Nehemías 9

1 Y a los veinte y cuatro días de este mes, los hijos de Israel se juntaron en ayuno, y en cilicios, y tierra sobre sí.

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 Y habíase ya apartado la simiente de Israel de todos los extranjeros: y estando en pie confesaron sus pecados, y las iniquidades de sus padres.

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 Y levantáronse sobre su lugar, y leyeron en el libro de la ley de Jehová su Dios la cuarta parte del día, y la cuarta parte confesaron, y adoraron a Jehová su Dios.

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 Y levantáronse sobre la grada de los Levitas, Jesuá, y Bani, Cadmiel, Sabanías, Bunni, Serebías, Bani, y Canani, y clamaron a gran voz a Jehová su Dios.

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

5 Y dijeron los Levitas, Jesuá, y Cadmiel, Bani, Hasebnías, Serebías, Odaías, Sebnías, Petahías: Levantáos, bendecíd a Jehová vuestro Dios desde el siglo hasta el siglo: y bendigan el nombre de tu gloria, y alto sobre toda bendición y alabanza.

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 Tú, oh Jehová, eres solo, tú hiciste los cielos y los cielos de los cielos, y todo su ejército: la tierra, y todo lo que está en ella: las mares, y todo lo que está en ellas: y vivificas todas estas cosas: y los ejércitos de los cielos te adoran.

“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 Tú eres, oh Jehová, el Dios que escogiste a Abraham, y le sacaste de Ur de los Caldeos, y pusiste su nombre Abraham.

“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 Y hallaste fiel su corazón delante de ti, e hiciste con él alianza para darle la tierra del Cananeo, del Jetteo, y del Amorreo, y del Ferezeo, y del Jebuseo, y del Gergeseo, para dar la a su simiente: y cumpliste tu palabra, porque eres 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 Y miraste la aflicción de nuestros padres en Egipto, y oíste el clamor de ellos en el mar Bermejo.

“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 Y diste señales y maravillas en Faraón, y en todos sus siervos, y en todo el pueblo de su tierra: porque sabías que habían hecho soberbiamente contra ellos, y te hiciste nombre grande, como parece este día.

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 Y partiste la mar delante de ellos; y pasaron por medio de ella en seco: y a sus perseguidores echaste en los profundos, como una piedra en grandes aguas.

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 Y con columna de nube los guiaste de día, y con columna de fuego de noche, para alumbrarles el camino por donde habían 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 Y sobre el monte de Sinaí descendiste, y hablaste con ellos desde el cielo, y les diste juicios rectos, y leyes verdaderas, y estatutos y mandamientos buenos.

“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 Y les notificaste el sábado de tu santidad; y les mandaste por mano de Moisés tu siervo mandamientos, y estatutos, y ley.

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 Y les diste pan del cielo en su hambre, y en su sed les sacaste aguas de la piedra: y les dijiste que entrasen a poseer la tierra, por la cual alzaste tu mano que se la habías 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 Mas ellos y nuestros padres hicieron soberbiamente, y endurecieron su cerviz, y no oyeron tus mandamientos,

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

17 Y no quisieron oír, ni se acordaron de tus maravillas que habías hecho con ellos; mas endurecieron su cerviz, y pusieron cabeza para volverse a su servidumbre por su rebelión. Tú empero, Dios de perdones, clemente y piadoso, luengo de iras y de mucha misericordia, que no los dejaste.

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 Cuanto mas que hicieron para si becerro de fundición, y dijeron: Este es tu Dios que te hizo subir de Egipto: e hicieron abominaciones grandes.

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 Empero tú, por tus muchas misericordias, no los dejaste en el desierto: la columna de nube no se apartó de ellos de día, para guiarlos por el camino, y la columna de fuego de noche, para alumbrarles el camino, por el cual habían 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 Y diste tu Espíritu bueno para enseñarles: y no detuviste tu man de su boca: y agua les diste en su sed.

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

21 Y los sustentaste cuarenta años en el desierto: de ninguna cosa tuvieron necesidad; sus vestidos no se envejecieron, ni sus pies se hincharon.

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 Y dísteles reinos y pueblos, y repartísteles la tierra por suertes: y poseyeron la tierra de Sejón, y la tierra del rey de Jesebón, y la tierra de Og rey de Basán.

“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 Y multiplicaste sus hijos como las estrellas del cielo, y los metiste en la tierra, de la cual habías dicho a sus padres, que habían de entrar en ella para heredarla:

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 Porque los hijos vinieron y heredaron la tierra: y humillaste delante de ellos a los moradores de la tierra, los Cananeos, los cuales entregaste en su mano, y a sus reyes, y a los pueblos de la tierra, para que hiciesen de ellos a su voluntad.

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 Y tomaron ciudades fortalecidas, y tierra gruesa: y heredaron casas llenas de todo bien, cisternas hechas, viñas, y olivares, y muchos árboles de comer: y comieron, y se hartaron, y se engrosaron, y se deleitaron en tu grande bondad.

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 Y te enojaron, y se rebelaron contra ti, y echaron tu ley tras sus espaldas, y mataron tus profetas que protestaban contra ellos para convertirlos a ti, e hicieron abominaciones grandes.

“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 Y los entregaste en mano de sus enemigos, los cuales los afligieron: y en el tiempo de su tribulación clamaron a ti, y tú desde los cielos los oíste; y según tus muchas miseraciones, les dabas salvadores que los salvasen de mano de sus enemigos.

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 Mas en teniendo reposo, se volvían a hacer lo malo delante de ti: por lo cual los dejaste en mano de sus enemigos que se enseñorearon de ellos: mas convertidos clamaban otra vez a ti, y tú desde los cielos los oías, y según tus miseraciones los libraste muchos tiempos.

“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 Y les protestaste que se volviesen a tu ley: mas ellos hicieron soberbiamente, y no oyeron tus mandamientos: y en tus juicios pecaron en ellos, los cuales si el hombre hiciere vivirá por ellos: y dieron hombro rehuidor, y endurecieron su cerviz, y no oyeron.

“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 Y alargaste sobre ellos muchos años, y les protestaste con tu Espíritu por mano de tus profetas; mas no escucharon: por lo cual los entregaste en mano de los pueblos de las tierras.

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 por tus muchas misericordias no los consumiste, ni los dejaste; porque eres Dios clemente y 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 Ahora pues, Dios nuestro, Dios grande, fuerte, terrible, que guardas el concierto y la misericordia, no sea disminuido delante de ti todo el trabajo que nos ha alcanzado, a nuestros reyes, a nuestros príncipes, a nuestros sacerdotes, y a nuestros profetas, y a nuestros padres, y a todo tu pueblo, desde los días de los reyes de Asiria hasta este día.

“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 Tú empero eres justo en todo lo que ha venido sobre nosotros, porque verdad has hecho, y nosotros hemos hecho lo malo:

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

34 Y nuestros reyes, nuestros príncipes, nuestros sacerdotes, y nuestros padres no hicieron tu ley, ni escucharon a tus mandamientos, y a tus testimonios con que les protestabas.

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 Y ellos en su reino, y en tu mucho bien que les diste, y en la tierra ancha y gruesa que diste delante de ellos, no te sirvieron, ni se convirtieron de sus malas 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 He aquí que hoy somos siervos: y en la tierra que diste a nuestros padres para que comiesen su fruto y su bien, he aquí somos siervos.

“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 Y se multiplica su fruto para los reyes que has puesto sobre nosotros por nuestros pecados, que se enseñorean sobre nuestros cuerpos, y sobre nuestras bestias, conforme a su voluntad: y estamos en grande angustia.

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 Y con todo eso nosotros hacemos fiel alianza, y la escribimos signada de nuestros príncipes, de nuestros Levitas, y de nuestros 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.”