Nehemia 9

1 Ɔsram Tisri (bɛyɛ Ahinime) da a ɛto so aduasa baako no, ɔmanfo no boaa wɔn ho ano, dii mmuada, furaa atweaatam, tuu mfutuma petee wɔn tirim.

And in the four and twentieth day of the month the children of Israel came together with fasting and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.

2 Bere a wɔreka wɔn ankasa bɔne ne wɔn agyanom bɔne no, Israelfo no twee wɔn ho fii ananafo nyinaa ho.

And the seed of the children of Israel separated themselves from every stranger: and they stood, and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Wɔkenkan Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn, mmara nhoma no den bɛyɛ sɛ nnɔnhwerew abiɛsa kyerɛɛ wɔn. Afei, wɔde nnɔnhwerew abiɛsa bio kekaa wɔn bɔne nnidisonnidiso a na wɔresom Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn.

And they rose up to stand: and they read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, four times in the day, and four times they confessed, and adored the Lord their God.

4 Na Lewifo no bi gyina atrapoe so reteɛ mu frɛ Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn. Saa nnipa no ne Yesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebania, Buni, Serebia, Bani ne Kenani.

And there stood up upon the seep of the Levites, Josue, and Bani, and Cedmihel, Sabania, Bonni, Sarebias, Bani, and Chanani: and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.

5 Afei, Lewifo ntuanofo a wɔne Yesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabnia, Serebia, Hodia, Sebania ne Petahia teɛɛ mu frɛɛ ɔmanfo no se, “Monsɔre nkamfo Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, efisɛ ɔte hɔ afebɔɔ!” Wɔtoaa so se, “Monkamfo ne din kronkron no. Ɛso sen sɛnea yebetumi adwene anaa yɛbɛka.

And the Levites Josue and Cedmihel, Bonni, Hasebnia, Serebia, Oduia, Sebnia, and Phathahia, said: Arise, bless the Lord your God from eternity to eternity: and blessed be the high name of thy glory with all blessing and praise.

6 Wo nko ara ne Awurade. Wo na wobɔɔ ɔsoro ne ɔsoro mu soro ne nsoromma nyinaa. Wo na wobɔɔ asase ne nea ɛwɔ so nyinaa ne ɛpo ne nea ɛwɔ mu nyinaa. Wo na wokora biribiara so ma no nkwa, na ɔsoro abɔfo nyinaa som wo.

Thou thyself, O Lord alone, thou hast made heaven, and the heaven of heavens, and all the host thereof: the earth and all things that are in it: the seas and all that are therein: and thou givest life to all these things, and the host of heaven adoreth thee.

7 “Woyɛ Awurade Nyankopɔn a wuyii Abram fii Ur a ɛwɔ Kaldea asase so, san too no din Abraham.

Thou, O Lord God, art he who chosest Abram, and broughtest him forth out of the fire of the Chaldeans, and gavest him the name of Abraham.

8 Odii wo nokware no, wo ne no yɛɛ apam sɛ, wode Kanaanfo, Hetifo, Perisifo Yebusifo ne Girgasifo asase bɛma ɔne nʼasefo. Na wudii wo bɔhyɛ so, efisɛ daa wudi wʼasɛm so.

And thou didst find his heart faithful before thee: and thou madest a covenant with him, to give him the land of the Chanaanite, of the Hethite, and of the Amorrhite, and of the Pherezite, and of the Jebusite, and of the Gergezite, to give it to his seed: and thou hast fulfilled thy words, because thou art just.

9 “Wuhuu amane ne awerɛhow a yɛn agyanom kɔɔ mu wɔ Misraim, na wotee wɔn su fi Po Kɔkɔɔ no ho.

And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt: and thou didst hear their cry by the Red Sea.

10 Woyɛɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne a ɛyɛ hu ne anwonwade kyerɛɛ Farao, nʼasomfo ne ne manfo nyinaa, efisɛ na wunim nhyɛso kwan a na Misraimfo no de wɔn fa so. Wowɔ anuonyam a ahyeta a ani mpa so da.

And thou shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharao, and upon all his servants, and upon the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them: and thou madest thyself a name, as it is at this day.

11 Wopaee po mu maa wo nkurɔfo, sɛnea wobetumi afa asase wosee so. Na wusum wɔn atamfo guu po bun mu. Wɔmemem sɛ abo wɔ bun a emu dɔ no ase.

And thou didst divide the sea before them, and they passed through the midst of the sea on dry land: but their persecutors thou threwest into the depth, as a stone into mighty waters.

12 Wonam omununkum fadum so dii yɛn agyanom anim awia ne ogya fadum so, dii wɔn anim anadwo sɛnea wobehu kwan.

And in a pillar of a cloud thou wast their leader by day, and in a pillar of Are by night, that they might see the way by which they went.

13 “Wusian bepɔw Sinai, kasa kyerɛɛ wɔn fi ɔsoro. Wode mmara a ɛyɛ turodoo ne ahyɛde a ɛyɛ nokware brɛɛ wɔn.

Thou camest down also to mount Sinai, and didst speak with them from heaven, and thou gavest them right judgments, and the law of truth, ceremonies, and good precepts.

14 Wokyerɛɛ wɔn mmara a ɛfa wo homeda kronkron ho. Na wonam wo somfo Mose so hyɛɛ wɔn sɛnea wonsi nni wʼahyɛde ne wo mmara no nyinaa so.

Thou madest known to them thy holy sabbath, and didst prescribe to them commandments, and ceremonies, and the law by the hand of Moses thy servant.

15 Bere a ɔkɔm dee wɔn no, womaa wɔn brodo a efi ɔsoro ne nsu a efi ɔbotan mu, bere a osukɔm dee wɔn no. Wohyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnkɔfa asase a woaka ho ntam sɛ wode bɛma wɔn no.

And thou gavest them bread from heaven in their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock in their thirst, and thou saidst to them that they should go in, and possess the land, upon which thou hadst lifted up thy hand to give it them.

16 “Nanso yɛn agyanom yɛɛ ahantan ne asoɔden, na wɔanni wʼahyɛde so.

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments.

17 Wɔantie, na wɔankae wʼanwonwade a woyɛ maa wɔn no. Mmom, wɔtew atua yii ntuanoni sɛ ɔnsan mfa wɔn nkɔ wɔn nkoasom mu wɔ Misraim. Nanso woyɛ ɔdebɔnekyɛ, ahummɔbɔ ne ɔdomfo Nyankopɔn a wo bo kyɛ fuw na wʼadɔe dɔɔso. Enti woampo wɔn,

And they would not hear, and they remembered not thy wonders which thou hadst done for them. And they hardened their necks, and gave the head to return to their bondage, as it were by contention. But thou, a forgiving God, gracious, and merciful, longsuffering, and full of compassion, didst not forsake them.

18 bere a wɔyɛɛ nantwi ba na wɔka se, ‘Oyi ne mo nyame a, oyii mo fii Misraim no.’ Wɔyɛɛ bɔne, kekaa abususɛm a ɛyɛ hu.

Yea when they had made also to themselves a molten calf, and had said: This is thy God, that brought thee out of Egypt: and hail committed great blasphemies:

19 “Nanso wo mmɔborɔhunu mu no, woannyaa wɔn amma wɔanwuwu wɔ sare no so. Omununkum fadum no kɔɔ so dii wɔn anim awia, na ogya fadum no kyerɛɛ wɔn kwan anadwo.

Yet thou, in thy many mercies, didst not leave them in the desert: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way, and the pillar of fire by night to shew them the way by which they should go.

20 Wosomaa wo honhom pa no kyerɛɛ wɔn nea wɔnyɛ, na woannyae sɛ wobɛma wɔn brodo afi ɔsoro anaa nsu bere a osukɔm de wɔn.

And thou gavest them thy good Spirit to teach them, and thy manna thou didst not withhold from their mouth, and thou gavest them water for their thirst.

21 Wohwɛɛ wɔn so mfe aduanan wɔ sare so. Saa bere no, biribiara anhia wɔn. Wɔn ntade antetew, na wɔn anan ase antaatae.

Forty years didst thou feed them in the desert, and nothing was wanting to them: their garments did not grow old, and their feet were not worn.

22 “Woboaa yɛn agyanom ma wodii ahemman akɛse ne aman bebree so, na wode wo nkurɔfo duaa aman no afanan nyinaa so. Wɔfaa ɔhene Sihon a ofi Hesbon ne Basanhene Og asase no nyinaa.

And thou gavest them kingdoms, and nations, and didst divide lots for them: and they possessed the land of Sehon, and the land of the king of Hesebon, and the land of Og king of Basan.

23 Womaa wɔn asefo dɔɔso sɛ ɔsoro nsoromma, na wode wɔn baa asase a woahyɛ wɔn agyanom ho bɔ no so.

And thou didst multiply their children as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them to the land concerning which thou hadst said to their fathers, that they should go in and possess it.

24 Wɔkɔfaa asase no. Wobrɛɛ aman no nyinaa ase wɔ wɔn anim. Na mpo, ahemfo ne Kanaanfo a wɔtenaa asase no so no tumi sae. Wo nkurɔfo ne wɔn dii no sɛnea wɔpɛ.

And the children came and possessed the land, and thou didst humble before them the inhabitants of the land, the Chanaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as it pleased them.

25 Yɛn agyanom faa nkurow a wɔabɔ ho ban ne nsasebere no. Wɔfaa afi a nnepa wɔ mu ne asuten a wɔatutu dedaw no ne bobeturo ne ngofuw ne nnuabafuw no bebree. Enti wodidii ara kosii sɛ wɔdodɔ yɛɛ akɛse, na wɔn ani gyee wɔn ho wɔ wo nhyira mu.

And they took strong cities and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods: cisterns made by others, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: and they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and abounded with delight in thy great goodness.

26 “Nanso eyinom nyinaa akyi no, wɔyɛɛ asoɔden, tew wʼanim atua. Wɔtow wo mmara no guu nkyɛn. Wokunkum adiyifo a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn nkuran sɛ wɔnsan mmra wo nkyɛn no, na wɔkaa abususɛm a ɛyɛ hu.

But they provoked thee to wrath, and departed from thee, and threw thy law behind their backs: and they killed thy prophets, who admonished them earnestly to return to thee: and they were guilty of great blasphemies.

27 Enti wode wɔn hyɛɛ wɔn atamfo nsa. Nanso wɔn amanehunu mu no, wosu frɛɛ wo, na wutiee wɔn fi ɔsoro. Na ahummɔbɔ a ɛso mu na wosomaa agyefo a wogyee wɔn fii wɔn atamfo nsam.

And thou gavest them into the hands of their enemies, and they afflicted them. And in the time of their tribulation they cried to thee, and thou heardest from heaven, and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies thou gavest them saviours, to save them from the hands of their enemies.

28 “Nanso na nneɛma nyinaa rekɔ so yiye no, wo manfo san kɔɔ bɔne mu bio, na wosan maa wɔn atamfo dii wɔn so. Nanso bere biara a wo nkurɔfo besu afrɛ wo bio, apɛ mmoa no, wufi ɔsoro tiee wɔn bio. Wʼahummɔbɔ nwonwaso nti, wugyee wɔn ntoatoaso.

But after they had rest, they returned to do evil in thy sight: and thou leftest them in the hand of their enemies, and they had dominion over them. Then they returned, and cried to thee: and thou heardest from heaven, and deliveredst them many times in thy mercies.

29 “Wobɔɔ wɔn kɔkɔ sɛ wɔnsan mmedi wo mmara no so, nanso wɔyɛɛ ahomaso ne asobrakye a wɔanni wʼahyɛde no so. Wɔanni wo mmara a sɛ nnipa di so a wɔnam so benya nkwa no so. Wɔnam ahomaso so, dan wɔn akyi kyerɛɛ wo a wɔampɛ sɛ wobetie wo.

And thou didst admonish them to return to thy law. But they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them: and they withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

30 Wo dɔ nti, wunyaa wɔn ho ntoboase mfe bebree. Wosomaa wo honhom ma ɔnam adiyifo so bɔɔ wɔn kɔkɔ faa wɔn bɔne ho. Nanso wɔantie. Enti womaa abosonsomfo a wɔwɔ asase yi so no ho kwan ma wodii wɔn so bio.

And thou didst forbear with them for many years, and didst testify against them by thy spirit by the hand of thy prophets: and they heard not, and thou didst deliver them into the hand of the people of the lands.

31 Nanso wo mmɔborɔhunu a ɛdɔɔso nti, woantɔre wɔn ase anaa woannyaa wɔn afebɔɔ. Woyɛ ɔdomfo ne ahummɔbɔ Nyankopɔn.

Yet in thy very many mercies thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them: because thou art a merciful and gracious God.

32 “Afei, yɛn Nyankopɔn, ɔkɛse, otumfo ne ɔnwonwani Nyankopɔn a ne dɔ apam a ɔyɛe no ommu so, mma yɛn amanehunu a yɛkɔɔ mu no nyinaa nnyɛ ɔkwa wɔ wʼanim. Ɔhaw kɛse aba yɛn ne yɛn ahemfo, yɛn ahenemma ne asɔfo ne adiyifo ne yɛn agyanom so fi bere a Asiria ahemfo didii yɛn so nkonim, de besi saa bere yi.

Now therefore our God, great, strong and terrible, who keepest covenant and mercy, turn not away from thy face all the labour which hath come upon us, upon our kings, and our princes, and our priests, and our prophets, and our fathers, and all the people from the days of the king of Assur, until this day.

33 Bere biara a wobɛtwe yɛn aso no, na ɛfata. Yɛayɛ bɔne kɛse a wotwe yɛn aso sɛnea ɛsɛ wɔ so.

And thou art just in all things that have come upon us: because thou hast done truth, but we have done wickedly.

34 Yɛn ahemfo, ahenemma, asɔfo, ne yɛn agyanom no anni wo mmara so anaa wʼahyɛde ne wo kɔkɔbɔ dennen no so.

Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept thy law, and have not minded thy commandments, and thy testimonies which thou hast testified among them.

35 Mpo, bere a wɔn ankasa nyaa wɔn ahemman no, wɔansom wo wɔ bere a woahwie wʼayamye adom agu wɔn so no. Womaa wɔn nsase pa akɛse, nanso wɔannu wɔn ho amfi wɔn amumɔyɛsɛm ho.

And they have not served thee in their kingdoms, and in thy manifold goodness, which thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land, which thou deliveredst before them, nor did they return from their most wicked devices.

36 “Enti mprempren, yɛyɛ nkoa wɔ asase a nnepa abu so wɔ so a wode maa yɛn agyanom no so. Dodow yi nyinaa mu, yɛyɛ nkoa.

Behold we ourselves this day are bondmen: and the land, which thou gavest our fathers, to eat the bread thereof, and the good things thereof, and we ourselves are servants in it.

37 Nnɔbae a ebu so boro so no nyinaa akodi ahemfo a esiane yɛn bɔne nti, woatu wɔn sɛ wɔnhwɛ yɛn so no nsam. Wɔwɔ yɛn ne yɛn anantwi so tumi. Yɛsom wɔn sɛnea wɔpɛ, na yɛwɔ ahokyere kɛse mu.

And the fruits thereof grow up for the kings, whom thou hast set over us for our sins, and they have dominion over our bodies, and over our beasts, according to their will, and we are in great tribulation.

38 “Eyinom nyinaa nti, yɛnam kurukyerɛw so rehyɛ bɔ a emu yɛ den. Saa nsɔwano krataa yi mu na yɛn ahenemma ne Lewifo ne asɔfo din wɔ.”

And because of all this we ourselves make a covenant, and write it, and our princes, our Levites, and our priests sign it.