Nehemia 1
1 Maneno ya Nehemia mwana wa Hakalia: Katika mwezi wa Kisleu katika mwaka wa ishirini, wakati nilikuwa ngomeni katika jumba la kifalme la Shushani,
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the fortress,
2 Hanani, mmoja wa ndugu zangu, alikuja kutoka Yuda akiwa na watu wengine, nami nikawauliza kuhusu mabaki ya Wayahudi wale walionusurika kwenda uhamishoni na pia kuhusu Yerusalemu.
that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and [certain] men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 Wakaniambia, “Wale walionusurika kwenda uhamishoni, wale ambao wamerudi kwenye lile jimbo, wako katika taabu kubwa na aibu. Ukuta wa Yerusalemu umebomoka, na malango yake yamechomwa moto.”
And they said to me, Those who remain, that are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction and reproach; and the wall of Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are burned with fire.
4 Niliposikia mambo haya, niliketi, nikalia. Kwa siku kadhaa niliomboleza na kufunga na kuomba mbele za Mungu wa mbinguni.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat and wept, and mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of the heavens,
5 Kisha nikasema: “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, mkuu na mwenye kuogofya, ambaye hulishika agano lake la upendo na wale wampendao na kutii amri zake,
and said, I beseech thee, Jehovah, God of the heavens, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and keep his commandments.
6 tega masikio yako, na ufungue macho yako, ili usikie maombi ya mtumishi wako anayoomba mbele yako usiku na mchana kwa ajili ya watumishi wako, watu wa Israeli. Ninaungama dhambi zetu sisi Waisraeli, pamoja na zangu na za nyumba ya baba yangu, tulizotenda dhidi yako.
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, confessing the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
7 Tumetenda uovu sana mbele zako. Hatukutii amri, maagizo na sheria ulizompa Mose mtumishi wako.
We have acted very perversely against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances that thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8 “Kumbuka agizo ulilompa Mose mtumishi wako, ukisema, ‘Kama mkikosa uaminifu, nitawatawanya miongoni mwa mataifa,
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the peoples;
9 lakini mkinirudia na kutii amri zangu, ndipo hata kama watu wenu walio uhamishoni wako mbali sana katika miisho ya dunia, nitawakusanya kutoka huko na kuwaleta mahali ambapo nimepachagua kuwa makao kwa ajili ya Jina langu.’
but if ye return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
10 “Hawa ni watumishi wako na watu wako, uliowakomboa kwa nguvu zako kuu na mkono wako wenye nguvu.
And they are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand.
11 Ee Bwana, tega sikio lako na usikie maombi ya huyu mtumishi wako, na maombi ya watumishi wako wanaofurahia kuliheshimu Jina lako. Nipe leo, mimi mtumishi wako, mafanikio kwa kunipa kibali mbele ya mtu huyu.” Kwa maana nilikuwa mnyweshaji wa mfalme.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king's cupbearer.
