The People Confess Their Sins
1 On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people of Israel went without eating, and they dressed in sackcloth and threw dirt on their heads to show their sorrow. 2 They refused to let foreigners join them, as they met to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 For three hours they stood and listened to the Law of the Lord their God, and then for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord.
4 Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the special platform for the Levites and prayed aloud to the Lord their God. 5 Then the Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said:
“Stand and shout praises
to your Lord,
the eternal God!
Praise his wonderful name,
though he is greater
than words can express.”
The People Pray
6 You alone are the Lord,
Creator of the heavens
and all the stars,
Creator of the earth
and those who live on it,
Creator of the ocean
and all its creatures.
You are the source of life,
praised by the stars
that fill the heavens.
7 You are the Lord our God,
the one who chose Abram—
you brought him from Ur
in Babylonia
and named him Abraham.
8 Because he was faithful,
you made an agreement
to give his descendants
the land of the Canaanites
and Hittites,
of the Amorites and Perizzites,
and of the Jebusites
and Girgashites.
Now you have kept your promise,
just as you always do.
9 When our ancestors
were in Egypt,
you saw their suffering;
when they were at the Red Sea,
you heard their cry for help.
10 You knew that the King of Egypt
and his officials and his nation
had mistreated your people.
So you worked fearsome miracles
against the Egyptians
and earned a reputation
that still remains.
11 You divided the deep sea,
and your people walked through
on dry land.
But you tossed their enemies in,
and they sank down
like a heavy stone.
12 Each day you led your people
with a thick cloud,
and at night you showed the way
with a flaming fire.
13 At Sinai you came down
from heaven,
and you gave your people
good laws and teachings
that are fair and honest.
14 You commanded them to respect
your holy Sabbath,
and you instructed
your servant Moses
to teach them your laws.
15 When they were hungry,
you sent bread from heaven,
and when they were thirsty,
you let water flow
from a rock.
Then you commanded them
to capture the land
that you had solemnly promised.
* 16 Our stubborn ancestors
refused to obey—
they forgot about the miracles
you had worked for them,
and they were determined
to return to Egypt
and become slaves again.
17 But, our God, you are merciful
and quick to forgive;
you are loving, kind,
and very patient.
So you never turned away
from them—
18 not even when they made
an idol shaped like a calf
and insulted you by claiming,
“This is the god who rescued us
from Egypt.”
19 Because of your great mercy,
you never abandoned them
in the desert.
And you always guided them
with a cloud by day
and a fire at night.
20 Your gentle Spirit
instructed them,
and you gave them manna to eat
and water to drink.
21 You took good care of them,
and for forty years
they never lacked a thing.
Their clothes didn't wear out,
and their feet were never swollen.
22 You let them conquer kings
and take their land,
including King Sihon of Heshbon
and King Og of Bashan.
23 You brought them into the land
that you had promised
their ancestors,
and you blessed their nation
with people that outnumbered
the stars in the sky.
24 Then their descendants
conquered the land.
You helped them defeat
the kings and nations
and treat their enemies
however they wished.
25 They captured strong cities
and rich farmland;
they took furnished houses,
as well as cisterns,
vineyards, olive orchards,
and numerous fruit trees.
They ate till they were satisfied,
and they celebrated
your abundant blessings.
26 In spite of this, they rebelled
and disobeyed your laws.
They killed your prophets,
who warned them
to turn back to you,
and they cursed your name.
27 So you handed them over
to their enemies,
who treated them terribly.
But in their sufferings,
they begged you to help.
From heaven you listened
to their prayers
and because of your great mercy,
you sent leaders to rescue them.
28 But when they were at peace,
they would turn against you,
and you would hand them over
to their enemies.
Then they would beg for help,
and because you are merciful,
you rescued them
over and over again.
29 You warned them to turn back
and discover true life
by obeying your laws.
But they stubbornly refused
and continued to sin.
30 For years, you were patient,
and your Spirit warned them
with messages spoken
by your prophets.
Still they refused to listen,
and you handed them over
to their enemies.
31 But you are merciful and kind,
and so you never forgot them
or let them be destroyed.
32 Our God, you are powerful,
fearsome, and faithful,
always true to your word.
So please keep in mind
the terrible sufferings
of our people, kings, leaders,
priests, and prophets,
from the time Assyria ruled
until this very day.
33 You have always been fair
when you punished us
for our sins.
34 Our kings and leaders,
our priests and ancestors
have never obeyed your commands
or heeded your warnings.
35 You blessed them with a kingdom
and with an abundance
of rich, fertile land,
but they refused to worship you
or turn from their evil.
36 Now we are slaves
in this fruitful land
you gave to our ancestors.
37 Its plentiful harvest is taken
by kings you placed over us
because of our sins.
Our suffering is unbearable,
because they do as they wish
to us and our livestock.
The People Make an Agreement
38 And so, a firm agreement was made that had the official approval of the leaders, the Levites, and priests.
Aantu taa hempulula oondjo dhawo
1-2 Mesiku etimilongombali nagane lyomwedhi tuu ngoka omutiheyali Aaisraeli oya gongala yi idhilike, opo ya holole oluhodhi molwoondjo dhawo. Oya adhika yi iyoolola maakwiilongo ayehe. Oya li ya zala omahahi e tayi igundu omutoko momitse dhawo endhindhiliko lyoluhodhi. Nena oya thikama e taa tameke okuhempulula oondjo dhawo ndhoka ya yono noohekulu. 3 Oya leshelwa ompango yOmuwa konyala ootundi ndatu, nootundi ndatu dha landula oya hempulula oondjo dhawo e taa galikana Kalunga, Omuwa gwawo.
4 Oko kwa li omutuni gwAalevi, nkoka kwa thikama Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebania, Bunni, Sherebia, Bani naKenani. Oya galikana mokule Omuwa, Kalunga kawo.
5 Aalevi Jesua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneia, Sherebia, Hodia, Shebania naPetahia oyi ithanene aantu kegalikano ya ti:
“Thikameni, mu hambelele Omuwa, Kalunga keni;
mu hambeleleni sigo aluheluhe!
Shaa ngoka na hambelele edhina lye lya simana,
nando ehambelelo lyopantu kali na mupondo gwasha.”
Egalikano lyehempululo
6 Aaisraeli oya galikana egalikano ndika:
“Ngoye Omuwa, ongoye awike Omuwa;
ongoye wa shiti ewangandjo noonyothi dhomewangandjo.
Ongoye wa shiti evi nefuta naayihe yi li mo;
ayihe owe yi pe omwenyo.
Aanankondo yomegulu otaa ku inyongamene
e taa ku simaneke.
7 Ongoye, Omuwa Kalunga wa hogolola Abram
e to mu piitha mo muUr shomuBabilon;
owa lundulula edhina lye, li ninge Abraham.
8 Owe shi tseya kutya okwe ku inekela, e to hangana naye.
Owe mu uvanekele u mu pe evi lyAakaanana, evi lyAaheti nolyAayamori,
evi lyAaperesi, lyAayebusi nolyAagirgashi, li ninge eliko lyoluvalo lwe.
Owa gwanitha euvaneko lyoye, oshoka ngoye omudhiginini.
9 “Owa mono, nkene ootatekulu taa hepekwa muEgipiti;
owa uvu onkugo yawo, sho taa kugile ekwatho pEfuta lyomanenge.
10 Owa longo iinyengandunge we yi longele omukwaniilwa gwaEgipiti,
nomalenga ge naantu yevi lye,
oshoka owa li wa mono, nkene ya hepeke aantu yoye.
Owa kolekitha nena esimano ndyoka u li na sigo onena.
11 Aantu yoye owe ya longele ondjila mefuta
e to ya endithile mo puukukutu.
Oomboka ye ya tidhagana, owe ya undulile muule womeya,
oya ka ningina mo ya fa omamanya mefuta lya pindjala.
12 Omutenya owe ya enditha noshikogo shomuzile,
nuusiku owa minikile ondjila yawo noshikogo shomulilo.
13 Pondundu Sinai owa kulukile pevi wa zi megulu;
owa popitha aantu yoye
e to ya pe oompango oombwanawa nomalongo gu uka.
14 Owe ya longo, ya dhiginine okuyapula Omasabati goye,
nomomumati gwoye Moses owe ya pe iipango yoye.
15 “Uuna ya sa ondjala,
owe ya pe oshikwiila sha zi megulu,
nomeya ga zi memanya, uuna ya sa enota.
Owe ya lombwele ya ka pangele evi ndyoka wa uvaneke, u li ya pe.
16 Ihe ootatekulu oya li aainenepeki naatangalali
noya tindi okuvulika kiipango yoye.
17 Oya tindi okuvulika;
oya dhimbwa ayihe we yi longo;
oya dhimbwa iinyengandunge we yi longo.
Muuntsa wawo oyi ihogololele omuwiliki,
e ya shune muupika muEgipiti.
Ihe ongoye Kalunga to dhimi po oondjo;
ongoye omunamutimahenda nomunahole, iho geye mbala.
Esilohenda lyoye enene; ino ya ekelela.
18 Oyi ihambulile oshimenka molupe lwongombe
e taa ti osho kalunga ngoka e ya tembudha muEgipiti!
Oye ku hindi unene, Omuwa!
19 Ihe ngoye ino ya thiga po mombuga,
oshoka esilohenda lyoye enene.
Ino kutha po oshikogo shomuzile noshomulilo
shoka she ya ulukile ondjila omutenya nuusiku.
20 Muuwanawa woye owe ya lombwele shoka ya li ye na okuninga;
owe ya paluthitha omanna e to ya pe omeya gokunwa.
21 Moomvula omilongo ne,
owe ya gwanithile oompumbwe dhawo adhihe mombuga;
oonguwo dhawo inadhi kulupa, noompadhi dhawo inadhi zinda.
22 “Owe ya sinditha iigwana niilongo,
omavi ngoka ge ya kunduka.
Oya sindi oshilongo Heshbon sha lelwa kuSihon,
noshilongo Baasha shomukwaniilwa Og.
23 Owe ya pe aanona ye thike poonyothi dhomewangandjo,
oya sindana e taa kala moshilongo
shoka wa uvanekele oohekulu.
24 Oya lala evi lyaKaanan;
owa sindi aantu mboka ya kala mo.
Owa pe aantu yoye oonkondo,
ya ninge aantu naakwaniilwa yaKaanan, ngaashi ya hala.
25 Aantu yoye oya kwata po iilando ya kola,
evi lyo ondoka, omagumbo guuyamba
nomithima dha pandwa momamanya, omiti dhomiolivi, omiti dhiiyimati niitsambe yomiviinu.
Oya li ashihe shoka ya hala e taa ondoka;
oya nyanyukilwa iiwanawa ayihe we yi ya pe.
26 Aantu yoye inaa vulika noya tsu ondumbo nangoye,
oya pilamene ompango yoye.
Oya dhipaga aahunganeki mboka ye ya londodha,
mboka ye ya lombwele, ya galukile kungoye.
Aantu oye ku hindi olwindji.
27 Omolwashoka we etha aatondi yawo,
ye ya sinde yo ye ya pangele.
Muudhigu wawo oye ku kugile onkugo,
ongoye nowe ya yamukula megulu.
Mesilohenda lyoye enene owe ya tumine aawiliki
mboka ye ya hupitha maatondi yawo.
28 Ombili sho ye ya, oya yono ishewe,
nowa etha ishewe aatondi yawo, ye ya sinde.
Ihe uuna yi itedhulula noye ku pula, u ya hupithe,
owe ya uvu megulu.
Ethimbo nethimbo owe ya hupitha
omolwohenda yoye onene.
29 Owe ya londodha ya vulike komalongo goye,
ihe muuntsa oye ekelehi iipango yoye,
nando okudhiginina iipango yoye okwo okukala nomwenyo.
Oya tindi okuvulika, ya tangalala noya li oontseyele.
30 Omumvo nomumvo owe ya londodha neidhidhimiko.
Owa hwameke aahunganeki yoye, ye ya uvithile,
ihe aantu yoye oya li oombolo,
onkee we ya etha, ya sindike kiigwana yilwe.
31 Molwesilohenda lyoye enene,
ino ya thiga po nenge u ya yone po.
Ongoye Kalunga omunalukeno nomunesilohenda.
32 “Kalunga, Kalunga ketu, ngoye omunene ngiini!
Omunankondo nomutilithi shili!
Uudhiginini woye otau gwanitha omauvaneko goye.
Okuza mpoka aakwaniilwa yaAssur ye tu hepeke,
sigo onena nokuli, otwa tala iihuna ngiini!
Aakwaniilwa yetu, aawiliki yetu, aayambi yetu naahunganeki yetu,
ootatekulu naantu yetu ayehe oya hepekwa.
Dhimbulukwa, nkene twa mono iihuna!
33 Owa longo nawa, sho we tu geele;
owa kala omudhiginini, nando twa yono.
34 Ootatekulu, aakwaniilwa yetu,
aawiliki yetu naayambi yetu inaa dhiginina ompango yoye.
Inaa pulakena iipango yoye nomalondodho goye.
35 Nando oya kalele meloolo
mevi ndyoka enene nolyo ondoka we li ya pe,
inaye etha iilonga yawo iiwinayi yo ye ku longele.
36 Ngashingeyi otwa ninga aapika mevi ndyoka we li tu pe,
mevi ndika lyo ondoka lyoku tu palutha.
37 Eloolo lyeteyo lyalyo otali pewa aakwaniilwa mboka we ya tula po ye tu pangele,
molwaashoka twa yono.
Otaye tu ningi ngaashi ya hala,
tse niimuna yetu, notu li momupya omunene!”
Aantu taa hangana naKalunga
38 Omolwaayihe mbyoka ya ningwa po, tse Aaisraeli otatu nyola euvaneno lyolela, naawiliki yetu, Aalevi yetu naayambi yetu otaye li shaina.
