Nehemia 1
1 Hakalia babarima Nehemia nsɛm ni: Ɔsram Kislev (bɛyɛ Obubuo) mpaemu akyi wɔ Ɔhene Artasasta adedi afe a ɛto so aduonu so no, na mewɔ Susa aban mu.
The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. And it happened that, in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the capital city of Susa.
2 Me nuanom mmarima mu ɔbaako a wɔfrɛ no Hanani no ne mmarima bi a wofi Yuda ba bɛsraa me. Mibisaa wɔn Yudafo a nkae ne wɔn a wɔafi nnommum mu aba no ne Yerusalem ho asɛm.
And Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived, he and some men of Judah. And I questioned them about the Jews who had remained and were left behind from the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
3 Wɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Nneɛma nkɔ yiye mma wɔn a wɔsan kɔɔ Yudaman mu no. Ɔhaw kɛse ne animguase aka wɔn. Wɔabubu Yerusalem fasu no agu fam, na wɔahyew apon no nso.”
And they said to me: “Those who have remained and have been left behind from the captivity, there in the province, are in great affliction and in disgrace. And the wall of Jerusalem has been broken apart, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 Bere a metee eyinom no, metenaa ase sui. Nokware, mitwaa agyaadwo nna bi, bua dae, bɔɔ ɔsoro Nyankopɔn mpae.
And when I had heard this manner of words, I sat down, and I wept and mourned for many days. I fasted and prayed before the face of the God of heaven.
5 Afei, mekae se, “Awurade, ɔsoro Nyankopɔn, Onyankopɔn a ɔyɛ ɔkɛse na ɔyɛ ɔnwonwani no, Onyankopɔn a ɔkora ne nokware dɔ apam a ɔwɔ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ no na wodi ne mmara nsɛm so no,
And I said: “I beg you, O Lord, God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love you and who keep your commandments:
6 tie me mpaebɔ. Hwɛ me sɛ merebɔ mpae ma Israelfo anadwo ne awia. Mepae mu ka se, yɛayɛ bɔne atia wo. Yiw, mpo, me ara me fifo ne mʼankasa ayɛ bɔne!
may your ears be attentive, and may your eyes be open, so that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you today, night and day, for the sons of Israel, your servants. And I am confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, which they have sinned against you. We have sinned, I and my father’s house.
7 Yɛayɛ bɔne kɛse sɛ yɛanni wo mmara nsɛm, wo mmara, ne wʼahyɛde a wonam wʼakoa Mose so de maa yɛn no so.
We have been seduced by vanity. And we have not kept your commandments and ceremonies and judgments, which you have instructed to your servant Moses.
8 “Mesrɛ sɛ, kae asɛm a woka kyerɛɛ wʼakoa Mose se, ‘Sɛ moyɛ bɔne a, mɛtetew mo mu akɔ amanaman so.
Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse you among the nations.
9 Na sɛ mosan ba me nkyɛn, na mudi me mmara nsɛm so a, sɛ mpo, wɔatwa mo asu akɔ asase ano nohɔ koraa a, mede mo bɛsan aba faako a mayi asi hɔ sɛ wɔnhyɛ me din anuonyam no.’
But if you will return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, even if you will have been led away to the furthest reaches of the heavens, I will gather you from there, and I will lead you back to the place that I have chosen so that my name would dwell there.’
10 “Yɛyɛ wʼasomfo, nnipa a wonam wo tumi kɛse so gyee yɛn no.
And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful hand.
11 Awurade, mesrɛ wo, tie me mpaebɔ. Tie yɛn mu bi a wɔn ani gye sɛ wɔhyɛ wo anuonyam no mpaebɔ. Mesrɛ sɛ, ma ensi me yiye, bere a merekɔ ɔhene nkyɛn akɔsrɛ no adom bi yi. Fa hyɛ ne koma mu, na ɔnyɛ me adɔe.” Na meyɛ ɔhene nsahyɛni.
I beg you, O Lord, may your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who are willing to fear your name. And so, guide your servant today, and grant to him mercy before this man.” For I was the cupbearer of the king.
