UNehemiya 9

1 Ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lane aleyonyanga, ama-Israyeli ahlangana ndawonye, azila ukudla egqoke amasaka njalo bezithele uthuli emakhanda abo.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel have been gathered with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth on them;

2 Labo ababengabako-Israyeli ngomdabuko bazehlukanisa kwabezizwe. Bema ezindaweni zabo bavuma izono zabo lobubi babokhokho babo.

and the seed of Israel are separated from all sons of a stranger, and stand and confess concerning their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers,

3 Bema khonapho ababekhona babala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaThixo uNkulunkulu wabo okwengxenye yesine yosuku, kwathi enye ingxenye yesine babevuma izono zabo njalo bekhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.

and rise up on their station, and read in the Scroll of the Law of their God YHWH a fourth of the day, and a fourth they are confessing and bowing themselves to their God YHWH.

4 Ethaleni kwakumi abaLevi, uJeshuwa, loBhani, loKhadimiyeli, loShebhaniya, loBhuni, loSherebhiya, loBhani loKhenani, abamemeza baqongisa amazwi kuThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.

And there stand up on the ascent, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and they cry with a loud voice to their God YHWH.

5 Njalo abaLevi ababalisa uJeshuwa, loKhadimiyeli, loBhani, loHashabhineya, loSherebhiya, loHodiya, loShebhaniya, loPhethahiya bathi: “Sukumani lidumise uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, okhona kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade. Libusisiwe ibizo lakho elingcwele, sengathi lingaphakanyiswa ngaphezulu kwakho konke ukubusiswa lokudunyiswa.

And the Levites say, [even] Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, “Rise, bless your God YHWH, From age to age, And they bless the Name of Your glory That [is] exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Wena wedwa unguThixo. Wenza amazulu, kanye lamazulu aphezukonke, lazozonke izinkanyezi zawo, umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo, inlwandle lakho konke okukuzo. Uyapha ukuphila kukho konke, lamabutho wonke asezulwini ayakukhonza.

You [are] He, O YHWH, Yourself—You have made the heavens, The heavens of the heavens, and all their host, The earth and all that [are] on it, The seas and all that [are] in them, And You are keeping all of them alive, And the host of the heavens are bowing themselves to You.

7 UnguThixo uNkulunkulu, owakhetha u-Abhrama wamkhupha e-Uri lamaKhaladiya wambiza ngokuthi ngu-Abhrahama.

You [are] He, O YHWH God, Who fixed on Abraham, And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldeans, And made his name Abraham,

8 Wabona ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe yayithembekile kuwe, ngakho wenza isivumelwano laye ukupha izizukulwane zakhe ilizwe lamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaJebusi lamaGigashi. Usigcinile isithembiso sakho ngoba ulungile.

And found his heart steadfast before You, So as to make with him the covenant, To give the land of the Canaanite, The Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, To give [it] to his seed. And You establish Your words, For You [are] righteous,

9 Wakubona ukuhlupheka kwabokhokho bethu eGibhithe; wezwa ukukhala kwabo eLwandle oluBomvu.

And see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And their cry have heard by the Sea of Suph,

10 Wathumela izibonakaliso ezingumangaliso lezimanga kuFaro, kuzozonke izinduna zakhe lakubo bonke abantu belizwe lakhe, ngoba wawukwazi ukuthi amaGibhithe abaphatha njani ngodlakela. Wazenzela ibizo, elimiyo kuze kube lamuhla.

And give signs and wonders on Pharaoh, And on all his servants, And on all the people of his land, For You have known that they have acted proudly against them, And You make to Yourself a name as [at] this day.

11 Walwehlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo, ukuze bedlule kulo emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa waphosela labo ababebaxhuma ekujuleni, njengelitshe liphoselwa ethwaceni lwamanzi.

And You have cleaved the sea before them, And they pass over into the midst of the sea on the dry land, And their pursuers You have cast into the depths, As a stone, into the strong waters.

12 Emini wawubakhokhela ngensika yeyezi, ebusuku ngensika yomlilo ukubapha ukukhanya endleleni ababehamba ngayo.

And by a pillar of cloud You have led them by day, And by a pillar of fire by night, To lighten to them the way in which they go.

13 Wehla weza eNtabeni yaseSinayi; wakhuluma kubo usezulwini. Wabapha izimiso lemithetho eqondileyo njalo elungileyo, lezimemezelo lemilayo elungileyo.

And on Mount Sinai You have come down, Even to speak with them from the heavens, And You give to them right judgments, And true laws, good statutes and commands.

14 Wabazisa ngeSabatha lakho elingcwele njalo wabapha imilayo, lezimiso lemithetho ngenceku yakho uMosi.

And Your holy Sabbath You have made known to them, And commands, and statutes, and law, You have commanded for them, By the hand of Your servant Moses;

15 Ngesikhathi belambile wabapha isinkwa sivela ezulwini njalo ekomeni kwabo wabalethela amanzi ephuma edwaleni; wabatshela ukuthi bangene balithathe ilizwe owafunga uphakamisa isandla ukubapha.

And bread from the heavens You have given to them for their hunger, And water from a rock have brought out to them for their thirst, And say to them to go in to possess the land That You have lifted up Your hand to give to them.

16 Kodwa bona, okhokho bethu, baba yiziqholo baqinisa intamo, kabaze balalela imilayo yakho.

And they and our fathers have acted proudly, And harden their neck, And have not listened to Your commands,

17 Bala ukulalela njalo behluleka ukukhumbula izimanga owazenzayo phakathi kwabo. Baqinisa intamo kwathi ekuhlamukeni kwabo bakhetha umkhokheli ukuze babuyele ebugqilini babo. Kodwa unguNkulunkulu oxolelayo, olomusa lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela kodwa wandile ngothando. Ngakho kawubafulathelanga,

Indeed, they refuse to listen, And have not remembered Your wonders that You have done with them, And harden their neck and appoint a head, To turn back to their service, in their rebellion; And You [are] a God of pardons, Gracious, and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, And have not forsaken them.

18 lalapho sebezibumbele isithombe sethole besithi, ‘Lo ngunkulunkulu wenu owalikhuphayo eGibhithe,’ lanxa benze amanyala esabekayo.

Also, when they have made to themselves a molten calf, And say, This [is] your god That brought you up out of Egypt, And do great despisings,

19 Ngenxa yesihawu sakho esikhulu kawubakhalalanga enkangala. Emini insika yeyezi kayikhawulanga ukubakhokhela endleleni yabo, loba insika yomlilo ebusuku ukukhanyisa indlela ababemele bahambe ngayo.

and You, in Your abundant mercies, Have not forsaken them in the wilderness—The pillar of the cloud has not turned aside from off them by day, To lead them in the way, And the pillar of the fire by night, To give light to them and the way in which they go.

20 Wanika uMoya wakho omuhle ukubafundisa. Kawuyigodlanga imana yakho emilonyeni yabo, njalo wabapha amanzi ukucitsha umhawu wabo.

And Your good Spirit You have given, To cause them to act wisely; And Your manna You have not withheld from their mouth, And water You have given to them for their thirst,

21 Okweminyaka engamatshumi amane wabagcina enkangala; kabazange baswele lutho, izembatho zabo kaziguganga lezinyawo zabo kazivuvukanga.

And forty years You have nourished them in a wilderness; They have not lacked; Their garments have not worn out, And their feet have not swelled.

22 Wabapha imibuso lezizwe, wababela lemingcele ekude. Balithatha ilizwe likaSihoni inkosi yaseHeshibhoni lelizwe lika-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani.

And You give to them kingdoms, and peoples, And apportion them to the corner, And they possess the land of Sihon, And the land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan.

23 Wenza amadodana abo aba manengi njengezinkanyezi zomkhathi, wabaletha elizweni owawutshele okhokho babo ukuba bangene kulo balithathe.

And You have multiplied their sons as the stars of the heavens, And bring them into the land That You have said to their fathers to go in to possess.

24 Amadodana abo angena alithatha ilizwe. Wawehlukanisa phambi kwabo amaKhenani, ababehlala phakathi kwelizwe; wanikela amaKhenani kubo, ndawonye lamakhosi awo labantu belizwe, ukuba benze kubo njengokuthanda kwabo.

And the sons come in, and possess the land, And You humble the inhabitants of the land—the Canaanites—before them, And give them into their hand, and their kings, And the peoples of the land, To do with them according to their pleasure.

25 Bathumba amadolobho abiyelweyo lomhlaba ovundileyo; bazithatha izindlu ezazigcwaliswe ngakho konke okuhle, lemithombo eyayivele igejiwe, izivini, lezivande zama-oliva lezihlahla ezinengi ezezithelo. Badla bazitika bakhithika imikhaba; bazithokozisa ngokulunga kwakho okukhulu.

And they capture fortified cities, and fat ground, And possess houses full of all good, Dug-wells, vineyards, and olive-yards, And fruit-trees in abundance, And they eat, and are satisfied, And become fat, And delight themselves in Your great goodness.

26 Kodwa kabalalelanga bakuhlamukela; umthetho wakho bawubeka ngemva kwabo. Babulala abaphrofethi bakho, ababebakhuza ukuze babuyele kuwe; bahlambaza ngendlela eyesabekayo.

And they are disobedient, And rebel against You, And cast Your law behind their back, And Your prophets they have slain, Who testified against them, To bring them back to You, And they do great despisings,

27 Ngakho wabanikela ezitheni zabo, zabancindezela. Kodwa kwathi sebencindezelwe bakhala kuwe. Usezulwini wabezwa, kwathi ngesihawu sakho esikhulu wabapha abakhululi, ababahlengayo ezandleni zezitha zabo.

And You give them into the hand of their adversaries, And they distress them, And in the time of their distress they cry to You, And You, from the heavens, hear, And according to Your abundant mercies, Give saviors to them, And they save them out of the hand of their adversaries.

28 Kodwa bonela ukuphumula, baphinda njalo benza okubi phambi kwakho. Wase ubadela ezandleni zezitha zabo ukuthi zibabuse. Kwathi lapho sebekhala kuwe njalo, wezwa usezulwini, kwathi ngesihawu sakho wabakhulula izikhathi ngezikhathi.

And when they have rest, They turn back to do evil before You, And You leave them in the hand of their enemies, And they rule over them; And they return, and call You, And You hear from the heavens, And deliver them many times, According to Your mercies,

29 Wabaxwayisa ukuthi babuyele emthethweni wakho, kodwa baqholoza kabaze bayilalela imilayo yakho. Benza isono ngezimiso zakho, okuthi nxa umuntu ezilalela aphile. Ngobuqholo bakufulathela, baqinisa intamo, bala ukulalela.

And testify against them, To bring them back to Your law; And they have acted proudly, And have not listened to Your commands, And against Your judgments have sinned—Which man does and has lived in them—And they give a stubborn shoulder, And have hardened their neck, And have not listened.

30 Okweminyaka eminengi wababekezelela. NgoMoya wakho wabakhuza ngabaphrofethi bakho. Kodwa kabananzanga, ngakho wabanikela ebantwini abakhelene labo.

And You draw over them many years, And testify against them by Your Spirit, By the hand of Your prophets, And they have not given ear, And You give them into the hand of peoples of the lands,

31 Kodwa ngomusa wakho omkhulu kawubaqedanga njalo kawubadelanga, ngoba unguNkulunkulu olomusa, olozwelo.

and in Your abundant mercies You have not made them a consumption, Nor have forsaken them; For a God, gracious and merciful, [are] You.

32 Ngakho-ke manje, Oh Nkulunkulu wethu, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla njalo omangalisayo, ogcina isivumelwano sakhe sothando, ungadeleli bonke lobu ubunzima obusehleleyo thina laphezu kwamakhosi ethu labakhokheli, phezu kwabaphristi labaphrofethi bethu, phezu kwabobaba labantu bakho bonke, kusukela ensukwini zamakhosi ase-Asiriya kuze kube lamuhla.

And now, O our God—God, the great, the mighty, And the fearful, Keeping the covenant and the kindness—Do not let all the travail that has found us be little before You, For our kings, for our heads, and for our priests, And for our prophets, and for our fathers, And for all Your people, From the days of the kings of Asshur to this day;

33 Kukho konke lokho okwenzakeleyo kithi, ubeqotho; wenze ngokuthembeka, thina sisenza okubi.

And You [are] righteous concerning all that has come on us, For You have done truth, And we have done wickedly;

34 Amakhosi ethu, abakhokheli bethu, abaphristi bethu labobaba abawulandelanga umthetho wakho; abayinanzanga imilayo yakho izixwayiso owabapha zona.

And our kings, our heads, Our priests, and our fathers, Have not done Your law, Nor attended to Your commands, And to Your testimonies, That You have testified against them;

35 Loba babesembusweni wabo, bekholisa ukulunga kwakho kubo elizweni elibanzi elivundileyo lelo owabapha lona, kabakukhonzanga futhi kabaguqukanga ezindleleni zabo ezimbi.

And they, in their kingdom, And in Your abundant goodness, That You have given to them, And in the land, the large and the fat, That You have set before them, Have not served You, Nor turned back from their evil doings.

36 Kodwa ake ubone, siyizigqili lamuhla, izigqili elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu ukuthi badle izithelo zalo lezinye izinto ezinhle eziphuma kulo.

Behold, we—today—[are] servants, And the land that You have given to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its good, Behold, we [are] servants on it,

37 Ngenxa yezono zethu, isivuno salo esinengi siya emakhosini osuwabeke phezu kwethu. Abusa phezu kwemizimba yethu laphezu kwezinkomo zethu njengokuthanda kwawo. Siphakathi kosizi olumangalisayo.”

And its increase it is multiplying to the kings Whom You have set over us In our sins; And over our bodies they are ruling, And over our livestock, According to their pleasure, And we [are] in great distress.

38 “Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, sesisenza isivumelwano esibophayo, sisibhala phansi, njalo abakhokheli bethu, abaLevi labaphristi bethu bafaka uphawu lwabo kuso.”

And for all this we are making a steadfast covenant, And are writing, And over him who is sealed [Are] our heads, our Levites, [and] our priests.”