Eningililomo lyoohepele
1 Konima yaambika aantu oyendji, aalumentu naakiintu, oya tameke okungungutulila Aajuda ooyakwawo. 2 Yamwe oya ti: “Otu na aanona oyendji, otatu pumbwa iilya, tu paluthe omagumbo getu.”
3 Yamwe oya ti: “Otwa gandja omapya, iitsambe yomiviinu nomagumbo getu ombambyona, opo tu mone iilya twaa se ondjala.”
4 Yamwe ishewe oya ti: “Otwa hehela iimaliwa, opo tu fute oompale dhuuwa molwomapya niitsambe yetu yomiviinu. 5 Tse atuhe aantu yoludhi lumwe nAajuda ooyakwetu. Kape na eyooloko pokati kaana yetu noyawo. Ihe tse otu na okugandja po aana yetu, ya ninge aapika. Yamwe yomaana yetu aakadhona oya landithwa po nokuli ya ningi aapika. Ihe tse itatu vulu sha, oshoka omapya niitsambe yetu yomiviinu otwe yi yugwa.”
6 Ngame sho ndu uvu omayemato gawo, onda geye 7 e tandi tokola okuninga po sha. Onda nyenyetele aawiliki nomalenga goshigwana e tandi ya lombwele te ti: “Otamu hepeke unene aamwanyoko!”
Onda hiya oshigongi shaayehe, ya gongalele omukundu nguka 8 e te ti: “Sho twa kaleni sigo oompaka, otwa kulile Aajuda ooyakwetu mboka ya li ya landwa po kaapagani. Ndele nena ne otamu thiminike aamwanyoko, yi ilandithe po kune, kAajuda ooyakwawo!” Aawiliki oya mwena yo inaa tya we sha.
9 Onda ti: “Otamu ningi nayi! Omu na okutila Kalunga, ne mu longe shoka shu uka. Nena aatondi yetu aapagani itaa vulu oku tu sheka. 10 Ngame nooyakwetu naakalele yandje otwa gandja wo iimaliwa niilya kaantu. 11 Etheni oongunga adhihe ye dhi mu lile — iimaliwa nenge iilya nenge omaviinu nenge omagadhi gooholivi. Ya shunithileni wo mbala omapya, iitsambe yomiviinu, omiti dhomiolivi nomagumbo gawo!”
12 Aawiliki oya yamukula ya ti: “Tse atuhe otatu ningi shoka to ti. Tse otatu shunitha omaliko gawo, tse itatu ya pula we oongunga.”
Ondi ithana aayambi e tandi ganitha aawiliki montaneho yawo, ya dhiginine euvaneko ye li uvaneke. 13 Nena ondi ihula ongama yi na ondjato, nde yi shikumuna e te ti: “Kalunga osho ne mu shikumune ngeyi, ngele itamu gwanitha euvaneko lyeni. Ne mu kuthe omagumbo geni noshaa shoka mu shi na e te mu thigi pontundulu.”
Nena oshigongi ashihe osha ti: “Amen,” noya hambelele Omuwa. Aawiliki noya dhiginine euvaneko lyawo.
Okwaaihola kwaNehemia
14 Momimvo omulongo nambali ndhoka nda li omunashikandjo mevi lyaJuda, okuza komumvo omutimilongombali gwelelo lyomupangeli Artakserkses sigo okomumvo omutimilongondatu nambali gwelelo lye, tse nooyakwetu inatu lya iikulya yuunenentu. 15 Aanashikandjo ayehe mboka ya tetekela ndje, oya kala omutenge koshigwana. Oya li taa pula iimaliwa iisiliveli omilongo ne mesiku, ya lande iikulya nomaviinu. Aapiya yawo oya hepeke wo aathigona. Ihe ngame onda longo shi ililela, oshoka onda tila Kalunga. 16 Ondi itula wo metungululo lyekuma pamwe naakalele yandje ayehe. Inandi ikongela nande epya. 17 Poshililo shandje onda palutha Aajuda ethele nomilongo ntano naawiliki yawo, kakele kaantu ayehe mboka ye ya kungame taa zi miigwana yopuushiinda. 18 Esiku kehe onda gandja ondumetana yimwe, oonzi oohogololwa hamano noondhila odhindji. Lumwe momasiku omulongo otwi imonene omaludhi gi ili nogi ili gomaviinu omape. Ihe onda tseya omitenge ndhoka omidhigu tadhi humbatwa koshigwana, onkee inandi pula oshipewa shoka omunashikandjo e na uuthemba washo.
19 Otandi ku galikana Kalunga, dhimbulukwa ndje, naayihe mbyoka nda ningile oshigwana shika.
Nehemiah's Concern for the Poor
1 Some of the men and their wives complained about the Jews in power 2 and said, “We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep us alive.”
3 Others said, “During the famine we even had to mortgage our fields, vineyards, and homes to them in order to buy grain.”
4 Then others said, “We had to borrow money from those in power to pay the government tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We are Jews just as they are, and our children are as good as theirs. But we still have to sell our children as slaves, and some of our daughters have already been raped. We are completely helpless; our fields and vineyards have even been taken from us.”
6 When I heard their complaints and their charges, I became very angry. 7 So I thought it over and said to the leaders and officials, “How can you charge your own people interest?”
Then I called a public meeting and accused the leaders 8 by saying, “We have tried to buy back all of our people who were sold into exile. But here you are, selling more of them for us to buy back!” The officials and leaders did not say a word, because they knew this was true.
9 I continued, “What you have done is wrong! We must honor our God by the way we live, so the Gentiles can't find fault with us. 10 My relatives, my friends, and I are also lending money and grain, but we must no longer demand payment in return. 11 Now give back the fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses you have taken and also the interest you have been paid.”
12 The leaders answered, “We will do whatever you say and return their property, without asking to be repaid.”
So I made the leaders promise in front of the priests to give back the property. 13 Then I emptied my pockets and said, “If you don't keep your promise, that's what God will do to you. He will empty out everything you own, even taking away your houses.”
The people answered, “We will keep our promise.” Then they praised the Lord and did as they had promised.
Nehemiah Is Generous
14 I was governor of Judah from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king until the thirty-second year. And during these entire twelve years, my relatives and I refused to accept the food that I was allowed. 15 Each governor before me had been a burden to the people by making them pay for his food and wine and by demanding forty silver coins a day. Even their officials had been a burden to the people. But I respected God, and I didn't think it was right to be so hard on them. 16 I spent all my time getting the wall rebuilt and did not buy any property. Everyone working for me did the same thing. 17 I usually fed 150 of our own Jewish people and their leaders, as well as foreign visitors from surrounding lands. 18 Each day one ox, six of the best sheep, and lots of chickens were prepared. Then every ten days, a large supply of wine was brought in. I knew what a heavy burden this would have been for the people, and so I did not ask for my food allowance as governor.
19 I pray that God will bless me for everything I have done for my people.
