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-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, with sackcloth, and dirt on them.
2 Ɛberɛ a wɔreka wɔn ankasa bɔne ne wɔn agyanom bɔne no, Israelfoɔ no twee wɔn ho firii ananafoɔ nyinaa ho.
The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners 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.
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 a 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 Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani of the Levites stood up on the stairs, and cried with a loud voice to 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! Blessed be your 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.
You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.
7 “Woyɛ Awurade Onyankopɔn a woyii Abram firii Ur a ɛwɔ Kaldea asase so, sane too no edin Abraham.
You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave 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.
found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his offspring, and have performed your words, for you are righteous.
9 “Wohunuu amane ne awerɛhoɔ a yɛn agyanom kɔɔ mu wɔ Misraim, na wotee wɔn su firi Ɛpo Kɔkɔɔ no ho.
“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard 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 showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.
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.
You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers 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, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.
13 “Wosianee bepɔ Sinai, kasa kyerɛɛ wɔn firi ɔsoro. Wode mmara a ɛyɛ turodoo ne ahyɛdeɛ a ɛyɛ nokorɛ brɛɛ wɔn.
“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances 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 made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your 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 gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.
16 “Nanso, yɛn agyanom yɛɛ ahantan ne asoɔden, na wɔanni wʼahyɛdeɛ so.
“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your 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. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did amongst them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.
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.
Yes, when they had made themselves a moulded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies,
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 you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which 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.
You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave 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.
“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.
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 you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to 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.
You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said 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 you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased.
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.
They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your 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 you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.
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 you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviours who saved them out of the hands 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 you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your 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 testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened 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 you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore you gave 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 your manifold mercies you didn’t make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are 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 awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
33 Ɛberɛ biara a wobɛtwe yɛn aso no, na ɛfata. Yɛayɛ bɔne kɛseɛ a wotwe yɛn aso sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ wɔ so.
However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have 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.
Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified 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 you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They didn’t turn 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 today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, 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.
It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, 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.”
Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”
