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,
Nʼụbọchị ahụ, a gụpụtara okwu Chineke na ntị ndị Izrel site nʼakwụkwọ iwu Mosis. Mgbe a na-agụpụta ya, a chọpụtara na o megidere iwu na onye Amọn, maọbụ onye Moab, ga-eso nʼofufe ụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke.
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).
Nʼihi na ha bụ ndị iro ụmụ Izrel. Ha enyeghị ha ihe oriri na ihe ọṅụṅụ kama ha zụrụ Belam ka ọ bụọ ụmụ Izrel ọnụ. (Ma Chineke anyị gbanwere ịbụ ọnụ ahụ mee ka ọ ghọọ ngọzị.)
3 As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
Mgbe a gụpụtara iwu a, ndị Izrel chụpụrụ ndị mba ọzọ niile nọ nʼọgbakọ ha.
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
Ma tupu ihe ndị a niile emee, Eliashib onye bụ onye nchụaja, onye e doro nʼisi ilekọta ime ụlọ a na-achịkọba ihe nʼụlọ Chineke anyị, ya na Tobaya nwee ezi mmekọrịta,
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.
o weere otu ọnụụlọ buru ibu a na-achịkọba ihe nye ya. Na mbụ, ọ bụ ọnụụlọ ebe a na-achịkọta onyinye ọka na ụda na-esi isi ụtọ, na ngwongwo ụlọnsọ, na efere mmanya ọhụrụ, na mmanụ oliv. Mosis enyelarị ya nʼiwu na ọ bụ ndị Livayị na ndị ọbụ abụ na ndị nche nwe onyinye ndị ahụ. Ndị nchụaja nwekwa oke nʼihe ndị a.
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
Mgbe ihe ndị a na-eme, anọghị m na Jerusalem, nʼihi na nʼiri afọ atọ na abụọ nke ọchịchị Ataksekses, eze Babilọn, a lọghachikwutere m eze. Ma e mesịrị m nata ya ike
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.
laghachikwa na Jerusalem. Nʼebe a ka m nọ mata banyere ihe ọjọọ ahụ Eliashib mere, inye Tobaya otu ọnụụlọ nke dị nʼogige ụlọ Chineke ka ọ bụrụ ebe izuike ya.
8 And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
Iwe were m nke ukwuu, nke mere na m sitere nʼọnụụlọ ahụ tụpụsịa ngwongwo Tobaya niile nʼezi.
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.
Enyere m iwu ka e doo ọnụụlọ ndị ahụ niile ọcha, a chighachikwara m ngwongwo ụlọ Chineke niile nʼime ha, ha na onyinye mkpụrụ ọka, na ụda na-esi isi ụtọ ndị ahụ.
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.
A chọpụtakwara m na-enyebeghị ndị Livayị oke ihe ruru ha, nke mere na ndị ọbụ abụ, na ndị nche ndị ọ bụ ọrụ ha i doo ofufe, alaghachila nʼubi ha dị iche iche.
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,
Nʼihi ya, abaara m ha mba jụọ ha si: “Gịnị mere unu jiri gbakụta ụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke azụ?” Mgbe ahụ akpọghachiri m ndị Livayị nyekwa ha ọrụ ha nʼụlọnsọ.
12 and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
Ndị Juda niile bidokwara iweta ụtụ ha, na onyinye ọka, na mmanya vaịnị na mmanụ oliv ha nʼụlọ ịchịkọba ihe dị nʼụlọnsọ.
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.
E tinyere m Shelemaya onye nchụaja, na Zadọk ode akwụkwọ, na Pedaia onye Livayị, ka ha bụrụ ndị na-elekọta ụlọ ịchịkọba ihe niile ahụ. Emekwara m Hanan nwa Zakua, nwa Matanaya, onye ga na-enyere ha aka, nʼihi na a gụrụ ha dịka ndị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi. Ọrụ ha bụ ikere ndị Livayị ibe ha niile oke.
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.
Chineke m, biko cheta m nʼihi nke a, ehichapụkwala ihe niile m ji obi m niile rụọ nʼụlọnsọ gị na ije ozi niile ya.
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.
Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ, ka m hụrụ na Juda ndị na-azọcha mmanya vaịnị nʼụbọchị izuike, ndị ji ịnyịnya ibu na-ebubata ogbe ọka, na-ebokwasị ha nʼelu ịnyịnya ibu, tinyekwara mmanya, na mkpụrụ vaịnị na fiig, na ibu niile ọbụla. Ha na-ebubatakwa ha nʼime Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike. Nke a mere m ji dọọ ha aka na ntị megide ire nri nʼụbọchị ahụ.
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.
Ndị si obodo Taịa, bụ ndị birila na Jerusalem nọ na-ebubata azụ na ngwa ahịa ndị ọzọ dị iche iche, na-ere ha na Juda, nakwa na Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike.
17 Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
A baara m ndị a na-asọpụrụ na Juda mba, si ha, “Gịnị bụ ihe ọjọọ nke a unu na-eme, na-emerụ ụbọchị izuike?
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!”
Ọ bụghị otu ihe a ka nna nna unu ha mere, nke mere na Chineke wetara ọdachi a tụkwasị anyị nakwa obodo a? Ugbu a, unu na-akpali ọnụma tụkwasị na nke dị megide Izrel site nʼimerụ ụbọchị izuike?”
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.
Nʼihi nke a, enyere m iwu na a ga-emechi ọnụ ụzọ ama Jerusalem nʼuhuruchi tupu ụbọchị izuike, ruo mgbe ụbọchị izuike gafesịrị. Emere m ka ụfọdụ ndị ohu m na-anọ na nche nʼebe ahụ, ịhụ na ọ dịghị onye ahịa ọbụla ga-abata nʼime obodo Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike.
20 Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
Ya mere, ndị na-azụ ahịa na ndị na-ere ụdị ngwa ahịa dị iche iche, na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼazụ Jerusalem, otu gboro maọbụ ugboro abụọ.
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.
Ma a dọrọ ha aka na ntị, sị, “Gịnị ka unu ji na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼakụkụ mgbidi a? Ọ bụrụ na unu eme ya ọzọ, aga m enye iwu ka e jide unu.” Site nʼụbọchị ahụ gaa nʼihu, ha abịakwaghị ọzọ nʼụbọchị izuike.
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.
Mgbe ahụ, enyere m ndị Livayị iwu ka ha doo onwe ha ọcha, nọọkwa na nche nʼọnụ ụzọ ama, ịhụ na onye ọbụla doro ụbọchị izuike nsọ. Chineke m, biko, cheta m nʼihi ihe ọma ndị a niile, nwee amara nʼebe m nọ, dịka ịba ụba nke obi ebere gị si dị.
23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
Ọzọ, nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ a hụrụ m ndị ikom Juda ndị lụtara ndị inyom site nʼetiti ndị Ashdọd, na ndị Amọn, na ndị Moab,
24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
chọpụtakwa na ọkara nʼetiti ụmụ ha na-asụ naanị asụsụ ndị Ashdọd, maọbụ otu asụsụ nke ndị mba ọzọ, ma ha amaghị asụsụ Juda ma ọlị.
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!
Ya mere, abaara m ha mba, bụkwaa ha ọnụ. Ụfọdụ ha ka m tiri ihe, dọọkwa ha nʼagịrị isi. Emesịa, emere m ka ha ṅụọ iyi nʼaha Chineke si: “Unu agaghị ekwekwa ka ụmụ ndị ikom na ndị inyom unu lụọ ndị mba ọzọ ma unu onwe unu agakwaghị alụtara ụmụ unu, maọbụ onwe unu, ndị inyom ndị mba ọzọ.
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.
Ọ bụghị ọlụlụ di na nwunye dị otu a wetara ọdịda Solomọn? O nweghị eze ọzọ dị na mba ọbụla a pụrụ iji tụnyere Solomọn, nʼihi na Chineke ya hụrụ ya nʼanya mee ya eze ndị Izrel niile. Ma ọ bụ ndị nwunye mba ọzọ ọ lụrụ dubara ya na mmehie ikpere arụsị.
27 Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
Ugbu a, ọ bụ ka anyị gere na ntị na unu onwe unu na-emekwa ajọ ihe dị otu a, na unu ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nye Chineke anyị, site nʼịlụ ndị inyom ndị mba ọzọ?”
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.
Ya mere, esitere m nʼebe m nọ chụpụ otu nʼime ụmụ ndị ikom Joiada, nwa Eliashib, onyeisi nchụaja, onye bụ ọgọ Sanbalat onye Hor.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
Cheta ha, Chineke m, nʼihi na ha merụrụ ọrụ nchụaja, na ọgbụgba ndụ ọrụ nchụaja, na nke ndị Livayị.
30 Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
Ya mere, e doro m ndị nchụaja, na ndị Livayị ọcha, wezugakwa ihe ọbụla nke na-ekwesighị nʼebe ha nọ. E kenyere m ha ọrụ, onye ọbụla nʼije ozi ya.
31 I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
Emekwara m ka a na-ebubata nkụ nke ebe ịchụ aja nʼoge kwesiri, meekwa ka a na-ewebata onyinye mkpụrụ mbụ niile nʼoge ha. Cheta m Chineke, gosi m ihuọma gị.
