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.
1 Ndika olyo ehokololo ndyoka Nehemia omuna gwaHakalia a tsakanitha.
Nehemia ti ipyakidhilile Jerusalem
Momwedhi Kislev momumvo omutimilongombali sho Artakserkses a li omupangeli gwaPersia, ngame onda li moshilandohote Susa. 2 Hanani, gumwe gwomaamwameme, okwa thiki mo a zi kuJuda e li pamwe nongundu yaalumentu ooyakwawo. Ngame onde ya pula kombinga yaJerusalem noyAajuda ooyakwetu mboka ya zi muupika muBabilon. 3 Oya hokololele ndje kutya mboka ya hupile ko noya galukile kevi lyooyina, oye li muudhigu uunene, naakwiilongo mboka ye li puyo, otaye ya tala nondhino. Oya hokololele ndje ishewe kutya omadhingililokuma gaJerusalem oga kumunwa po, nomiyelo dhasho inadhi longwa we, hela dha fikilwe po. 4 Sho nda kundana ayihe mbika, onda gwile po e te lili.
Onda lili omasiku ogendji nondi idhilike iikulya. Onda galikana Kalunga nda ti: 5 “Omuwa, Kalunga komegulu! Ongoye omunene, tse otatu ku tila. Ongoye to dhiginine ehangano lyoye naamboka ye ku hole e taa gwanitha shoka wa ti. 6 Tala ndje, Omuwa, ngoye u uve omagalikano gandje, sho te galikanene aantu yoye Aaisraeli omutenya nuusiku. Otandi hempulula kutya tse Aaisraeli otwa yona. Onda yono pamwe nootatekulu. 7 Otwa ningi nayi, sho twa tsu ondumbo nangoye tse inatu gwanitha shoka wa ti. Inatu dhiginina iipango mbyoka we yi tu pele ye endele muMoses, omuntu gwoye. 8 Ngashingeyi dhimbulukwa shoka wa lombwelele Moses to ti: ‘Ngele ne Aaisraeli tamu iteka ndje, otandi mu halakanithile mokati kiigwana. 9 Ihe ngele otamu galukile kungame e tamu ningi shoka nde mu lombwele, otandi ke mu fala kehala ndyoka nde li hogolola, ndi simanekelwe mo, nonando mu kale mwa halakanithilwa sigo okooha dhuuyuni.’
10 “Omuwa, mbaka aapiya yoye, aantu yoyelela, ongoye we ya mangulula koonkondo dhoye oonene nokomatha goye. 11 Ano ngashingeyi pulakena egalikano lyandje nomagalikano gaapiya yoye yalwe mboka ya hala oku ku simaneka. Nena ndjika monitha ndje elago, opo omupangeli a etele ndje olukeno.”
Pethimbo ndiyaka onda li omupindi gwoondjupa dhuuwa.
