Nexemyaah 1

1 Kanu waa hadalkii Nexemyaah oo ahaa ina Xakalyaah. Hadda intaan joogay Shuushan oo ah hoygii boqorka, sannaddii labaatanaad bisheedii Kislee'u,

[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 waxaa yimid Xanaanii oo walaalahayga midkood ahaa, isaga iyo niman kale oo dalka Yahuudah ka yimid; oo markaasaan weyddiiyey wax ku saabsan Yuhuuddii baxsatay, oo maxaabiistii ka hadhay, iyo wax ku saabsan Yeruusaalem.

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 Oo iyana waxay igu yidhaahdeen, Kuwii maxaabiista ka hadhay oo gobolkii jira waxay ku jiraan dhibaato weyn iyo ceeb; oo derbigii Yeruusaalemna waa la dumiyey, oo irdaheediina dab baa lagu gubay.

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 Oo markaan erayadaas maqlay ayaan meel fadhiistay oo ooyay, oo intii ayaamo ah ayaan baroortay; waanan soomay, oo waxaan ku tukaday Ilaaha samada hortiisa,

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 oo idhi, Rabbiyow, Ilaaha samadow, Ilaaha weyn oo laga cabsadow, oo axdiga xajiya, oo u naxariista kuwa isaga jecel oo amarradiisa xajiyow, waan ku baryayaaye,

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 Dhegahaagu ha maqleen, indhahaagana fur, inaad maqashid baryadayda anoo addoonkaaga ah. Wakhtigan habeen iyo maalinba waxaan kuu baryayaa reer binu Israa'iil oo addoommadaada ah, anigoo qiraya dembiyadii aan aniga iyo reer binu Israa'iil kugu dembaabnay; haah, aniga iyo reerka aabbahayba waannu dembaabnay.

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 Oo si aad u xun ayaannu kula macaamiloonnay, oo ma aannan xajin amarradii, iyo qaynuunnadii, iyo xukummadii aad ku amartay addoonkaagii Muuse ahaa.

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 Waan ku baryayaaye, bal xusuuso eraygii aad ku amartay addoonkaagii Muuse ahaa, oo aad ku tidhi, Haddaad xadgudubtaan, waxaan idinku kala dhex firdhin doonaa dadyowga,

“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 laakiinse haddaad ii soo noqotaan oo aad amarradayda xajisaan oo aad yeeshaan, in kastoo kuwiinna la tuuray ay joogaan meesha samada ugu fog, halkaasaan ka soo ururin doonaa, oo waxaan keeni doonaa meeshii aan u doortay inaan ka dhigo in magacaygu joogo.

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 Haddaba kuwanu waa addoommadaada iyo dadkaaga aad ku soo furtay xooggaagii iyo gacantaadii xoogga badnayd.

“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]

11 Sayidow, waan ku baryayaaye, hadda dhegahaagu ha maqleen baryadayda anoo addoonkaaga ah, iyo baryada addoommadaada ku farxa inay ka cabsadaan magacaaga; waan ku baryayaaye, maanta i guulee, anoo addoonkaaga ah, oo ka dhig inaan ninkan hortiisa naxariis ka helo. (Anigu waxaan ahaa koobsidaha boqorka.)

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].