Foreign Marriages
1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Na mambo hayo yalipokwisha kutendeka, wakuu wakanikaribia, wakisema, Watu wa Israeli, na makuhani, na Walawi, hawakujitenga na watu wa nchi hizi, wamefanya sawasawa na machukizo yao, yaani, ya Wakanaani, na Wahiti, na Waperizi, na Wayebusi, na Waamoni, na Wamoabi, na Wamisri, na Waamori.
2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
Maana wametwaa binti zao kuwa wake zao, na wake za watoto wao; basi mbegu takatifu wamejichanganya na watu wa nchi hizi; naam, mkono wa wakuu na mashehe umetangulia katika kosa hili.
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
Nami niliposikia hayo, nikararua nguo yangu na joho yangu, nikang'oa nywele za kichwa changu, na ndevu zangu, nikaketi kwa mshangao.
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
Ndipo wakanikusanyikia watu wote walioyatetemekea maneno ya Mungu wa Israeli, kwa sababu ya lile kosa la watu wa uhamisho; nami nikaketi kwa mshangao hata wakati wa sadaka ya jioni.
5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
Na wakati wa sadaka ya jioni nikainuka baada ya kunyenyekea kwangu, nguo yangu na joho yangu zimeraruliwa, nikaanguka magotini nikakunjua mikono yangu mbele za Bwana, Mungu wangu;
6 and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
nikasema, Ee Mungu wangu, nimetahayari, naona haya kuinua uso wangu mbele zako, Mungu wangu; kwa maana maovu yetu ni mengi, hata yamefika juu ya vichwa vyetu, na hatia yetu imeongezeka na kufika mbinguni.
7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
Tangu siku za baba zetu tumekuwa na hatia kupita kiasi hata leo; na kwa sababu ya maovu yetu sisi, na wafalme wetu, na makuhani wetu, tumetiwa katika mikono ya wafalme wa nchi hizi, tumepigwa kwa upanga, tumechukuliwa mateka, tumenyang'anywa mali zetu, tumetiwa haya nyuso zetu, kama hivi leo.
8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
Na sasa kwa muda kidogo tumeneemeshwa na Bwana, Mungu wetu, hata akatuachia mabaki yaokoke, akatupa msumari katika mahali pake patakatifu. Mungu wetu atutie nuru machoni mwetu, tuburudike kidogo katika kufungwa kwetu.
9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
Maana sisi tu watumwa; lakini Mungu wetu hakutuacha katika utumwa wetu, bali ametufikilizia rehema zake, mbele ya wafalme wa Uajemi, ili kutuburudisha, kuisimamisha nyumba ya Mungu wetu, na kuitengeneza palipobomoka, atupe ukuta katika Yuda na Yerusalemu.
10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
Na sasa, Ee Mungu wetu, tuseme nini baada ya hayo? Maana tumeziacha amri zako,
11 which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
ulizoziamuru kwa midomo ya watumishi wako, manabii, ukisema, Nchi ile, mnayoiendea ili kuimiliki, ni nchi ya uchafu, kwa sababu ya uchafu wa watu wa nchi zile, kwa ajili ya machukizo yao, yaliyoijaza tangu upande huu mpaka upande huu, kwa uchafu wao.
12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
Basi, msiwape wana wao binti zenu, wala msitwae binti zao kuwa wake za wana wenu, wala msiwatakie amani wala kufanikiwa milele; ili mpate kuwa hodari, na kula wema wa nchi hiyo, na kuwaachia watoto wenu iwe urithi wa milele.
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve , and hast given us such deliverance as this;
Na baada ya hayo yote yaliyotupata kwa sababu ya matendo yetu mabaya, na kwa sababu ya hatia yetu iliyo kuu, ikiwa wewe Mungu wetu hukutuadhibu kama tulivyostahili kwa maovu yetu, tena umetupa mabaki;
14 should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us , so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
je! Tuzivunje tena amri zako, tukajiunge na watu wanaotenda machukizo hayo, kwa kuoana nao? Je! Usingekasirika nasi hata kutuangamiza kabisa, pasisalie mabaki yo yote, wala mtu wa kuokoka?
15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, wewe ndiwe mwenye haki, maana sisi tumesalia, mabaki yaliyookoka, kama hivi leo; tazama, sisi tupo hapa wenye hatia mbele zako; maana hapana mtu awezaye kusimama mbele zako kwa sababu ya jambo hili.
