The People Confess Their Sins
1-2 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel gathered to fast in order to show sorrow for their sins. They had already separated themselves from all foreigners. They wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads as signs of grief. Then they stood and began to confess the sins that they and their ancestors had committed. 3 For about three hours the Law of the Lord their God was read to them, and for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.
4 There was a platform for the Levites, and on it stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They prayed aloud to the Lord their God.
5 The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said:
“Stand up and praise the Lord your God;
praise him forever and ever!
Let everyone praise his glorious name,
although no human praise is great enough.”
The Prayer of Confession
6 And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer:
“You, Lord, you alone are Lord;
you made the heavens and the stars of the sky.
You made land and sea and everything in them;
you gave life to all.
The heavenly powers bow down and worship you.
7 You, Lord God, chose Abram
and led him out of Ur in Babylonia;
you changed his name to Abraham.
8 You found that he was faithful to you,
and you made a covenant with him.
You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites,
the land of the Hittites and the Amorites,
the land of the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites,
to be a land where his descendants would live.
You kept your promise, because you are faithful.
9 “You saw how our ancestors suffered in Egypt;
you heard their call for help at the Red Sea.
10 You worked amazing miracles against the king,
against his officials and the people of his land,
because you knew how they oppressed your people.
You won then the fame you still have today.
11 Through the sea you made a path for your people
and led them through on dry ground.
Those who pursued them drowned in deep water,
as a stone sinks in the raging sea.
12 With a cloud you led them in daytime,
and at night you lighted their way with fire.
13 At Mount Sinai you came down from heaven;
you spoke to your people
and gave them good laws and sound teachings.
14 You taught them to keep your Sabbaths holy,
and through your servant Moses you gave them your laws.
15 “When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven,
and water from a rock when they were thirsty.
You told them to take control of the land
which you had promised to give them.
16 But our ancestors grew proud and stubborn
and refused to obey your commands.
17 They refused to obey; they forgot all you did;
they forgot the miracles you had performed.
In their pride they chose a leader
to take them back to slavery in Egypt.
But you are a God who forgives;
you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry.
Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them.
18 They made an idol in the shape of a bull-calf
and said it was the god who led them from Egypt!
How much they insulted you, Lord!
19 But you did not abandon them there in the desert,
for your mercy is great.
You did not take away the cloud or the fire
that showed them the path by day and night.
20 In your goodness you told them what they should do;
you fed them manna and gave them water to drink.
21 Through forty years in the desert
you provided all that they needed;
their clothing never wore out,
and their feet were not swollen with pain.
22 “You let them conquer nations and kingdoms,
lands that bordered their own.
They conquered the land of Heshbon, where Sihon ruled,
and the land of Bashan, where Og was king.
23 You gave them as many children as there are stars in the sky,
and let them conquer and live in the land
that you had promised their ancestors to give them.
24 They conquered the land of Canaan;
you overcame the people living there.
You gave your people the power to do as they pleased
with the people and kings of Canaan.
25 Your people captured fortified cities,
fertile land, houses full of wealth,
cisterns already dug,
olive trees, fruit trees, and vineyards.
They ate all they wanted and grew fat;
they enjoyed all the good things you gave them.
26 “But your people rebelled and disobeyed you;
they turned their backs on your Law.
They killed the prophets who warned them,
who told them to turn back to you.
They insulted you time after time,
27 so you let their enemies conquer and rule them.
In their trouble they called to you for help,
and you answered them from heaven.
In your great mercy you sent them leaders
who rescued them from their foes.
28 When peace returned, they sinned again,
and again you let their enemies conquer them.
Yet when they repented and asked you to save them,
in heaven you heard, and time after time
you rescued them in your great mercy.
29 You warned them to obey your teachings,
but in pride they rejected your laws,
although keeping your Law is the way to life.
Hard-headed and stubborn, they refused to obey.
30 Year after year you patiently warned them.
You inspired your prophets to speak,
but your people were deaf,
so you let them be conquered by other nations.
31 And yet, because your mercy is great,
you did not forsake or destroy them.
You are a gracious and merciful God!
32 “O God, our God, how great you are!
How terrifying, how powerful!
You faithfully keep your covenant promises.
From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us,
even till now, how much we have suffered!
Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets,
our ancestors, and all our people have suffered.
Remember how much we have suffered!
33 You have done right to punish us;
you have been faithful, even though we have sinned.
34 Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests
have not kept your Law.
They did not listen to your commands and warnings.
35 With your blessing, kings ruled your people
when they lived in the broad, fertile land you gave them;
but they failed to turn from sin and serve you.
36 And now we are slaves in the land that you gave us,
this fertile land which gives us food.
37 What the land produces goes to the kings
that you put over us because we sinned.
They do as they please with us and our livestock,
and we are in deep distress!”
The People Sign an Agreement
38 Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.
Otjiwaṋa matji rihepura omauvi watjo
1 Meyuva oritjamirongo vivari na yane komueze tjingewo, Ovaisrael va wongara kutja ve ritjaere kovikurya, tjandje va zara omakutu nu veri yumbu ehi moviuru okuraisa oruhoze. 2 Owo va haṋikire rukuru novandu wozonganda; nu va sekama ave utu okurihepura omauvi wawo ngu va tjita, na inga wooihe mukururume. 3 Oure wozoiri mangara ndatu owo va reserwa Embo rOmatwako wa Muhona Ndjambi wawo, noure wozoiri ozongwao ndatu owo ve rihepura omauvi wawo, nave rikotamene ku Muhona Ndjambi wawo.
4 Pa ri otjikurameno tjOvalevi, nu kombanda yatjo kwa kuramene Jesua na Bani na Kadmiel na Sebanja na Buni na Serebja na Bani na Kenani. Owo aave kumbu ku Muhona, Ndjambi wawo neraka enene.
5 Ovalevi, mba isana ovandu komerikotameneno, owo mba: OoJesua na Kadmiel na Bani na Hasabneja na Serebja na Hodija na Sebanja na Petakja. Owo va tja nai:
“Sekameye mu tange Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu;
Mu tangeye aruhe nga aruhe!
Auhe nga tange ena re enandjozikiro,
nandarire kutja ondangero yomundu kai yenene.”
Ongumbiro yOmerihepuriro
6 Tjazumba Ovaisrael otji va kumba ongumbiro ndji:
“Ove, Muhona, oove erike
ngu uri Muhona;
Ove wa ungura omayuru
nozonyose mevaverwa.
Ove wa ungura ehi nokuvare
na avihe mbi ri mu vyo,
ove wa yandja omuinyo ku avihe.
Ovimbumba vyomayuru vi ripeta
navi rikotamene kove.
7 Ove, Muhona, Ndjambi,
wa toorora Abram nomu pitisa mOur,
mehi ra Babilon;
Ove wa rundurura ena re ri rire Abraham.
8 Ove wa muna kutja eye wa ṱakama move,
nu wa tjita omerikutiropamwe na ye.
Ove we mu kwizikira kutja
mo mu pe ehi rOvakanaan,
nehi rOvaperesi norOvajebusi norOvagirgasi,
ye rire omahi mu mamu tura ozondekurona ze.
Ove wa yenenisa omakwizikiro woye,
tjinga au ri omuṱakame.
9 “Ove wa muna ombamisiro
yootate mukururume mOengipte
no zuu ondjuriro yawo pOmuronga wOtuu.
10 Ove wa tjita oviraisiro novihimise
ku Farao na kovahongore ve
na kovandu ve avehe vehi re;
orondu ove oo tjiwa kutja owo
ve ṋiṋikiza otjiwaṋa tjoye.
Notji wa muna ondangu ndji una yo
nga ku ndinondi.
11 Ove wa tjitira otjiwaṋa tjoye
ondjira momuronga notji kondisa
mehi nda kaha.
Imba mbaa ve tji tezere,
we ve ṱomwinisa momeva tjimuna ewe
ndi mari ṱomwine mozongazona zomuronga.
12 Ove we tji hongorera notjikamba mutenya,
notjikamba tjomuriro okuyerisa
ondjira yatjo ouṱuku.
13 Ove wa rauka kondundu Sinai okuza keyuru,
wa hungira kootate mukururume
nove pe omatwako omawa
nomaraerero omasemba.
14 Ove we ve honga kutja
ve yapure esabata roye,
nu arire tji we ve pe omatwako
nomazikamisiro woye
notjinyo tjomukarere woye Moses.
15 “Tji va ri nondjara,
ove we ve parura nomboroto
ndja zire keyuru,
nomeva okuza moruuwa,
tji va ri nonyota,
ove we ve raera kutja ve kambure ehi,
ndi we ve kwizikira kutja mo ve pe.
16 Nungwari ootate mukururume
ve ritongamisa nave rire ovirangaranga,
nu va panḓa okuṱakamisa omarakiza woye.
17 Owo va panḓa okukara nonḓuviro,
nu va zemba ovihimise avihe
mbi wa tjitire ku wo.
Mokuritongamisa kwawo ve ritoororera omunane
ngu meve yarura kouhuura kOengipte.
Nungwari oove Ndjambi ngu isira;
Ove u notjari norusuvero nomuretima,
nouwa woye owo ounene.
Ove ko ve nakaurire ko.
18 Owo va ungura otjiserekarera
tjombunikiro yondana ondume
nave tja oyo ondji ri Ndjambi
ngwe ve pitisa mOengipte.
Owo, tjiri, ve ku yamburura, Muhona!
19 Nungwari ove ko ve esire mokuti onguza,
otjari tjoye tjinga atji ri otjinene tjinene.
Ove ko isire ko otjikamba nomuriro,
mbye ve raisira ondjira mutenya nouṱuku.
20 Mouwa woye ove we ve raera
imbi mbi va sere okutjita;
Ove we ve parura notjimana,
no ve pe omeva okunwa.
21 Moure wozombura omirongo vine
mokuti onguza
ove we ve pa avihe mbi va hepere;
ozombanda zawo kaze na pu za kurupire,
nozombaze zawo kaze
surisirwe i omihihamo.
22 “Ove we ve toṋisa oviwaṋa nomauhona,
inga omahi, nga ri meṋe yomiruko vyawo.
Owo va toṋene otjiwaṋa tjehi ra Hesbon
muyamu honapara ombara Sihon,
na indi ra Basan muyamu honapara ombara Og.
23 Ove we ve pa ovanatje ovengi tjinene
tjimuna ozonyose mevaverwa,
no tjiti kutja ve huure ehi okutura mu ro
ndi wa kwizikira ooihe mukururume
kutja mo ve pe.
24 Owo va huura ehi ra Kanaan;
Ove wa havera oviwaṋa mbya turire mu ro;
no yandja omasa ku wo,
ve tjite pu mave vanga koviwaṋa
na kozombara za Kanaan.
25 Otjiwaṋa tjoye tja kambura
ovihuro mbya zeuparisiwa,
nomahi omahapise,
nozondjuwo nḓe ura noutumbe,
nozondjombo nḓa hupurirwe rukuru,
nomiti vyomiṋinga novyovihape,
novikunino vyomivite.
Owo va rya avihe mbyaa ve vanga ave ṋunu;
va vyarisirwe i oviṋa oviwa ovingi
ove mbi we ve pere.
26 “Nungwari otjiwaṋa tjoye tje ku pirukira,
natji kara nokuhinonḓuviro kove;
novandu vatjo va yandja omatambo
wawo kOmatwako woye.
Owo va zepa ovaprofete mbaa ve ve rongo,
nokuveraera kutja ve kotoke kove.
Owo ve ku yamburura potuingi.
27 Ove otji wa yandjera ovanavita na wo
kutja ve ve havere nu ve ve honaparere.
Mouzeu wawo owo va kwa ombatero kove,
nove meyuru arire tji we ve zuvire.
Motjari tjoye otjinene ove we ve
hindira ovanane mbe ve yama
kouvara wovanavita na wo.
28 Tji pa kara ohange otji va tura ondjo rukwao,
nove we ve yandja rukwao
momake wovanavita na wo.
Nungwari tji ve ritanaura
nave ku ombatero kove,
ove meyuru we ve zuvira,
no ve yama potuingi
motjari tjoye otjinene.
29 Ove we ve ronga kutja ve kare
nonḓuviro komatwako woye rukwao,
nungwari momeritongamisiro wawo
owo va nakaura omazikamisiro woye,
nangarire kutja okuṱakamisa
Omatwako woye okukuri ondjira yomuinyo.
Nozongukutusengo nourangaranga wawo
owo va panḓa okukara nonḓuviro.
30 Ozombura ozengi ove wa kara
nomuretima na wo,
nu wa pendura ovaprofete
voye kutja ve ve ronge,
nungwari owo vari ozomboro,
notji we ve yandja mouvara
woviwaṋa vyarwe.
31 Nu vari ouwa womutima woye
tjinga au ri ounene,
ove otjinga au he ve
nakaurire nokuveyandeka.
Ove oove Ndjambi omunatjari
nomunaunyaṋutima.
32 “Ndjambi, Ndjambi wetu, tjiri,
oove omunene nomutirise nomunamasa!
Ove u yenenisa omakwizikiro
womerikutiropamwe nouṱakame.
Okuza koruveze ndwi ozombara
za Asirie ndu ze tu ṋiṋikiza
nga ku ndinondi, eṱe, tjiri,
twa muna ouzeu!
Ozombara zetu, novanane novapristeri
novaprofete vetu,
nootate mukururume
notjiwaṋa tjetu atjihe va muna ouzeu.
Zemburuka ouzeu mbu twa zara!
33 Ove wa tjita osemba, tji we tu vera;
Ove wa kara nouṱakame,
nangarire kutja eṱe twa tjita ouvi.
34 Ootate mukururume,
nozombara zetu novanane
novapristeri vetu
kave ṱakamisire Omatwako woye,
nu kave puratenene komazikamisiro
na komaronga woye.
35 Ozombara za honaparera otjiwaṋa
tjoye aze nondaya yoye,
indu tji za turire mehi eparanga nehapise,
ndi we ze pere,
nungwari kaze isire ouvi wazo,
kaze na pu ze ku karera.
36 Nambano oweṱe ovakarere mehi,
ndi wa yandja kootate mukururume,
ehi ndi ehapise ndi tu pa ovikurya.
37 Imbi ehi mbi ri hapisa vi yenda kozombara
nḓu wa twapo kutja ve tu honaparere,
motjimbe tjouvi wetu.
Owo ve tjita otja pu mave vanga
kweṱe na kovinamuinyo.
Neṱe tu ri mombamisiro onene!”
Ovandu mave twa omunwe kembo
38 Mena raimbi avihe mbya tjitwa, eṱe Ovaisrael twa tjita omazuvasaneno omazikame momatjangwa; nu ovanane nOvalevi novapristeri vetu va twako otjihako tjawo ku wo.
