Ezra 9
1 “Nang matapos na ang mga bagay na ito, nilapitan ako ng mga opisyal at sinabi, 'Hindi pa inihihiwalay ng mga tao ng Israel, mga pari at mga Levita ang kanilang mga sarili mula sa mga bayan ng iba pang lupain at sa mga karumal-dumal na gawain: sa mga Cananeo, mga Heteo, mga Perezeo, mga Jebuseo, mga Amonita, mga Moabita, mga taga-Ehipto at mga Amoreo.
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 Dinala nila ang ilan sa kanilang mga anak na babae at anak na lalaki, at pinagsama nila ang mga taong banal sa mga mamamayan ng ibang mga lupain. At ang mga opisyal at mga pinuno ang nanguna sa kawalan ng pananampalatayang ito.
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 Nang marinig ko ito, pinunit ko ang aking damit at balabal at ginupit ko ang aking buhok at balbas. At umupo ako na hiyang-hiya.
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 Ang lahat ng mga nanginig sa salita ng Diyos ng Israel tungkol sa kawalang pananampalatayang ito ay lumapit sa akin habang ako ay nakaupong hiyang-hiya hanggang sa gabi ng pag-aalay.
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 Ngunit sa gabi ng pag-aalay tumayo ako mula sa aking kahiya-hiyang kinalalagyan na suot ang aking mga gulagulanit na mga damit at balabal, lumuhod ako at itinaas ko ang aking mga kamay kay Yahweh na aking Diyos.
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 Sinabi ko, 'Aking Diyos, hiyang-hiya ako at nasa lubos na kahihiyan upang itingala ang aking mukha sa iyo, sapagkat ang aming mga kasamaan ay lumagpas na sa aming mga ulo at umabot na ang aming kasalanan sa kalangitan.
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 Simula noong panahon ng aming mga ninuno hanggang ngayon kami ay nasa matinding pagkakasala. Sa aming mga kasamaan, kami, ang aming mga hari, at mga pari ay ipinasakamay mo sa mga hari ng mundong ito, sa espada, sa pagkabihag, at pagpagnanakaw at sa mga mukhang hiyang-hiya, tulad namin ngayon.
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 Subalit ngayon sa maikling panahon, dumating ang habag mula kay Yahweh na aming Diyos upang mag-iwan sa amin ng ilang mga nakaligtas at bigyan kami ng bahagi sa kaniyang dakong banal. Ito ay upang paliwanagin ng aming Diyos ang aming mga mata at bigyan kami ng kaunting ginhawa sa aming pagkakaalipin.
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 Sapagkat kami ay mga alipin, ngunit hindi kami kinalimutan ng aming Diyos bagkus hinabaan niya ang kaniyang tipan ng katapatan sa amin. Ginawa niya ito sa harap ng hari ng Persia upang bigyan niya kami ng kalakasan, upang muli naming maitayo ang tahanan ng Diyos at buuin ang mga nawasak. Ginawa niya ito upang mabigyan niya kami ng isang pader ng kaligtasan sa Juda at Jerusalem.
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 Subalit ngayon, aming Diyos, ano ang masasabi namin pagkatapos nito? Kinalimutan namin ang iyong mga utos,
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 ang mga utos na ibinigay mo sa iyong mga lingkod na mga propeta, nang sabihin mo, “Ang lupaing ito na inyong papasukin upang ariin ay isang maruming lupain. Dinumihan ito ng mga tao sa mga lupain sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga kasuklam-suklam na mga gawain. Pinuno nila ito ng kanilang karumihan hanggang sa magkabilang dulo.
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 Kaya ngayon, huwag ninyong ibigay ang inyong mga anak na babae sa kanilang mga anak; at huwag ninyong kunin ang kanilang mga anak na babae para sa inyong mga anak, at huwag ninyong asamin ang kanilang kasalukayang kapayapaan at mabuting kalalagayan, upang manatili kayong malakas at makakain ang bunga ng lupain, upang dulutan ninyo ang inyong mga anak na magmay-ari nito sa lahat ng panahon.”
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 Subalit matapos ang lahat ng dumating sa amin dahil sa aming mga masasamang gawain at aming matinding kasalanan—yamang ikaw, aming Diyos, pinigilan mo ang nararapat sa aming mga kasalanan at iniwanan kaming mga nakaligtas—
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 susuwayin ba namin muli ang iyong mga kautusan at makikipag-asawa sa mga kasuklam-suklam na taong ito? Hindi ka ba magagalit at pupuksain kami upang wala ni isa ang matira, ni makatakas?
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Yahweh, Diyos ng Israel, ikaw ay matuwid, sapagkat nanatili kaming ilan na makaligtas sa araw na ito. Tingnan mo! Kami ay nasa iyong harapan sa aming mga kasalanan, sapagkat walang sinuman ang makakatayo sa iyong harapan dahil dito.”
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
