Nehemia 9

1 Pazuva ramakumi maviri namana romwedzi iwoyo, vaIsraeri vakaungana pamwe chete, vachizvinyima zvokudya vakapfeka masaga uye vaine guruva pamisoro yavo.

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

2 Avo vaiva zvizvarwa zvavaIsraeri vakazvitsaura kubva pakati pavatorwa vose. Vakamira panzvimbo dzavo vakareurura zvivi zvavo nezvitadzo zvavo.

Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Vakamira pavakanga vari ndokuverenga kubva muBhuku roMurayiro waJehovha Mwari wavo kwechikamu chimwe chete muzvina chezuva, ndokupedzazve chimwe chikamu chimwe chete muzvina chezuva, vachireurura uye vachinamata Jehovha Mwari wavo.

While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

4 VaRevhi vaiti Jeshua, Bhani, Kadhimieri, Shebhania, Bhuni, Sherebhia, Bhani naKenani, vakamira pakakwirira vakadanidzira nenzwi guru kuna Jehovha Mwari wavo.

And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Ipapo vaRevhi vaiti: Jeshua, Kadhimieri, Bhani, Hashabhineya, Sherebhia, Hodhia, Shebhania naPetahia vakati, “Simukai murumbidze Jehovha Mwari wenyu, anogara nokusingaperi-peri.” “Zita renyu rinobwinya ngariropafadzwe pamusoro pamakomborero nerumbidzo dzose.

Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 Imi moga ndimi Jehovha. Makaita moga matenga, kunyange nokudenga denga, uye nenyeredzi zhinji dzose, nyika nezvose zviri pamusoro payo, makungwa nezvose zviri maari. Munopa upenyu kuzvinhu zvose, uye zvose zviri kudenga zvinokunamatai.

You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.

7 “Ndimi Jehovha Mwari, makasarudza Abhurahama mukamubudisa kubva munyika yeUri yavaKaradhea mukamutumidza kuti Abhurahama.

You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

8 Makawana mwoyo wake wakatendeka kwamuri, uye makaita sungano naye kuti mupe kuzvizvarwa zvake nyika yavaKenani, vaHiti, vaAmori, vaPerezi, vaJebhusi navaGirigashi. Makachengeta vimbiso yenyu nokuti makarurama.

You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites— to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

9 “Makaona kutambudzika kwamadzitateguru edu muIjipiti; mukanzwa kuchema kwavo paGungwa dzvuku.

You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

10 Makatuma zviratidzo nezvishamiso kuna Faro, navabati vake uye navanhu vose venyika yake, nokuti maiziva kuti vaIjipita vaizvikudza sei pamabatiro avakavaita. Makaitira zita renyu mukurumbira uripo nanhasi.

You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

11 Makapamura gungwa pamberi pavo, naizvozvo vakayambuka napasi pakaoma, asi makamedza vaivatevera kwakadzika, sedombo mumvura ine simba.

You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.

12 Makavatungamirira neshongwe yegore masikati mukavatungamirira usiku neshongwe yomoto kuti vavhenekerwe munzira yavaizofamba nayo.

You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

13 “Makaburuka paGomo reSinai, mukataura navo kubva kudenga. Makavapa mitemo nemirayiro yakarurama neyakanaka, uye mitemo nezvakarayirwa zvakanaka.

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

14 Makavazivisa Sabata renyu dzvene mukavapa zvamakarayira, mitemo nemirayiro kubudikidza nomuranda wenyu Mozisi.

You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

15 Vari pakati penzara makavapa chingwa chaibva kudenga, uye pavakanzwa nyota makavapa mvura yakabva padombo; makavaudza kuti vapinde kundotora nyika yamakanga mapika noruoko rwakasimudzwa kuti muvape.

In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.

16 “Asi ivo madzitateguru edu, vakava namanyawi uye nemitsipa mikukutu, vakasateerera zvamakavarayira.

But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

17 Vakaramba kuteerera uye vakasarangarira zvishamiso zvamakaita pakati pavo. Vakava nemitsipa mikukutu uye pakumukira kwavo vakagadza mutungamiri kuti vadzokere kuutapwa hwavo. Asi imi muri Mwari anokanganwira, ane nyasha nengoni, anononoka kutsamwa uye azere norudo. Naizvozvo hamuna kuvasiya,

They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

18 kunyange zvavo vakazviitira chifananidzo chemhuru vachiti, ‘Uyu ndiye mwari wenyu, akakubudisai kubva muIjipiti,’ kana pavakamhura zvinonyangadza kwazvo.

Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

19 “Nokuda kwengoni dzenyu huru hamuna kuvasiya mugwenga. Shongwe yegore haina kurega kuvatungamirira masikati panzira yavo, shongwe yomoto haina kurega kuvavhenekera usiku panzira yavaifanira kufamba nayo.

You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

20 Makavapa Mweya wenyu wakanaka kuti uvarayire. Hamuna kuvanyima mana yenyu, uye panyota yavo makavapa mvura.

You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

21 Makavararamisa kwamakore makumi mana mugwenga; havana chavakashayiwa, nguo dzavo hadzina kubvaruka uye makumbo avo haana kuzvimba.

For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

22 “Makavapa ushe nendudzi, mukavapa nyika yose kusvika kumagumo ayo. Vakatora nyika yaSihoni mambo weHeshibhoni nenyika yaOgi mambo weBhashani.

You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.

23 Makaita kuti vana vavo vawande senyeredzi dziri mudenga, mukavauyisa kunyika yamakaudza madzibaba avo kuti vapinde vaitore.

You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

24 Vanakomana vavo vakapinda vakatora nyika. Makakunda vaKenani pamberi pavo, vaigara munyika iyo; makapa vaKenani kwavari, pamwe chete namadzimambo avo uye navanhu vomunyika, kuti vaite zvavanoda navo.

So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

25 Vakapamba maguta akakombwa nenyika ine ivhu rakanaka, vakatora dzimba dzakanga dzakazara nemhando dzose dzezvinhu zvakanaka, matsime akacherwa kare, minda yemizambiringa, minda yemiorivhi nemiti yemichero yakawanda. Vakadya vakaguta vakava vakagwinya kwazvo; vakafara muukuru hwokunaka kwenyu.

They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

26 “Asi havana kuteerera uye vakakumukirai; vakafuratira murayiro wenyu. Vakauraya vaprofita venyu, vaivarayira kuti vadzokere kwamuri; vakamhura zvainyadza kwazvo.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

27 Naizvozvo makavaisa kuvavengi vavo, avo vakavadzvinyirira. Asi pavakanga vava kudzvinyirirwa vakachema kwamuri. Makavanzwa muri kudenga, uye nengoni dzenyu huru makavapa vadzikinuri, vakavarwira kubva mumaoko avavengi vavo.

So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

28 “Asi pavakangowana zororo, vakaitazve zvakaipa pamberi penyu. Ipapo makavasiya mumaoko avavengi vavo kuti vavatonge. Zvino vakati vachemazve kwamuri, makavanzwa muri kudenga, nengoni dzenyu mukavarwira nguva nenguva.

But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

29 “Makavayambira kuti vadzokere kumurayiro wenyu, asi ivo vakazvikudza vakasateerera kurayira kwenyu. Vakatadza pane zvemirayiro, izvo zvinoraramisa munhu kana akazviteerera. Nokusindimara kwavo vakakufuratirai, vakaomesa mitsipa yavo uye vakaramba kuteerera.

You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They stubbornly shrugged their shoulders; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

30 Makava nomwoyo murefu navo kwamakore mazhinji. Makavayambira noMweya wenyu kubudikidza navaprofita venyu. Kunyange zvakadaro havana kuita hanya, saka makavapa kuvanhu vavakavakidzana navo.

You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

31 Asi netsitsi dzenyu huru hamuna kuvaparadza kana kuvarasa, nokuti muri Mwari ane nyasha netsitsi.

But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 “Naizvozvo zvino, imi Mwari wedu, mukuru, ane simba, uye Mwari anotyisa, anochengeta sungano yake yorudo, matambudziko aya ose ngaarege kuva madiki pamberi penyu, matambudziko akauya pamusoro pedu, napamusoro pamadzimambo edu navatungamiri, napamusoro pavaprista vedu navaprofita, pamusoro pamadzibaba edu navanhu vose, kubva pamazuva amadzimambo avaAsiria kusvikira nhasi.

So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33 Pane zvakaitika kwatiri, imi makanga makarurama; makanga makatendeka, asi isu takaita zvakaipa.

You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

34 Madzimambo edu, vatungamiri vedu, vaprista vedu namadzibaba edu havana kutevera murayiro wenyu; havana kuita hanya nokurayira kwenyu kana yambiro dzamakavapa.

Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

35 Kunyange pavakanga vachibata ushe hwavo, vachifarira kunaka kwenyu kukuru kwavari munyika yamakavapa, munyika yakakura uye ine ivhu rakanaka, havana kukushumirai kana kusiya nzira dzavo dzakaipa.

For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

36 “Asi tarirai, tava nhapwa nhasi, nhapwa munyika yamakapa madzitateguru edu kuti vadye zvibereko zvayo uye nezvimwe zvakanaka zvainobereka.

So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!

37 Nokuda kwezvivi zvedu zvibereko zvayo zvizhinji zvava kuenda kumadzimambo amakaisa pamusoro pedu. Vane simba pamusoro pemiviri yedu uye vanoita zvavanoda nemombe dzedu. Tiri pakutambudzika kukuru.

Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

38 “Nokuda kwezvose izvi, tiri kuita chitenderano chakasimba, tichichinyora, vatungamiri vedu, uye vaRevhi vedu navaprista vedu vachaisa chisimbiso chavo pachiri.”

In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”