Nehemiah 13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
Gbe ma gbe ke esi wonɔ Mose ƒe Seawo xlẽm la, wokpɔ be woŋlɔ ɖi be womaɖe mɔ na Amonitɔwo alo Moabtɔwo woasubɔ Mawu le gbedoxɔ la me o,
2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, and had hired Balaam against them, to curse them; but our God turned the curse into blessing.
elabena womewɔ xɔlɔ̃ kple Israel o. Wotsɔ Balaam be woaƒo fi ade Israelviwo, ke Mawu trɔ fiƒode la wòzu yayra.
3 And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Esi wose se sia la, wonya amedzrowo katã le Israel dome.
4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah,
Hafi nya sia nadzɔ la, Nunɔla Eliasib, ame si kpɔa gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo dzi, eye wònye Tobia xɔlɔ̃ vevi aɖe la,
5 had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine and the oil, which was commanded for the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers, and the heave-offerings of the priests.
trɔ nudzraɖoxɔawo dometɔ ɖeka wòzu amedzrodzeƒe nyui aɖe na Tobia. Tsã la, wodzraa nuɖuvɔsanuwo, atike ʋeʋĩwo, gagbɛwo kple bli, aha yeye kple ami ƒe ewoliawo ɖo ɖe xɔ sia me. Mose de se be nu siawo nye Levitɔwo, hadzihamenɔlawo kple agbonudzɔlawo tɔ, eye nu vɔ̃ ŋuti vɔsanuwo nye nunɔlawo tɔ.
6 And during all that [time] I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained leave of the king.
Nyemenɔ Yerusalem ɣe ma ɣi o. Megbugbɔ yi Babilonia le Fia Artazerses ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe blaetɔ̃-vɔ-evelia me. Emegbe la, mebia mɔfiala,
7 And I came to Jerusalem, and observed the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobijah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
eye megbugbɔ va Yerusalem. Esi mese nu vɔ̃ɖi si Eliasib wɔ, be wòwɔ amedzrodzeƒe ɖe gbedoxɔ me na Tobia la,
8 And it grieved me much, and I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobijah out of the chamber.
medo dɔmedzoe, eye mefɔ Tobia ƒe nuwo le xɔ la me ƒu gbe.
9 And I commanded, and they purified the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, the oblation and the frankincense.
Mena wokɔ xɔ la ŋu nyuie, eye megbugbɔ gbedoxɔ la ƒe agbawo, nuɖuvɔsanuwo kple atike ʋeʋĩwo de xɔ la me.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.
Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, mese be womele nu siwo nye Levitɔwo tɔ la tsɔm na wo o, ale woawo kple hadzihamenɔla siwo naa kpekpeɖeŋu le sɔlemedede me la gbugbɔ yi ɖanɔ dɔ wɔm le woƒe agblewo me.
11 Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.
Meka mo na kplɔlawo, eye mebia wo be, “Nu ka ta miegblẽ gbedoxɔ la ɖi ɖo?” Meyɔ Levitɔwo vɛ, eye mena wogade asi woƒe dɔwo wɔwɔ me.
12 And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil into the storehouses.
Ale Yudatɔwo katã gade asi woƒe bli, wain yeye kple ami ƒe ewoliawo tsɔtsɔ va gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo me.
13 And I made storekeepers over the storehouses: Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and subordinate to them, Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were esteemed faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.
Metsɔ Selemia, nunɔla la kple Zadok, agbalẽfiala la kple Pedaya, Levitɔ la ɖo avawo dzi kpɔkpɔ nu, eye mena Hanan, Zakur ƒe vi kple Matania ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi zu woƒe kpeɖeŋutɔ. Ame siawo nye ame siwo ŋu ŋkɔ nyui nɔ, eye woƒe dɔdeasie nye be woama nuawo na wo nɔvi Levitɔwo abe ale si dze ene.
14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for the charges thereof!
O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku dɔ nyui sia si mewɔ la dzi, eye mègaŋlɔ nu siwo katã mewɔ le gbedoxɔ la ŋu be o.
15 In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.
Le ɣe ma ɣiwo me la, mekpɔ amewo wonɔ wain fiam le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi, eye wonɔ ƒu ƒom woƒe lu bablawo kple wain tsetsewo kple gbotsetsewo kple agblemenu vovovowo nɔ agba dom na woƒe tedziwo, eye wotsɔ nu siawo katã gbɔna Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi, eya ta mede se na wo le nudzadzra le ŋkeke ma dzi la ŋuti.
16 Men of Tyre also dwelt therein, who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold it on the sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Tirotɔ aɖewo hã nɔ Yerusalem, ame siwo nɔ tɔmelã kple adzɔnu vovovowo dzram le Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi.
17 And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?
Meka mo na Yuda ƒe kplɔlawo, eye mebia wo be, “Nu ka ta miele kɔ gblẽm ɖo na Dzudzɔgbe la?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? And ye will bring more wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath.
Mia fofowo wɔ nu sia tɔgbi, eye wohe dzɔgbevɔ̃e siwo li fifia la va miawo ŋutɔ kple miaƒe du la dzi. Ɖe esia mesɔ gbɔ na mi oa? Ke azɔ la, miegale Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoe flam ɖe Israelviwo ŋu ɖe edzi, to ɖiƒoƒo Dzudzɔgbe la to mɔ sia dzi me!”
19 And it came to pass, that when it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.
Ale mede se be tso gbe ma gbe dzi la, ne ɣe ɖo to le Fiɖagbe ko la, woatu agboawo katã, eye womagaʋu wo o va se ɖe esime Dzudzɔgbe la nava yi. Meɖo nye subɔla aɖewo ɖa be woadzɔ agboawo ŋu, ale be ame aɖeke magatsɔ adzɔnu aɖeke ava Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi o.
20 And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.
Asitsala aɖewo va tɔ ɖe dua godo zi eve aɖewo,
21 And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.
ke meƒo nu na wo kple adã be, “Nu ka dim miele hafi va tsi gli la godo dɔ? Ne miegawɔe azɔ la, malé mi.” Eyae nye zi mamlɛtɔ si wova le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, my God, and spare me according to thy great loving-kindness!
Azɔ la, meɖe gbe na Levitɔwo be woakɔ wo ɖokui ŋuti, woadzɔ agboawo ŋu, eye woakpɔ egbɔ be ame sia ame wɔ Dzudzɔgbe la kɔkɔe. O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku nye wɔna sia hã dzi! Ve nunye le wò lɔlɔ̃ sɔ gbɔ la nu.
23 In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab.
Le ɣe ma ɣi ke la, mede dzesii be Yuda ŋutsu geɖewo ɖe srɔ̃ tso Asdod, Amon kple Moab,
24 And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
eye wo viwo dometɔ geɖewo gblɔa Asdod gbe alo dzrogbe bubuwo, eye wometea ŋu gblɔa Yuda gbe kura o.
25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
Ale mehe nya kple dzila siawo, meƒo fi de wo, meƒo wo dometɔ aɖewo, menyɔ woƒe taɖa, eye mena woka atam le Mawu ŋkume gblɔ be, “Míagatsɔ mía vinyɔnuwo na wo viŋutsuwo woaɖe o, alo míaɖe wo vinyɔnuwo na mía viŋutsuwo o, alo míawo ŋutɔ míaɖe wo o.
26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.
Alo menye srɔ̃ sia tɔgbiwo ɖeɖee na be Israel fia Solomo wɔ nu vɔ̃ oa? Le dukɔ geɖewo me la, fia aɖeke mede enu o. Mawu lɔ̃ eya amea, eye wòɖoe fiae ɖe Israel katã dzi, gake dzronyɔnuwo blee de nu vɔ̃ me.
27 And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?
Ke azɔ la, ɖe míase be miawo hã miele nu vɔ̃ɖi sia tɔgbi wɔm, eye miele nuteƒe wɔm na Mawu o to dzronyɔnuwo ɖeɖe mea?”
28 And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.
Yoiada, Eliasib, nunɔla la ƒe viŋutsuwo dometɔ ɖeka ɖe Sanbalat, Horonitɔ la ƒe vinyɔnu, ale menyae le gbedoxɔ la me.
29 Remember them, my God, for they are polluters of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!
O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku wo dzi, elabena wogblẽ kɔ ɖo na nunɔlawo ƒe dɔ kple nunɔlawo kple Levitɔwo ƒe nubabla.
30 And I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service;
Ale mekɔ nunɔlawo kple Levitɔwo ŋu tso dzronuwo me, eye mena dɔ wo, ame sia ame kple etɔ.
31 and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!
Kpe ɖe esiawo ŋu la, mewɔ ɖoɖo ɖe nakenana ɖe ɣeyiɣi dzi kple nu gbãtɔwo nana hã ŋu. O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku dzinye, le wò dɔmenyo la nu.
