Nehemiah 13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and in it was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
Ngalelolanga iNcwadi kaMosi yabalelwa abantu besizwa kwafunyanwa kuyo kubhaliwe ukuthi akungabi lamʼAmoni loba umʼMowabi ovunyelwa emhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu, loba sekutheni,
2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: but 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 Now 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 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:
Mandulo kwalokhu, u-Eliyashibi umphristi nguye owayephethe iziphala zendlu kaNkulunkulu wethu. Wasuka wezwana kakhulu loThobhiya,
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where before they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of 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 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 certain days I obtained 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 of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
ngabuyela eJerusalema. Kulapho engafika ngabona khona ngaleyonto embi eyenziwa ngu-Eliyashibi ngokupha uThobhiya indlu emagumeni asendlini kaNkulunkulu.
8 And it grieved me greatly: therefore I cast forth all the household goods of Tobiah out of the chamber.
Ngacaphuka kakhulu ngaphosela phandle zonke impahla zikaThobhiya.
9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and there I brought again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
Ngakhupha ilizwi ukuthi kazihlanjululwe izindlu, ngasengibuyisela kuzo impahla zendlini kaNkulunkulu, ndawonye lamabele omnikelo lempepha.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, had fled every one 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 the house of God forsaken? And 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 all Judah brought 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 made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were accounted faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.
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, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its offices.
Ungikhumbule ngalokhu, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ungakucitshi lokho engikwenzele indlu kaNkulunkulu wami ngokuthembeka kanye lezinkonzo ezikuyo.
15 In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and putting them on donkeys; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day when 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 dwelt men of Tyre also in the city, who brought fish, and all kinds of wares, and sold on the sabbath to the children 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 ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
Ngazikhuza izikhulu zakoJuda ngathi kuzo, “Manyala bani la eliwenzayo lingcolisa usuku lweSabatha na?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon 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 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, that there should no burden 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 kind 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 lodge ye before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.
Kodwa ngabaxwayisa ngathi, “Lenzelani ukulala phansi komduli na? Lingakuphinda lokhu kuzakuba lokuxabana.” Kusukela kulesosikhathi kabasaphindanga beza ngeSabatha.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
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 I saw Jews that 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 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to 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, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause 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 hearken to you to do all this great evil, to transgress 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 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I drove him away from me.
Omunye wamadodana kaJoyada indodana ka-Eliyashibi umphristi omkhulu wayengumkhwenyana kaSanibhalathi umHoroni. Ngahle ngamxotshela khatshana kwami.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
Ubakhumbule, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba babungcolisile ubuphristi lesivumelwano sobuphristi lesabaLevi.
30 Thus I cleansed them from all strangers, and appointed the duties of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
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 firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Ngaphinde ngenza amalungiselelo okulethwa kwenkuni ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo, njalo lawezithelo zokuqala. Ungikhumbule ngomusa, Oh Nkulunkulu wami.
