Neemias 9

1 E no dia vinte e quatro deste mês se ajuntaram os filhos de Israel com jejum e com sacos, e traziam terra sobre si.

On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].

2 E a geração de Israel se apartou de todos os estranhos, e puseram-se em pé, e fizeram confissão pelos seus pecados e pelas iniquidades de seus pais.

The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.

3 Porque, levantando-se no seu posto leram no livro da lei do Senhor seu Deus uma quarta parte do dia; e na outra quarta parte fizeram confissão, e adoraram ao Senhor seu Deus.

The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.

4 E Jesué, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebanias, Bunni, Serebias, Bani e Chenani se puseram em pé no lugar alto dos levitas, e clamaram em alta voz ao Senhor seu Deus.

[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.

5 E os levitas, Jesué, e Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabneias, Serebias, Hodias, Sebanias, Pethachias, disseram: levantai-vos, bendizei ao Senhor vosso Deus de eternidade em eternidade: ora bendigam o nome da tua glória, que está levantado sobre toda a benção e louvor.

Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!

6 Tu só és Senhor, tu fizeste o céu, o céu dos céus, e todo o seu exército; a terra e tudo quanto nela há; os mares e tudo quanto neles há, e tu os guardas em vida a todos; e o exército dos céus te adora

“You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.

7 Tu és Senhor, o Deus, que elegeste a Abrão, e o tiraste de Ur dos caldeus, e lhe puseste por nome Abraão.

“Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.

8 E achaste o seu coração fiel perante ti, e fizeste com ele o concerto, que lhe darias a terra dos cananeus, dos heteus, dos amorreus, e dos pherezeus, e dos jebuseus, e dos girgaseus, para a dares à sua semente: e confirmaste as tuas palavras, porquanto és justo.

You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.

9 E viste a aflição de nossos pais no Egito: e ouviste o seu clamor junto ao Mar Vermelho.

“You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.

10 E deste sinais e prodígios a faraó, e a todos os seus servos, e a todo o povo da sua terra; porque soubeste que soberbamente os trataram; e assim te adquiriste nome, como hoje se vê.

Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!

11 E o mar fendeste perante eles, e passaram pelo meio do mar, em seco: e lançaste os seus perseguidores nas profundezas, como uma pedra nas águas violentas.

You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!

12 E os guiaste de dia por uma coluna de nuvem, e de noite por uma coluna de fogo, para os alumiares no caminho por onde haviam de ir.

During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.

13 E sobre o monte de Sinai desceste, e falaste com eles desde os céus: e deste-lhes juízos retos, e leis verdadeiras, estatutos e mandamentos bons.

“When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.

14 E o teu santo sábado lhes fizeste saber: e preceitos, e estatutos, e lei lhes mandaste pelo ministério de Moisés, teu servo.

You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.

15 E pão dos céus lhes deste na sua fome, e água da penha lhes produziste na sua sede: e lhes disseste que entrassem para possuirem a terra pela qual alçaste a tua mão, que lha havias de dar.

When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.

16 Porém eles e nossos pais se houveram soberbamente: e endureceram a sua cerviz, e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos.

“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.

17 E recusaram ouvir-te, e não se lembraram das tuas maravilhas, que lhes fizeste, e endureceram a sua cerviz, e na sua rebelião levantaram um chefe, afim de voltarem para a sua servidão: porém tu, ó Deus perdoador, clemente e misericordioso, tardio em irar-te, e grande em beneficência, contudo os não desamparaste.

They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.

18 Ainda mesmo quando eles fizeram para si um bezerro de fundição, e disseram: Este é o teu Deus, que te tirou do Egito; e cometeram grandes blasfêmias:

So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.

19 Todavia tu, pela multidão das tuas misericórdias, os não deixaste no deserto: a coluna de nuvem nunca deles se apartou de dia, para os guiar pelo caminho, nem a coluna de fogo de noite, para os alumiar: e isto pelo caminho por onde haviam de ir.

“Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.

20 E deste o teu bom espírito, para os ensinar: e o teu maná não retiraste da sua boca; e água lhes deste na sua sede.

You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.

21 De tal modo os sustentaste quarenta anos no deserto: falta nenhuma tiveram: os seus vestidos se não envelheceram, e os seus pés se não incharam.

For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].

22 Também lhes deste reinos e povos, e os repartiste em porções: e eles possuiram a terra de Sihon, a saber, a terra do rei de hesbon, e a terra de Og, rei de Basan.

“You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].

23 E multiplicaste os seus filhos como as estrelas do céu, e trouxeste-os à terra de que tinhas dito a seus pais que entrariam nela para a possuirem.

You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.

24 Assim entraram nela os filhos, e tomaram aquela terra: e abateste perante eles os moradores da terra, os cananeus, e lhos entregaste na mão, como também os reis, e os povos da terra, para fazerem deles conforme à sua vontade.

Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.

25 E tomaram cidades fortes e terra grossa, e possuiram casas cheias de toda a fartura, cisternas cavadas, vinhas e olivais, e árvores de mantimento, em abundância: e comeram e se fartaram e engordaram, e viveram em delícias, pela tua grande bondade.

Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.

26 Porém se obstinaram, e se rebelaram contra ti, e lançaram a tua lei para traz das suas costas, e mataram os teus profetas, que protestavam contra eles, para que voltassem para ti: assim fizeram grandes abominações.

“But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.

27 Pelo que os entregaste na mão dos seus angustiadores, que os angustiaram: mas no tempo de sua angústia, clamando a ti, desde os céus tu ouviste; e segundo a tua grande misericórdia lhes deste libertadores que os libertaram da mão de seus angustiadores.

So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.

28 Porém, em tendo repouso, tornavam a fazer o mal diante de ti: e tu os deixavas na mão dos seus inimigos, para que dominassem sobre eles; e convertendo-se eles, e clamando a ti, tu os ouviste desde os céus, e segundo a tua misericórdia os livraste muitas vezes.

“But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.

29 E protestaste contra eles, para que voltassem para a tua lei; porém eles se houveram soberbamente, e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos, mas pecaram contra os teus juízos pelos quais o homem que os fizer viverá; e te deram o ombro rebelde, e endureceram a sua cerviz, e não ouviram.

“You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.

30 Porém estendeste a tua benignidade sobre eles por muitos anos, e protestaste contra eles pelo teu espírito, pelo ministério dos teus profetas; porém eles não deram ouvidos: pelo que os entregaste na mão dos povos das terras.

You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.

31 Mas pela tua grande misericórdia os não destruíste nem desamparaste: porque és um Deus clemente e misericordioso.

But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!

32 Agora pois, ó Deus nosso, ó Deus grande, poderoso e terrível, que guardas o concerto e beneficência, não tenhas em pouca conta todo o trabalho que nos alcançou a nós, aos nossos reis, aos nossos príncipes, e aos nossos sacerdotes, e aos nossos profetas, e aos nossos pais, e a todo o teu povo, desde os dias dos reis da Assyria até ao dia de hoje.

“Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.

33 Porém tu és justo em tudo quanto tem vindo sobre nós; porque tu tens obrado fielmente, e nós temos obrado impiamente.

[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.

34 E os nossos reis, os nossos príncipes, os nossos sacerdotes, e os nossos pais não guardaram a tua lei, e não deram ouvidos aos teus mandamentos e aos teus testemunhos, que protestaste contra eles.

Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.

35 Porque eles nem no seu reino, nem na muita abundância de bens que lhes deste nem na terra espaçosa e gorda que deste diante deles, te serviram, nem se converteram de suas más obras.

Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.

36 Eis que hoje somos servos: e até na terra que deste a nossos pais, para comerem o seu fruto e o seu bem, eis que somos servos nela.

“So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.

37 E ela multiplica os seus produtos para os reis, que puseste sobre nós, por causa dos nossos pecados: e conforme a sua vontade dominam sobre os nossos corpos e sobre as nossas bestas; e estamos numa grande angústia.

Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.

38 E com tudo isto fizemos um firme concerto, e o escrevemos: e selaram-no os nossos príncipes, os nossos levitas e os nossos sacerdotes.

“However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”