Neyemi 1
1 Maloba ya Neyemi, mwana mobali ya Akalia. Na mobu ya tuku mibale ya bokonzi ya Aritakizerisesi, na sanza ya kisilevi, wana nazalaki nanu na Size, mboka mokonzi,
[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 Anani, moko kati na bandeko na ngai, ayaki elongo na bato mosusu wuta na Yuda. Natunaki bango sango ya Bayuda oyo babikaki mpe batikalaki wuta na bowumbu, mpe sango ya Yelusalemi.
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 Balobaki na ngai: « Bayuda oyo babikaki mpe batikalaki wuta na bowumbu bazali kovanda kati na etuka ya Yuda mpe bazali na pasi mingi mpe na soni makasi; mir ya Yelusalemi etondi na madusu, mpe bikuke na yango ebebisamaki na moto. »
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 Tango kaka nayokaki makambo oyo nyonso, namivandisaki na mabele mpe nakomaki kolela. Nasalaki mikolo mwa mingi ya matanga, na kokila bilei mpe na kosambela Nzambe ya Likolo.
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 Nabondelaki: « Oh Yawe, Nzambe ya Likolo, Nzambe monene mpe Nzambe ya somo! Yo oyo obatelaka boyokani mpe bolingo na Yo epai ya bato oyo balingaka Yo mpe batosaka mibeko na Yo,
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 tika ete litoyi na Yo eyoka na bokebi mpe miso na Yo ezala ya kofungwama mpo na koyoka libondeli oyo mowumbu na Yo azali kosala liboso na Yo, butu mpe moyi, na tina na basali na Yo, bana ya Isalaele. Nazali kotubela masumu oyo biso bana ya Isalaele, ezala ngai mpe libota ya tata na ngai, tosalaki liboso na Yo.
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 Tosalaki solo mabe makasi liboso na Yo; totosaki te mitindo, bikateli mpe mibeko oyo opesaki na nzela ya Moyize, mosali na Yo.
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 Nabondeli Yo, kanisa maloba oyo otindaki Moyize, mosali na Yo, koloba: ‹ Soki botamboli na bosembo te, nakopanza bino kati na bikolo ya bapaya.
“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 Kasi soki bozongeli Ngai mpe botosi mibeko na Ngai, wana, ezala soki bato na bino bakenda mosika na bowumbu kino na suka ya mokili, nakosangisa bango wuta kuna mpe nakomema bango na esika oyo naponaki mpo na kovandisa Kombo na Ngai. ›
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 Bazali basali na Yo mpe bato na Yo, oyo osilaki kokangola na nguya monene na Yo mpe na makasi ya loboko na Yo!
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Oh Nkolo, nabondeli Yo, tika ete litoyi na Yo eyoka na bokebi libondeli ya mowumbu na Yo mpe libondeli ya bawumbu na Yo mosusu oyo bazali kosepela kopesa lokumu na Kombo na Yo! Na mokolo ya lelo, longisa mowumbu na Yo mpe salela ye ngolu na miso ya moto oyo! » Nzokande, na tango wana, nazalaki kalaka oyo azalaki kotala makambo oyo etali masanga ya mokonzi.
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].
