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 sonne of Hachaliah. In ye moneth Chisleu, in the twentieth yeere, as I was in the palace of Shushan,
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.
Came Hanam, one of my brethren, he and the men of Iudah, and I asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered, which were of the residue of the captiuitie, and concerning Ierusalem.
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 sayde vnto me, The residue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince, are in great affliction and in reproche, and the wall of Ierusalem is broken downe, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.
4 Niliposikia mambo haya, niliketi, nikalia. Kwa siku kadhaa niliomboleza na kufunga na kuomba mbele za Mungu wa mbinguni.
And when I heard these wordes, I sate downe and wept, and mourned certeine dayes, and I fasted and prayed before the God of heauen,
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 sayde, O Lord God of heauen, the great and terrible God, that keepeth couenant and mercy for them that loue him, and obserue his commandements,
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.
I pray thee, let thine eares be attet, and thine eies open, to heare the praier of thy seruat, which I pray before thee dayly, day and night for ye childre of Israel thy seruats, and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel, which we haue sinned against thee, both I and my fathers house haue sinned:
7 Tumetenda uovu sana mbele zako. Hatukutii amri, maagizo na sheria ulizompa Mose mtumishi wako.
We haue grieuously sinned against thee, and haue not kept the commandements, nor the statutes, nor the iudgements, which thou commandedst thy seruant Moses.
8 “Kumbuka agizo ulilompa Mose mtumishi wako, ukisema, ‘Kama mkikosa uaminifu, nitawatawanya miongoni mwa mataifa,
I beseeche thee, remember the worde that thou commandedst thy seruant Moses, saying, Ye wil transgresse, and I will scatter you abroade among the people.
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 turne vnto me, and keepe my commandements, and doe them, though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there.
10 “Hawa ni watumishi wako na watu wako, uliowakomboa kwa nguvu zako kuu na mkono wako wenye nguvu.
Now these are thy seruants and thy people, whome thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy mightie 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 thine eare now hearken to the prayer of thy seruant, and to the prayer of thy seruants, who desire to feare thy Name, and I pray thee, cause thy seruant to prosper this day, and giue him fauour in the presence of this man: for I was the Kings butler.
