尼希米記 13
1 當日，人念摩西的律法書給百姓聽，遇見書上寫着說，亞捫人和摩押人永不可入上帝的會；
Now on that day, they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it, there was found written that the Ammonites and the Moabites must not enter the church of God, even for all time,
2 因為他們沒有拿食物和水來迎接以色列人，且雇了巴蘭咒詛他們，但我們的上帝使那咒詛變為祝福。
because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, and they hired Balaam against them, to curse them. But our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 以色列民聽見這律法，就與一切閒雜人絕交。
Now it happened that, when they had heard the law, they separated every foreigner from Israel.
4 先是蒙派管理我們上帝殿中庫房的祭司以利亞實與多比雅結親，
And Eliashib, the priest, was over this task; he had been given charge of the treasury of the house of our God, and he was a close relative of Tobiah.
5 便為他預備一間大屋子，就是從前收存素祭、乳香、器皿，和照命令供給利未人、歌唱的、守門的五穀、新酒，和油的十分之一，並歸祭司舉祭的屋子。
Then he made for himself a large storeroom, and in that place, there was laid before him gifts, and frankincense, and vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, the portions of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the gatekeepers, and the first-fruits of the priests.
6 那時我不在耶路撒冷；因為巴比倫王亞達薛西三十二年，我回到王那裏。過了多日，我向王告假。
But during all this, I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, the king of Babylon, I went to the king, and at the end of some days, I petitioned the king.
7 我來到耶路撒冷，就知道以利亞實為多比雅在上帝殿的院內預備屋子的那件惡事。
And I went to Jerusalem, and I understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, such that he would make him a storeroom in the vestibules of the house of God.
8 我甚惱怒，就把多比雅的一切家具從屋裏都拋出去，
And it seemed to me very evil. And I cast the vessels of the house of Tobiah outside of the storeroom.
9 吩咐人潔淨這屋子，遂將上帝殿的器皿和素祭、乳香又搬進去。
And I gave instructions, and they cleansed again the storeroom. And I brought back, into that place, the vessels of the house of God, the sacrifice, and the frankincense.
10 我見利未人所當得的分無人供給他們，甚至供職的利未人與歌唱的俱各奔回自己的田地去了。
And I realized that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, and that each one had fled into his own region, from the Levites, and from the singing men, and from those who were ministering.
11 我就斥責官長說：「為何離棄上帝的殿呢？」我便招聚利未人，使他們照舊供職。
And I brought the case before the magistrates, and I said, “Why have we forsaken the house of God?” And I gathered them together, and I caused them to stand at their stations.
12 猶大眾人就把五穀、新酒，和油的十分之一送入庫房。
And all of Judah brought the tithes of the grain, and the wine, and the oil into the storehouses.
13 我派祭司示利米雅、文士撒督，和利未人毗大雅作庫官管理庫房；副官是哈難。哈難是撒刻的兒子；撒刻是瑪他尼的兒子。這些人都是忠信的，他們的職分是將所供給的分給他們的弟兄。
And we appointed over the storehouses, Shelemiah, the priest, and Zadok, the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites, and next to them Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah. For they had proven to be faithful. And so the portions of their brothers were entrusted to them.
14 我的上帝啊，求你因這事記念我，不要塗抹我為上帝的殿與其中的禮節所行的善。
Remember me, O my God, because of this, and may you not wipe away my acts of compassion, which I have done for the house of my God and for his ceremonies.
15 那些日子，我在猶大見有人在安息日醡酒，搬運禾捆馱在驢上，又把酒、葡萄、無花果，和各樣的擔子在安息日擔入耶路撒冷，我就在他們賣食物的那日警戒他們。
In those days, I saw, in Judah, some who were treading the presses on the Sabbath, and who were carrying sheaves, and placing on donkeys burdens of wine, and of grapes, and of figs, and all manner of burdens, and who were bringing these into Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I contended with them, so that they would sell on a day when it was permitted to sell.
16 又有泰爾人住在耶路撒冷；他們把魚和各樣貨物運進來，在安息日賣給猶大人。
And some Tyrians dwelt within, who were bringing fish and all kinds of items for sale. And they were selling on the Sabbaths to the sons of Judah in Jerusalem.
17 我就斥責猶大的貴冑說：「你們怎麼行這惡事犯了安息日呢？
And I put the nobles of Judah under oath, and I said to them: “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
18 從前你們列祖豈不是這樣行，以致我們上帝使一切災禍臨到我們和這城嗎？現在你們還犯安息日，使忿怒越發臨到以色列！」
Did not our fathers do these things, and so our God brought all this evil upon us and upon this city? And you are adding more wrath upon Israel by violating the Sabbath!”
19 在安息日的前一日，耶路撒冷城門有黑影的時候，我就吩咐人將門關鎖，不過安息日不准開放。我又派我幾個僕人管理城門，免得有人在安息日擔甚麼擔子進城。
And it happened that, when the gates of Jerusalem had rested on the day of the Sabbath, I spoke, and they closed the gates. And I instructed that they should not open them until after the Sabbath. And I appointed some of my servants over the gates, so that no one would carry in a burden on the day of the Sabbath.
20 於是商人和販賣各樣貨物的，一兩次住宿在耶路撒冷城外。
And so the merchants and those who sold all kinds of items remained just outside of Jerusalem, once and again.
21 我就警戒他們說：「你們為何在城外住宿呢？若再這樣，我必下手拿辦你們。」從此以後，他們在安息日不再來了。
And I contended with them, and I said to them: “Why are you remaining just beyond the wall? If you do this again, I will send hands upon you.” And so, from that time, they no longer came on the Sabbath.
22 我吩咐利未人潔淨自己，來守城門，使安息日為聖。我的上帝啊，求你因這事記念我，照你的大慈愛憐恤我。
I also spoke to the Levites, so that they would be cleansed, and would arrive to guard the gates and to sanctify the day of the Sabbath. Because of this also, O my God, remember me and spare me, in accord with the multitude of your mercies.
23 那些日子，我也見猶大人娶了亞實突、亞捫、摩押的女子為妻。
But also in those days, I saw some Jews taking wives from the Ashdodites, and the Ammonites, and the Moabites.
24 他們的兒女說話，一半是亞實突的話，不會說猶大的話，所說的是照着各族的方言。
And their sons spoke partly in the speech of Ashdod, and they did not know how to speak the Jewish language, and they were speaking according to the language of one people or another.
25 我就斥責他們，咒詛他們，打了他們幾個人，拔下他們的頭髮，叫他們指着上帝起誓，必不將自己的女兒嫁給外邦人的兒子，也不為自己和兒子娶他們的女兒。
And I put them under oath, and I cursed them. And I struck some of their men, and I shaved off their hair, and I made them swear to God that they would not give their daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for their sons, nor for themselves, saying:
26 我又說：「以色列王所羅門不是在這樣的事上犯罪嗎？在多國中並沒有一王像他，且蒙他上帝所愛，上帝立他作以色列全國的王；然而連他也被外邦女子引誘犯罪。
“Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin in this kind of thing? And certainly, among many nations, there was no king similar to him, and he was beloved of his God, and God set him as king over all of Israel. And yet foreign women led even him into sin!
27 如此，我豈聽你們行這大惡，娶外邦女子干犯我們的上帝呢？」
So how could we disobey and do all this great evil, so that we would transgress against our God, and take foreign wives?”
28 大祭司以利亞實的孫子、耶何耶大的一個兒子是和倫人參巴拉的女婿，我就從我這裏把他趕出去。
Now one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the high priest, was a son-in-law to Sanballat, a Horonite, and I made him flee from me.
29 我的上帝啊，求你記念他們的罪；因為他們玷污了祭司的職任，違背你與祭司利未人所立的約。
O Lord, my God, remember against those who defile the priesthood and the law of the priests and the Levites!
30 這樣，我潔淨他們，使他們離絕一切外邦人，派定祭司和利未人的班次，使他們各盡其職。
And so I cleansed them from all foreigners, and I established the orders of the priests and the Levites, each one in his ministry.
31 我又派百姓按定期獻柴和初熟的土產。我的上帝啊，求你記念我，施恩與我。
O my God, remember me also, for good, because of the offering of wood, at the appointed times, and because of the first-fruits. Amen.
