Verse 1: Amazwi kaNehemiya indodana kaHakaliya. Kwathi ngenyanga kaKhisilevi, ngomnyaka wamashumi amabili ngisendlini yenkosi yaseShushani,
Verse 2: kwafika uHanani omunye wabafowethu, yena nabantu bakwaJuda; ngababuza ngabaJuda ababesele besindile ekuthunjweni nangeJerusalema.
Verse 3: Bathi kimi: “Insali eseleyo ekuthunjweni lapho ezweni isekuhluphekeni okukhulu nasehlazweni; ugange lwaseJerusalema lubhidliziwe, namasango alo ashisiwe ngomlilo.”
Verse 4: Kwathi lapho ngizwa lawo mazwi, ngahlala phansi, ngakhala izinyembezi, ngalila izinsuku ezithile, ngazila ukudla, ngakhuleka phambi kukaNkulunkulu wezulu,
Verse 5: ngathi: “Ngiyanxusa, Jehova Nkulunkulu wezulu, wena Nkulunkulu omkhulu nowesabekayo, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa nabakuthandayo nabagcina imiyalo yakho,
Verse 6: ukuba indlebe yakho ilalele, namehlo akho avuleke, ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho engiwukhuleka phambi kwakho ngalesi sikhathi imini nobusuku ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli izinceku zakho, lapho ngivuma izono zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli esone ngazo kuwe; yebo, nami nendlu kababa sonile.
Verse 7: Senzile kabi kakhulu kuwe, asigcinanga imiyalo, nezimiso, nezahlulelo owayala ngakho inceku yakho uMose.
Verse 8: “Ake ulikhumbule izwi owayala ngalo inceku yakho uMose ngokuthi: ‘Uma niphambuka, mina ngiyakunihlakazela phakathi kwezizwe;
Verse 9: kepha uma nibuyela kimi, nigcine imiyalo yami, niyenze, noma abaxoshiweyo benu bebe semajukujukwini ezulu, ngiyakubabutha lapho nokho, ngibayise endaweni engiyikhethe ukubeka igama lami kuyo.’
Verse 10: “Bayizinceku zakho nabantu bakho obahlengile ngamandla akho amakhulu nangesandla sakho esiqinileyo.
Verse 11: Ngicela, Nkosi, ukuba indlebe yakho izwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho nomkhuleko wezinceku zakho ezithokoza ngokwesaba igama lakho, uhlahlamelise inceku yakho namuhla, uyinike umusa emehlweni alo muntu.” Bheka, ngangingumphathisitsha wenkosi.