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 in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and 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 strangers, and stood and confessed their 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.

And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD 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 upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD 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 the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be 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, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are in it, the seas, and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

7 Wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu aliyemchagua Abramu, akamtoa kutoka Uri wa Wakaldayo, akamwita Ibrahimu.

Thou art the LORD the God, who chose Abram, and broughtest him forth from Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of 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 foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

9 Uliona shida ya baba zetu Misri na ukasikia kilio chao kando ya bahari ya shamu.

And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry 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 show signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is 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 thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as 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.

Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which 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.

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

14 Uliwajulisha sabato yako takatifu, ukawapa amri, maagizo, na sheria kupitia Musa mtumishi wako.

And madest known to them thy holy sabbath, and didst command them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of 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 gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and didst promise them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn 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 necks, and hearkened not to 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.

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst perform among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

18 Wala hukuwaacha hata walipokwisha kutoa ndama katika chuma kilichochomwa na kusema, “Huyu ndio Mungu wenu aliyekuleta kutoka Misri,” wakati walipopotoka sana.

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

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 thy great mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

20 Uliwapa Roho wako mzuri kuwafundisha, na mana yako haukuwanyima kinywani mwao, na ukawapa maji kwa kiu yao.

Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water 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 wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out, 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.

Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed 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 multiply thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou didst promise to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

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 went in and possessed the land, and thou didst subdue before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

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 took strong cities, and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all goods, dug wells, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves 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.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets who testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

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 thou didst deliver them into the hand of their enemies, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy great mercies thou gavest them deliverers, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

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 after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore thou leftest them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried to thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

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, that thou mightest bring them again to thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man doeth, he shall live in them; ) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

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.

Yet many years didst thou forbear over them, and didst testify against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not listen: therefore thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the lands.

31 Lakini kwa huruma zako kubwa hukuwakomesha kabisa, au kuwaacha, kwa maana wewe ni Mungu mwenye rehema na mwenye huruma.

Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

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, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

33 Wewe ni mwenye haki katika yote yaliyotupata, kwa kuwa umetenda kwa uaminifu, na tumefanya uovu.

But thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

34 Wafalme wetu, wakuu wetu, makuhani wetu, na baba zetu hawakuishika sheria yako, wala hawakuzingatia amri zako au shuhuda zako ulizowashuhudia.

Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened to thy commandments and thy testimonies, with which thou didst testify 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.

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and rich land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

36 Sasa sisi ni watumwa katika nchi uliyowapa baba zetu kufurahia matunda yake na zawadi zake nzuri, na tazama, sisi ni watumwa!

Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good of it, behold, we are servants in it:

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 it yieldeth much increase to the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

38 Kwa sababu ya yote haya, tunafanya agano thabiti kwa kuandika. Kwenye hati iliyofungwa ni majina ya wakuu wetu, Walawi, na makuhani.”

And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, set their seals to it.