< 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,
Ngalelolanga iNcwadi kaMosi yabalelwa abantu besizwa kwafunyanwa kuyo kubhaliwe ukuthi akungabi lamʼAmoni loba umʼMowabi ovunyelwa emhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu, loba sekutheni,
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.
ngoba babengahlangabezanga ama-Israyeli ngokudla lamanzi kodwa bathenga uBhalamu ukuba abaqalekise. (UNkulunkulu wethu kodwa waguqula isiqalekiso leso saba yisibusiso.)
3 It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Kwathi abantu sebewuzwile umthetho, babasusa ko-Israyeli bonke labo ababedabuka ezizweni.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,
Mandulo kwalokhu, u-Eliyashibi umphristi nguye owayephethe iziphala zendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu. Wasuka wezwana kakhulu loThobhiya,
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 priests.
wasemlungisela indlu enkulu eyayikade isetshenziswa ukulondoloza amabele omnikelo lempepha kanye lempahla zethempeli, kanye njalo lamabele awokwetshumi, lewayini elitsha lamafutha, konke okwakumiswe ukuthi kube ngokwabaLevi, labahlabeleli labalindimasango, kanye lezipho eziya kubaphristi.
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,
Kodwa kwathi kusenzakala konke lokhu, mina ngangingekho eJerusalema, ngoba ngomnyaka wamatshumi amathathu lambili wokubusa kuka-Athazekisisi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ngabuyela enkosini. Muva kwalokho ngacela imvumo kuye
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.
ngabuyela eJerusalema. Kulapho engafika ngabona khona ngaleyonto embi eyenziwa ngu-Eliyashibi ngokupha uThobhiya indlu emagumeni asendlini kaNkulunkulu.
8 It grieved me severely: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room.
Ngacaphuka kakhulu ngaphosela phandle zonke impahla zikaThobhiya.
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.
Ngakhupha ilizwi ukuthi kazihlanjululwe izindlu, ngasengibuyisela kuzo impahla zendlini kaNkulunkulu, ndawonye lamabele omnikelo lempepha.
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.
Ngezwa njalo ukuthi abaLevi babengaphiwanga lokho okwakuyisabelo sabo, lokuthi bonke abaLevi labahlabeleli ababeqhuba inkonzo basebebuyele emasimini abo.
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.
Ngazikhwazela izinduna ngazibuza ngathi, “Kungani indlu kaNkulunkulu ingasakhathalelwa na?” Ngasengibabizela ndawonye ngababeka ezindaweni zemisebenzi yabo.
12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.
Bonke abakoJuda baletha okwetshumi kwamabele, iwayini elitsha lamafutha eziphaleni.
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.
Ngasengibeka uShelemiya umphristi, loZadokhi umbhali, lomLevi owayethiwa nguPhedaya ukuba baphathe iziphala, ngenza uHanani indodana kaZakhuri, indodana kaMathaniya, ukuba ngumsekeli wabo, ngoba amadoda la kwakuthiwa athembekile. Baphiwa umlandu wokwabela abafowabo isabelo sabo.
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.
Ungikhumbule ngalokhu, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ungakucitshi lokho engikwenzele indlu kaNkulunkulu wami ngokuthembeka kanye lezinkonzo ezikuyo.
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.
Ngalezonsuku ngabona abantu bakoJuda bevoxa izikhamelo zewayini ngeSabatha njalo beletha amabele bewethesa kubobabhemi, kunye lewayini, lamagrebisi, lomkhiwa leminye imithwalo. Konke lokhu babekuletha eJerusalema ngeSabatha. Ngakho-ke ngasengibaxwayisa ukuthi bangathengisi ukudla ngosuku lolo.
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.
Abantu beThire ababehlala eJerusalema babeletha inhlanzi lemihlobo yonke yezimpahla bezithengisa eJerusalema ebantwini bakoJuda ngeSabatha.
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?
Ngazikhuza izikhulu zakoJuda ngathi kuzo, “Manyala bani la eliwenzayo lingcolisa usuku lweSabatha na?
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."
Kakusikho yini okwenziwa ngoyihlomkhulu, okwabangela ukuthi uThixo wethu, ehlisele kithi laphezu kwalelidolobho lobubunzima na? Manje selibuye lisandisa ulaka ku-Israyeli ngokugcolisa iSabatha.”
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.
Kwathi nxa selimathunzi emasangweni aseJerusalema kungakabi yiSabatha, ngalaya ukuthi iminyango kayivalwe ingaze yavulwa iSabatha ize idlule. Ngamisa emasangweni abanye abantu bami ukuze kungangeni mthwalo ngosuku lweSabatha.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
Okwezikhathi ezimbalwa abathengi labathengisi bezinhlobo zonke zezimpahla balala ngaphandle kweJerusalema.
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.
Kodwa ngabaxwayisa ngathi, “Lenzelani ukulala phansi komduli na? Lingakuphinda lokhu kuzakuba lokuxabana.” Kusukela kulesosikhathi kabasaphindanga beza ngeSabatha.
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.
Ngasengilaya abaLevi ukuthi bazihlambulule besebesiyalinda amasango ukuze kugcinwe usuku lweSabatha lungcwele. Ungikhumbule langalokhu njalo, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, njalo utshengise umusa kimi mayelana lothando lwakho olukhulu.
23 In those days also saw I the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
Phezu kwalokho, ngalezonsuku ngabona amadoda akoJuda ayethethe abafazi base-Ashidodi, le-Amoni laseMowabi.
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.
Ingxenye yabantwababo babekhuluma ulimi lwase-Ashidodi kumbe ulimi lwabanye abantu, bengakwazi ukukhuluma isiHebheru.
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.
Ngabathethisa, ngakhuluma iziqalekiso phezu kwabo. Amanye amadoda ngawatshaya ngaze ngawasiphuna inwele zawo. Ngathi kabenze isifungo ngebizo likaNkulunkulu ngathi, “Lingendiseli amadodakazi enu emadodaneni abo, njalo lingathatheli amadodana enu amadodakazi abo futhi lani lingazithatheli wona.
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.
Kwakungasimitshado enjengale yini eyenza uSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli yenze isono? Phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi kwakungelankosi efana laye. Wayethandwa nguNkulunkulu wakhe, njalo uNkulunkulu wamenza inkosi ka-Israyeli wonke, kodwa laye wahugelwa esonweni ngabafazi bezizweni.
27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?"
Manje-ke sesingezwa ukuthi lani selisenza wonke amanyala la esabekayo njalo kalisathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wethu ngokuthatha abafazi bezizwe na?”
28 One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
Omunye wamadodana kaJoyada indodana ka-Eliyashibi umphristi omkhulu wayengumkhwenyana kaSanibhalathi umHoroni. Ngahle ngamxotshela khatshana kwami.
29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priests, and of the Levites.
Ubakhumbule, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba babungcolisile ubuphristi lesivumelwano sobuphristi lesabaLevi.
30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
Ngakho ngabahlambulula abaphristi labaLevi kuzozonke izinto zezizweni, ngababela imisebenzi yabo, ngulowo waqondana lomsebenzi wakhe.
31 and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
Ngaphinde ngenza amalungiselelo okulethwa kwenkuni ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo, njalo lawezithelo zokuqala. Ungikhumbule ngomusa, Oh Nkulunkulu wami.