Ezra 9
1 Aa ie niheneke, le niheo mb’ amako mb’eo o roandriañeo nanao ty hoe: Mboe tsy miavak’ am’ondati’ o taneo o nte-Israeleo naho o mpisoroñeo vaho o nte-Levio, ty amo haloloa’ o nte-Kanàneo, o nte-Kiteo, o nte Perizeo, o nte-Iebosio, o nte-Amoneo, o nte-Moabeo, o nte-Mitsraimeo vaho o nte-Amoreo.
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 Ie nañenga amo anak’ ampela’ iareoo ho am-bata’e naho ho amo ana-dahi’eo; aa le mitraok’ am’ondati’ i taneio i tiry miavakey; eka, toe lohà’e amy tsy figahiñañe zay ty fità’ o roandriañeo naho o mpiaoloo.
[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 Ie nahatsanoñe izay iraho le riniako i sarokoy naho i sarimbokoy naho nañonotse ty volon-dohako naho ty somako vaho nitoboke an-kasalarañe.
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 Nivory amako ze hene mpinevenevetse amo tsaran’ Añahare’ Israeleo ty amy tsy figahiña’ o tam-pandrohizañeo; le nitoboke eo avao iraho ami’ty hadabàko ampara’ i fisoroñan-karivay.
[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 Le niongak’ amy fisoroñan-karivay iraho, ie riatse i sarokoy naho i sarimbokoy; le nivarahotrak’ añ’ongoko eo nañiti-tàñañe amy Iehovà Andrianañahareko
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 nanao ty hoe: O Andrianañahareko, salatse iraho, meñatse tsy mahaandra’ tarehe ama’o, ry Andrianañahareko; fa mitoabotse am-bonen’ añambone’ay ey o hakeo’aio vaho mitombo pak’ an-dikerañe añe o tahi’aio.
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 Toe niliforen-kakeo tañ’ andron-droae’ay ampara henaneo zahay, le o tahi’aio ty nanolorañe anay naho o mpanjaka’aio naho o mpisoro’aio am-pitàm-panjaka’ o taneo; am-pibara, an-drohy, am-pikopafañe naho an-kasalaran-daharañe manahake androany.
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 Ie vaho anianike te nihelañe eo ty fitretreza’ Iehovà Andrianañahare’ay, nanisa ama’ay ty sehanga’e nipolititse, hitolora’e ty fantake an-toe’e miavakey, hañazavàn’ Añahare’ay o fihaino’aio hampisotratsotrake anay amo rohi’aio.
“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 Toe fetrek’ oron-jahay; fe tsy naforintsen’ Añahare’ay amy fandrohizañey, te mone niferenaiña’e am-pahaoniña’ o mpanjaka’ i Paraseo, hanolora’e fañavaòañe hampitroara’ay ty anjomban’ Añahare’ay, hampijohaña’ay o nianto ama’eo vaho nitolora’e kijolim-piarovañe e Iehodà naho e Ierosalaime ao.
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 Aa ie henanekeo ry Andrianañahare’ay, ino ty hanoe’ay? kanao nifarie’ay o lili’oo,
“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 o nandilia’o añamo mpitoky mpitoro’oo, ami’ ty hoe: Toe tane maleotse i tane ionjona’ areo ho tavaneñey, amo haleora’ ondati’ i taneio, amo haloloa’ iareoo; ie nampipeà’ iareo ama’e ty hativà’ iareo boak’ añ’efe’e sikal’ añ’ilae’e añe.
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 Ie amy zao ko atolo’ areo amo ana-dahi’ iareoo o anak’ ampela’ areoo naho ko ampañenga’ areo o anak’ ampela’ iareoo o ana-dahi’ areoo; ko ipaia’ areo kitro-katroke ty fanintsiñañe ndra ty firaoraoañe; soa te ho fatratse nahareo hikama ty hasoa o taneo, hampandovà’ areo aze amo ana’ areoo nainai’e.
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 Aa i hene nifetsak’ ama’ay ty amo sata-rati’aio naho o halòn-kakeo’ aioy naho te ihe, Andrianañahare’ay tsy nandafa anay mañeva o tahi’aio vaho natolo’o o sehanga’e zao,
“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 aa vaho hivalik’ amo lili’oo indraike zahay, hifanambaly am’ondaty mpanao i halò-tsere’e rezay? Tsy hiviñera’o ampara’ te nimongore’o, tsy aman-tsehanga’e, leo raike tsy hahapolititse?
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 Vantan-dRehe ry Iehovà Andrianañahare’ Israele; fa nanisàñe ama’ay o nahapolititseo, ie o androanio; hehe te miatrek’ Azo an-kakeo; leo raike tsy hahafitroatse añatrefa’o ty amo raha zao.
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.”
