Izraa 9
1 Erga wanni kun hojjetamee booddee hooggantoonni gara koo dhufanii akkana jedhan; “Sabni Israaʼel lubootaa fi Lewwota illee dabalatee saboota ollaa isaanii kanneen hojii jibbisiisaa hojjetan jechuunis Kanaʼaanota, Heetota, Feerzota, Yebuusota, Amoonota, Moʼaabota, warra Gibxii fi Amoorota irraa addaan baʼanii hin jiraanne.
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 Isaanis intallan jaraa ofii isaaniitiif fuudhanii ilmaan isaaniis fuusisanii sanyii qulqulluu sana saboota naannoo isaaniitti makan. Hooggantoonnii fi qondaaltonnis balleessaa kana hojjechuu keessatti dura aantota turan.”
[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 Ani yeroon waan kana dhagaʼetti qomee koo fi uffata koo nan tarsaasee, rifeensa mataa koo fi areeda koo of irraa buqqisee akka malee rifadheen taaʼe.
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 Kana irratti namoonni dubbii Waaqa Israaʼeliin hollatan hundi sababii balleessaa warra boojuudhaa deebiʼan kanaaf naannoo kootti walitti qabaman. Anis akka malee rifadhee hamma aarsaa galgalaatti achuman taaʼe.
[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 Anis yeroo aarsaa galgalaatti akkuma qomee fi uffanni koo tarsaʼee jirutti lafan gaddee taaʼaa turee kaʼee jilbeenfadhee harka koo gara Waaqayyo Waaqa kootti balʼisee
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 akkana jedheen kadhadhe: “Yaa Waaqa ko, sababii cubbuun keenya mataa keenya bira ol darbee yakki keenyas samii gaʼeef, yaa Waaqa koo ani fuula koo gara keetti deebiffachuu akka malee qaanaʼeera; saalfadheeras.
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 Bara abbootii keenyaatii jalqabee hamma ammaatti balleessaan keenya guddaa dha. Sababii cubbuu keenyaaf nu, mootonni keenyaa fi luboonni keenya akkuma harʼaa kana harka mootota ormaa jalatti goraadee fi boojuutti, saamichaa fi salphinatti dabarfamnee kennamneerra.
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 “Amma garuu Waaqayyo Waaqni keenya hambaa nuu hambisee iddoo isaa qulqulluu sana keessatti iddoo amansiisaa nuuf kennuudhaan yeroo gabaabaadhaaf garaa nuuf laafeera; akkasiinis Waaqni keenya ija keenyaaf ifa kenneera; garbummaa keenya keessattis xinnoo nu boqochiiseera.
“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 Nu garboota taanu illee Waaqni keenya garbummaa keessatti nu hin ganne. Inni fuula mootota Faares duratti jaalala isaa kan hin geeddaramne sana nu argisiiseera. Inni akka nu mana Waaqa keenyaa deebifnee ijaarruu fi akka diigamaa isaa illee iddootti deebifnuuf jireenya haaraa nuuf kenneera; Yihuudaa fi Yerusaalem keessattis dallaa daʼannoo nuu kenneera.
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 “Amma garuu yaa Waaqa keenya nu kana booddee maal jechuu dandeenya? Nu ajaja
“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 ati karaa garboota kee raajotaan kennite sanaaf hin ajajamneetii; innis akkana jedha: ‘Biyyi isin dhaaluudhaaf seenuutti jirtan xuraaʼummaa saba biyya sanaan xuroofteerti. Isaan hojii jibbisiisaa isaaniitiin handaara tokkoo hamma handaara kaanitti xuraaʼummaa isaaniitiin biyyattii guutaniiru.
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 Kanaafuu intallan keessan ilmaan isaanitti hin heerumsiisinaa yookaan ilmaan keessan intallan isaanii hin fuusisinaa. Akka jabaattaniif, akka waan gaarii biyya sanaa nyaattanii biyyatti illee dhaala bara baraa gootanii ijoollee keessanitti dabarsitaniif yoom iyyuu isaan wajjin walii galtee michummaa hin barbaadinaa.’
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 “Wanni nurra gaʼe kun gatii gochawwan hammina keenyaa fi yakka keenya guddaa sanaa ti; haa taʼuutii ati Waaqni keenya adaba cubbuu keenyaaf maluun gad nu adabdee hambaa akkanaa nuu kenniteerta.
“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 Nu amma illee ajaja kee cabsinee saba hojiiwwan jibbisiisoo hojjetu kanaan wal haa fuunuu? Yoos ati akka malee nutti dheekkamtee hamma hambaan tokko iyyuu hin hafnetti nu hin balleessituu ree?
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 Yaa Waaqayyo Waaqa Israaʼel, ati qajeelaa dha! Nu harʼa hambaa taanee jiraanneerra. Tokkoon keenya iyyuu sababii yakka keenyaaf fuula kee dura dhaabachuu dadhabnu illee nu kunoo yakkuma keenya wajjin fuula kee dura jirra.”
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.”
