke mwet kulansap lom, mwet Israel. Nga fahkak lah kut, mwet Israel, orekma koluk. Nga ac mwet matu luk orekma koluk.
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 Kut arulana aktoasrye kom, ac tia oru ma kom sapkin. Kut tia liyaung ma sap lom ma kom sang nu sel Moses mwet kulansap lom elan ase nu sesr.
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 Inge, esam ke kom fahk nu sel Moses, ‘Kowos mwet Israel fin tia pwaye nu sik, nga ac akfahsryekowoselik inmasrlon mutunfacl ngia.
“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 Tusruktu kowos fin foloko nu yuruk ac oru ma nga sapkin nu suwos, nga ac folokinkowosme nu yen nga sulela tuh mwet uh in alu nu sik we, kowos finne fahsrelik nu yen saflaiyen faclu.’
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 “O Leum, mwet inge elos mwet kulansap lom ac mwet lom sifacna. Kom molelosla ke ku yoklana lom.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Lipsre mwe siyuk luk inge, oayapa pre lun mwet kulansap lom nukewa ngia su kena akfulatye kom. Ase wo ouiya nu sik misenge, ac oru tuh tokosra fulat elan pakoten nu sik.” In len ingo, nga tuh mwet okwok wain lun tokosra fulat.
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].
