Nehemia 1
1 Hakalia babarima Nehemia nsɛm nie: Ɔbosome Kislew (bɛyɛ Ɔpɛnimaa) mpaemu akyi wɔ Ɔhene Artasasta adedie afe a ɛtɔ so aduonu so no, na mewɔ Susa aban mu.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Chachalyah. And it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan, the capital,
2 Me nuanom mmarima mu baako a wɔfrɛ no Hanani no ne mmarima bi a wɔfiri Yuda ba bɛsraa me. Mebisaa wɔn Yudafoɔ a wɔatumi atena nnommumfa mu no ho asɛm ne sɛdeɛ nsɛm rekɔ so wɔ Yerusalem.
That there came Chanani, one of my brethren, himself with certain men of Judah: and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 Wɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Nneɛma nkɔ yie mma wɔn a wɔsane kɔɔ Yudaman mu no. Ɔhaw kɛseɛ ne animguaseɛ aka wɔn. Wɔabubu Yerusalem ɔfasuo no agu fam, na wɔahye apono no nso.”
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great misery and in disgrace; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and her gates are burnt with fire.
4 Ɛberɛ a metee yeinom no, metenaa ase suiɛ. Nokorɛm, metwaa agyaadwoɔ nna bi, bua daeɛ, bɔɔ ɔsoro Onyankopɔn mpaeɛ.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned some days, and I was fasting, and praying before the God of heaven.
5 Afei, mekaa sɛ, “Ao Awurade, ɔsoro Onyankopɔn, Onyankopɔn a ɔyɛ kɛseɛ na ɔyɛ ɔnwanwani no, Onyankopɔn a ɔkora ne nokorɛ dɔ apam a ɔwɔ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ no na wɔdi ne mmaransɛm so no,
And I said, I beseech thee, O Lord the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth the covenant and kindness for those that love him and for those that keep his commandments:
6 tie me mpaeɛbɔ. Hwɛ me sɛ merebɔ mpaeɛ ma Israelfoɔ anadwo ne awia. Mepae mu ka sɛ, yɛayɛ bɔne atia wo. Aane, mpo, me ara me fiefoɔ ne mʼankasa ayɛ bɔne!
Let thy ear now be attentive, and thy eyes be open, I entreat thee, to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I am praying this day before thee, by day and by night, in behalf of the children of Israel thy servants, and [as] I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, [with] which we have sinned against thee: yea, I also and my father's house have sinned.
7 Yɛayɛ bɔne kɛseɛ sɛ yɛanni wo mmaransɛm, wo mmara, ne wʼahyɛdeɛ a wonam wʼakoa Mose so de maa yɛn no so.
We have dealt very corruptly toward thee: and we have not kept the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.
8 “Mesrɛ sɛ, kae asɛm a woka kyerɛɛ wʼakoa Mose sɛ, ‘Sɛ moyɛ bɔne a, mɛtete mo mu akɔ amanaman so.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word with which thou didst charge Moses thy servant, saying, If ye become truly unfaithful, I will indeed scatter you among the nations.
9 Na sɛ mosane ba me nkyɛn, na modi me mmaransɛm so a, sɛ mpo, wɔatwa mo asuo kɔ asase ano nohoa koraa a, mede mo bɛsane aba baabi a mayi asi hɔ sɛ wɔnhyɛ me din animuonyam.’
But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them: [then] though your outcasts should be at the utmost parts of heaven, from there will I gather them, and I will bring them unto the place which I have chosen to let my name dwell there.
10 “Yɛyɛ wʼasomfoɔ, nnipa a wonam wo tumi kɛseɛ so gyee yɛn no.
And they are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11 Ao Awurade, mesrɛ wo, tie me mpaeɛbɔ. Tie yɛn mu bi a wɔn ani gye sɛ wɔhyɛ wo animuonyam no mpaeɛbɔ. Mesrɛ sɛ, ma ɛnsi me yie wɔ ɛberɛ a merekɔ ɔhene nkyɛn akɔbisa no adom bi yi. Fa hyɛ nʼakoma mu, na ɔnyɛ me adɔeɛ.” Saa mmerɛ no na meyɛ ɔhene nsãhyɛni.
I beseech thee, O Lord, do let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who are desirous to fear thy name; and grant success, I pray thee, to thy servant this day, and let him find mercy in the sight of this man —But I was butler by the king.
