Nehemaia 9

1 Pea ko eni ʻi hono uofulu mā fā ʻoe ʻaho ʻoe māhina ni naʻe kātoa fakataha ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli ʻi he ʻaukai, mo e ngaahi kofu tauangaʻa naʻe pani ʻaki ʻae efu.

On October 31, the people gathered together again. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), they wore clothes made from rough cloth, and they put dirt on their heads [to show that they were sorry for their sins].

2 Pea naʻe fakamavae ʻakinautolu ʻe he hako ʻo ʻIsileli mei he kakai muli kotoa pē, ʻonau tuʻu ʻo vete ʻenau ngaahi angahala, mo e hia ʻa ʻenau ngaahi tamai.

The Israeli people separated themselves from all the foreigners. They stood there and confessed their sins and the sins that their ancestors had committed.

3 Pea naʻa nau tuʻu hake ʻi honau potu, pea lau ʻi he tohi ʻoe fono ʻa Sihova ko honau ʻOtua, ʻi hono vahe fā ʻe taha ʻoe ʻaho; pea ʻi hono vahe ʻe taha naʻa nau vete, pea hū kia Sihova ko honau ʻOtua.

The scroll that contained the laws of Yahweh, the God whom they [worshiped], was read to them for three hours. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and they worshiped Yahweh.

4 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ki he tuʻunga ʻae kau Livai, ko Sesua, mo Pani, mo Katimieli, mo Sepania, mo Puni, mo Selepea, mo Pani, mo Kinani, ʻonau tangi ʻaki ʻae leʻo lahi kia Sihova ko honau ʻOtua.

[Some of] the descendants of Levi were standing on the stairs. They were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, [another] Bani, and Kenani.

5 Pea pehē ai ʻe he kau Livai, ko Sesua, mo Katimieli, mo Pani, mo Hasapenia, mo Selepea, mo Hotisa, mo Sepania, mo Pitaia, “Tuʻu ki ʻolunga pea fakafetaʻi kia Sihova ko homou ʻOtua ke taʻengata, pea taʻengata: pea fakafetaʻi ki ho huafa ʻoku nāunauʻia, ʻaia kuo fakahikihiki he māʻolunga lahi ʻi he ngaahi fakafetaʻi kotoa pē mo e fakaongo lelei.

Then [the leaders of] the Levites called out to the people. They were Jeshua, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “While you are standing there, praise Yahweh your God, who has always lived and will live forever!” [Then one of them continued by praying this to God], “Yahweh, we praise your glorious name! You are much greater than anything that we can think about or talk about!

6 Ko koe, ʻio, ko koe pe, ko Sihova tokotaha pe: naʻa ke fakatupu ʻae langi, ko e langi ʻoe ngaahi langi, mo honau ngaahi tokolahi kotoa pē, ʻae fonua mo e ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi ai, ko e ngaahi tahi, mo ia kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi ai, pea ʻoku ke fakatolonga ʻakinautolu kotoa pē; pea ʻoku hū kiate koe ʻae ngaahi tokolahi ʻoe langi.

“You only are God. You made the sky and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and everything that is on it, and you made the seas/oceans and everything that is in them. You are the one who gives life to everything and helps them remain alive. All the angels who are in heaven worship you.

7 Ko koe ko Sihova ko e ʻOtua, naʻa ke fili ʻa ʻEpalame, mo ke ʻomi ia kituaʻā mei Ua ʻoe kakai Kalitia, pea naʻa ke fakahingoa ia ko ʻEpalahame;

“Yahweh, you are God. You chose Abram and brought him out of Ur [city] in Chaldea [region]. You gave him a new name, Abraham.

8 Pea naʻa ke ʻilo hono loto naʻe angatonu ʻi ho ʻao, mo ke fai ʻae fuakava mo ia ke foaki ʻae fonua ʻoe kakai Kēnani, mo e kakai Heti, mo e kakai ʻAmoli, mo e kakai Pelesi, mo e kakai Sepusi, mo e kakai Keakasa, ʻoku ou pehē ke foaki ia ki hono hako, pea kuo ke fakahoko ʻa hoʻo ngaahi folofola: he ʻoku ke māʻoniʻoni:

You saw that he was trustworthy. Then you made (an agreement with/a promise to) him, saying that you would give [to him and] to his descendants the land that the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Amor, Periz, Jebus, and Girgash lived in. And you have done what you promised, because you always do what is right.

9 Naʻa ke mamata ki he ngaahi mamahi ʻo ʻemau ngaahi tamai ʻi ʻIsipite, mo ke ongoʻi ʻenau tangi ʻi he Tahi Kulokula;

“You saw what our ancestors were suffering in Egypt. You heard them cry to you for help when they were at the Red Sea.

10 Pea naʻa ke fakahā ʻae ngaahi fakaʻilonga mo e ngaahi mana kia Felo, pea ki heʻene kau tamaioʻeiki kotoa pē, pea ki he kakai kotoa pē ʻo hono fonua: he naʻa ke ʻiloʻi ʻenau fai fakafiefielahi kiate kinautolu. Ko ia naʻa ke maʻu ai ʻae huafa moʻou, ʻo hangē ko ia he ʻaho ni.

Because you knew that the leaders of Egypt were treating our ancestors very arrogantly, you performed many kinds of miracles that caused the king and his officials and all his people to suffer. As a result, you became famous then, and you are still famous!

11 Pea naʻa ke vaeua ʻae tahi ʻi honau ʻao, ko ia naʻa nau ʻalu ai ʻi he kelekele mōmoa ʻi he loto tahi: pea naʻa ke lī honau kau fakatanga ki he loloto, ʻo hangē ha maka ki he ngaahi tahi mālohi.

You caused the Red Sea to divide, with the result that your people walked through it on the ground without [getting their feet] wet. [After they were all safely on the other side, ] you [caused the water to come back again], and you hurled into the deep water the [soldiers of the Egyptian army] that were pursuing our ancestors. Their soldiers sank into the deep sea like stones!

12 Pea naʻa ke taki ʻakinautolu ʻi he ʻaho ʻaki ʻae pou ʻao; pea ʻi he poʻuli ʻaki ʻae pou afi ke tuku ha maama kiate kinautolu ʻi he hala ʻoku totonu ke nau ʻalu ai.

During each day you led our ancestors with a bright cloud that resembled a huge pillar, and each night you led them by a flaming cloud that gave them light to show them where to walk.

13 Pea naʻa ke ʻalu hifo foki ki he moʻunga ko Sainai, mo ke folofola kiate kinautolu mei he langi, mo ke foaki kiate kinautolu, ʻae ngaahi fakamaau totonu, mo e ngaahi fono moʻoni, ʻae ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni lelei mo e ngaahi fekau:

“When our ancestors were at Sinai Mountain, you came down from heaven and spoke to them. You gave them many regulations and instructions that are just and reliable, and you gave them commands and laws that are good.

14 Mo ke fakaʻilo kiate kinautolu ho ʻaho tapu māʻoniʻoni, mo ke fekau kiate kinautolu ʻae ngaahi fekau, mo e tuʻutuʻuni, mo e ngaahi fono, ʻi he nima ʻo Mōsese ko hoʻo tamaioʻeiki;

You taught them about your holy (Sabbath/day of rest), and you gave many kinds of laws to your servant Moses for him to tell to the people.

15 Mo ke foaki kiate kinautolu ʻae mā mei he langi ʻi heʻenau fiekai, mo ke fakatupu ʻae vai mei he maka ʻi heʻenau fieinu, mo ke fakaʻilo kiate kinautolu ke nau ʻalu ʻo hoko ʻo maʻu ʻae fonua ʻaia naʻa ke fuakava ke foaki kiate kinautolu.

When they were hungry, you gave them manna from the sky; and when they were thirsty, you gave them water from a rock. You commanded them to go and take, from the people who lived there, the land which you had promised to give to them.

16 Ka naʻe fai fakafiefielahi ʻekinautolu, mo ʻemau ngaahi tamai, ʻo fakafefeka honau kia, pea naʻe ʻikai tokanga ki hoʻo ngaahi fekau,

“But our ancestors were very proud and stubborn [IDM], and they did not do what you commanded them to do.

17 Pea naʻa nau talangataʻa, pea naʻe ʻikai tokanga ki hoʻo ngaahi mana ʻaia naʻa ke fai ʻi honau haʻohaʻonga; ka naʻa nau fakafefeka honau kia, pea ʻi heʻenau angatuʻu naʻa nau tuʻutuʻuni hanau ʻeiki ke nau foki ki heʻenau nofo pōpula; ka ko e ʻOtua koe ʻoku ke tali teu ke fakamolemole, ʻoku ke angalelei mo angaʻofa, ʻoku tuai ho houhau, pea ʻoku ke angalelei lahi pea naʻe ʻikai te ke liʻaki ʻakinautolu.

They refused to heed you, and they forgot about all the miracles that you had performed for them. Instead, they became stubborn [IDM], and they appointed someone to lead them back to Egypt, where they would be slaves again! But you are a God who forgives us and who is kind and merciful [to us]. You do not quickly become angry. You always faithfully love us.

18 ‌ʻIo, hili ʻenau ngaohi maʻanautolu ʻae ʻuhiki pulu [koula ]naʻe haka, ʻonau pehē, Ko ho ʻOtua eni ʻaia naʻe ʻomi koe mei ʻIsipite, ʻonau fai ʻae ngaahi ʻahiʻahi kovi lahi:

So, even though their [leaders] made an idol that resembled a calf and insulted you by saying [about the idol], ‘This is our god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ you did not desert them.

19 Ka ko koe ʻi hoʻo ngaahi angaʻofa lahi naʻe ʻikai te ke liʻaki ʻakinautolu ʻi he toafa: naʻe ʻikai hiki meiate kinautolu ʻae pou ʻoe ʻao ʻi he ʻaho, ke tataki ʻakinautolu ʻi he hala: pe ko e pou afi ʻi he pō, ke fakahā ʻae maama kiate kinautolu, mo e hala ʻaia ʻoku totonu ke nau ʻalu ai.

“Because you always act mercifully, you did not abandon them when they were in the desert. The bright cloud which was like a huge pillar continued to lead them during the daytime, and the fiery cloud showed them where to walk at night.

20 Pea naʻa ke foaki foki ʻa ho laumālie lelei ke akonakiʻi ʻakinautolu, pea naʻe ʻikai te ke taʻofi hoʻo mana mei honau ngutu, pea naʻa ke foaki ʻae vai kiate kinautolu ʻi heʻenau fieinu.

You sent your good Spirit to instruct them. You continued to provide water when they were thirsty.

21 ‌ʻIo, naʻa ke tokoni ʻakinautolu ʻi he toafa, ʻi he taʻu ʻe fāngofulu, ko ia naʻe ʻikai te nau masiva ʻi ha meʻa ʻe taha; naʻe ʻikai fakaʻaʻau ʻo motuʻa honau ngaahi kofu, pea naʻe ʻikai fufula honau vaʻe.

For 40 years you took care of them in the desert. During all that time, they had everything [that they needed]. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell up [even though they were continually walking].

22 Pea naʻa ke foaki foki kiate kinautolu ʻae ngaahi puleʻanga, mo e kakai, mo ke vaheʻi ʻakinautolu ki he ngaahi vāhenga [fonua]: ko ia naʻa nau maʻu ai ʻae fonua ʻo Sihoni, mo e fonua ʻoe tuʻi ʻo Hesiponi, mo e fonua ʻo Oki ko e tuʻi ʻo Pesani.

“You helped our ancestors to defeat armies of great kings who ruled many people-groups. By doing that, you enabled our ancestors to (occupy/live in) even the most distant places in this land. They occupied the land over which King Sihon ruled from Heshbon [city] and the land over which King Og ruled in [the] Bashan [area].

23 Pea naʻa ke fakatokolahi ʻenau fānau ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi fetuʻu ʻoe langi, pea naʻa ke ʻomi ʻakinautolu ki he fonua, ʻaia naʻa ke fakaʻilo ki heʻenau ngaahi tamai, ʻaia ke nau ʻalu ki ai ʻo maʻu.

You caused our ancestors’ descendants to become as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into this land, the land that you told their fathers to enter and occupy.

24 Ko ia naʻe ʻalu ki ai ʻae fānau ʻo [nau ]maʻu ʻae fonua, pea naʻa ke fakavaivai ʻae kakai ʻoe fonua, ko e kakai Kēnani, ʻi honau ʻao, mo ke foaki ʻakinautolu ki honau nima, mo honau ngaahi tuʻi, mo e kakai ʻoe fonua, koeʻuhi ke nau fai ʻenau faʻiteliha ki ai.

Their sons went in and took the land [from the people that lived there]. You enabled them to defeat the descendants of Canaan who lived here in this land. You enabled them to conquer the descendants of Canaan and their kings and the people whom they ruled. You enabled our ancestors to do to those people whatever they wanted to do.

25 Pea naʻa nau kapasi ʻae ngaahi kolo mālohi, mo e fonua mahu, ʻonau maʻu ʻae ngaahi fale naʻe fonu ʻi he ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē, mo e ngaahi vaikeli, mo e ngaahi ngoue vaine, mo e ngoue ʻolive, mo e ngaahi ʻakau fua lahi ʻaupito: ko ia naʻa nau kai, pea mākona, pea hoko ʻo sino, ʻonau fakafiemālieʻi ʻakinautolu ʻi hoʻo angalelei lahi.

Our ancestors captured cities that had walls around them, and they took possession of fertile land. They took possession of houses that were full of good things, where there were wells that were already dug. They took possession of many vineyards and groves of olive trees and fruit trees. They ate all that they wanted to and became fat. They were delighted in all these good things that you gave to them.

26 Ka ko e moʻoni naʻa [nau ]fai talangataʻa, pea angatuʻu kiate koe, pea liʻaki hoʻo fono ki honau tuʻa, ʻonau tāmateʻi hoʻo kau palōfita naʻe valoki ʻakinautolu ke nau tafoki kiate koe, mo nau fai ʻae ngaahi ʻahiʻahi kovi lahi.

“But they disobeyed you and rebelled against you. They (turned their backs on/rejected) your laws. They killed the prophets who warned them that they should return to you. They badly insulted you.

27 Ko ia naʻa ke tukuange ai ʻakinautolu ki he nima ʻo honau ngaahi fili, ʻaia naʻa nau fakamamahiʻi ʻakinautolu: pea ʻi he kuonga ʻo ʻenau mamahi, ʻi heʻenau tangi kiate koe, naʻa ke ongoʻi ʻakinautolu mei langi; pea naʻa ke foaki kiate kinautolu, ʻo taau mo hoʻo ngaahi angaʻofa, ʻae ngaahi fakamoʻui, ʻaia naʻa nau moʻui ai mei he nima ʻo honau ngaahi fili.

So you allowed their enemies to defeat them. But when their enemies caused them to suffer, they called out to you. You heard them from heaven, and because you are very merciful, you sent them people to help them, and those leaders rescued them from their enemies.

28 Kae hili ʻenau maʻu ʻae fiemālie, naʻa nau toe fai kovi ʻi ho ʻao: ko ia naʻa ke tuku ai ʻakinautolu ki he nima ʻo honau ngaahi fili, pea naʻa nau hoko ai ʻo pule kiate kinautolu: ka ʻi heʻenau tafoki, ʻo tangi kiate koe, naʻa ke ongoʻi ʻakinautolu mei langi; pea naʻe liunga lahi hoʻo fakamoʻui ʻakinautolu ʻo taau mo hoʻo ngaahi angaʻofa;

“But after there was a time of peace again, our ancestors again did things that displeased you. So again you allowed their enemies to conquer them. But whenever they cried out to you again [to help them], you heard them from heaven, and because you act mercifully, you rescued them many times.

29 Pea naʻa ke takitalaʻi ʻakinautolu, koeʻuhi ke ke toe ʻomi ʻakinautolu ki hoʻo fono: ka naʻa nau fai fakafiefielahi, pea ʻikai tokanga ki hoʻo ngaahi fekau, ka naʻa nau fai angahala ki hoʻo ngaahi fakamaau, (ʻaia kapau ʻe fai ia ʻe ha tangata, ʻe moʻui ai ia: ) ʻonau kalofaki honau uma, pea fakakekeva honau kia, pea naʻe ʻikai tokanga.

“You warned them that they should again [obey] your laws, but they became proud and stubborn, and they disobeyed your commands. They sinned by disobeying what you commanded them to do, the things that would enable them to live a good long life [if they obeyed them]. They stubbornly refused [IDM] to listen to you and continued sinning.

30 Ka naʻa ke kātakiʻi ʻakinautolu ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi, pea naʻa ke fakaʻilo kiate kinautolu ʻenau kovi, ʻi ho laumālie ʻi hoʻo kau palōfita: ka naʻe ʻikai te nau tokanga: ko ia naʻa ke fakatukutukuʻi ʻakinautolu ki he nima ʻoe kakai ʻoe ngaahi fonua.

You were patient with them for many years. You warned them trough [the messages] your Spirit gave to the prophets. But they did not (heed/pay attention to) those messages. So again you allowed [the armies of] other nations to defeat them.

31 Ka koeʻuhi ko hoʻo angaʻofa lahi naʻe ʻikai te ke fakaʻauha ʻaupito ʻakinautolu, pe liʻaki ʻakinautolu; he ko e ʻOtua angalelei mo angaʻofa koe.

But because you act very mercifully, you did not get rid of them completely or abandon them [forever]. You are a very gracious/kind and merciful God!

32 Pea ko eni, ʻE homau ʻOtua, ko e ʻOtua lahi, mo mālohi, mo fakamanavahē, ʻa koe ʻoku ke tauhi ʻae fuakava mo e angaʻofa, ʻoua naʻa hangē ia ko ha meʻa siʻi kiate koe, ʻae ngaahi mamahi kotoa pē ʻaia kuo hoko kiate kimautolu, pea ki homau ngaahi tuʻi, ki homau houʻeiki, pea ki homau kau taulaʻeiki, pea ki homau kau palōfita, pea ki heʻemau ngaahi tamai, pea ki he kakai kotoa pē, talu ʻae kuonga ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi ʻo ʻAsilia ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni.

“Our God, you are great! You are mighty! You are awesome! You faithfully love us as [you promised in] your agreement with us that you would do! But now we are experiencing great difficulties/hardships. Great troubles have come to us, to our kings, to our [other] leaders, to our priests, and to our prophets. We have been experiencing these troubles since [the armies of] the kings of Assyria [conquered us], and we are still experiencing them. We ask that you sincerely think about [LIT] all these things.

33 Ka ko e moʻoni ʻoku ke tonuhia koe ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē kuo fakahoko kiate kimautolu: he kuo ke fai totonu koe, ka naʻe fai angakovi ʻakimautolu:

[We know that] you acted justly each time that you punished us. We have sinned greatly, but you have treated us fairly.

34 Pea naʻe ʻikai tauhi hoʻo fono ʻe homau ngaahi tuʻi, mo homau ngaahi houʻeiki, mo homau kau taulaʻeiki, pe ko ʻemau ngaahi tamai, pe tokanga ki hoʻo ngaahi fekau, mo hoʻo ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni, ʻaia naʻa ke valoki ʻaki kiate kinautolu.

Our kings and other leaders and our priests and our other ancestors did not obey your laws. They did not heed your commands or the warnings that you gave to them.

35 He naʻe ʻikai te nau tauhi koe ʻi honau puleʻanga, pea ʻi he ngaahi angalelei ʻaia naʻa ke foaki kiate kinautolu, pea ʻi he fonua lahi mo mahu ʻaia naʻa ke foaki kiate kinautolu, pea naʻe ʻikai te nau tafoki mei heʻenau ngaahi ngāue angakovi.

Even when they had their own kings, and they enjoyed the good things that you did for them in this large and fertile land that you gave to them, they did not serve you. They refused to quit doing what was evil.

36 Vakai, ko e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻakimautolu he ʻaho ni, pea ko e fonua ʻaia naʻa ke foaki ki heʻemau ngaahi tamai ke nau kai hono fua ʻo ia mo hono lelei, vakai ko e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻakimautolu ʻi ai:

“So now we are [like] slaves here in this land that you gave to our ancestors, the land that you gave to them in order that they could enjoy all the good things that grow here.

37 Pea ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻae meʻa lahi maʻae ngaahi tuʻi ʻaia kuo ke fakanofo ke pule kiate kimautolu ko e meʻa ʻi heʻemau ngaahi angahala: pea ʻoku nau pule ki homau sino foki, pea ki heʻemau fanga manu, ʻonau faʻiteliha, pea ko kimautolu ʻoku mau moʻua ʻi he mamahi lahi.”

Because we have sinned, [we cannot eat the things that grow here]. The kings that now rule over us are enjoying the things that grow here. They rule us and [take] our cattle. We have to serve them and do the things that please them. We are experiencing great misery/distress.

38 Pea koeʻuhi ko e meʻa ni kotoa pē ʻoku mau fai ʻae fuakava ke maʻu, mo tohi ia: pea ko homau ngaahi houʻeiki, mo e kau Livai, mo e kau taulaʻeiki, te nau ʻai ʻa hono fakaʻilonga maʻu.

“However, we [Israeli] people now are making an agreement/promise [to obey you], and we are writing this agreement/promise [on a scroll]. We will write on it the names of our leaders and the names of the Levites and the names of the priests, and then we will seal it.”