Nehemia 9

1 Katika siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi ule ule, Waisraeli walikusanyika pamoja, wakifunga na kuvaa nguo za gunia na kujitia mavumbi vichwani mwao.

Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, with sackcloth, and dirt on them.

2 Wale wa uzao wa Israeli walijitenga na wageni wote. Wakasimama mahali pao, na kuungama dhambi zao na uovu wa baba zao.

The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Wakasimama pale walipokuwa, wakasoma kutoka kwenye kile Kitabu cha Sheria ya Bwana Mungu wao kwa muda wa robo siku, na wakatumia robo nyingine kwa kuungama dhambi na kumwabudu Bwana Mungu wao.

They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and a fourth part they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God.

4 Walawi wafuatao walikuwa wamesimama kwenye ngazi: Yeshua, Bani, Kadmieli, Shebania, Buni, Sherebia, Bani na Kenani. Hawa walimlilia Bwana Mungu wao kwa sauti kubwa.

Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani of the Levites stood up on the stairs, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Nao Walawi Yeshua, Kadmieli, Bani, Hashabnea, Sherebia, Hodia, Shebania na Pethahia wakasema: “Simameni mkamsifu Bwana Mungu wenu, yeye ambaye ni Mungu tangu milele hata milele. “Libarikiwe jina lake tukufu, litukuzwe juu ya baraka zote na sifa.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and 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, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 Wewe peke yako ndiwe Bwana. Uliziumba mbingu, hata mbingu za mbingu na jeshi lote la mbinguni, dunia na vyote vilivyo ndani yake, na pia bahari na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake. Huvipa vitu vyote uhai, nalo jeshi la mbinguni linakuabudu wewe.

You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.

7 “Wewe ni Bwana Mungu uliyemchagua Abramu na kumtoa kutoka Uru ya Wakaldayo, nawe ukamwita Abrahamu.

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

8 Uliona kuwa moyo wake ni mwaminifu kwako, nawe ukafanya Agano naye kuwapa wazao wake nchi ya Wakanaani, Wahiti, Waamori, Waperizi, Wayebusi na Wagirgashi. Umetimiza ahadi yako kwa sababu wewe ni mwenye haki.

found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his offspring, and have performed your words, for you are righteous.

9 “Uliona mateso ya baba zetu huko Misri, ukasikia kilio chao huko Bahari ya Shamu.

“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea,

10 Ulituma ishara za miujiza na maajabu dhidi ya Farao, dhidi ya maafisa wake wote na watu wote wa nchi yake, kwa kuwa ulifahamu jinsi Wamisri walivyowafanyia ufidhuli. Ukajifanyia jina linalodumu hadi leo.

and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.

11 Ukagawa bahari mbele yao, ili waweze kupita katikati yake penye nchi kavu, lakini uliwatupa Wamisri waliowafuatilia katika vilindi, kama jiwe kwenye maji mengi.

You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

12 Mchana uliwaongoza kwa nguzo ya wingu, na usiku kwa nguzo ya moto kuwamulikia njia iliyowapasa kuiendea.

Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

13 “Ulishuka katika Mlima Sinai, ukanena nao kutoka mbinguni. Uliwapa masharti na sheria zile ambazo ni za kweli na haki, pia amri na maagizo mazuri.

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

14 Uliwafahamisha Sabato yako takatifu na ukawapa amri, maagizo na sheria kupitia mtumishi wako Mose.

and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant,

15 Katika njaa yao uliwapa mkate kutoka mbinguni, na katika kiu yao uliwatolea maji kutoka kwenye mwamba. Uliwaambia waingie na kuimiliki nchi ambayo ulikuwa umeapa kuwapa kwa mkono ulioinuliwa.

and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.

16 “Lakini wao, baba zetu, wakawa na kiburi na shingo ngumu, nao hawakutii maagizo yako.

“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments,

17 Wakakataa kusikiliza na kushindwa kukumbuka miujiza uliyoifanya miongoni mwao. Wakawa na shingo ngumu, na katika uasi wao wakamchagua kiongozi ili warudi kwenye utumwa wao. Lakini wewe ni Mungu mwenye kusamehe, mwenye neema na mwingi wa huruma, si mwepesi wa hasira, ni mwingi wa upendo. Kwa hiyo hukuwaacha,

and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did amongst them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.

18 hata wakati walijitengenezea sanamu ya ndama ya kusubu na kusema, ‘Huyu ni mungu wenu, aliyewapandisha kutoka nchi ya Misri,’ au walipofanya makufuru makubwa.

Yes, when they had made themselves a moulded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies,

19 “Kwa sababu ya huruma zako kuu hukuwaacha jangwani. Wakati wa mchana ile nguzo ya wingu haikukoma kuwaongoza katika njia yao, wala nguzo ya moto haikuacha kuwamulikia usiku njia iliyowapasa kuiendea.

yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

20 Uliwapa Roho wako mwema ili kuwafundisha. Hukuwanyima mana yako vinywani mwao, nawe ukawapa maji kwa ajili ya kiu yao.

You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.

21 Kwa miaka arobaini uliwatunza jangwani. Hawakukosa chochote, na nguo zao hazikuchakaa wala miguu yao haikuvimba.

“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.

22 “Uliwapa falme na mataifa, ukiwagawia hata mipaka ya mbali. Wakaimiliki nchi ya Sihoni mfalme wa Heshboni, na nchi ya Ogu mfalme wa Bashani.

Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

23 Uliwafanya wana wao kuwa wengi kama nyota za angani, nawe ukawaleta katika nchi ambayo uliwaambia baba zao kuingia na kuimiliki.

You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said to their fathers that they should go in to possess it.

24 Wana wao wakaingia na kuimiliki nchi. Uliwatiisha Wakanaani mbele yao, walioishi katika nchi, ukawatia Wakanaani mikononi mwao, pamoja na wafalme wao na watu wa nchi, wawafanyie kama wapendavyo.

“So the children went in and possessed the land; and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased.

25 Wakateka miji yenye ngome na nchi yenye rutuba, wakamiliki nyumba zilizojazwa na vitu vizuri vya kila aina, visima vilivyochimbwa tayari, mashamba ya mizabibu, mashamba ya mizeituni na miti yenye matunda kwa wingi. Wakala, wakashiba nao wakanawiri sana, wakajifurahisha katika wema wako mwingi.

They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

26 “Lakini hawakukutii nao wakaasi dhidi yako, wakatupa sheria zako nyuma yao. Wakawaua manabii wako, waliowaonya ili wakurudie, na wakafanya makufuru makubwa.

“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.

27 Hivyo ukawatia mikononi mwa adui zao, ambao waliwatesa. Lakini walipoteswa, wakakulilia wewe. Kutoka mbinguni uliwasikia, nawe kwa huruma zako kuu ukawapa waokozi, waliowaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zao.

Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviours who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries.

28 “Lakini mara walipokuwa na raha, wakafanya maovu tena machoni pako. Kisha ukawaacha mikononi mwa adui zao, nao wakawatawala. Walipokulilia tena, ukasikia kutoka mbinguni, na kwa huruma zako ukawaokoa kila mara.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,

29 “Ukawaonya warudi katika sheria yako, lakini wakawa na kiburi na hawakutii amri zako. Wakatenda dhambi dhidi ya maagizo yako ambayo kwayo mtu ataishi kama akiyatii. Kwa ukaidi wakakugeuzia kisogo, wakawa na shingo ngumu na wakakataa kusikiliza.

and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.

30 Kwa miaka mingi ulikuwa mvumilivu kwao. Kwa njia ya Roho wako ukawaonya kupitia manabii wako. Hata hivyo hawakujali, basi ukawatia mikononi mwa mataifa jirani.

Yet many years you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

31 Lakini kwa rehema zako kuu hukuwakomesha wala kuwaacha, kwa kuwa wewe ni Mungu mwenye neema na rehema.

“Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you didn’t make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.

32 “Basi sasa, Ee Mungu wetu, uliye mkuu, mwenye nguvu na Mungu wa kuogofya, mwenye kushika agano lake la upendo, usiache taabu hizi zote zionekane kuwa kitu kidogo mbele za macho yako, taabu hizi zilizotupata, juu ya wafalme wetu na viongozi, juu ya makuhani wetu na manabii, juu ya baba zetu na watu wako wote, tangu siku za wafalme wa Ashuru hadi leo.

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

33 Katika hayo yote yaliyotupata, umekuwa mwenye haki, na umetenda kwa uaminifu, wakati sisi tumetenda mabaya.

However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.

34 Wafalme wetu, viongozi wetu, makuhani wetu na baba zetu hawakufuata sheria yako. Hawakuzingatia amri zako wala maonyo uliyowapa.

Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them.

35 Hata walipokuwa wangali katika ufalme wao, wakiufurahia wema wako mkuu katika nchi kubwa na yenye rutuba uliyowapa, hawakukutumikia wala kugeuka kutoka njia zao mbaya.

For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They didn’t turn from their wicked works.

36 “Lakini tazama, sisi ni watumwa leo, watumwa katika nchi uliyowapa baba zetu ili wapate kula matunda yake na vitu vingine vizuri inayozalisha.

“Behold, we are servants today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, behold, we are servants in it.

37 Kwa sababu ya dhambi zetu, mavuno yake mengi huenda kwa wafalme uliowaweka watutawale. Wanatawala juu ya miili yetu na mifugo yetu kama wapendavyo. Tuko katika dhiki kuu.

It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

38 “Kwa sababu ya haya yote, tunajifunga katika mapatano, na kuyaandika, nao viongozi wetu, Walawi wetu na makuhani wetu wanatia mihuri yao.”

Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”