Ezera 9
1 Oluvannyuma lw’ebintu ebyo okukolebwa, abakulembeze ne bajja gye ndi ne boogera nti, “Abantu ba Isirayiri, omwo nga mwe muli bakabona n’Abaleevi, tebeeyawudde ku mawanga agabaliraanye n’ebikolwa byabwe eby’emizizo. Tebeeyawudde ku Bakanani, ne ku Bakiiti ne ku Baperizi ne ku Bayebusi ne ku Bamoni ne ku Bamowaabu ne ku Bamisiri ne ku Bamoli.
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 Bawasizza abamu ku bawala baabwe, n’abawala ne bafumbirwa abamu ku batabani baabwe, bwe kityo eggwanga ettukuvu ne lyetabula n’amawanga agabeetoolodde. Ku nsonga eyo abakulembeze n’abakungu, be basinze okwonoona.”
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 Awo bwe nawulira ebigambo ebyo, ne njuza ekkanzu yange n’omunagiro gwange, ne nkunyuula enviiri ku mutwe gwange ne mu kirevu kyange ne ntuula wansi nga nnakuwadde.
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 Bonna abatya ebigambo bya Katonda wa Isirayiri ne bakuŋŋaanira we ndi, olw’obutali bwesigwa obw’abaawaŋŋangusibwa. Ne ntuula wansi nga nnakuwadde okutuusa ekiseera eky’ekiweebwayo eky’akawungeezi bwe kyatuuka.
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 Awo mu kiseera eky’ekiweebwayo eky’akawungeezi ne ngolokoka okuva we nnali ntudde, n’ekkanzu yange enjulifu n’omunagiro gwange omuyulifu, ne nfukamira ne ngolola emikono gyange eri Mukama Katonda wange,
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 ne nsaba nti: “Ayi Katonda wange, nkwatiddwa ensonyi, era sisobola kuyimusa maaso gange eri gwe Katonda wange, kubanga obutali butuukirivu bwaffe busukiridde emitwe gyaffe, n’omusango gwaffe gutuuse mu ggulu.
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 Okuva mu biro bya bajjajjaffe n’okutuusa leero, omusango gugenze gweyongera; era olw’obutali butuukirivu bwaffe, bakabaka baffe, ne bakabona baffe baweereddwayo mu mukono gwa bakabaka ab’ensi, n’eri ekitala, n’eri obusibe, n’eri obunyazi, n’eri obuswavu obungi, nga bwe kiri mu nnaku zino.
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 “Naye kaakano, akaseera katono, Mukama Katonda waffe atulaze ekisa n’atulekawo ffe abatono, n’atuwa ekifo ekisooka era ekinywevu mu watukuvu we, Katonda waffe n’amulisa amaaso gaffe, n’atuwa okuweeraweerako akatono mu busibe bwaffe.
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 Newaakubadde nga tuli baddu, Katonda waffe tatulekulidde mu busibe bwaffe, naye atulaze okusaasirwa mu maaso ga bakabaka b’e Buperusi. Atuwadde obulamu obuggya okuzimba ennyumba ya Katonda waffe, n’okuddaabiriza ebyo ebyayonooneka, era atutaddeko Bbugwe okutwetooloola okutukuuma mu Yuda ne mu Yerusaalemi.
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 “Kaakano Katonda waffe tunaayogera ki oluvannyuma lw’ebyo? Twaleka amateeka go
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 ge watuwa ng’oyita mu baddu bo bannabbi, bwe wayogera nti, ‘Ensi gye mugenda okulya, nsi ejjudde obutali bulongoofu olw’abantu baamu, era bagijjuzizza ebikolwa eby’obugwagwa enjuuyi zonna.
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 Noolwekyo temuwaayo bawala bammwe kufumbirwa batabani baabwe newaakubadde batabani bammwe okuwasa bawala baabwe. Temwongeranga ku bulungi bwabwe newaakubadde obugagga bwabwe, mulyoke mube n’amaanyi mulye ebirungi by’ensi, ate era mubirekere n’abaana bammwe okuba omugabo ogw’emirembe n’emirembe.’
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 “Bino byonna bitutuuseeko olw’ebikolwa byaffe ebitali bya butuukirivu n’olw’omusango omunene gwe tulina, ate nga Katonda waffe totubonerezza ng’ebikolwa byaffe bwe biri, naye otuleseewo nga bwe tuli kaakano.
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 Tunaayinza nate okumenya ebiragiro byo ne tuwasa mu mawanga ago agakola ebitasaana? Tolitunyiigira nnyo n’okusingawo n’otuzikiriza obutalekaawo muntu yenna?
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Ayi Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri oli mutuukirivu, era otuleseewo ffe ekitundu kino leero. Laba tuli mu maaso go nga tuzzizza omusango, newaakubadde nga tewali eyandisobodde okuyimirira mu maaso go.”
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
