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 Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

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.

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning 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 unto 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 the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 Bere a metee eyinom no, metenaa ase sui. Nokware, mitwaa agyaadwo nna bi, bua dae, bɔɔ ɔsoro Nyankopɔn mpae.

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 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 said, I plead to you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his 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!

Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and my father's house have sinned.

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 dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commandedst 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, I plead to you, the word that you commandedst your servant Moses, saying, If all of you transgress, I will scatter you abroad 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 all of you turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

10 “Yɛyɛ wʼasomfo, nnipa a wonam wo tumi kɛse so gyee yɛn no.

Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong 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.

O LORD, I plead to you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.