1 N ow on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel gathered together, but they did not eat. They dressed in cloth made from hair, and put dirt on their heads.

El día veinticuatro del mismo mes se reunieron los hijos de Israel en ayuno, y con cilicio y tierra sobre sí.

2 T he children of Israel separated themselves from all those of other nations. They stood and told their sins and the sins of their fathers to God.

Y ya se había apartado la descendencia de Israel de todos los extranjeros; y estando en pie, confesaron sus pecados, y las iniquidades de sus padres.

3 W hile they stood in their place, they read from the book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day. And for another fourth they told their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.

Y puestos de pie en su lugar, leyeron el libro de la ley de Jehová su Dios la cuarta parte del día, y la cuarta parte confesaron sus pecados y adoraron a Jehová su Dios.

4 J eshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the Levites’ raised floor. And they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.

Luego se levantaron sobre la grada de los levitas, Jesúa, Bani, Cadmiel, Sebanías, Buni, Serebías, Bani y Quenani, y clamaron en voz alta a Jehová su Dios.

5 T hen the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and give honor and thanks to the Lord your God forever and ever! O may Your great name be praised!” The Prayer—Telling of Their Sins

Y dijeron los levitas Jesúa, Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabnías, Serebías, Hodías, Sebanías y Petaías: Levantaos, bendecid a Jehová vuestro Dios desde la eternidad hasta la eternidad; y bendígase el nombre tuyo, glorioso y alto sobre toda bendición y alabanza.

6 “ You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their angels. You have made the earth and all that is on it, and the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the angels of heaven bow down to You.

Tú solo eres Jehová; tú hiciste los cielos, y los cielos de los cielos, con todo su ejército, la tierra y todo lo que está en ella, los mares y todo lo que hay en ellos; y tú vivificas todas estas cosas, y los ejércitos de los cielos te adoran.

7 Y ou are the Lord God, Who chose Abram and brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees and gave him the name Abraham.

Tú eres, oh Jehová, el Dios que escogiste a Abram, y lo sacaste de Ur de los caldeos, y le pusiste el nombre Abraham;

8 Y ou found his heart faithful to You and made an agreement with him, to give his children and their children’s children the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And You have done what You promised, for You are right and good.

y hallaste fiel su corazón delante de ti, e hiciste pacto con él para darle la tierra del cananeo, del heteo, del amorreo, del ferezeo, del jebuseo y del gergeseo, para darla a su descendencia; y cumpliste tu palabra, porque eres justo.

9 “ You saw the trouble of our fathers in Egypt. You heard their cry by the Red Sea.

Y miraste la aflicción de nuestros padres en Egipto, y oíste el clamor de ellos en el Mar Rojo;

10 T hen You made special things to see and did powerful works against Pharaoh, against all his servants and all the people of his land. For You knew that they were proud and made it hard for our fathers. And You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.

e hiciste señales y maravillas contra Faraón, contra todos sus siervos, y contra todo el pueblo de su tierra, porque sabías que habían procedido con soberbia contra ellos; y te hiciste nombre grande, como en este día.

11 Y ou divided the sea in front of them, so they passed through the sea on dry ground. And You threw those who went after them into the deep sea, like a stone into troubled waters.

Dividiste el mar delante de ellos, y pasaron por medio de él en seco; y a sus perseguidores echaste en las profundidades, como una piedra en profundas aguas.

12 Y ou led the people during the day with a cloud, and with a pillar of fire during the night to light the way they were to go.

Con columna de nube los guiaste de día, y con columna de fuego de noche, para alumbrarles el camino por donde habían de ir.

13 T hen You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them Laws that are right and true and good.

Y sobre el monte de Sinaí descendiste, y hablaste con ellos desde el cielo, y les diste juicios rectos, leyes verdaderas, y estatutos y mandamientos buenos,

14 Y ou made known to them Your holy Day of Rest, and gave them Laws through Your servant Moses.

y les ordenaste el día de reposo santo para ti, y por mano de Moisés tu siervo les prescribiste mandamientos, estatutos y la ley.

15 Y ou gave them bread from heaven for their hunger. You brought them water from a rock for their thirst. And You told them to go in to take for their own the land You promised to give them.

Les diste pan del cielo en su hambre, y en su sed les sacaste aguas de la peña; y les dijiste que entrasen a poseer la tierra, por la cual alzaste tu mano y juraste que se la darías.

16 “ But they, our fathers, acted with pride. They became strong-willed and would not listen to Your Words.

Mas ellos y nuestros padres fueron soberbios, y endurecieron su cerviz, y no escucharon tus mandamientos.

17 T hey would not listen, and did not remember Your powerful works which You had done among them. So they became strong-willed and chose a leader to return to their hard work in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God. You are kind and loving, slow to anger, and full of loving-kindness. You did not leave them.

No quisieron oír, ni se acordaron de tus maravillas que habías hecho con ellos; antes endurecieron su cerviz, y en su rebelión pensaron poner caudillo para volverse a su servidumbre. Pero tú eres Dios que perdonas, clemente y piadoso, tardo para la ira, y grande en misericordia, porque no los abandonaste.

18 T hey even melted gold and made a calf, and said, ‘This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt.’ They spoke sinful words against You.

Además, cuando hicieron para sí becerro de fundición y dijeron: Este es tu Dios que te hizo subir de Egipto; y cometieron grandes abominaciones,

19 B ut You, in Your great loving-kindness, did not leave them in the desert. The pillar of cloud which led them on their way during the day did not leave them. And the pillar of fire which gave light to the way they were to go during the night did not leave them.

tú, con todo, por tus muchas misericordias no los abandonaste en el desierto. La columna de nube no se apartó de ellos de día, para guiarlos por el camino, ni de noche la columna de fuego, para alumbrarles el camino por el cual habían de ir.

20 Y ou gave Your good Spirit to teach them. You did not keep Your bread from heaven from their mouths. And You gave them water when they were thirsty.

Y enviaste tu buen Espíritu para enseñarles, y no retiraste tu maná de su boca, y agua les diste para su sed.

21 F or forty years You kept them alive in the desert and gave them everything they needed. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not become sore.

Los sustentaste cuarenta años en el desierto; de ninguna cosa tuvieron necesidad; sus vestidos no se envejecieron, ni se hincharon sus pies.

22 Y ou gave them nations and peoples, and You gave them every part. For their own they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan.

Y les diste reinos y pueblos, y los repartiste por distritos; y poseyeron la tierra de Sehón, la tierra del rey de Hesbón, y la tierra de Og rey de Basán.

23 Y ou made their sons as many as the stars of heaven. And You brought them into the land which You had told their fathers to go into and take for their own.

Multiplicaste sus hijos como las estrellas del cielo, y los llevaste a la tierra de la cual habías dicho a sus padres que habían de entrar a poseerla.

24 S o their sons went into the land and took it. You gave them power over the people of the land, the Canaanites. You gave these people into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they would.

Y los hijos vinieron y poseyeron la tierra, y humillaste delante de ellos a los moradores del país, a los cananeos, los cuales entregaste en su mano, y a sus reyes, y a los pueblos de la tierra, para que hiciesen de ellos como quisieran.

25 T hey took strong cities and a rich land. They took houses full of every good thing. They took wells that had been dug, grape-vines, olive trees, and many fruit trees. So they ate and were filled and became fat. They were glad because You were so good to them.

Y tomaron ciudades fortificadas y tierra fértil, y heredaron casas llenas de todo bien, cisternas hechas, viñas y olivares, y muchos árboles frutales; comieron, se saciaron, y se deleitaron en tu gran bondad.

26 “ But they would not obey and they turned against You. They put Your Law behind their backs. They killed the men who tell what will happen who had spoken sharp words to them telling them to return to You. The people spoke very sinful words against You.

Pero te provocaron a ira, y se rebelaron contra ti, y echaron tu ley tras sus espaldas, y mataron a tus profetas que protestaban contra ellos para convertirlos a ti, e hicieron grandes abominaciones.

27 S o You gave them into the hand of those who made it hard for them. But when they cried to You in the time of their trouble, You heard from heaven. And by Your great loving-kindness You sent men to save them from those who made it hard for them.

Entonces los entregaste en mano de sus enemigos, los cuales los afligieron. Pero en el tiempo de su tribulación clamaron a ti, y tú desde los cielos los oíste; y según tu gran misericordia les enviaste libertadores para que los salvasen de mano de sus enemigos.

28 B ut as soon as they had rest, they sinned against You again. So You left them in the hand of those who hated them, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven. And many times You took them away from trouble because of Your loving-kindness.

Pero una vez que tenían paz, volvían a hacer lo malo delante de ti, por lo cual los abandonaste en mano de sus enemigos que los dominaron; pero volvían y clamaban otra vez a ti, y tú desde los cielos los oías y según tus misericordias muchas veces los libraste.

29 Y ou spoke sharp words to them to turn them back to Your Law. Yet they acted in pride and did not listen to Your Words, but sinned against Your Laws, by which if a man obeys them he will live. They were strong-willed and made their hearts hard against You, and would not listen.

Les amonestaste a que se volviesen a tu ley; mas ellos se llenaron de soberbia, y no oyeron tus mandamientos, sino que pecaron contra tus juicios, los cuales si el hombre hiciere, en ellos vivirá; se rebelaron, endurecieron su cerviz, y no escucharon.

30 B ut You did not give up taking care of them for many years. You spoke sharp words to them by Your Spirit through the men who tell what will happen. Yet they would not listen. So You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

Les soportaste por muchos años, y les testificaste con tu Espíritu por medio de tus profetas, pero no escucharon; por lo cual los entregaste en mano de los pueblos de la tierra.

31 B ut in Your great loving-kindness, You did not make an end of them or leave them for You are a kind and loving God.

Mas por tus muchas misericordias no los consumiste, ni los desamparaste; porque eres Dios clemente y misericordioso.

32 “ So now, our God, the great and powerful God, honored with fear, Who keeps His agreement and loving-kindness, do not let all this trouble look small in Your eyes which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our religious leaders, our men who tell what will happen, our fathers, and on all Your people since the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

Ahora pues, Dios nuestro, Dios grande, fuerte, temible, que guardas el pacto y la misericordia, no sea tenido en poco delante de ti todo el sufrimiento que ha alcanzado a nuestros reyes, a nuestros príncipes, a nuestros sacerdotes, a nuestros profetas, a nuestros padres y a todo tu pueblo, desde los días de los reyes de Asiria hasta este día.

33 Y et You have been right and fair in all that has come upon us. For You have been faithful, but we have sinned.

Pero tú eres justo en todo lo que ha venido sobre nosotros; porque rectamente has hecho, mas nosotros hemos hecho lo malo.

34 O ur kings, leaders, religious leaders, and fathers have not kept Your Law or listened to Your Laws and Your strong words which You have given them.

Nuestros reyes, nuestros príncipes, nuestros sacerdotes y nuestros padres no pusieron por obra tu ley, ni atendieron a tus mandamientos y a tus testimonios con que les amonestabas.

35 E ven when they were in their own nation, with all the good things You gave them and with the great rich land You gave them, they did not serve You or turn from their sins.

Y ellos en su reino y en tu mucho bien que les diste, y en la tierra espaciosa y fértil que entregaste delante de ellos, no te sirvieron, ni se convirtieron de sus malas obras.

36 S ee, we are servants today. We are servants in the land You gave to our fathers. You gave it to them so they could eat the fruit and have other good things.

He aquí que hoy somos siervos; henos aquí, siervos en la tierra que diste a nuestros padres para que comiesen su fruto y su bien.

37 T he many good things the land gives are used by the kings whom You have put over us because of our sins. They also rule over our bodies and over our cattle as they please. So we are in much trouble. The People Sign an Agreement

Y se multiplica su fruto para los reyes que has puesto sobre nosotros por nuestros pecados, quienes se enseñorean sobre nuestros cuerpos, y sobre nuestros ganados, conforme a su voluntad, y estamos en grande angustia. Pacto del pueblo, de guardar la ley

38 “ Now because of all this we are making an agreement in writing. And our leaders, our Levites, and our religious leaders have put their mark on it.”

A causa, pues, de todo esto, nosotros hacemos fiel promesa, y la escribimos, firmada por nuestros príncipes, por nuestros levitas y por nuestros sacerdotes.