Nehemia 1
1 Mashoko aNehemia mwanakomana waHakaria: Mumwedzi waKisirevhi mugore ramakumi maviri, pandainge ndiri panhare yeSusa,
[I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].
2 Hanani, mumwe wehama dzangu, akauya achibva kuJudha navamwe varume, ndikavabvunza pamusoro pavaJudha vakasara avo vakapunyuka pakutapwa, uyewo napamusoro peJerusarema.
My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] Jerusalem.
3 Vakati kwandiri, “Avo vakapunyuka pakutapwa uye vakadzokera kudunhu vari mudambudziko guru napakunyadziswa. Rusvingo rweJerusarema rwakakoromorwa, uye masuo arwo akapiswa nomoto.”
They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”
4 Pandakanzwa zvinhu izvi, ndakagara pasi ndikachema. Ndakaita mazuva ndichichema, ndichinyengetera uye ndichitsanya pamberi paMwari wokudenga.
When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in heaven.
5 Ipapo ndakati: “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari wokudenga, Mwari mukuru uye anotyisa anochengeta sungano yake yorudo naavo vanomuda uye vanoteerera mirayiro yake,
I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.
6 nzeve yenyu ngaiteerere uye meso enyu asvinure kuti munzwe munyengetero womuranda wenyu wandinonyengetera pamberi penyu masikati nousiku nokuda kwavaranda venyu, vanhu veIsraeri.
Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.
7 Takaita zvakaipa kwazvo pamberi penyu. Hatina kuteerera zvamakarayira, mitemo yenyu nemirayiro yamakapa Mozisi muranda wenyu.
We have acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.
8 “Rangarirai zvamakarayira muranda wenyu Mozisi, muchiti, ‘Kana musina kutendeka, ndichakuparadzirai pakati pendudzi,
“But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).
9 asi kana mukadzokera kwandiri uye mukateerera zvandakarayira, ipapo kunyange kana vakatapwa vavanhu venyu vari kumagumo edenga, ndichavaunganidza vabveko ndigovauyisa kunzvimbo yandakasarudza kuti ive ugaro hweZita rangu.’
But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’
10 “Varanda venyu nevanhu venyu, vamakadzikinura nesimba renyu guru uye noruoko rwenyu rune simba.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 Haiwa Jehovha, nzeve yenyu ngainzwe munyengetero womuranda wenyu uyu nomunyengetero wavaranda venyu vanofarira kukudza zita renyu. Itai kuti muranda wenyu abudirire nhasi uye mumupe nyasha pamberi pomurume uyu.” Ndakanga ndiri mudiri wamambo.
Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].
