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.
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.
