尼希米記 9
1
這月二十四日、以色列人聚集禁食、身穿麻衣、頭蒙灰塵。

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

2
以色列人〔人原文作種類〕就與一切外邦人離絕、站著承認自己的罪惡、和列祖的罪孽。

Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.

3
那日的四分之一、站在自己的地方、念耶和華他們 神的律法書.又四分之一認罪、敬拜耶和華他們的 神。

They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.

4
耶書亞、巴尼、甲篾、示巴尼、布尼、示利比、巴尼、基拿尼、站在利未人的臺上、大聲哀求耶和華他們的 神。

Standing on the stairs were the Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani--who called with loud voices to the LORD their God.

5
利未人耶書亞、甲篾、巴尼、哈沙尼、示利比、荷第雅、示巴尼、毘他希雅說、你們要站起來稱頌耶和華你們的 神永世無盡.耶和華阿、你榮耀之名、是應當稱頌的、超乎一切稱頌和讚美。

And the Levites--Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah--said: "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting." "Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

6
你、惟獨你、是耶和華.你造了天、和天上的天、並天上的萬象、地和地上的萬物、海和海中所有的、這一切都是你所保存的.天軍也都敬拜你。

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

7
你是耶和華 神、曾揀選亞伯蘭、領他出迦勒底的吾珥、給他改名叫亞伯拉罕.

"You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.

8
你見他在你面前心裡誠實、就與他立約、應許把迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、革迦撒人之地、賜給他的後裔、且應驗了你的話.因為你是公義的。

You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.

9
你曾看見我們列祖在埃及所受的困苦、垂聽他們在紅海邊的哀求、

"You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea.

10
就施行神蹟奇事、在法老和他一切臣僕、並他國中的眾民身上.你也得了名聲、正如今日一樣.因為你知道他們向我們列祖行事狂傲。

You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day.

11
你又在我們列祖面前把海分開、使他們在海中行走乾地、將追趕他們的人拋在深海、如石頭拋在大水中。

You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.

12
並且白晝用雲柱引導他們、黑夜用火柱照亮他們當行的路。

By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

13
你也降臨在西乃山、從天上與他們說話、賜給他們正直的典章、真實的律法、美好的條例與誡命.

"You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good.

14
又使他們知道你的安息聖日、並藉你僕人摩西傳給他們誡命、條例、律法.

You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.

15
從天上賜下糧食充他們的飢、從磐石使水流出解他們的渴、又吩咐他們進去得你起誓應許賜給他們的地。

In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.

16
但我們的列祖行事狂傲、硬著頸項不聽從你的誡命、

"But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands.

17
不肯順從、也不記念你在他們中間所行的奇事、竟硬著頸項、居心背逆自立首領、要回他們為奴之地。但你是樂意饒恕人、有恩典、有憐憫、不輕易發怒、有豐盛慈愛的 神、並不丟棄他們。

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,

18
他們雖然鑄了一隻牛犢、彼此說、這是領你出埃及的神、因而大大惹動你的怒氣.

even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, 'This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,' or when they committed awful blasphemies.

19
你還是大施憐憫、在曠野不丟棄他們、白晝、雲柱不離開他們、仍引導他們行路.黑夜、火柱也不離開他們、仍照亮他們當行的路。

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

20
你也賜下你良善的靈教訓他們、未嘗不賜嗎哪使他們餬口、並賜水解他們的渴。

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
在曠野四十年、你養育他們、他們就一無所缺.衣服沒有穿破、腳也沒有腫。

For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.

22
並且你將列國之地照分賜給他們、他們就得了西宏之地、希實本王之地、和巴珊王噩之地。

"You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.

23
你也使他們的子孫多如天上的星、帶他們到你所應許他們列祖進入得為業之地。

You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess.

24
這樣、他們進去得了那地、你在他們面前制伏那地的居民、就是迦南人、將迦南人、和其君王、並那地的居民、都交在他們手裡、讓他們任意而待。

Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased.

25
他們得了堅固的城邑、肥美的地土、充滿各樣美物的房屋、鑿成的水井、葡萄園、橄欖園、並許多果木樹.他們就喫而得飽、身體肥胖、因你的大恩、心中快樂。

They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

26
然而他們不順從、竟背叛你、將你的律法、丟在背後、殺害那勸他們歸向你的眾先知、大大惹動你的怒氣。

"But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.

27
所以你將他們交在敵人的手中、磨難他們.他們遭難的時候、哀求你、你就從天上垂聽、照你的大憐憫賜給他們拯救者、救他們脫離敵人的手。

So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

28
但他們得平安之後、又在你面前行惡.所以你丟棄他們在仇敵的手中、使仇敵轄制他們。然而他們轉回、哀求你、你仍從天上垂聽、屢次照你的憐憫拯救他們、

"But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.

29
又警戒他們、要使他們歸服你的律法.他們卻行事狂傲、不聽從你的誡命、干犯你的典章(人若遵行就必因此活著)扭轉肩頭、硬著頸項、不肯聽從。

"You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.

30
但你多年寬容他們、又用你的靈藉眾先知勸戒他們、他們仍不聽從.所以你將他們交在列國之民的手中。

For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.

31
然而你大發憐憫、不全然滅絕他們、也不丟棄他們.因為你是有恩典、有憐憫的 神。

But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

32
我們的 神阿、你是至大、至能、至可畏、守約施慈愛的 神.我們的君王、首領、祭司、先知、列祖、和你的眾民、從亞述列王的時候直到今日所遭遇的苦難、現在求你不要以為小。

"Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes--the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33
在一切臨到我們的事上、你卻是公義的.因你所行的是誠實、我們所作的是邪惡。

In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.

34
我們的君王、首領、祭司、列祖都不遵守你的律法、不聽從你的誡命、和你警戒他們的話。

Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them.

35
他們在本國裡沾你大恩的時候、在你所賜給他們這廣大肥美之地上、不事奉你、也不轉離他們的惡行。

Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.

36
我們現今作了奴僕、至於你所賜給我們列祖享受其上的土產、並美物之地、看哪、我們在這地上作了奴僕。

"But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.

37
這地許多出產歸了列王、就是你因我們的罪所派轄制我們的.他們任意轄制我們的身體、和牲畜、我們遭了大難。

Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

38
因這一切的事、我們立確實的約、寫在冊上.我們的首領、利未人、和祭司、都簽了名。

"In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it."