Nehemiah 1

1 ¹Di words of Nehemiah, Hacaliah im pikin. For di month of Kislev, for di twentieth year, I dey inside di strong-house for Susa, ^a a v1 Kislev na di ninth month for di Hebrew calendar, wey dey fall for late November go reach December.

²Hanani, one of my brothers, come with men wey comot for Judah. I ask dem about di Jews wey survive, wey remain from di exile, and about Jerusalem. ³Dem tell me sey, “Di remnant wey remain from di captivity, dia for di province, dey inside big trouble and shame. Jerusalem im wall don broke down, im gates don burn with fire.”

⁴As I hear dis words, I sit down and cry, I dey mourn for plenty days, dey fast and dey pray for front of our Papa wey dey for heaven. ⁵I talk sey: Abeg, my Papa wey dey for heaven, di great and awesome God, wey dey keep Covenant and love wey no dey change with dem wey love am and dey keep im commands, ⁶make your ear open well and make your eyes dey open, to hear dis prayer wey I, your servant, dey pray for your front now, day and night, for Israel, your servants—as I dey confess di sins wey we Israel people don sin against you. Me and my papa house don sin. ⁷We don do you very bad, we no keep di commands, di statutes, and di rulings wey you command your servant Moses.

⁸Abeg remember di instruction wey you give your servant Moses sey: “If una no dey faithful, I go scatter una among di peoples, ⁹but if una come back to me, keep my commands, and do dem, even if una exiles dey for di far-far edge of di heavens, I go gather dem from dia and bring dem come di place wey I choose make my name dwell for dia.”

¹⁰Dem na your servants, your people, wey you redeem with your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹Abeg, my Papa wey be Oga over all, make your ear hear your servant im prayer, and di prayer of your servants—dem wey dey happy to fear your name. Give your servant success today, and make dis man show am mercy. For dat time I be di one wey dey carry cup for di king.