Nehemiah's Prayer
1 I am Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and in this book I tell what I have done.
During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year that Artaxerxes ruled Persia, I was in his fortress city of Susa, 2 when my brother Hanani came with some men from Judah. So I asked them about the Jews who had escaped from being captives in Babylonia. I also asked them about the city of Jerusalem.
3 They told me, “Those captives who have come back are having all kinds of troubles. They are terribly disgraced, Jerusalem's walls are broken down, and its gates have been burned.”
4 When I heard this, I sat down on the ground and cried. Then for several days, I mourned; I went without eating to show my sorrow, and I prayed:
5 Lord God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands. 6 I am your servant, so please have mercy on me and answer the prayer that I make day and night for these people of Israel who serve you. I, my family, and the rest of your people have sinned 7 by choosing to disobey you and the laws and teachings you gave to your servant Moses.
8 Please remember the promise you made to Moses. You told him that if we were unfaithful, you would scatter us among foreign nations. 9 But you also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to you and start obeying your laws. Then you would bring us back to the place where you have chosen to be worshiped.
10 Our Lord, I am praying for your servants—those you rescued by your great strength and mighty power. 11 Please answer my prayer and the prayer of your other servants who gladly honor your name. When I serve the king his wine today, make him pleased with me and let him do what I ask.
Nehemia me rikendere Jerusalem
1 Inga owo omaserekarerero waimbi Nehemia, omuzandu wa Hakalja, mbya tjita.
Momueze Kislev mombura oitjamirongo vivari, Artakerkes tja ri ombara ya Persie, ami, Nehemia, mba ri mOsusa, otjihuro ohongora. 2 Hanani, umwe wovangu vandje, weya okuza kOjuda puna ovarumendu tjiva. Nami mbe ve pura Jerusalem nOvajuda ovakwetu, mba kotokere okuza kouhuura mObabilon. 3 Owo ve ndji raera kutja imba mba hupire nu mba kotokere kozoyawo va ri mouzeu ounene, nokutja imba ovozonganda mba turire popezu ve ve nyengura. Owo wina ve ndji raera kutja otumbo twa Jerusalem ingee twa haṋika, nokutja omivero ingee kaviya yarurwa ko okuza koruveze ndwi ndu vya nyosirwe. 4 Ami tji mba zuva oviṋa mbi mba kara pehi ne riri.
Oure womayuva tjiva mba kara moruhoze, ambe ritjaere kovikurya, nekumbu nai ku Ndjambi: 5 “Muhona, Ndjambi weyuru! Oove Ndjambi omunene ngu u sokutiriwa! Ove u ṱakamisa omerikutiropamwe woye nouṱakame puna imba mbe ku suvera, nu mbe kara nonḓuviro komatwako woye. 6 Puratena, nu u tare ku ami, Muhona! Ndji zuvira ongumbiro yandje tji me kumbire ovakarere voye, ihi otjiwaṋa tja Israel, ouṱuku nomutenya. Ami me rihepura kutja eṱe, Ovaisrael, twa tjita ouvi; ootate mukururume na ami twa tura ondjo. 7 Eṱe twa tjita ourunde komurungu woye, nu katu yenenisire imbi mbi wa rakiza. Eṱe katu ṱakamisire omatwako ngu we tu pa notjinyo tja Moses, omukarere woye. 8 Zemburuka omambo ngu wa raera ku Moses, indu tji wa tja: ‘Eṋe, tjiwaṋa tja Israel, tji mu hi nouṱakame mu ami, me mu rimbi mokati koviwaṋa. 9 Nungwari tji mwa kotoka ku ami namu tjiti imbi mbi mbe mu rakiza me mu yarura koṋa ku mbe mu toororera okurikotamenenwa po, nangarire kutja mwa rimbara nga kovikoro vyehi.’
10 “Muhona, ovakarere voye owo mba, ihi otjiwaṋa tjoye omuini. Ove we ve yama nomasa nouvara woye. 11 Nambano zuvira ongumbiro yandje nozongumbiro zovakarere voye avehe varwe mbe vanga okukuyozika. Ndji pao ouṋingandu ndinondi, nu u tjite kutja ombara i ṱotjari na ami.”
Moruveze ndo ami tjandje owami omutirire womavinu wombara.
