1 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,
Habari za Nehemia, mwana wa Hakalia. Ikawa katika mwezi wa Kisleu, mwaka wa ishirini, nilipokuwapo Shushani ngomeni,
2 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.
Hanani, mmoja wa ndugu zangu, akanijia, yeye na watu wengine waliotoka Yuda; nami nikawauliza habari za Wayahudi waliopona, hao watu wa uhamisho waliosalia; na habari za Yerusalemu.
3 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.
Wakaniambia, Watu wa uhamisho, waliosalia huko katika wilaya ile, wamo katika hali ya dhiki nyingi na mashutumu; tena ukuta wa Yerusalemu umebomolewa, na malango yake yameteketezwa kwa moto.
4 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,
Hata ikawa niliposikia maneno hayo, nikaketi, nikalia, nikaomboleza siku kadha wa kadha; kisha nikafunga, nikaomba mbele za Mungu wa mbinguni;
5 and said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
nikasema, Nakusihi, Ee Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, Mungu mkuu, mwenye kuogofya, mwenye kutimiza agano lake na rehema zake kwa hao wampendao na kuzishika amri zake;
6 let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
tega sikio lako, macho yako yakafumbuke, upate kuyasikiliza maombi ya mtumishi wako, ninayoomba mbele zako wakati huu, mchana na usiku, kwa ajili ya wana wa Israeli, watumishi wako; hapo ninapoziungama dhambi za wana wa Israeli, tulizozifanya juu yako; naam, mimi na nyumba ya baba yangu tumefanya dhambi.
7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Tumetenda maovu mengi juu yako, wala hatukuzishika amri, wala sheria, wala hukumu, ulizomwamuru Musa, mtumishi wako.
8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
Nakuomba, likumbuke neno lile ulilomwamuru Musa, mtumishi wako, ukisema, Mkikosa, nitawatawanya kati ya mataifa;
9 but if ye 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.
bali mkinirudia mimi, na kuzishika amri zangu na kuzitenda, watu wako waliofukuzwa wajapokuwa katika pande za mwisho za mbingu, hata hivyo nitawakusanya kutoka huko, na kuwaleta mpaka mahali pale nilipopachagua ili kuliweka jina langu hapo.
10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
Basi watu hao ni watumishi wako na watu wako, uliowakomboa kwa uweza wako mwingi, na kwa mkono wako hodari.
11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.
Ee Bwana, nakusihi, litege sikio lako, uyasikilize maombi ya mtumishi wako, na maombi ya watumishi wako, wanaofurahi kulicha jina lako; nakuomba sana; unifanikishe mimi, mtumishi wako, leo, ukanijalie rehema mbele ya mtu huyu. (Maana, nalikuwa mnyweshaji wa mfalme).
