UNehemiya 1

1 Amazwi kaNehemiya indodana kaHakaliya. Kwasekusithi ngenyanga kaKisilevi ngomnyaka wamatshumi amabili, lapho mina ngiseShushani isigodlo,

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

2 uHanani omunye wabafowethu wafika yena lamadoda avela koJuda. Ngasengibabuza mayelana lamaJuda ayephunyukile asala ekuthunjweni, langeJerusalema.

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and [certain] men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 Basebesithi kimi: Labo abasalayo abasala ekuthunjweni lapho esabelweni baphakathi kokuhlupheka okukhulu lehlazo, lomduli weJerusalema wadilika, lamasango ayo atshiswa ngomlilo.

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province [are] in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also [is] broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 Kwasekusithi sengizwe lamazwi ngahlala phansi ngakhala inyembezi, ngalila okwezinsuku, ngizila ukudla, ngikhuleka phambi kukaNkulunkulu wamazulu.

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [certain] days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 Ngathi: Ngiyancenga, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wamazulu, Nkulunkulu omkhulu lowesabekayo, ogcina isivumelwano lomusa kulabo abamthandayo labagcina imilayo yakhe,

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

6 indlebe yakho ake ilalele, lamehlo akho avuleke, ukuzwa umkhuleko wenceku yakho engiwukhuleka phambi kwakho lamuhla emini lebusuku ngabantwana bakoIsrayeli, inceku zakho, njalo ngivuma ngenxa yezono zabantwana bakoIsrayeli esizone kuwe. Yebo, mina lendlu kababa sonile;

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7 senze kubi lokwenza kubi kuwe, kasigcinanga imilayo lezimiso lezahlulelo owalaya ngakho uMozisi inceku yakho.

We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

8 Ake ukhumbule ilizwi owalaya ngalo uMozisi inceku yakho usithi: Uba lina liphambuka, mina ngizalichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe;

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, [If] ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

9 uba lina liphendukela kimi, lilondoloza imilayo yami, liyenze, lanxa abaxotshiweyo benu besephethelweni lamazulu, ngizababutha besuka lapho ngibaletha endaweni engiyikhethileyo ukubeka ibizo lami khona.

But [if] ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, [yet] will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

10 Laba-ke bazinceku zakho labantu bakho owabahlenga ngamandla akho amakhulu langesandla sakho esiqinileyo.

Now these [are] thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

11 Ngiyacela, Nkosi, indlebe yakho ake ilalele umkhuleko wenceku yakho, lomkhuleko wezinceku zakho eziloyisa ukwesaba ibizo lakho, ake uphumelelise inceku yakho lamuhla, uyinike izihawu phambi kwalumuntu. Njalo ngangingumphathi wezitsha zenkosi.

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.