Nehemia 1
1 Maneno ya Nehemia mwana wa Hakalia Ikawa, katika mwezi wa Kisleu, katika mwaka wa ishirini, nilikuwa katika mji mkuu wa Sushani,
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2 mmoja wa ndugu zangu, Hanani, alikuja pamoja na watu wengine kutoka Yuda, nami nikawauliza kuhusu Wayahudi waliopona, Wayahudi waliosalia waliokuwa huko, na 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 waliokuwa katika mkoa ule waliookoka katika kifungo wapo katika shida kubwa na aibu kwa sababu ukuta wa Yerusalemu umebomolewa na milango yake imeteketezwa kwa moto.”
And they said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province [are] in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also [is] broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.
4 Na mara tu niliposikia maneno haya, nikakaa na kulia, na kwa siku niliendelea kuomboleza na kufunga na kuomba mbele ya Mungu wa mbinguni.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [certain] days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
5 Ndipo nikasema, “Wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, Mungu uliye mkuu na kushangaza, unayetimiza agano na upendo wa kudumu pamoja na wale wanaokupenda na kushika amri zake.
And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6 Sikiliza maombi yangu na fungua macho yako, ili uisikie sala ya mtumishi wako kwamba sasa nasali mbele yako mchana na usiku kwa ajili ya watu wa Israeli watumishi wako. Mimi ninakiri dhambi za watu wa Israeli, ambazo tumefanya dhidi yako. Wote mimi na nyumba ya baba yangu tumefanya dhambi.
Let thy ear now be attentive, and thy eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
7 Tumefanya uovu sana juu yako, na hatukuzingatia amri, sheria, na hukumu ambazo ulimwamuru mtumishi wako Musa.
We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8 Tafadhali kumbuka neno ulilomuamuru mtumishi wako Musa, 'mkitenda pasipo uaminifu, nitawatawanya kati ya mataifa,
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, [If] ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9 lakini mkirudi kwangu na kufuata amri zangu na kuzifanya, ingawa watu wako walienea chini ya mbingu za mbali, Nami nitawakusanya kutoka huko na kuwaleta mahali pale nilipopachagua ili kulifanya jina langu.'
But [if] ye turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you driven to the uttermost part of the heaven, [yet] will I gather them from thence, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
10 Sasa wao ni watumishi wako na watu wako, ambao uliwaokoa kwa nguvu yako kubwa na kwa mkono wako wenye nguvu.
Now these [are] thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11 Bwana, naomba, sikiliza sasa maombi ya watumishi wako na sala ya watumishi wako ambao hufurahia kuheshimu jina lako. Sasa unifanikishe mimi mtumishi wako leo, na unijalie rehema mbele ya mtu huyu.” Nilikuwa mnyweshaji wa mfalme.
O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cup-bearer.
