Nehemías 9

1 El día veinticuatro de este mismo mes, los israelitas se reunieron, ayunando y vistiendo de cilicio, con polvo en la cabeza.

Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the sons of Israel came together in fasting and in sackcloth, and with soil upon them.

2 Los de ascendencia israelita se separaron de los extranjeros y se pusieron de pie para confesar sus pecados y los de sus antepasados.

And the offspring of the sons of Israel were separated from all the sons of foreigners. And they stood up, and they confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Pasaron tres horas de pie leyendo el Libro de la Ley del Señor su Dios, y otras tres horas confesando sus pecados y adorando al Señor su Dios.

And they arose to stand. And they read in the volume of the law of the Lord their God, four times in the day, and four times they confessed. And they adored the Lord their God.

4 Los levitas se pusieron de pie en el estrado y clamaron en voz alta al Señor su Dios. (Sus nombres eran Jesúa, Baní, Cadmiel, Sebanías, Buní, Serebías, Baní y Chenani).

Then, upon the step of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, and Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani rose up. And they cried out in a great voice to the Lord their God.

5 Entonces los levitas anunciaron: “Pónganse de pie y alaben al Señor, su Dios, que vive eternamente: ‘Que sean bendecidos quienes son y su gloria, y que sean elevados por encima de toda bendición y alabanza’”. (Los nombres de los levitas eran Jesúa, Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabneías, Serebías, Hodías, Sebanías y Petaías).

And the Levites, Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bunni, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said: “Rise up. Bless the Lord your God, from eternity even to eternity! And blessed be the exalted name of your glory, with all blessing and praise.

6 Ellos oraron: “Sólo tú eres el Señor. Tú hiciste el cielo, los cielos con todas sus estrellas, la tierra y todo lo que hay en ella, los mares y todo lo que hay en ellos. Tú les das vida a todos ellos, y todos los seres celestiales te adoran.

You yourself alone, O Lord, made heaven, and the heaven of the heavens, and all their host, the earth and all things that are in it, the seas and all things that are in them. And you gave life to all these things. And the host of heaven adores you.

7 “Tú eres el Señor, el Dios que eligió a Abram, que lo sacó de Ur de los caldeos y le dio el nombre de Abraham.

You yourself, O Lord God, are the One who chose Abram. And you led him away from the fire of the Chaldeans, and you gave him the name Abraham.

8 Tú sabías que te sería fiel, e hiciste un acuerdo con él para darle a él y a su descendencia la tierra de los cananeos, hititas, amorreos, ferezeos, jebuseos y gergeseos. Cumpliste tu promesa, porque haces lo que es justo.

And you found his heart to be faithful before you. And you formed a covenant with him, so that you might give to him the land of the Canaanite, of the Hittite, and of the Amorite, and of the Perizzite, and of the Jebusite, and of the Girgashite, so that you might give it to his offspring. And you have fulfilled your words, for you are just.

9 “Viste cuánto sufrían nuestros antepasados en Egipto. Oíste sus gritos de auxilio en el Mar Rojo.

And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt. And you heard their outcry beside the Red Sea.

10 Te manifestaste con señales y milagros contra el Faraón, todos sus funcionarios y todo el pueblo de su tierra, porque reconociste la arrogancia con que trataron a nuestros antepasados. Te creaste una maravillosa fama que la gente sigue reconociendo hasta el día de hoy.

And you gave signs and portents to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to the people of his land. For you knew that they acted arrogantly against them. And you made a name for yourself, just as it is in this day.

11 Dividiste el mar delante de ellos para que pudieran atravesarlo en seco. Pero arrojaste a sus perseguidores a las profundidades del mar, como piedras arrojadas a las aguas embravecidas.

And you divided the sea before them, and they crossed through the midst of the sea on dry land. But their pursuers you cast into the depths, like a stone into great waters.

12 “Los guiaste con una columna de nube durante el día y con una columna de fuego durante la noche, mostrándoles el camino que debían seguir.

And in the pillar of cloud, you were their leader by day, and in the pillar of fire, by night, so that they might see the way along which they might advance.

13 Descendiste en el monte Sinaí. Les hablaste desde el cielo. Les diste caminos correctos para vivir, leyes verdaderas, y buenos reglamentos y mandamientos.

You also descended to mount Sinai, and you spoke with them from heaven. And you gave them upright judgments, and the law of truth, and ceremonies, and good precepts.

14 Les explicaste tu santo sábado. Les diste mandamientos, reglamentos y leyes por medio de tu siervo Moisés.

You revealed to them your sanctified Sabbath, and you instructed them in commandments, and ceremonies, and the law, by the hand of Moses, your servant.

15 Cuando tuvieron hambre les diste pan del cielo, y cuando tuvieron sed les sacaste agua de la roca. Les dijiste que fueran a tomar posesión de la tierra que habías jurado darles.

You also gave them bread from heaven in their hunger, and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their thirst. And you said to them that they should enter and possess the land, over which you lifted up your hand so that you might give it to them.

16 “Pero ellos y nuestros antepasados actuaron con arrogancia y se volvieron obstinados, y no prestaron atención a tus mandatos.

Yet truly, they and our fathers acted arrogantly, and they hardened their necks, and they did not listen to your commandments.

17 Se negaron a escucharte y se olvidaron de todos los milagros que hiciste por ellos. Se obstinaron y decidieron elegir ellos mismos un líder que los llevara de vuelta a la esclavitud en Egipto. “Pero tú eres un Dios que perdona, clemente y misericordioso, lento para enojarse y lleno de amor confiable. No los abandonaste,

And they were not willing to hear, and they did not remember, your miracles which you had accomplished for them. And they hardened their necks, and they offered their head, so that they would return to their servitude, as if in contention. But you, a forgiving God, lenient and merciful, longsuffering and full of compassion, did not abandon them.

18 ni siquiera cuando se hicieron un becerro de metal y dijeron: ‘Este es su dios que los sacó de Egipto’, y cometieron terribles blasfemias.

Indeed, even when they had made for themselves a molten calf, and they had said, ‘This is your God, who led you away from Egypt!’ and had committed great blasphemies,

19 “Pero tú, por ser tan misericordioso, no los abandonaste en el desierto. La columna de nube no dejó de guiarlos durante el día, y la columna de fuego siguió iluminando su camino por la noche.

even so, in the multitude of your mercies, you did not send them away in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not withdraw from them by day, so that it might lead them on the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, so that it might show them the way along which they might advance.

20 Les diste tu buen Espíritu para enseñarles. No dejaste de alimentarlos con tu maná, y les diste agua cuando tuvieron sed.

And you gave them your good Spirit, so that he might teach them, and you did not withhold your manna from their mouth, and you gave them water in their thirst.

21 Cuidaste de ellos durante cuarenta años en el desierto. Sus ropas no se desgastaron, no les faltó nada. Ni siquiera se les hincharon los pies.

For forty years, you fed them in the desert, and nothing was lacking to them; their garments did not grow old, and their feet were not worn down.

22 “Les diste reinos y naciones; les asignaste sus fronteras. Se apoderaron de la tierra de Sehón, rey de Hesbón, y de Og, rey de Basán.

And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you distributed to them by lot. And they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, the king of Bashan.

23 Hiciste que sus descendientes fueran tan innumerables como las estrellas del cielo, y los condujiste a la tierra que habías prometido a sus padres que entrarían y poseerían.

And you multiplied their sons like the stars of heaven. And you led them into the land, about which you had said to their fathers that they would enter and possess it.

24 Sus descendientes entraron y se apoderaron de la tierra. Delante de ellos conquistaste a los cananeos que vivían allí, entregándoles sus reyes y su pueblo para que hicieran con ellos lo que quisieran.

And the sons arrived and possessed the land. And you humbled the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, before them. And you delivered them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, so that they might do with them just as it was pleasing to them.

25 Capturaron ciudades fortificadas y tierras fértiles. Se apoderaron de casas llenas de cosas valiosas, cisternas de agua, viñedos, olivares y muchos árboles frutales. Comieron hasta saciarse y engordaron. Estaban muy contentos de lo buenos que eran con ellos.

And so they seized fortified cities and fat soil. And they possessed houses filled with all kinds of goods, cisterns made by others, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. And they ate and were satisfied. And they were fattened, and they abounded with delights from your great goodness.

26 “Pero se rebelaron por completo contra ti. Arrojaron tu Ley tras sus espaldas. Mataron a tus profetas que les advertían para que intentaran volver a ti, y cometieron terribles blasfemias.

But they provoked you to wrath, and they withdrew from you, and they cast your law behind their backs. And they killed your prophets, who contended with them so that they might return to you. And they committed great blasphemies.

27 Por eso los entregaste a sus enemigos, que los trataron mal. En su sufrimiento clamaron a ti por ayuda. “Pero tú oíste sus gritos desde el cielo y, como eres tan misericordioso, les enviaste líderes para salvarlos de sus enemigos.

And so you gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they afflicted them. And in the time of their tribulation, they cried out to you, and from heaven you heard them. And in accord with your great compassion, you gave to them saviors, who might save them from the hand of their enemies.

28 “Sin embargo, en cuanto tuvieron paz, volvieron a hacer el mal ante tus ojos. Así que una vez más los entregaste a sus enemigos, que los dominaron. Volvieron a ti, y te gritaron de nuevo. “Pero tú oíste desde el cielo una vez más, y los salvaste una y otra vez porque eres muy misericordioso.

But after they had rested, they turned back, so that they did evil in your sight. And you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, and they possessed them. And they converted, and they cried out to you. And from heaven you heeded them, and you freed them many times, by your mercies.

29 Les advertiste que volvieran a tu Ley, pero fueron arrogantes. Ignoraron tus mandatos y pecaron contra tus reglas, que, como ya dijiste, ‘Si la gente obedece vivirá por ellos’. Se obstinaron en darte la espalda y se negaron a escuchar.

And you contended with them, so that they might return to your law. Yet truly, they acted in arrogance, and they did not listen to your commandments, and they sinned against your judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them. And they withdrew from offering their shoulder, and they hardened their neck; neither would they listen.

30 Tuviste paciencia con ellos durante muchos años. Les advertiste con tu Espíritu por medio de tus profetas, pero no te escucharon, así que los entregaste a las demás naciones.

And you continued to forbear them for many years. And you contended with them by your Spirit, through the hand of your prophets. And they did not listen, and so you delivered them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

31 Pero por tu maravillosa misericordia no terminaste con ellos y no los abandonaste, porque eres un Dios clemente y misericordioso.

Yet in your very many mercies, you did not cause them to be consumed, nor did you abandon them. For you are a compassionate and lenient God.

32 “Así que ahora, nuestro Dios, el grande y poderoso y asombroso Dios que mantiene su acuerdo de amor confiable, por favor no ve como sin importancia todas las dificultades que nos han sucedido a nosotros, y a nuestros reyes y líderes, a nuestros sacerdotes y profetas, a nuestro antepasado y a todo tu pueblo, desde el tiempo de los reyes asirios de Asiria hasta ahora.

Now therefore, our great God, strong and terrible, who keeps covenant and mercy, may you not avert your face from all the hardship that has found us, we and our kings, and our leaders, and our priests, and our prophets, and our fathers, and all the people, from the days of king Assur, even to this day.

33 “Pero tú has hecho lo correcto con respecto a todo lo que nos ha sucedido. Siempre has actuado con fidelidad, mientras que nosotros hemos hecho tanto mal.

For you are just, concerning all things that have overwhelmed us. For you have done truth, but we have acted impiously.

34 Nuestros reyes, nuestros dirigentes, nuestros sacerdotes y nuestros antepasados no siguieron tu Ley, e ignoraron tus mandatos y reglamentos que les ordenaste cumplir.

Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our fathers have not done your law, and they have not been attentive to your commandments and your testimonies, to which you have testified among them.

35 “Pero ellos, incluso durante el tiempo en que tuvieron su propio reino, con tantas bendiciones que les habías dado en la tierra amplia y fértil que les habías proporcionado, incluso entonces se negaron a servirte y no se apartaron de sus malos caminos.

And they have not served you, in their kingdoms and with your many good things, which you gave to them, and in the very wide and fat land, which you delivered into their sight, nor did they return from their most wicked pursuits.

36 “Míranos ahora, esclavos en la tierra que diste a nuestros antepasados para disfrutar de sus frutos y de todas sus cosas buenas. Míranos a nosotros, esclavos aquí.

Behold, we ourselves this day are servants. And the land, which you gave to our fathers so that they might eat its bread and have its good things, we ourselves are servants within it.

37 Las ricas cosechas de esta tierra son para los reyes que has puesto sobre nosotros a causa de nuestros pecados. Ellos gobiernan nuestros cuerpos y nuestro ganado, haciendo lo que quieren. Estamos sufriendo mucho”.

And its fruits are multiplied for the kings, whom you have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies, and over our cattle, according to their will. And we are in great tribulation.

38 En respuesta, el pueblo declaró, “Teniendo en cuenta todo esto, estamos haciendo un acuerdo solemne, poniéndolo por escrito. Está sellado por nuestros líderes, levitas y sacerdotes”.

Therefore, concerning all of these things, we ourselves are forming and writing a covenant, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests are signing it.”