Nehemiah 13
1 At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
那日，當著民眾宣讀梅瑟書時，人們聽到書中寫著說：「永遠不准阿孟人和摩阿布人，加入天主的會眾，
2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
因為他們沒有攜帶飲食歡迎以色列人民，反賄賂巴郎詛咒他們，我們的天主卻將詛咒轉為祝福。
3 As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
民眾一聽了這法律，便將各外族由以色列人中隔絕。
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
這事以前，厄肋雅史布司祭，曾被派管理天主的倉庫，他是托彼雅的親信，
5 and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
遂為托彼雅準備了一所大倉房，以前其中是存敦供物、乳香、器具、以及肋未人。歌詠者和守門者按法律所應得的什一之榖、酒和油，並司祭所應得的供物。
6 While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king
發生這一切事時，我不在耶路撒冷，因為在巴比倫王阿塔薛西斯三十二年，我已回到君王那裏；滿了一個時以後，我又求得君王准許，
7 to return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of the house of God.
回了耶路撒冷；此時我才發覺出，厄雅史布為托彼雅所行的壞事，為他在天主聖殿的庭院中，準備了一所大倉房。
8 And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
我感覺十分難受，立即將托彼雅的一切器物，拋出倉房之外，
9 Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.
下命清潔那倉房，將天主聖殿的器具、供物和乳香仍放在裏面。
10 I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
我還發覺肋未人應得之分，人們已不繳納，為此供職的肋未人和歌詠者，各回了本鄉。
11 So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
我便責斥首長們說：「為什麼又將肋未人召喚起來，又恢復了他們的職務。
12 and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
那時，全猶大又將什一之穀、酒和油送入倉房。
13 I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
我派定了舍肋米雅司祭、匝多克經師和肋未人培達雅，作管理倉房的人；委任瑪塔尼雅的子孫，匝雇爾的兒子哈南，作他們的助手，都是忠實可靠的人；他們的職務是將十一之物，分給他們的兄弟。
14 Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
我的天主，這了這事，請記憶我! 不要抹去我對我天主的聖殿，和其中的禮儀所做的一切善事。
15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
那時我在猶大，看見有人在安息日踏榨酒池，搬運禾綑，馱在驢上，並把油、葡萄無花果和其他各種重載，安息日運到耶路撒冷；為了他們在此日買賣應用品，我曾警戒了他們。
16 Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
有住這裏的提洛人，運來了魚和各種貨物，安息日還在耶路撒冷賣給猶太人，
17 Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
我遂責斥有權勢的猶太人說：「你們怎麼行這樣的壞事，褻瀆安息日呢，
18 Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
你們的祖先不是曾這樣行事，而使我們的天主，加給了我們和這城這一切災禍嗎﹖現今你們褻瀆安息日，還要義怒再多加在以色列人身上嗎﹖
19 When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
所以在安息日前一天，陰影一來到耶路撒冷城門，我就下令關閉城門，不准開門，直到安息日過去；並派我的僕役守門，安息日不准任何重載運進。
20 Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
有一兩次，販夫和賣各種貨物的商人，在耶路撒冷外過夜；
21 but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
我警告他們說：「你們為什麼在城垣前過夜﹖若是你們再這樣做，我就要向你們下手，」從此以後，安息日他們不敢再來。
22 Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
我也命令肋未人先聖潔自己，然後去看守城門，為聖化聖日。我的天主，為了這事，也請你記憶我! 照你的大仁慈憐恤我!
23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
那時，我還發見好些猶太人，娶了阿市多得、阿孟和摩阿布人的女子為妻。
24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
他們的兒子，有一半只會說阿市多得話，或這些民族的一種語言，而不會講猶太話。
25 I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
我遂責斥咒罵這樣的男人，其中一些我還打了他們，扯了他們的頭髮，叫他們指著天主起誓，向他們說：「你們不可再把你們的女兒，嫁給他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子並為你們自己，娶他們的女兒。
26 Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
以色列的君王撒羅滿，豈不是在這事上犯了罪嗎﹖在這樣多民族中，沒有一個相似他的君王，他又是天主所愛的，天主使他成為全以色列的君王，但是外方女子竟引他犯了罪。
27 Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
我們豈能任憑你們行這一切大壞事，娶外方婦女，背棄天主嗎﹖」
28 Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.
大司祭厄肋雅史布的兒子約雅達，有個兒子是曷龍人桑巴拉特的女婿，我便驅逐他離開我。
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
我的天主，請記住他們! 因為他們褻瀆了司祭和肋未的誓約。
30 Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
如此我清除了一切異類，整頓了司祭和肋未人職守，規定了各人應盡的職務，
31 I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
劃定了奉獻木柴和什一之物的時期。我的天主! 求你記憶我，使我蒙福!
