Nehemías 9

1 Ahora, a los veinticuatro días de este mes, los hijos de Israel se reunieron, para ayunar, con ropas ásperas y polvo sobre si.

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 la simiente de Israel se separó de todos los hombres de otras naciones, solicitando públicamente el perdón por sus pecados y la maldad de sus antepasados.

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 por una cuarta parte del día, erectos en sus lugares, estaban leyendo el libro de la ley de su Dios; y por una cuarta parte del día pedían perdón y adoraban al Señor 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 Entonces Josué, Binuy, Cadmiel, Sebanias, Buni, Serebias, Bani y Quenani tomaron sus lugares en los escalones de los levitas, clamando en voz alta al Señor 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 Entonces los levitas, Josué, y Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabnias, Serebias, Hodias, Sebanias y Petaias dijeron: Levántate y alaba al Señor tu Dios por los siglos de los siglos; Sea bendito tu nombre majestuoso, que es exaltado 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 eres el Señor, solo tú; has hecho los cielos, los cielos de los cielos con todos sus ejércitos, la tierra y todas las cosas en ella, los mares y todo lo que hay en ellos; y los guardas de la destrucción, y los ejércitos del cielo son tus adoradores.

“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 el Señor, el Dios, que escogiste Abram y lo hiciste tuyo, guiándolo desde Ur de los caldeos, y le diste el nombre de 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 Viste que su corazón era verdadero delante de ti, e hiciste un pacto con él para dar la tierra de los cananeos, los hititas, los amorreos, los ferezeos, los jebuseos y los gergeseos, para entregarla a su simiente. y has hecho lo que dijiste; 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 viste el problema de nuestros antepasados en Egipto, y su clamor llegó a tus oídos junto al Mar Rojo;

“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 E hiciste señales y prodigios contra Faraón y todos sus siervos y toda la gente de su tierra; porque viste lo crueles que eran con ellos. Así que te has conseguido un nombre grande, como lo es hoy.

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 Por ti se separó el mar delante de ellos, y pasaron por el mar en tierra firme; y los que iban tras ellos bajaban al abismo, 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 fuiste delante de ellos de día en una columna de nube, y en una columna de fuego de noche, para darles luz sobre el camino a seguir.

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 descendiste al Monte Sinaí, y tu voz vino a ellos desde el cielo, dándoles decisiones correctas y leyes verdaderas, buenas reglas y órdenes.

“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 enseñaste a consagrar tu santo sábado, y les diste órdenes y reglas y una ley, por medio de tu siervo Moisés.

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 diste los panes del cielo para saciar su hambre, hiciste que salieran de la roca agua para saciar su sed, y les diste órdenes de entrar y tomar para su patrimonio la tierra que tú habías prometido darles.

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 Pero ellos y nuestros antepasados, en su orgullo, endurecieron sus cuellos y no prestaron atención a 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 escuchar, ni recordar las maravillas que habías hecho entre ellos; pero endurecieron sus cuellos, y al alejarse de ti, se hicieron un capitán sobre sí mismos para llevarlos de regreso a su prisión en Egipto: pero eres un Dios de perdón, lleno de gracia y compasión, lento para la ira y grande en misericordia, y No los abandonaste.

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 Incluso cuando se hicieron un becerro de metal fundido y dijeron: Este es tu Dios que te sacó de Egipto, y cometieron grandes blasfemias para hacerte enojar;

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 Incluso entonces, en tu gran misericordia, no los abandonaste en el desierto, la columna de nube no se apartó de ellos durante el día, guiándolos por el camino, y la columna de fuego por la noche, para alumbrar el camino que debían de seguir.

“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 buen espíritu para ser su maestro, y no apartaste tu maná de su boca, y les diste agua cuando la necesitaban.

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

21 En verdad, durante cuarenta años los sustentaste en el desierto, y no necesitaron nada; Su ropa no envejeció o sus pies no 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 les diste reinos y pueblos, repartiéndolos en regiones de la tierra; y tomaron como herencia la tierra del rey Sehón, la tierra de Hesbón, y la tierra del rey Og 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 También multiplicaste a sus hijos como las estrellas del cielo, y los llevaste a la tierra, la cual les habías prometido dar a sus antepasados en propiedad para ellos mismos.

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 Entonces los hijos entraron y tomaron la tierra, y tú venciste ante ellos a la gente de la tierra, los cananeos, y los entregaste en sus manos, con sus reyes y la gente de la tierra, para que hicieran 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 Tomaron ciudades amuralladas y tierras fértiles, y se convirtieron en los dueños de casas llenas de todas las cosas buenas, pozos de agua cortados en la roca, viñedos y olivares y una gran cantidad de árboles frutales; comieron suficiente y engordaron, y se gozaron por el bien que les diste.

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 Pero eran de corazón duro, y se opusieron a tu autoridad, le dieron la espalda a tu ley y mataron a tus profetas, quienes dieron testimonio contra ellos con el propósito de volverlos a ti, y te ofendieron grandemente con sus abominaciones.

“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 Así que los entregaste en manos de sus enemigos que fueron crueles con ellos, y en el momento de su angustia, cuando te clamaron, los escuchaste desde el cielo; y en tu gran misericordia les diste salvadores, que los salvaron de las manos 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 Pero cuando descansaron, volvieron a hacer lo malo ante ti: así que los entregaste en manos de sus enemigos, que los habían dominado; pero volvían y te clamaban, los escuchabas desde el cielo; Una y otra vez, en tu misericordia, les diste la salvación;

“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 Los amonestaste para que regresaran a tu ley; pero sus corazones se enorgullecieron, y no prestaron atención a tus órdenes y fueron en contra de tus decisiones lo cual, si un hombre las cumple, será vida para él, y te dieron la espalda, fueron rebeldes y testarudos y no te escucharon.

“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 Año tras año los soportaste y les advertías con tu espíritu por medio de tus profetas. Aun así, no escucharon, y los entregaste en manos de los pueblos de la tierra.

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 Incluso entonces, en tu gran misericordia, no les pusiste fin a ellos por completo, ni los abandonaste; Porque tú eres un Dios de gracia y de misericordia.

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 Y ahora, nuestro Dios, el grande, el fuerte, el Dios que debe ser temido, que guarda la fe y la misericordia, no te parezca que todos estos problemas son pequeños para ti y para nuestros reyes, nuestros gobernantes, sobre nuestros sacerdotes, nuestros profetas, nuestros padres y sobre todo su pueblo desde el tiempo 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 Pero aún así, has estado en lo correcto en todo lo que ha venido sobre nosotros; Has sido fiel a nosotros, pero hemos hecho el mal:

[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 gobernantes, nuestros sacerdotes y nuestros padres no han guardado tu ley ni han prestado atención a tus órdenes y a tu testimonio.

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 Porque en su reino, y en todas las cosas buenas que les diste, y en la tierra grande y fértil que les diste, no te sirvieron, no abandonaron su maldad.

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 Ahora, hoy, somos siervos, y en cuanto a la tierra que diste a nuestros antepasados, para que se alimentarán de sus productos, mira, somos siervos en ella.

“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 aumenta mucho su fruto a los reyes que has puesto sobre nosotros por nuestros pecados, y tienen poder sobre nuestros cuerpos y sobre nuestro ganado a su gusto, y estamos en un gran problema.

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 por todo esto estamos de acuerdo de buena fe, y lo ponemos por escrito; y nuestros gobernantes, nuestros levitas y nuestros sacerdotes le ponen sus nombres.

“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.”