Nehemia 9
1 Siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi huo huo watu wa Israeli walikusanyika, nao walikuwa wamefunga, nao walikuwa wamevaa magunia, nao wakaweka vumbi juu ya vichwa vyao.
Now, on the twenty-fourth day of this month, were the sons of Israel gathered together, with fasting and with sackcloth, having earth upon them.
2 Wazao wa Israeli walijitenga na wageni wote. Walisimama na kukiri dhambi zao wenyewe na matendo maovu ya baba zao.
And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all the sons of the foreigner, —and stood and made confession over their own sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
3 Walisimama mahali pao, na robo ya siku walisoma kutoka Kitabu cha Sheria ya Bwana Mungu wao. Na robo nyingine ya siku walikiri na kuinama mbele ya Bwana Mungu wao.
So they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Yahweh their God, a fourth part of the day, —and, a fourth part, they were making confession and bowing themselves down, unto Yahweh their God.
4 Walawi, Yeshua, Bani, Kadmieli, Shebaniya, Buni, Sherebia, Bani na Kenani, walisimama juu ya ngazi, wakamwita Bwana, Mungu wao kwa sauti kubwa.
Then stood up on the platform of the Levites, Jeshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, —and made outcry, with a loud voice, unto Yahweh their God.
5 Ndipo Walawi, na Yeshua, na Kadmieli, na Bani, na Hashabneya, na Sherebia, na Hodia, na Shebania, na Pethalia, wakasema, “Simameni, mkamsifu Bwana, Mungu wenu, milele na milele.” “Libarikiwe jina lako tukufu, lililotukuka kuliko baraka zote na sifa zote.
Then said the Levites—Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, Stand up, bless Yahweh your God, from age to age, —Yea let them bless thy glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
6 Wewe ni Bwana. Wewe peke yako. Wewe umefanya mbinguni, mbingu za juu, na malaika wote wa vita vita, na dunia na kila kitu kilicho juu yake, na bahari na vyote vilivyomo. Unawapa wote uzima, na majeshi ya malaika wanakusujudia.
Thou, art Yahweh, thou alone, Thou, didst make the heavens, the heavens of heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that is thereon, the seas and all that is therein, and, thou, holdest them all in life, —and, the host of the heavens, unto thee, are bowing down.
7 Wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu aliyemchagua Abramu, akamtoa kutoka Uri wa Wakaldayo, akamwita Ibrahimu.
Thou, art Yahweh, God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, —and madest his name Abraham;
8 Uliona moyo wake ulikuwa mkamilifu mbele yako, nawe ukafanya pamoja naye agano la kuwapa wazao wake nchi ya Wakanaani, na Mhiti, na Mwamori, na Perizi, na Myebusi, na Wagirgashi. Umeweka ahadi yako kwa sababu wewe ni mwenye haki.
and didst find his heart faithful before thee, and didst solemnize with him a covenant, to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, —to give it unto his seed, —and didst confirm thy words, for, righteous, thou art.
9 Uliona shida ya baba zetu Misri na ukasikia kilio chao kando ya bahari ya shamu.
Yea thou sawest the affliction of our fathers, in Egypt, and, their outcry, thou heardest, by the Red Sea;
10 Wewe ulifanya ishara na maajabu juu ya Farao, na watumishi wake wote, na watu wote wa nchi yake, kwa maana ulijua kwamba Wamisri walifanya kwa kujivunia. Lakini ulijifanyia jina ambalo linasimama hadi siku leo.
and didst grant signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for thou hadst taken note, that they ruled proudly over them, —and so thou didst make thee a name, as at this day.
11 Ukagawanya bahari mbele yao, wakavuka katikati ya bahari juu ya nchi kavu; na ukawatupa wale waliowa ndani ya kina, kama jiwe ndani ya maji ya kina.
And, the sea, didst thou cleave asunder before them, and they passed through the midst of the sea, on dry ground, —whereas, their pursuers, thou didst cast into the depths like a stone, into the mighty waters,
12 Wewe uliwaongoza kwa nguzo ya wingu wakati wa mchana, na kwa nguzo ya moto wakati wa usiku, ili kuwamulikia njiani waweze kutembea katika nuru yake.
And, in a pillar of cloud, didst thou lead them, by day, —and in a pillar of fire, by night, to light up for them the way wherein they should go.
13 Ulishuka juu ya Mlima Sinai ukazungumza nao kutoka mbinguni ukawapa amri za haki na sheria za kweli, amri nzuri na maagizo.
And, upon Mount Sinai, camest thou down, and spakest with them out of the heavens, —and gavest them just regulations, and faithful laws, good statutes and commandments.
14 Uliwajulisha sabato yako takatifu, ukawapa amri, maagizo, na sheria kupitia Musa mtumishi wako.
And, thy holy sabbath, didst thou make known to them, —and, commandments and statutes and a law, didst thou command them, through Moses thy servant.
15 Uliwapa chakula kutoka mbinguni kwa ajili ya njaa yao, na maji kutoka mwamba kwa kiu yao, ukawaambia waende kuimiliki nchi uliyowaapa kwa kiapo kuwapa.
And, bread out of the heavens, didst thou give them, for their hunger, and, waters out of the cliff, didst thou bring them, for their thirst, —and badest them go in to take possession of the land, which thou hadst lifted thy hand to give them.
16 Lakini wao na baba zetu walifanya uasi, nao walikuwa wakaidi, wala hawakuzitii amri zako.
But, they and our fathers, dealt proudly, —and hardened their neck, and hearkened not unto thy commandments;
17 Walikataa kusikiliza, na hawakufikiri juu ya maajabu uliyofanya kati yao, lakini wakawa wakaidi, na katika uasi wao waliweka kiongozi ili wairudie hali ya utumwa. Lakini wewe ni Mungu ambaye amejaa msamaha, mwenye rehema na huruma, si mwepesi wa hasira, na wingi katika upendo thabiti. Wewe haukuwaacha.
but refused to hearken, neither kept in mind thy wonders which thou hadst done with them, but they hardened their neck, and appointed a head that they might return to their servitude, in their perverseness. But, thou, art a God of forgivenesses, gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, and didst not forsake them.
18 Wala hukuwaacha hata walipokwisha kutoa ndama katika chuma kilichochomwa na kusema, “Huyu ndio Mungu wenu aliyekuleta kutoka Misri,” wakati walipopotoka sana.
Yea, although they made them a molten calf, and said, This, is thy God, that brought thee up out of Egypt, —and wrought great insults,
19 Wewe, kwa huruma yako, hukuwaacha katika jangwa. Nguzo ya wingu iliyowangoza njiani haikuwaacha wakati wa mchana, wala nguzo ya moto usiku iliwaangazia barabara ambayo walipaswa kutembea.
yet, thou, in thine abounding compassions, didst not forsake them in the desert, —the pillar of cloud, departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to light up for them the way wherein they should go.
20 Uliwapa Roho wako mzuri kuwafundisha, na mana yako haukuwanyima kinywani mwao, na ukawapa maji kwa kiu yao.
And, thy Good Spirit, thou gavest, to instruct them, —and, thy manna, thou withheldest not from their mouth, and, water, thou gavest them, for their thirst.
21 Kwa miaka arobaini uliwaruzuku jangwani, na hawakukosa chochote. Nguo zao hazikuchakaa na miguu yao haikuvimba.
Yea, forty years, didst thou sustain them in the desert, they lacked nothing, —their mantles, waxed not old and, their feet, swelled not.
22 Uliwapa falme na watu, na ukawapa ardhi katika kila kona ya mbali. Basi wakaimiliki nchi ya Sihoni mfalme wa Heshboni, na nchi ya Ogu mfalme wa Bashani.
And thou gavest them kingdoms, and peoples, and allotted to each of them a corner, —and they took possession of the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23 Uliwafanya watoto wao kuwa wengi kama nyota za mbinguni, na ukawaingiza katika nchi. Uliwaambia baba zao waingie na kumiliki.
Their children also, didst thou multiply, like the stars of the heavens, —and didst bring them into the land which thou hadst promised their fathers they should enter to possess;
24 Basi watu wakaingia, wakaimiliki nchi, ukawashinda wenyeji wa nchi hiyo, Wakanaani. Ukawatia mikononi mwao, pamoja na wafalme wao na watu wa nchi, ili Israeli afanye nao kama walivyotaka.
so the children entered and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and deliveredst them into their hand, —with their kings, and the peoples of the land, to do with them according to their pleasure;
25 Wao waliteka miji yenye nguvu na nchi yenye ustawi, nao wakachukua nyumba zenye vitu vyote vyema, birika zilizochimbwa, mizabibu na miti ya mizeituni, na miti ya matunda mengi. Kwa hiyo walikula na wakashiba na wakatosheka, na wakafurahi kwa wema wako.
and they captured fortified cities and a fat soil, and took possession of houses full of every good thing, wells digged, vineyards and oliveyards and fruit-trees, in abundance, —so they did eat and were filled and became fat, and luxuriated in thy great goodness.
26 Basi hawakukutii na wakawaasi. Walitupa sheria yako nyuma ya migongo yao. Waliwaua manabii wako waliowaonya wakurudie wewe, nao wakafanya ukatili mkubwa.
But they murmured and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and, thy prophets, they slew, who testified against them that they might turn them back unto thee, —and they wrought great insults.
27 Kwa hiyo ukawatia mikononi mwa adui zao, aliyewatesa. Na wakati wa mateso yao, walikulilia na wewe uliwasikia kutoka mbinguni na mara nyingi ukawaokoa katika mikono ya adui zao, kwa sababu ya huruma zako nyingi.
Therefore didst thou deliver them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them, —and, in the time of their distress, they made outcry unto thee, and, thou, out of the heavens, didst hear, and, according to thine abounding compassions, gavest them saviours, that they might save them out of the hand of their adversaries.
28 Lakini baada ya kupumzika, wakafanya mabaya tena mbele yako, nawe ukawaacha mikononi mwa adui zao, kwa hiyo adui zao wakatawala juu yao. Hata walipokurudia na kukulilia, ukasikia kutoka mbinguni, mara nyingi ukawaokoa kwa sababu ya huruma yako.
But, as soon as they had rest, they again wrought wickedness before thee, —and thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, who bare rule over them, yet, when they again made outcry unto thee, thou, from the heavens, didst hear and didst deliver them according to thy compassions, many times;
29 Uliwaonya ili wapate kurudi kwenye sheria yako. Hata hivyo walifanya kiburi na hawakusikiliza amri zako. Walifanya dhambi dhidi ya amri zako ambazo humpa uzima mtu yeyote anayezitii. Hawakuzitii, hawakuzitenda na walikataa kuzisikiliza.
and didst testify against them, to bring them back unto thy law, yet, they, dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, and, against thy regulations, they sinned, the which—if any son of earth shall do—then shall he live by them, —and yielded a rebellious shoulder, and, their neck, they stiffened, and hearkened not.
30 Kwa miaka mingi ukachukiliana nao na kuwaonya kwa Roho wako kwa njia ya manabii wako. Hata hivyo hawakusikiliza. Kwa hiyo ukawatia mikononi mwa watu wa jirani.
And thou didst suffer many years to pass over them, and didst testify against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets, yet did they not give ear, —therefore didst thou deliver them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
31 Lakini kwa huruma zako kubwa hukuwakomesha kabisa, au kuwaacha, kwa maana wewe ni Mungu mwenye rehema na mwenye huruma.
Yet, in thine abounding compassions, thou didst not make of them an end, neither didst thou forsake them, —for, a GOD gracious and full of compassion, thou art.
32 Basi, Mungu wetu, Mungu wetu mkuu, mwenye nguvu na mwenye kutisha, unayeweka agano lako na upendo wako, shida zote zilizotupata sisi, wafalme wetu, wakuu wetu, na makuhani wetu, na manabii wetu, na baba zetu, na watu wako wote tangu siku za wafalme wa Ashuru mpaka leo usizihesabu kuwa ni kidogo.
Now, therefore, O our God—the GOD great, mighty, and fearful—keeping the covenant and the lovingkindness, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, which hath come upon us—on our kings, on our rulers, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, —from the days of the kings of Assyria, until this day.
33 Wewe ni mwenye haki katika yote yaliyotupata, kwa kuwa umetenda kwa uaminifu, na tumefanya uovu.
But, thou, art righteous, as to all that hath fallen upon us, —for, faithfulness, hast thou wrought, whereas, we, have been lawless;
34 Wafalme wetu, wakuu wetu, makuhani wetu, na baba zetu hawakuishika sheria yako, wala hawakuzingatia amri zako au shuhuda zako ulizowashuhudia.
and, our kings, our rulers, our priests, and our fathers, have not kept thy law, —nor given heed unto thy commandments, or unto thy testimonies, wherewith thou hast testified against them.
35 Hata katika ufalme wao wenyewe, wakati walifurahia wema wako kwao, katika nchi kubwa na yenye mazao uliyoweka mbele yao, hawakukutumikia au kuacha njia zao mbaya.
But, they, in their kingdom, and in thine abundant goodness which thou gavest them, and in the broad and fat land which thou didst set before them, did not serve thee, neither turned they from their wicked doings.
36 Sasa sisi ni watumwa katika nchi uliyowapa baba zetu kufurahia matunda yake na zawadi zake nzuri, na tazama, sisi ni watumwa!
Lo! we, to-day, are bondmen—even upon the land which thou gavest our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, lo! we, are bondmen;
37 Mavuno mazuri kutoka nchi yetu huenda kwa wafalme uliowaweka juu yetu kwa sababu ya dhambi zetu. Watawala juu ya miili yetu na juu ya mifugo kama wanavyopenda. Tuna shida kubwa.
and, the increase thereof, aboundeth unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, for our sins, —and, over our bodies, are they bearing rule, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and, in great distress, we are.
38 Kwa sababu ya yote haya, tunafanya agano thabiti kwa kuandika. Kwenye hati iliyofungwa ni majina ya wakuu wetu, Walawi, na makuhani.”
Seeing, therefore, all this, we, are plighting our faith, and putting it in writing, —and, upon the sealed scroll, are our rulers, our Levites, our priests.
