Nehemiah 13

1 On that day they read in the scroll of Moses in the audience of the people; and in it was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

١ فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ قُرِئَ فِي سِفْرِ مُوسَى فِي آذَانِ ٱلشَّعْبِ، وَوُجِدَ مَكْتُوبًا فِيهِ أَنَّ عَمُّونِيًّا وَمُوآبِيًّا لَا يَدْخُلُ فِي جَمَاعَةِ ٱللهِ إِلَى ٱلْأَبَدِ.

2 because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing.

٢ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُلَاقُوا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِٱلْخُبْزِ وَٱلْمَاءِ، بَلِ ٱسْتَأْجَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بَلْعَامَ لِكَيْ يَلْعَنَهُمْ، وَحَوَّلَ إِلَهُنَا ٱللَّعْنَةَ إِلَى بَرَكَةٍ.

3 It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

٣ وَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا ٱلشَّرِيعَةَ فَرَزُوا كُلَّ ٱللَّفِيفِ مِنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the cohen, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,

٤ وَقَبْلَ هَذَا كَانَ أَلْيَاشِيبُ ٱلْكَاهِنُ ٱلْمُقَامُ عَلَى مِخْدَعِ بَيْتِ إِلَهِنَا قَرَابَةُ طُوبِيَّا،

5 had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the cohanim.

٥ قَدْ هَيَّأَ لَهُ مِخْدَعًا عَظِيمًا حَيْثُ كَانُوا سَابِقًا يَضَعُونَ ٱلتَّقْدِمَاتِ وَٱلْبَخُورَ وَٱلْآنِيَةَ، وَعُشْرَ ٱلْقَمْحِ وَٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلزَّيْتِ، فَرِيضَةَ ٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ وَٱلْمُغَنِّينَ وَٱلْبَوَّابِينَ، وَرَفِيعَةَ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ.

6 But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta king of Babylon I went to the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king,

٦ وَفِي كُلِّ هَذَا لَمْ أَكُنْ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، لِأَنِّي فِي ٱلسَّنَةِ ٱلِٱثْنَتَيْنِ وَٱلثَّلَاثِينَ لِأَرْتَحْشَسْتَا مَلِكِ بَابِلَ دَخَلْتُ إِلَى ٱلْمَلِكِ، وَبَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ ٱسْتَأْذَنْتُ مِنَ ٱلْمَلِكِ

7 and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of God's house.

٧ وَأَتَيْتُ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ. وَفَهِمْتُ ٱلشَّرَّ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلَهُ أَلْيَاشِيبُ لِأَجْلِ طُوبِيَّا، بِعَمَلِهِ لَهُ مِخْدَعًا فِي دِيَارِ بَيْتِ ٱللهِ.

8 It grieved me severely: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room.

٨ وَسَاءَنِي ٱلْأَمْرُ جِدًّا، وَطَرَحْتُ جَمِيعَ آنِيَةِ بَيْتِ طُوبِيَّا خَارِجَ ٱلْمِخْدَعِ،

9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms: and there brought I again the vessels of God's house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense.

٩ وَأَمَرْتُ فَطَهَّرُوا ٱلْمَخَادِعَ، وَرَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهَا آنِيَةَ بَيْتِ ٱللهِ مَعَ ٱلتَّقْدِمَةِ وَٱلْبَخُورِ.

10 I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled everyone to his field.

١٠ وَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَنْصِبَةَ ٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ لَمْ تُعْطَ، بَلْ هَرَبَ ٱللَّاَوِيُّونَ وَٱلْمُغَنُّونَ عَامِلُو ٱلْعَمَلِ، كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ إِلَى حَقْلِهِ.

11 Then I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is God's house forsaken?" I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

١١ فَخَاصَمْتُ ٱلْوُلَاةَ وَقُلْتُ: «لِمَاذَا تُرِكَ بَيْتُ ٱللهِ؟» فَجَمَعْتُهُمْ وَأَوْقَفْتُهُمْ فِي أَمَاكِنِهِمْ.

12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.

١٢ وَأَتَى كُلُّ يَهُوذَا بِعُشْرِ ٱلْقَمْحِ وَٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلزَّيْتِ إِلَى ٱلْمَخَازِنِ،

13 And I commanded Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites be in charge of the storerooms. And next to them was Hanan the son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were considered trustworthy, and their responsibility was the distribution to their brothers.

١٣ وَأَقَمْتُ خَزَنَةً عَلَى ٱلْخَزَائِنِ: شَلَمْيَا ٱلْكَاهِنَ وَصَادُوقَ ٱلْكَاتِبَ وَفَدَايَا مِنَ ٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ، وَبِجَانِبِهِمْ حَانَانَ بْنُ زَكُّورَ بْنِ مَتَّنْيَا لِأَنَّهُمْ حُسِبُوا أُمَنَاءَ، وَكَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَقْسِمُوا عَلَى إِخْوَتِهِمْ.

14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

١٤ ٱذْكُرْنِي ياإِلَهِي مِنْ أَجْلِ هَذَا، وَلَا تَمْحُ حَسَنَاتِي ٱلَّتِي عَمِلْتُهَا نَحْوَ بَيْتِ إِلَهِي وَنَحْوَ شَعَائِرِهِ.

15 In those days I saw in Judah some men treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.

١٥ فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ رَأَيْتُ فِي يَهُوذَا قَوْمًا يَدُوسُونَ مَعَاصِرَ فِي ٱلسَّبْتِ، وَيَأْتُونَ بِحُزَمٍ وَيُحَمِّلُونَ حَمِيرًا، وَأَيْضًا يَدْخُلُونَ أُورُشَلِيمَ فِي يَوْمِ ٱلسَّبْتِ بِخَمْرٍ وَعِنَبٍ وَتِينٍ وَكُلِّ مَا يُحْمَلُ، فَأَشْهَدْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ بَيْعِهِمِ ٱلطَّعَامَ.

16 There lived men of Tyre also in it, who brought in fish, and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

١٦ وَٱلصُّورِيُّونَ ٱلسَّاكِنُونَ بِهَا كَانُوا يَأْتُونَ بِسَمَكٍ وَكُلِّ بِضَاعَةٍ، وَيَبِيعُونَ فِي ٱلسَّبْتِ لِبَنِي يَهُوذَا وَفِي أُورُشَلِيمَ.

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

١٧ فَخَاصَمْتُ عُظَمَاءَ يَهُوذَا وَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: «مَا هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرُ ٱلْقَبِيحُ ٱلَّذِي تَعْمَلُونَهُ وَتُدَنِّسُونَ يَوْمَ ٱلسَّبْتِ؟

18 Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us, and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

١٨ أَلَمْ يَفْعَلْ آبَاؤُكُمْ هَكَذَا فَجَلَبَ إِلَهُنَا عَلَيْنَا كُلَّ هَذَا ٱلشَّرِّ، وَعَلَى هَذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ؟ وَأَنْتُمْ تَزِيدُونَ غَضَبًا عَلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ تُدَنِّسُونَ ٱلسَّبْتَ».

19 It came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.

١٩ وَكَانَ لَمَّا أَظْلَمَتْ أَبْوَابُ أُورُشَلِيمَ قَبْلَ ٱلسَّبْتِ، أَنِّي أَمَرْتُ بِأَنْ تُغْلَقَ ٱلْأَبْوَابُ، وَقُلْتُ أَنْ لَا يَفْتَحُوهَا إِلَى مَا بَعْدَ ٱلسَّبْتِ. وَأَقَمْتُ مِنْ غِلْمَانِي عَلَى ٱلْأَبْوَابِ حَتَّى لَا يَدْخُلَ حِمْلٌ فِي يَوْمِ ٱلسَّبْتِ.

20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

٢٠ فَبَاتَ ٱلتُّجَّارُ وَبَائِعُو كُلِّ بِضَاعَةٍ خَارِجَ أُورُشَلِيمَ مَرَّةً وَٱثْنَتَيْنِ.

21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, "Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on, they did not come on the Sabbath.

٢١ فَأَشْهَدْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: «لِمَاذَا أَنْتُمْ بَائِتُونَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلسُّورِ؟ إِنْ عُدْتُمْ فَإِنِّي أُلْقِي يَدًا عَلَيْكُمْ». وَمِنْ ذَلِكَ ٱلْوَقْتِ لَمْ يَأْتُوا فِي ٱلسَّبْتِ.

22 I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

٢٢ وَقُلْتُ لِلَّاوِيِّينَ أَنْ يَتَطَهَّرُوا وَيَأْتُوا وَيَحْرُسُوا ٱلْأَبْوَابَ لِأَجْلِ تَقْدِيسِ يَوْمِ ٱلسَّبْتِ. بِهَذَا أَيْضًا ٱذْكُرْنِي يَا إِلَهِي، وَتَرَأَفْ عَلَيَّ حَسَبَ كَثْرَةِ رَحْمَتِكَ.

23 In those days also saw I the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

٢٣ فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ أَيْضًا رَأَيْتُ ٱلْيَهُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ سَاكَنُوا نِسَاءً أَشْدُودِيَّاتٍ وَعَمُّونِيَّاتٍ وَمُوآبِيَّاتٍ.

24 and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

٢٤ وَنِصْفُ كَلَامِ بَنِيهِمْ بِٱللِّسَانِ ٱلْأَشْدُودِيِّ، وَلَمْ يَكُونُوا يُحْسِنُونَ ٱلتَّكَلُّمَ بِٱللِّسَانِ ٱلْيَهُودِيِّ، بَلْ بِلِسَانِ شَعْبٍ وَشَعْبٍ.

25 I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

٢٥ فَخَاصَمْتُهُمْ وَلَعَنْتُهُمْ وَضَرَبْتُ مِنْهُمْ أُنَاسًا وَنَتَفْتُ شُعُورَهُمْ، وَٱسْتَحْلَفْتُهُمْ بِٱللهِ قَائِلًا: «لَا تُعْطُوا بَنَاتِكُمْ لِبَنِيهِمْ، وَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِنْ بَنَاتِهِمْ لِبَنِيكُمْ، وَلَا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

٢٦ أَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَجْلِ هَؤُلَاءِ أَخْطَأَ سُلَيْمَانُ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي ٱلْأُمَمِ ٱلْكَثِيرَةِ مَلِكٌ مِثْلُهُ؟ وَكَانَ مَحْبُوبًا إِلَى إِلَهِهِ، فَجَعَلَهُ ٱللهُ مَلِكًا علَى كُلِّ إِسْرَائِيلَ. هُوَ أَيْضًا جَعَلَتْهُ ٱلنِّسَاءُ ٱلْأَجْنَبِيَّاتُ يُخْطِئُ.

27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?"

٢٧ فَهَلْ نَسْكُتُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْمَلُوا كُلَّ هَذَا ٱلشَّرِّ ٱلْعَظِيمِ بِٱلْخِيَانَةِ ضِدَّ إِلَهِنَا بِمُسَاكَنَةِ نِسَاءٍ أَجْنَبِيَّاتٍ؟»

28 One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the cohen hagadol, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

٢٨ وَكَانَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ بَنِي يُويَادَاعَ بْنِ أَلْيَاشِيبَ ٱلْكَاهِنِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ صِهْرًا لِسَنْبَلَّطَ ٱلْحُورُونِيِّ، فَطَرَدْتُهُ مِنْ عِنْدِي.

29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the office of cohen, and the covenant of the cohanim, and of the Levites.

٢٩ ٱذْكُرْهُمْ يَاإِلَهِي، لِأَنَّهُمْ نَجَّسُوا ٱلْكَهَنُوتَ وَعَهْدَ ٱلْكَهَنُوتِ وَٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ.

30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the cohanim and for the Levites, everyone in his work;

٣٠ فَطَهَّرْتُهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ غَرِيبٍ، وَأَقَمْتُ حِرَاسَاتِ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ وَٱللَّاَوِيِّينَ، كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى عَمَلِهِ،

31 and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

٣١ وَلِأَجْلِ قُرْبَانِ ٱلْحَطَبِ فِي أَزْمِنَةٍ مُعَيَّنَةٍ وَلِلْبَاكُورَاتِ. فَٱذْكُرْنِي يَا إِلَهِي بِٱلْخَيْرِ.