1
Hata siku ya ishirini na nne ya mwezi huo wana wa Israeli wakawa wamekusanyika, wakifunga, wenye kuvaa magunia, na kujitia udongo vichwani.
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.
2
Waliokuwa wa wazao wa Israeli wakajitenga na wageni wote, wakasimama, wakaziungama dhambi zao, na maovu ya baba zao.
Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
3
Basi wakasimama mahali pao, wakasoma katika kitabu cha torati ya Bwana, Mungu wao, muda wa robo ya siku; na robo nyingine wakaungama, wakamwabudu Bwana, Mungu wao.
While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.
4
Ndipo wakasimama madarajani pa Walawi, Yeshua, na Bani, na Kadmieli, na Shebania, na Buni, na Sherebia, na Bani, na Kenani, wakamlilia Bwana, Mungu wao, kwa sauti kuu.
And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.
5
Ndipo Walawi, Yeshua na Kadmieli, na Bani, na Hashabneya, na Sherebia, na Hodia, na Shebania, na Pethahia, wakasema, Simameni, mkamhimidi Bwana, Mungu wenu, tangu milele na hata milele. Na lihimidiwe jina lako tukufu, lililotukuka kuliko baraka zote na sifa zote.
Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
6
Ezra akasema, Wewe ndiwe Bwana, wewe peke yako; wewe ulifanya mbingu, mbingu za mbingu, pamoja na jeshi lake lote, dunia na vyote vilivyomo, bahari na vitu vyote vilivyomo, nawe unavihifadhi vitu hivi vyote; na jeshi la mbinguni lakusujudu wewe.
You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
7
Wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu, uliyemchagua Abramu, na kumtoa katika Uri wa Wakaldayo, na kumpa jina la Ibrahimu;
You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
8
nawe ukauona moyo wake kuwa mwaminifu mbele zako, ukafanya agano naye, kumpa nchi ya Mkanaani, na Mhiti, na Mwamori, na Mperizi, na Myebusi, na Mgirgashi, naam, kuwapa wazao wake; nawe umeyafikiliza maneno yako, kwa kuwa ndiwe mwenye haki.
You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.
9
Tena uliyaona mateso ya baba zetu katika Misri, ukakisikia kilio chao, huko kando ya bahari ya Shamu;
You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.
10
nawe ukaonyesha ishara nyingi na mambo ya ajabu juu ya Farao, na juu ya watumishi wake wote, na juu ya watu wote wa nchi yake; kwa maana ulijua ya kuwa waliwatenda kwa kutakabari; ukajipatia jina kama vile ilivyo leo.
You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.
11
Nawe uliipasua bahari mbele yao, hata wakapita katikati ya bahari katika nchi kavu; na wale waliokuwa wakiwafuatia ukawatupa vilindini, mfano wa jiwe katika maji makuu.
You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.
12
Zaidi ya hayo ukawaongoza kwa nguzo ya wingu mchana; na kwa nguzo ya moto usiku; ili kuwapa mwanga katika njia iliyowapasa kuiendea.
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.
13
Tena ulishuka juu ya mlima Sinai, ukasema nao toka mbinguni, ukawapa hukumu za haki, na sheria za kweli, na amri nzuri na maagizo;
You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.
14
ukawajulisha sabato yako takatifu, na kuwaagiza maagizo, na amri, na sheria, kwa mkono wa mtumishi wako, Musa.
You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.
15
Ukawapa chakula toka mbinguni, kwa ajili ya njaa yao, na kwa ajili yao ukaleta maji kutoka mwambani, kwa sababu ya kiu yao, ukawaamuru kwamba waingie katika nchi na kuimiliki, ambayo umeinua mkono wako kuwapa.
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land that You had sworn to give them.
16
Lakini wao na baba zetu wakatakabari, wakafanya shingo zao kuwa ngumu, wala hawakuzisikiliza amri zako,
But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.
17
ila wakakataa kutii, wala hawakuyakumbuka maajabu yako, uliyoyafanya kati yao; lakini wakafanya shingo zao kuwa ngumu, na katika kuasi kwao wakaweka jemadari, ili wairudie hali ya utumwa; lakini wewe u Mungu, uliye tayari kusamehe, mwenye neema, mwenye huruma nyingi, si mwepesi wa hasira, u mwingi wa rehema, basi hukuwaacha.
They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.
18
Naam, hata walipojifanyia ndama ya kusubu, na kusema, Huyu ndiye Mungu wako aliyekupandisha kutoka Misri, tena walipokuwa wamefanya machukizo makuu;
Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,
19
hata hivyo wewe kwa wingi wa rehema zako hukuwaacha jangwani; nguzo ya wingu haikuwaondokea wakati wa mchana, ili kuwaongoza njiani; wala nguzo ya moto haikuondoka wakati wa usiku, ili kuwapa mwanga na kuwaonyesha njia watakayoiendea.
You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.
20
Ukawapa na roho yako mwema ili kuwaelimisha, wala hukuwanyima mana vinywani mwao, tena ukawapa maji kwa ajili ya kiu yao.
You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.
21
Naam, muda wa miaka arobaini uliwaruzuku jangwani, wasihitaji kitu; nguo zao hazikuchakaa, wala miguu yao haikuvimba.
For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
22
Pamoja na hayo ukawapa falme na taifa za watu, ulizowagawia sawasawa na mafungu yao; hivyo wakaimiliki nchi ya Sihoni, naam, nchi yake mfalme wa Heshboni, na nchi ya Ogu, mfalme wa Bashani.
You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.
23
Watoto wao nao uliwaongeza kama nyota za mbinguni, ukawaingiza katika nchi ile, uliyowaambia baba zao kuwa wataingia kuimiliki.
You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.
24
Basi wale watoto wakaingia wakaimiliki nchi, nawe ukawatiisha wenyeji wa nchi mbele yao, ndio Wakanaani, ukawatia mikononi mwao, pamoja na wafalme wao, na watu wa nchi, wawatende kama wapendavyo.
So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.
25
Wakaitwaa miji yenye boma, na nchi yenye neema, wakazitamalaki nyumba zilizojaa vitu vyema, birika zilizochimbwa, mizabibu, na mizeituni, na miti mingi yenye matunda; hivyo wakala, wakashiba, wakanenepa, wakajifurahisha katika wema wako mwingi.
They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
26
Walakini hawakukutii, wakakuasi, wakaitupa sheria yako nyuma yao, wakawaua manabii wako walioshuhudu juu yao wapate kuwarejeza kwako; wakatenda machukizo makuu.
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
27
Kwa sababu hiyo ukawatia katika mikono ya adui zao, waliowasumbua; na wakati wa shida yao, walipokulilia, uliwasikia kutoka mbinguni; na kwa wingi wa rehema zako ukawapa waokozi waliowaokoa katika mikono ya adui zao.
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
28
Lakini walipokuwa wamekwisha kustarehe, walitenda mabaya tena mbele zako; kwa hiyo ukawaacha katika mikono ya adui zao, nao wakawatawala; hata hivyo waliporejea na kukulilia, uliwasikia toka mbinguni; ukawaokoa mara nyingi kwa rehema zako;
But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.
29
ukawashuhudia ili uwarudishe tena katika sheria yako; lakini walitakabari, wasizisikilize amri zako, bali wakazihalifu hukumu zako, (ambazo mtu akizitenda ataishi katika hizo), nao wakayaondoa mabega yao, wakafanya shingo zao kuwa ngumu, wasitake kusikiliza.
You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.
30
Lakini miaka mingi ukachukuliana nao, nawe ukawashuhudia kwa roho yako kwa vinywa vya manabii wako; wao wasitake kusikiliza; kwa hiyo ukawatia katika mikono ya watu wa nchi.
You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.
31
Ila kwa rehema zako nyingi hukuwakomesha kabisa, wala kuwaacha; kwa maana wewe u Mungu mwenye neema, mwenye rehema.
But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
32
Basi sasa, Ee Mungu, mkuu, mwenye uweza, Mungu wa kuogofya, mwenye kushika maagano na rehema, mashaka yote yaliyotupata sisi, wafalme wetu, na wakuu wetu, na makuhani wetu, na manabii wetu, na baba zetu, na watu wako wote, tangu zamani za wafalme wa Ashuru hata leo, na yasihesabiwe kuwa ni madogo.
So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.
33
Lakini wewe u mwenye haki, katika hayo yote yaliyotupata; maana wewe umetenda yaliyo kweli, lakini sisi tumetenda yaliyo mabaya;
You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.
34
na wafalme wetu, na wakuu wetu, na makuhani wetu, na baba zetu, hawakuishika sheria yako, wala hawakuzisikiliza amri zako na shuhuda zako, ulizowashuhudia.
Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.
35
Kwa kuwa hawakukutumikia wewe katika ufalme wao, na katika wema wako mkuu uliowapa, na katika nchi ile kubwa yenye neema uliyowapa mbele yao, wala hawakughairi na kuyaacha mabaya yao.
For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.
36
Tazama, sisi hapa tu watumwa leo, na katika habari ya nchi hii uliyowapa baba zetu, wapate kula matunda yake na mema yake, tazama, sisi hapa tu watumwa ndani yake.
So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness—here we are as slaves!
37
Nayo yawapatia faida nyingi wafalme uliowaweka juu yetu kwa sababu ya dhambi zetu; tena wana mamlaka juu ya miili yetu, na juu ya wanyama wetu, kadiri wapendavyo, nasi tu katika dhiki kuu.
Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
38
Na kwa sababu ya hayo yote sisi twafanya agano la hakika, na kuliandika; na wakuu wetu, na Walawi wetu, na makuhani wetu, wanalitilia muhuri.
In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”