Nehemiah 9

1 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

1 وَفِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلرَّابِعِ وَٱلْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ هَذَا ٱلشَّهْرِ ٱجْتَمَعَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ بِٱلصَّوْمِ، وَعَلَيْهِمْ مُسُوحٌ وَتُرَابٌ.

2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

2 وَٱنْفَصَلَ نَسْلُ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ بَنِي ٱلْغُرَبَاءِ، وَوَقَفُوا وَٱعْتَرَفُوا بِخَطَايَاهُمْ وَذُنُوبِ آبَائِهِمْ.

3 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.

3 وَأَقَامُوا فِي مَكَانِهِمْ وَقَرَأُوا فِي سِفْرِ شَرِيعَةِ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَهِهِمْ رُبْعَ ٱلنَّهَارِ، وَفِي ٱلرُّبْعِ ٱلْآخَرِ كَانُوا يَحْمَدُونَ وَيَسْجُدُونَ لِلرَّبِّ إِلَهِهِمْ.

4 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.

4 وَوَقَفَ عَلَى دَرَجِ ٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ: يَشُوعُ وَبَانِي وَقَدْمِيئِيلُ وَشَبَنْيَا وَبُنِّي وَشَرَبْيَا وَبَانِي وَكَنَانِي، وَصَرَخُوا بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَهِهِمْ.

5 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.

5 وَقَالَ ٱللَّاوِيُّونَ: يَشُوعُ وَقَدْمِيئِيلُ وَبَانِي وَحَشَبْنِيَا وَشَرَبْيَا وَهُودِيَّا وَشَبَنْيَا وَفَتَحْيَا: «قُومُوا بَارِكُوا ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَكُمْ مِنَ ٱلْأَزَلِ إِلَى ٱلْأَبَدِ، وَلْيَتَبَارَكِ ٱسْمُ جَلَالِكَ ٱلْمُتَعَالِي عَلَى كُلِّ بَرَكَةٍ وَتَسْبِيحٍ.

6 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.

6 أَنْتَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ وَحْدَكَ. أَنْتَ صَنَعْتَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَسَمَاءَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَكُلَّ جُنْدِهَا، وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَكُلَّ مَا عَلَيْهَا، وَٱلْبِحَارَ وَكُلَّ مَا فِيهَا، وَأَنْتَ تُحْيِيهَا كُلَّهَا. وَجُنْدُ ٱلسَّمَاءِ لَكَ يَسْجُدُ.

7 You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

7 أَنْتَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلْإِلَهُ ٱلَّذِي ٱخْتَرْتَ أَبْرَامَ وَأَخْرَجْتَهُ مِنْ أُورِ ٱلْكَلْدَانِيِّينَ وَجَعَلْتَ ٱسْمَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ.

8 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.

8 وَوَجَدْتَ قَلْبَهُ أَمِينًا أَمَامَكَ، وَقَطَعْتَ مَعَهُ ٱلْعَهْدَ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُ أَرْضَ ٱلْكَنْعَانِيِّينَ وَٱلْحِثِّيِّينَ وَٱلْأَمُورِيِّينَ وَٱلْفَرِزِّيِّينَ وَٱلْيَبُوسِيِّينَ وَٱلْجِرْجَاشِيِّينَ وَتُعْطِيَهَا لِنَسْلِهِ. وَقَدْ أَنْجَزْتَ وَعْدَكَ لِأَنَّكَ صَادِقٌ.

9 You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

9 وَرَأَيْتَ ذُلَّ آبَائِنَا فِي مِصْرَ، وَسَمِعْتَ صُرَاخَهُمْ عِنْدَ بَحْرِ سُوفٍ،

10 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.

10 وَأَظْهَرْتَ آيَاتٍ وَعَجَائِبَ عَلَى فَرْعَوْنَ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ عَبِيدِهِ وَعَلَى كُلِّ شَعْبِ أَرْضِهِ، لِأَنَّكَ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ بَغَوْا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَعَمِلْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ ٱسْمًا كَهَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ.

11 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.

11 وَفَلَقْتَ ٱلْيَمَّ أَمَامَهُمْ، وَعَبَرُوا فِي وَسَطِ ٱلْبَحْرِ عَلَى ٱلْيَابِسَةِ، وَطَرَحْتَ مُطَارِدِيهِمْ فِي ٱلْأَعْمَاقِ كَحَجَرٍ فِي مِيَاهٍ قَوِيَّةٍ.

12 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.

12 وَهَدَيْتَهُمْ بِعَمُودِ سَحَابٍ نَهَارًا، وَبِعَمُودِ نَارٍ لَيْلًا لِتَضِيءَ لَهُمْ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ ٱلَّتِي يَسِيرُونَ فِيهَا.

13 You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

13 وَنَزَلْتَ عَلَى جَبَلِ سِينَاءَ، وَكَلَّمْتَهُمْ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ، وَأَعْطَيْتَهُمْ أَحْكَامًا مُسْتَقِيمَةً وَشَرَائِعَ صَادِقَةً، فَرَائِضَ وَوَصَايَا صَالِحَةً.

14 You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

14 وَعَرَّفْتَهُمْ سَبْتَكَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَ، وَأَمَرْتَهُمْ بِوَصَايَا وَفَرَائِضَ وَشَرَائِعَ عَنْ يَدِ مُوسَى عَبْدِكَ.

15 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.

15 وَأَعْطَيْتَهُمْ خُبْزًا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ لِجُوعِهِمْ، وَأَخْرَجْتَ لَهُمْ مَاءً مِنَ ٱلصَّخْرَةِ لِعَطَشِهِمْ، وَقُلْتَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا وَيَرِثُوا ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلَّتِي رَفَعْتَ يَدَكَ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُمْ إِيَّاهَا.

16 But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

16 «وَلَكِنَّهُمْ بَغَوْا هُمْ وَآبَاؤُنَا، وَصَلَّبُوا رِقَابَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَسْمَعُوا لِوَصَايَاكَ،

17 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.

17 وَأَبَوْا ٱلِٱسْتِمَاعَ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُوا عَجَائِبَكَ ٱلَّتِي صَنَعْتَ مَعَهُمْ، وَصَلَّبُوا رِقَابَهُمْ. وَعِنْدَ تَمَرُّدِهِمْ أَقَامُوا رَئِيسًا لِيَرْجِعُوا إِلَى عُبُودِيَّتِهِمْ. وَأَنْتَ إِلَهٌ غَفُورٌ وَحَنَّانٌ وَرَحِيمٌ، طَوِيلُ ٱلرُّوحِ وَكَثِيرُ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ، فَلَمْ تَتْرُكْهُمْ.

18 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,

18 مَعَ أَنَّهُمْ عَمِلُوا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ عِجْلًا مَسْبُوكًا وَقَالُوا: هَذَا إِلَهُكَ ٱلَّذِي أَخْرَجَكَ مِنْ مِصْرَ، وَعَمِلُوا إِهَانَةً عَظِيمَةً.

19 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.

19 أَنْتَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ ٱلْكَثِيرَةِ لَمْ تَتْرُكْهُمْ فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ، وَلَمْ يَزُلْ عَنْهُمْ عَمُودُ ٱلسَّحَابِ نَهَارًا لِهِدَايَتِهِمْ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ، وَلَا عَمُودُ ٱلنَّارِ لَيْلًا لِيُضِيءَ لَهُمْ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ ٱلَّتِي يَسِيرُونَ فِيهَا.

20 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.

20 وَأَعْطَيْتَهُمْ رُوحَكَ ٱلصَّالِحَ لِتَعْلِيمِهِمْ، وَلَمْ تَمْنَعْ مَنَّكَ عَنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ، وَأَعْطَيْتَهُمْ مَاءً لِعَطَشِهِمْ.

21 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.

21 وَعُلْتَهُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ فَلَمْ يَحْتَاجُوا. لَمْ تَبْلَ ثِيَابُهُمْ، وَلَمْ تَتَوَرَّمْ أَرْجُلُهُمْ.

22 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.

22 وَأَعْطَيْتَهُمْ مَمَالِكَ وَشُعُوبًا، وَفَرَّقْتَهُمْ إِلَى جِهَاتٍ، فَٱمْتَلَكُوا أَرْضَ سِيحُونَ، وَأَرْضَ مَلِكِ حَشْبُونَ، وَأَرْضَ عُوجٍ مَلِكِ بَاشَانَ.

23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

23 وَأَكْثَرْتَ بَنِيهِمْ كَنُجُومِ ٱلسَّمَاءِ، وَأَتَيْتَ بِهِمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِي قُلْتَ لِآبَائِهِمْ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا وَيَرِثُوهَا.

24 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.

24 فَدَخَلَ ٱلْبَنُونَ وَوَرِثُوا ٱلْأَرْضَ، وَأَخْضَعْتَ لَهُمْ سُكَّانَ أَرْضِ ٱلْكَنْعَانِيِّينَ، وَدَفَعْتَهُمْ لِيَدِهِمْ مَعَ مُلُوكِهِمْ وَشُعُوبِ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَعْمَلُوا بِهِمْ حَسَبَ إِرَادَتِهِمْ.

25 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.

25 وَأَخَذُوا مُدُنًا حَصِينَةً وَأَرْضًا سَمِينَةً، وَوَرِثُوا بُيُوتًا مَلآنَةً كُلَّ خَيْرٍ، وَآبَارًا مَحْفُورَةً وَكُرُومًا وَزَيْتُونًا وَأَشْجَارًا مُثْمِرَةً بِكَثْرَةٍ، فَأَكَلُوا وَشَبِعُوا وَسَمِنُوا وَتَلَذَّذُوا بِخَيْرِكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ.

26 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.

26 وَعَصَوْا وَتَمَرَّدُوا عَلَيْكَ، وَطَرَحُوا شَرِيعَتَكَ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوا أَنْبِيَاءَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْهَدُوا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَرُدُّوهُمْ إِلَيْكَ، وَعَمِلُوا إِهَانَةً عَظِيمَةً.

27 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.

27 فَدَفَعْتَهُمْ لِيَدِ مُضَايِقِيهِمْ فَضَايَقُوهُمْ. وَفِي وَقْتِ ضِيقِهِمْ صَرَخُوا إِلَيْكَ، وَأَنْتَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ سَمِعْتَ، وَحَسَبَ مَرَاحِمِكَ ٱلْكَثِيرَةِ أَعْطَيْتَهُمْ مُخَلِّصِينَ خَلَّصُوهُمْ مِنْ يَدِ مُضَايِقِيهِمْ.

28 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.

28 وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا ٱسْتَرَاحُوا رَجَعُوا إِلَى عَمَلِ ٱلشَّرِّ قُدَّامَكَ، فَتَرَكْتَهُمْ بِيَدِ أَعْدَائِهِمْ، فَتَسَلَّطُوا عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا وَصَرَخُوا إِلَيْكَ، وَأَنْتَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ سَمِعْتَ وَأَنْقَذْتَهُمْ حَسَبَ مَرَاحِمِكَ ٱلْكَثِيرَةِ أَحْيَانًا كَثِيرَةً.

29 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.

29 وَأَشْهَدْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِتَرُدَّهُمْ إِلَى شَرِيعَتِكَ، وَأَمَّا هُمْ فَبَغَوْا وَلَمْ يَسْمَعُوا لِوَصَايَاكَ وَأَخْطَأُوا ضِدَّ أَحْكَامِكَ، ٱلَّتِي إِذَا عَمِلَهَا إِنْسَانٌ يَحْيَا بِهَا. وَأَعْطَوْا كَتِفًا مُعَانِدَةً، وَصَلَّبُوا رِقَابَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَسْمَعُوا.

30 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.

30 فَٱحْتَمَلْتَهُمْ سِنِينَ كَثِيرَةً، وَأَشْهَدْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِرُوحِكَ عَنْ يَدِ أَنْبِيَائِكَ فَلَمْ يُصْغُوا، فَدَفَعْتَهُمْ لِيَدِ شُعُوبِ ٱلْأَرَاضِي.

31 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.

31 وَلَكِنْ لِأَجْلِ مَرَاحِمِكَ ٱلْكَثِيرَةِ لَمْ تُفْنِهِمْ وَلَمْ تَتْرُكْهُمْ، لِأَنَّكَ إِلَهٌ حَنَّانٌ وَرَحِيمٌ.

32 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.

32 «وَٱلْآنَ يَا إِلَهَنَا، ٱلْإِلَهَ ٱلْعَظِيمَ ٱلْجَبَّارَ ٱلْمَخُوفَ، حَافِظَ ٱلْعَهْدِ وَٱلرَّحْمَةِ، لَا تَصْغُرْ لَدَيْكَ كُلُّ ٱلْمَشَقَّاتِ ٱلَّتِي أَصَابَتْنَا نَحْنُ وَمُلُوكَنَا وَرُؤَسَاءَنَا وَكَهَنَتَنَا وَأَنْبِيَاءَنَا وَآبَاءَنَا وَكُلَّ شَعْبِكَ، مِنْ أَيَّامِ مُلُوكِ أَشُّورَ إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ.

33 You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

33 وَأَنْتَ بَارٌّ فِي كُلِّ مَا أَتَى عَلَيْنَا لِأَنَّكَ عَمِلْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ، وَنَحْنُ أَذْنَبْنَا.

34 Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

34 وَمُلُوكُنَا وَرُؤَسَاؤُنَا وَكَهَنَتُنَا وَآبَاؤُنَا لَمْ يَعْمَلُوا شَرِيعَتَكَ، وَلَا أَصْغَوْا إِلَى وَصَايَاكَ وَشَهَادَاتِكَ ٱلَّتِي أَشْهَدْتَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ.

35 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.

35 وَهُمْ لَمْ يَعْبُدُوكَ فِي مَمْلَكَتِهِمْ وَفِي خَيْرِكَ ٱلْكَثِيرِ ٱلَّذِي أَعْطَيْتَهُمْ، وَفِي ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْوَاسِعَةِ ٱلسَّمِينَةِ ٱلَّتِي جَعَلْتَهَا أَمَامَهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَرْجِعُوا عَنْ أَعْمَالِهِمِ ٱلرَّدِيَّةِ.

36 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!

36 هَا نَحْنُ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَبِيدٌ، وَٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلَّتِي أَعْطَيْتَ لِآبَائِنَا لِيَأْكُلُوا أَثْمَارَهَا وَخَيْرَهَا، هَا نَحْنُ عَبِيدٌ فِيهَا.

37 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.

37 وَغَلَّاتُهَا كَثِيرَةٌ لِلْمُلُوكِ ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلْتَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا لِأَجْلِ خَطَايَانَا، وَهُمْ يَتَسَلَّطُونَ عَلَى أَجْسَادِنَا وَعَلَى بَهَائِمِنَا حَسَبَ إِرَادَتِهِمْ، وَنَحْنُ فِي كَرْبٍ عَظِيمٍ.

38 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.”

38 «وَمِنْ أَجْلِ كُلِّ ذَلِكَ نَحْنُ نَقْطَعُ مِيثَاقًا وَنَكْتُبُهُ. وَرُؤَسَاؤُنَا وَلَاوِيُّونَا وَكَهَنَتُنَا يَخْتِمُونَ».