1Awa ndi mawu a Nehemiya mwana wa Hakaliya: Pa mwezi wa Kisilevi, chaka cha makumi awiri, pamene ndinali mu mzinda wa Susa,
2Hanani mmodzi mwa abale anga, anabwera ndi anthu ena kuchokera ku Yuda, ndipo ine ndinawafunsa za Ayuda otsala amene sanatengedwe ukapolo, ndiponso za mzinda wa Yerusalemu.
3Anandiyankha kuti, “Amene sanatengedwe ukapolo aja ali pa mavuto aakulu ndipo ali ndi manyazi. Khoma la Yerusalemu ndilogamukagamuka ndipo zipata zake zinatenthedwa ndi moto.”
4Nditamva zimenezi, ndinakhala pansi ndi kuyamba kulira. Ndinalira kwa masiku angapo. Ndinkasala zakudya ndi kumapemphera pamaso pa Mulungu Wakumwamba.
5Ndinkati: “Inu Yehova, Mulungu wakumwamba, Mulungu wamkulu ndi woopsa. Mumasunga pangano ndi kuonetsa chikondi chosasinthika kwa onse amene amakukondani ndi kumvera malamulo anu.
6Tcherani khutu lanu ndi kutsekula maso anu kuti mumve pemphero la mtumiki wanune limene ndikupemphera usana ndi usiku pamaso panu kupempherera Aisraeli, atumiki anu. Ndikuvomereza machimo a Aisraeli amene tinakuchimwirani. Ndithu, ine ndi banja la makolo anga tinakuchimwirani.
7Ife tinakuchitirani zoyipa zambiri. Sitinamvere mawu anu, malamulo ndi malangizo anu amene munapereka kwa mtumiki wanu Mose.
8“Kumbukirani mawu amene munawuza mtumiki wanu Mose akuti, ‘Ngati mukhala osakhulupirika, ndidzakubalalitsani pakati pa mitundu ina.
9Koma mukabwerera kwa Ine, mukamvera malamulo anga ndi kuwatsatadi, ndiye kuti ngakhale anthu anu atabalalika kutali chotani, Ine ndidzawasonkhanitsa kuchokera kumeneko ndi kubwera nawo ku malo amene ndinasankha kuti azidzayitanira dzina langa.’
10“Iwo ndi atumiki anu ndi anthu anu, amene munawawombola ndi mphamvu yanu yayikulu ndi dzanja lanu lamphamvu.
11Inu Ambuye tcherani khutu lanu kuti mumve pemphero la mtumiki wanune ndiponso pemphero la atumiki anu amene amakondwera kuchitira ulemu dzina lanu. Lolani kuti mtumiki wanune zinthu zindiyendere bwino lero ndi kuti mfumu indichitire chifundo.” Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti ndili woperekera zakumwa kwa mfumu.