Ezra 9
1 Ary rehefa vita izany rehetra izany, dia nanatona ahy ny mpanapaka ka nanao hoe: Ny Isiraely sy ny mpisorona ary ny Levita dia tsy mbola miavaka amin’ ny olona tompon-tany, fa manao araka ny fahavetavetan’ ny Kananita sy ny Hetita sy ny Perizita sy ny Jebosita sy ny Amonita sy ny Moabita sy ny Egyptiana ary ny Amorita ihany izy.
Some time later after all this had happened, the leaders came and told me, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the people around us whose disgusting religious practices are similar to those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
2 Fa efa naka tamin’ ny zanakavavin’ ireo ho vadiny sy ho vadin’ ny zananilahy izy, ka efa miharoharo amin’ ny olona tompon-tany ny taranaka masìna; eny, ny lehibe sy ny mpanapaka aza no nitari-dalana tamin’ izany fahadisoana izany.
Some Israelites have even married women from these people, both themselves and their sons, mixing the holy race with these people of the land. Our leaders and officials are at the forefront of this sinful behavior.”
3 Ary nony nandre izany zavatra izany aho, dia nandriatra ny lambako sy ny akanjoko sady nandrompotra ny volon-dohako sy ny somotro, dia nipetraka tahaka ilay torana iny aho.
When I heard about this, I tore my clothes, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down, absolutely appalled.
4 Dia nivory teo amiko izay rehetra nangovitra noho ny tenin’ Andriamanitry ny Isiraely ny amin’ ny fahadisoan’ ny olona izay efa niverina avy tamin’ ny fahababoana; ary izaho mbola nipetraka tahaka ilay torana iny ihany hatramin’ ny fotoan’ ny fanatitra hariva.
Everyone who respected the instructions of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this sin on the part of the exiles. I sat there shocked and appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5 Ary nony tamin’ ny fotoan’ ny fanatitra hariva dia nody ny aiko, ka nitsangana aho, sady nandriatra ny lambako sy ny akanjoko indray, dia nandohalika nanandratra ny tanako ho amin’ i Jehovah Andriamanitro aho
At the evening sacrifice, I stood up from where I had been sitting in grief, with my clothes torn, and I kneeled down and held out my hands to the Lord my God.
6 ka nanao hoe: Andriamanitro ô, menatra sy mangaihay aho, raha miandrandra aminao, ry Andriamanitro ô; fa efa nihamaro mihoatra ny lohanay ny helokay, ary ny fahotanay dia lehibe manakatra ny lanitra;
I prayed, “My God, I am so ashamed and embarrassed to come and pray to you, my God, because we are in over our heads in sin, and our guilt has risen to the heavens.
7 fa hatramin’ ny andron’ ny razanay ka mandraka androany dia lehibe ny helokay; ary ny helokay no nanolorana anay sy ny mpanjakanay ary ny mpisoronay ho eo an-tànan’ ny mpanjakan’ ny tany hafa, hovonoin-tsabatra sy ho babo sy ho voaroba ary hangaihay tahaka ny amin’ izao anio izao.
From the time of our forefathers to now, we have been deeply guilty. Because of our sins, we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the earth, killed and taken prisoner, robbed and humiliated, just like we are today.
8 Koa ankehitriny vao niseho vetivety ny fahasoavana avy tamin’ i Jehovah Andriamanitray tamin’ ny namelany anay ho nisy sisa afaka sy tamin’ ny nanomezany anay fihantonana eo amin’ ny fitoerany masìna, mba hohazavain’ Andriamanitray ny masonay ka homena famelombelomana kely amin’ ny fahandevozanay izahay.
Now for a short time the Lord our God has given us grace, preserving a few of us as a remnant, and giving us safety in his holy place. Our God has brightened our lives by giving us some relief from our slavery.
9 Fa andevo izahay, nefa tsy nafoin’ Andriamanitray, na dia tamin’ ny fahandevozanay aza, fa nataony nahazo famindram-po eto imason’ ireo mpanjakan’ i Persia ihany hanomezany anay famelombelomana, hanangananay ny tranon’ Andriamanitray sy hanamboaranay ny rava eo, ary hanomezany anay manda any Joda sy Jerosalema.
Though we are slaves, our God did not abandon us in our slavery, but he showed us his trustworthy love by making the kings of Persia kind to us, by reviving us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruined state, and by giving us a wall of protection around Judah and Jerusalem.
10 Koa ankehitriny, ry Andriamanitray ô, ahoana no holazainay amin’ izany? Fa efa nahafoy ny didinao izahay,
But now, our God, what do we have to say for ourselves after all this? For we have given up following your commands
11 dia ilay nampilazainao ny mpaminany mpanomponao hoe: Ny tany izay efa hidiranareo holovana dia tany maloto noho ny fahalotoan’ ny tompon-tany sy ny fahavetavetany, izay efa nataony manenika azy noho ny fahalotoany;
that you gave through your servants the prophets, telling us, ‘The land you are entering to become its owners is contaminated by the sins of its peoples, the disgusting religious practices that they have filled it with, from one side to the other.
12 koa aza manome ny zanakareo-vavy ho vadin’ ny zananilahy, na maka ny zananivavy ho vadin’ ny zanakareo-lahy; aza mitady izay hiadanany na izay hahasoa azy mandrakizay, mba hahery ianareo ka hihinana ny soa avy amin’ ny tany, dia hamela izany ho lovan’ ny taranakareo mandrakizay.
So do not let your daughters marry their sons, or allow their daughters marry your sons. Never make a peace or friendship treaty with them, so that you may live well and eat the good food the land produces, and give the land as an inheritance to your children forever.’
13 Ary na dia efa nanjo anay aza izany rehetra izany noho ny asa ratsinay sy ny fahadisoanay betsaka, dia tsy nampijaly anay araka ny helokay Hianao Andriamanitray, fa efa namela anay ho nisy sisa afaka toy izao ihany,
Now that we are receiving all this punishment because of our sinful actions and our terrible guilt—though you, our God, have not punished us as much as our sins deserve, and have still given us this remnant—
14 fa raha handika ny didinao indray izahay ka hifanambady amin’ ireny olom-betaveta ireny, moa tsy ho tezitra aminay mandra-pahalany ritranay va Hianao, ka tsy hisy sisa afaka akory?
shall we break your commandments once again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these disgusting religious practices? Wouldn't you become so angry with us that you would destroy us? No remnant would be left, not a single survivor.
15 Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely ô, marina Hianao, fa izahay no hany sisa afaka tahaka ny amin’ izao anio izao; indreto izahay eto anatrehanao amin’ ny fahadisoanay, fa noho izany dia tsy mahajanona eto anatrehanao izahay.
Lord, God of Israel, you do what is right. Today we're all that is left, a remnant. We are before you in our guilt, but no one can stand before you because of it.”
