Nehemiæ 9

1 In die autem vigesimoquarto mensis huius convenerunt filii Israel in ieiunio et in saccis, et humus super eos.

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 Et separatum est semen filiorum Israel ab omni filio alienigena: et steterunt, et confitebantur peccata sua, et iniquitates patrum suorum.

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 Et consurrexerunt ad standum: et legerunt in volumine Legis Domini Dei sui, quater in die, et quater confitebantur, et adorabant Dominum Deum suum.

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 Surrexerunt autem super gradum Levitarum Iosue, et Bani, et Cedmihel, Sabania, Bonni, Sarebias, Bani, et Chanani: et clamaverunt voce magna ad Dominum Deum suum.

[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.

5 Et dixerunt Levitae Iosue, et Cedmihel, Bonni, Hasebnia, Serebia, Odaia, Sebnia, Phathathia: Surgite, benedicite Domino Deo vestro ab aeterno usque in aeternum: et benedicant nomini gloriae tuae excelso in omni benedictione et laude.

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 Tu ipse, Domine, solus, tu fecisti caelum, et caelum caelorum, et omnem exercitum eorum: terram, et universa quae in ea sunt: maria, et omnia quae in eis sunt: et tu vivificas omnia haec, et exercitus caeli te adorat.

“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 Tu ipse, Domine Deus, qui elegisti Abram, et eduxisti eum de igne Chaldaeorum, et posuisti nomen eius Abraham.

“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 Et invenisti cor eius fidele coram te: et percussisti cum eo foedus ut dares ei Terram Chananaei, Hethaei, et Hevaei, et Amorrhaei, et Pherezaei, et Iebusaei, et Gergesaei, ut dares semini eius: et implesti verba tua, quoniam iustus es.

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 Et vidisti afflictionem patrum nostrorum in Aegypto: clamoremque eorum audisti super Mare rubrum.

“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 Et dedisti signa atque portenta in Pharaone, et in universis servis eius, et in omni populo terrae illius: cognovisti enim quia superbe egerant contra eos: et fecisti tibi nomen, sicut et in hac die.

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 Et mare divisisti ante eos, et transierunt per medium maris in sicco: persecutores autem eorum proiecisti in profundum, quasi lapidem in aquas validas.

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 Et in columna nubis ductor eorum fuisti per diem, et in columna ignis per noctem, ut appareret eis via, per quam ingrediebantur.

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 Ad montem quoque Sinai descendisti, et locutus es cum eis de caelo, et dedisti eis iudicia recta, et legem veritatis, ceremonias, et praecepta bona:

“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 et sabbatum sanctificatum tuum ostendisti eis, et mandata, et ceremonias, et legem praecepisti eis in manu Moysi servi tui.

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 Panem quoque de caelo dedisti eis in fame eorum, et aquam de petra eduxisti eis sitientibus, et dixisti eis ut ingrederentur et possiderent terram, super quam levasti manum tuam ut traderes eis.

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 Ipsi vero et patres nostri superbe egerunt, et induraverunt cervices suas, et non audierunt mandata tua.

“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.

17 Et noluerunt audire, et non sunt recordati mirabilium tuorum quae feceras eis. Et induraverunt cervices suas, et dederunt caput ut converterentur ad servitutem suam, quasi per contentionem. Tu autem Deus propitius, clemens, et misericors, longanimis, et multae miserationis, non dereliquisti eos,

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 et quidem cum fecissent sibi vitulum conflatilem, et dixissent: Iste est deus tuus, qui eduxit te de Aegypto: feceruntque blasphemias magnas.

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 Tu autem in misericordiis tuis multis non dimisisti eos in deserto: columna nubis non recessit ab eis per diem ut duceret eos in viam, et columna ignis per noctem ut ostenderet eis iter per quod ingrederentur.

“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 Et spiritum tuum bonum dedisti qui doceret eos, et manna tuum non prohibuisti ab ore eorum, et aquam dedisti eis in siti.

You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.

21 Quadraginta annis pavisti eos in deserto, nihilque eis defuit: vestimenta eorum non inveteraverunt, et pedes eorum non sunt attriti.

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 Et dedisti eis regna, et populos, et partitus es eis sortes: et possederunt terram Sehon, et terram regis Hesebon, et terram Og regis Basan.

“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 Et multiplicasti filios eorum sicut stellas caeli, et adduxisti eos ad terram, de qua dixeras patribus eorum ut ingrederentur et possiderent.

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 Et venerunt filii, et possederunt terram, et humiliasti coram eis habitatores terrae Chananaeos, et dedisti eos in manu eorum et reges eorum et populos terrae ut facerent eis sicut placebant illis.

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 Ceperunt itaque urbes munitas et humum pinguem, et possederunt domos plenas cunctis bonis: cisternas ab aliis fabricatas, vineas, et oliveta, et ligna pomifera multa: et comederunt, et saturati sunt, et impinguati sunt, et abundaverunt deliciis in bonitate tua magna.

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 Provocaverunt autem te ad iracundiam, et recesserunt a te, et proiecerunt legem tuam post terga sua: et prophetas tuos occiderunt, qui contestabantur eos ut reverterentur ad te: feceruntque blasphemias grandes.

“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 Et dedisti eos in manu hostium suorum, et afflixerunt eos. Et in tempore tribulationis suae clamaverunt ad te, et tu de caelo audisti, et secundum miserationes tuas multas dedisti eis salvatores, qui salvarent eos de manu hostium suorum.

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 Cumque requievissent, reversi sunt ut facerent malum in conspectu tuo: et dereliquisti eos in manu inimicorum suorum, et possederunt eos. Conversique sunt, et clamaverunt ad te: tu autem de caelo exaudisti, et liberasti eos in misericordiis tuis, multis temporibus.

“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 Et contestatus es eos ut reverterentur ad Legem tuam. Ipsi vero superbe egerunt, et non audierunt mandata tua, et in iudiciis tuis peccaverunt, quae faciet homo, vivet in eis: et dederunt humerum recedentem, et cervicem suam induraverunt, nec audierunt.

“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 Et protraxisti super eos annos multos, et contestatus es eos in spiritu tuo per manum prophetarum tuorum: et non audierunt, et tradidisti eos in manu populorum terrarum.

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 In misericordiis autem tuis plurimis non fecisti eos in consumptionem, nec dereliquisti eos: quoniam Deus miserationum, et clemens es tu.

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 Nunc itaque Deus noster magne, fortis, et terribilis, custodiens pactum et misericordiam, ne avertas a facie tua omnem laborem, qui invenit nos, reges nostros, et principes nostros, et sacerdotes nostros, et prophetas nostros, et patres nostros, et omnem populum tuum a diebus regis Assur usque in diem hanc.

“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 Et tu iustus es in omnibus, quae venerunt super nos: quia veritatem fecisti, nos autem impie egimus.

[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.

34 Reges nostri, principes nostri, sacerdotes nostri, et patres nostri non fecerunt legem tuam, et non attenderunt mandata tua, et testimonia tua quae testificatus es in eis.

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 Et ipsi in regnis suis, et in bonitate tua multa, quam dederas eis, et in terra latissima et pingui, quam tradideras in conspectu eorum, non servierunt tibi, nec reversi sunt a studiis suis pessimis.

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 Ecce nosipsi hodie servi sumus: et terra, quam dedisti patribus nostris ut comederent panem eius, et quae bona sunt eius, et nosipsi servi sumus in ea.

“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 Et fruges eius multiplicantur regibus, quos posuisti super nos propter peccata nostra, et corporibus nostris dominantur, et iumentis nostris secundum voluntatem suam, et in tribulatione magna sumus.

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 Super omnibus ergo his nosipsi percutimus foedus, et scribimus, et signant principes nostri, Levitae nostri, et Sacerdotes nostri.

“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.”