1Dis na di tins wey Hakalaya pikin, Nehemaya do. For di twenteth year, for Kislev mont, wen Atazazes bi king for Persia, mi, Nehemaya, dey Shushan, wey bi di palis.
2Dat time, one among my brodas wey en name na Hanani, kom from Judah with some oda men, so I ask dem about Jerusalem town and awa pipol wey go back to Jerusalem from Babilon.
3Dem kon tell mi, “Tins hard for di pipol wey kom back. Dem dey for big trobol and disgrace. Dem neva fit ribuild Jerusalem wall and di gate wey awa enemies burn, still dey groun.”
4Wen I hear all dis tins, I sidan kry well-well and I nor chop for many days. Den I pray to God sey,
5“Oga God for heaven! Yu big well-well and wi dey fear Yu. God wey keep en promise with doz wey love and dey do wetin E kommand.
6My Oga God, make Yu look mi kon hear my prayers for yor savants, Israel pipol, both for day and nite. I konfess sey wi, Israel pipol don sin. Wi and awa grand-grand papa dem don sin.
7Wi don do many wiked tins against Yu and wi nor do wetin Yu kommand sey make wi do. Wi nor keep di laws wey Yu give us thru yor savant Moses.
8Make Yu remember wetin Yu tell Moses wen Yu sey, ‘If una nor dey faithful to mi, I go skata una go oda nashons.
9But if una turn back from una sin kom meet mi and do wetin I kommand una, I go bring una kom di place wey I don choose sey una go for woship mi, even doh una skata for evriwhere for dis world.’
10My God, dis pipol na yor savants and pipol. Na Yu save dem with yor great pawa.
11Make Yu listin to di prayers wey mi and yor savants wey dey honor Yu, dey pray. Make Yu help mi today, so dat di king go sorry for mi.” For dat time, na mi dey serve di king wine.