Nehemia 9

1 Bosome Tisri (bɛyɛ Ahinime) ɛda a ɛtɔ so aduasa baako no, ɔmanfoɔ no boaa wɔn ho ano, dii mmuada, firaa ayitoma, tuu mfuturo petee wɔn tirim.

Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.

2 Ɛberɛ a wɔreka wɔn ankasa bɔne ne wɔn agyanom bɔne no, Israelfoɔ no twee wɔn ho firii ananafoɔ nyinaa ho.

And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 Wɔkenkan Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn, mmara nwoma no den bɛyɛ sɛ nnɔnhwere mmiɛnsa kyerɛɛ wɔn. Afei, wɔde nnɔnhwere mmiɛnsa bio kekaa wɔn bɔne nnidisoɔ nnidisoɔ wɔ ɛberɛ a na wɔresom Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn.

And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.

4 Na Lewifoɔ no bi gyina ntrapoe so reteam frɛ Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn. Saa nnipa no ne Yesua, Bani, Kadmiel, Sebania, Buni, Serebia, Bani ne Kenani.

Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.

5 Afei, Lewifoɔ ntuanofoɔ a wɔne Yesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hasabnia, Serebia, Hodia, Sebania ne Petahia teaam frɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no sɛ, “Monsɔre nkamfo Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔte hɔ afebɔɔ!” Wɔtoaa so sɛ, “Monkamfo ne din kronkron no. Ɛso sene sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi adwene anaa deɛ yɛbɛka.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, [and] Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

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

Thou art the LORD, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

7 “Woyɛ Awurade Onyankopɔn a woyii Abram firii Ur a ɛwɔ Kaldea asase so, sane too no edin Abraham.

Then art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

8 Ɔdii wo nokorɛ no, wo ne no yɛɛ apam sɛ, wode Kanaanfoɔ, Hetifoɔ, Perisifoɔ Yebusifoɔ ne Girgasifoɔ asase bɛma ɔne nʼasefoɔ. Na wodii wo bɔhyɛ so, ɛfiri sɛ, daa wodi wʼasɛm so.

and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, even to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.

9 “Wohunuu amane ne awerɛhoɔ a yɛn agyanom kɔɔ mu wɔ Misraim, na wotee wɔn su firi Ɛpo Kɔkɔɔ no ho.

And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea;

10 Woyɛɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ a ɛyɛ hu ne anwanwadeɛ kyerɛɛ Farao, nʼasomfoɔ ne ne manfoɔ nyinaa, ɛfiri sɛ, na wonim nhyɛsoɔ ɛkwan a na Misraimfoɔ no de wɔn fa so. Wowɔ animuonyam a ahyeta a ani mpa so da.

and shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them; and didst get thee a name, as it is this day.

11 Wopaee ɛpo mu maa wo nkurɔfoɔ, sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi afa asase wesee so. Na wopuaa wɔn atamfoɔ guu ɛpo bunu mu. Wɔmemem sɛ aboɔ wɔ nsubunu a emu dɔ no ase.

And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

12 Wonam omununkum fadum so dii yɛn agyanom anim awia ne ogya fadum so, dii wɔn anim anadwo sɛdeɛ wɔbɛhunu ɛkwan.

Moreover thou leddest them in a pillar of cloud by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

13 “Wosianee bepɔ Sinai, kasa kyerɛɛ wɔn firi ɔsoro. Wode mmara a ɛyɛ turodoo ne ahyɛdeɛ a ɛyɛ nokorɛ brɛɛ wɔn.

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

14 Wokyerɛɛ wɔn mmara a ɛfa wo homeda kronkron ho. Na wonam wo ɔsomfoɔ Mose so hyɛɛ wɔn sɛdeɛ wɔnsi nni wʼahyɛdeɛ ne wo mmara no nyinaa so.

and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

15 Ɛberɛ a ɛkɔm de wɔn no, womaa wɔn burodo a ɛfiri ɔsoro ne nsuo a ɛfiri ɔbotan mu wɔ ɛberɛ a sukɔm de wɔn no. Wohyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnkɔfa asase a woaka ho ntam sɛ wode bɛma wɔn no.

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

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

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

17 Wɔantie, na wɔankae wʼanwanwadeɛ a woyɛ maa wɔn no. Mmom, wɔyɛɛ dɔm yii ntuanoni sɛ ɔnsane mfa wɔn nkɔ wɔn nkoasom mu wɔ Misraim. Nanso, woyɛ ɔfakyɛfoɔ, ahummɔborɔ ne ɔdomfoɔ Onyankopɔn a wo bo kyɛre fu na wʼadɔeɛ dɔɔso. Woannyaa wɔn

and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, and forsookest them not.

18 wɔ ɛberɛ a wɔyɛɛ ohoni sɛso a ɔte sɛ nantwie ba na wɔkaa sɛ, ‘Yei ne mo nyame a ɔyii mo firii Misraim no.’ Wɔyɛɛ bɔne, kekaa abususɛm a ɛyɛ hu.

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

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

yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

20 Wosomaa wo honhom pa no kyerɛɛ wɔn deɛ wɔnyɛ, na woannyae sɛ wobɛma wɔn burodo afiri soro anaa nsuo wɔ ɛberɛ a sukɔm de wɔn.

Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

21 Wohwɛɛ wɔn so mfeɛ aduanan wɔ ɛserɛ so. Saa ɛberɛ no, biribiara anhia wɔn. Wɔn ntadeɛ antete, na wɔn anan ase antaatae.

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [and] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

22 “Woboaa yɛn agyanom, ma wɔdii ahemman akɛseɛ ne aman bebree so, na wode wo nkurɔfoɔ duaa aman no afanan nyinaa so. Wɔfaa ɔhene Sihon a ɔfiri Hesbon ne Basanhene Og asase no nyinaa.

Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, which thou didst allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

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

Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

24 Wɔkɔfaa asase no. Wobrɛɛ aman no nyinaa ase wɔ wɔn anim. Na, mpo, ahemfo ne Kanaanfoɔ a wɔtenaa asase no so no tumi saeɛ. Wo nkurɔfoɔ ne wɔn dii no sɛdeɛ wɔpɛ.

So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

25 Yɛn agyanom faa nkuro a wɔabɔ ho ban ne nsase bereɛ no. Wɔfaa afie a nnepa wɔ mu ne nsuseneeɛ a wɔatutu dada no ne bobefuo ne ngofuo ne nnuabafuo no bebree. Enti, wɔdidiiɛ ara kɔsii sɛ wɔdodɔreeɛ, yɛɛ akɛseɛ, na wɔn ani gyee wɔn ho wɔ wo nhyira mu.

And they took fenced cities, and a fat land and possessed houses full of good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

26 “Nanso, yeinom nyinaa akyi no, wɔyɛɛ asoɔden, yɛɛ dɔm tiaa wo. Wɔtoo wo mmara no guu nkyɛn. Wɔkunkumm adiyifoɔ no a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn nkuran sɛ wɔnsane mmra wo nkyɛn no, na wɔkaa abususɛm a ɛyɛ hu.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.

27 Enti, wode wɔn hyɛɛ wɔn atamfoɔ nsa. Nanso, wɔn amanehunu mu no, wɔsu frɛɛ wo, na wotiee wɔn firi ɔsoro. Na ahummɔborɔ a ɛso mu, wosomaa agyefoɔ a wɔgyee wɔn firii wɔn atamfoɔ nsam.

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.

28 “Nanso, na nneɛma nyinaa rekɔ so yie no, wo manfoɔ sane kɔɔ bɔne mu bio, na wosane maa wɔn atamfoɔ dii wɔn so. Nanso, ɛberɛ biara a wo nkurɔfoɔ bɛsu afrɛ wo bio, apɛ mmoa no, wotiee bio firi ɔsoro. Wʼahummɔborɔ nwanwa enti, wogyee wɔn ntoatoasoɔ.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

29 “Wobɔɔ wɔn kɔkɔ sɛ, wɔnsane mmɛdi wo mmara no so nanso, wɔyɛɛ ahomasoɔ ne asoɔden a wɔanni wʼahyɛdeɛ no so. Wɔanni wo mmara a sɛ nnipa di so a, wɔnam so bɛnya nkwa. Nanso, wɔnam ahomasoɔ so danee wɔn akyi kyerɛɛ wo a wɔampɛ sɛ wɔbɛtie wo.

and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them, ) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

30 Wo dɔ enti, wonyaa wɔn ho ntoboaseɛ mfeɛ bebree. Wosomaa wo honhom a ɔnam adiyifoɔ so bɔɔ wɔn kɔkɔ faa wɔn bɔne ho. Nanso, ɛkɔka he ara a, wɔntie. Enti, bio, womaa abosonsomfoɔ a wɔwɔ asase yi so no ho kwan, ma wɔdii wɔn so.

Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

31 Nanso, wo mmɔborɔhunu a ɛdɔɔso enti, woantɔre wɔn ase anaa woannyaa wɔn afebɔɔ. Woyɛ ɔdomfoɔ ne ahummɔborɔ Onyankopɔn.

Nevertheless in thy manifold mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

32 “Afei, yɛn Onyankopɔn, ɔkɛseɛ, otumfoɔ ne ɔnwanwani Onyankopɔn a ne dɔ apam a ɔyɛeɛ no ɔmmu so, mma yɛn amanehunu a yɛkɔɔ mu no nyinaa nnyɛ ɔkwa wɔ wʼanim. Ɔhaw kɛseɛ aba yɛn ne yɛn ahemfo, yɛn ahenemma ne asɔfoɔ ne adiyifoɔ ne yɛn agyanom so, firi ɛberɛ a Asiria ahemfo didii yɛn so nkonim, de bɛsi saa ɛberɛ yi.

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers; and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

33 Ɛberɛ biara a wobɛtwe yɛn aso no, na ɛfata. Yɛayɛ bɔne kɛseɛ a wotwe yɛn aso sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ wɔ so.

Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly:

34 Yɛn ahemfo, ahenemma, asɔfoɔ, ne yɛn agyanom no anni wo mmara so anaa wʼahyɛdeɛ ne wo kɔkɔbɔ denden no so.

neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

35 Mpo, ɛberɛ a wɔn ankasa nyaa wɔn ahemman no, wɔansom wo wɔ ɛberɛ a woahwie wʼayamyɛ adom agu wɔn so no. Womaa wɔn nsase pa akɛseɛ nanso, wɔannu wɔn ho amfiri wɔn amumuyɛsɛm ho.

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

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

Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.

37 Afudeɛ a ɛbu so boro so no nyinaa akɔdi ahemfo a ɛsiane yɛn bɔne enti, woatu wɔn sɛ wɔnhwɛ yɛn so no nsam. Wɔwɔ yɛn ne yɛn anantwie so tumi. Yɛsom wɔn sɛdeɛ wɔpɛ, na yɛwɔ ahokyere kɛseɛ mu.

And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

38 “Yeinom nyinaa akyi, yɛnam nkurukyire so rehyɛ bɔ a emu yɛ den. Saa nsɔano krataa yi mu na yɛn ahenemma ne Lewifoɔ ne asɔfoɔ din wɔ.”

And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and] our priests, seal unto it.