Nehemiah 13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, 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 met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Baalam against them, that he should curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
elabena womewɔ xɔlɔ̃ kple Israel o. Wotsɔ Balaam be woaƒo fi ade Israelviwo, ke Mawu trɔ fiƒode la wòzu yayra.
3 Now it came to pass, when they had 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, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied to Tobiah:
Hafi nya sia nadzɔ la, Nunɔla Eliasib, ame si kpɔa gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo dzi, eye wònye Tobia xɔlɔ̃ vevi aɖe la,
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the meat-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, 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.
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 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:
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 understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing for 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 greatly: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
medo dɔmedzoe, eye mefɔ Tobia ƒe nuwo le xɔ la me ƒu gbe.
9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither I brought again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat-offering 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 [them]: for 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 assembled them, 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 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.
Ale Yudatɔwo katã gade asi woƒe bli, wain yeye kple ami ƒe ewoliawo tsɔtsɔ va gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo me.
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.
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 that I have done for the house of my God, and for its offices.
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 wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; 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 in which they sold provisions.
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 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought fish, and all manner of wares, and sold 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 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?
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? yet ye bring more wrath upon 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 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.
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 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
Asitsala aɖewo va tɔ ɖe dua godo zi eve aɖewo,
21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no [more] 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 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.
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 speech 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 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.
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 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 outlandish women 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 Shall we then hearken to you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in 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: therefore 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, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and 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 Thus I cleansed them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
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.
