Nehemiah 13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,
Siku hiyo, Kitabu cha Mose kilisomwa kwa sauti kuu, na watu wote wakasikia. Humo ilionekana imeandikwa kwamba hakuna Mwamoni wala Mmoabu atakayeruhusiwa katika kusanyiko la watu wa Mungu,
2 because they didn’t 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.
kwa sababu hawakuwalaki Waisraeli kwa chakula na maji. Badala yake walimwajiri Balaamu kuwalaani (lakini hata hivyo Mungu wetu aligeuza laana kuwa baraka).
3 It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
Watu waliposikia sheria hii, waliwatenga watu wote wasio Waisraeli waliokuwa wa uzao wa kigeni.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,
Kabla ya hili, kuhani Eliashibu alikuwa amewekwa kuwa msimamizi wa vyumba vya ghala ya nyumba ya Mungu wetu. Alikuwa na uhusiano wa karibu na Tobia,
5 had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.
naye alikuwa amempa Tobia chumba kikubwa ambacho mwanzo kilikuwa kikitumika kuweka sadaka za nafaka, uvumba na vyombo vya Hekalu, pamoja na zaka za nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta waliyoagizwa Waisraeli kwa ajili ya Walawi, waimbaji na mabawabu wa lango, pamoja na matoleo kwa makuhani.
6 But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked leave of the king,
Lakini wakati haya yote yalipokuwa yakitendeka, sikuwa Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa katika mwaka wa thelathini na mbili wa utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Babeli nilikuwa nimerudi kwa mfalme. Baadaye nilimwomba ruhusa,
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.
nikarudi Yerusalemu. Hapo niligundua jambo la uovu alilofanya Eliashibu kwa kumpa Tobia chumba katika nyua za nyumba ya Mungu.
8 It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room.
Nilikasirika sana na nikavitupa nje vyombo vyote vya Tobia.
9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.
Nilitoa amri kutakasa vyumba, kisha nikavirudisha vifaa vya nyumba ya Mungu, pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na uvumba.
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 each fled to his field.
Pia niligundua kuwa mafungu yaliyopangwa kupewa Walawi hawakuwa wamepewa, nao Walawi wote na waimbaji waliowajibika kwa huduma walikuwa wamerudi katika mashamba yao.
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.
Basi niliwakemea maafisa na kuwauliza, “Kwa nini nyumba ya Mungu imepuuzwa?” Kisha niliwaita pamoja na kuwaweka kwenye nafasi zao.
12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries.
Yuda wote walileta zaka za nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta kwenye ghala.
13 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 counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.
Nikamweka kuhani Shelemia, mwandishi Sadoki, na Mlawi aliyeitwa Pedaya kuwa wasimamizi wa ghala, na kumfanya Hanani mwana wa Zakuri, mwana wa Matania kuwa msaidizi wao, kwa sababu watu hawa walionekana kuwa waaminifu. Walipewa wajibu wa kugawa mahitaji kwa ndugu zao.
14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.
Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke kwa hili, wala usifute kile nilichokifanya kwa uaminifu kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu na kwa ajili ya huduma yake.
15 In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, 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.
Siku hizo nikaona watu katika Yuda wakikanyaga mashinikizo ya divai siku ya Sabato na kuleta nafaka wakiwapakiza punda, pamoja na divai, zabibu, tini na aina nyingine za mizigo. Nao walikuwa wakileta haya yote Yerusalemu siku ya Sabato. Kwa hiyo niliwaonya dhidi ya kuuza vyakula siku hiyo.
16 Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Watu kutoka Tiro waliokuwa wakiishi Yerusalemu walileta samaki na aina nyingi za bidhaa na kuziuza Yerusalemu siku ya Sabato kwa watu wa Yuda.
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?
Niliwakemea wakuu wa Yuda na kuwaambia, “Ni uovu gani huu mnaofanya wa kuinajisi siku ya Sabato?
18 Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
Je, baba zenu hawakufanya mambo kama haya, hata wakamsababisha Mungu wetu kuleta maafa haya yote juu yetu na juu ya mji huu? Sasa bado mnazidi kuchochea ghadhabu yake dhidi ya Israeli kwa kuinajisi Sabato.”
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, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.
Wakati vivuli vya jioni vilipoangukia juu ya malango ya Yerusalemu kabla ya Sabato, niliamuru milango ifungwe, wala isifunguliwe mpaka Sabato iishe. Nikawaweka baadhi ya watu wangu mwenyewe kwenye malango ili pasiwepo mzigo utakaoingizwa ndani siku ya Sabato.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
Mara moja au mbili wachuuzi na wauzaji wa bidhaa za aina zote walilala usiku nje ya mji wa Yerusalemu.
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 didn’t come on the Sabbath.
Lakini niliwaonya na kuwaambia, “Kwa nini mnalala karibu na ukuta? Kama mkifanya hivi tena, nitawaadhibu.” Kuanzia wakati ule hawakuja tena siku ya Sabato.
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 me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
Kisha nikawaamuru Walawi kujitakasa na kwenda kulinda malango ili kutunza Sabato iwe takatifu. Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke kwa ajili ya hili pia, nawe unionyeshe wema wako sawasawa na upendo wako mkuu.
23 In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;
Zaidi ya hayo, niliona Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake kutoka Ashdodi, Amoni na Moabu.
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.
Nusu ya watoto wao walizungumza lugha ya Kiashidodi au lugha ya watu wengine, bali hawakuweza kuzungumza Kiyahudi.
25 I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, 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.
Niliwakemea na kuwalaani. Niliwapiga baadhi ya watu na kungʼoa nywele zao. Niliwaapisha kwa jina la Mungu na kusema: “Msiwaoze binti zenu kwa wana wao, wala binti zao wasiolewe na wana wenu wala ninyi wenyewe.
26 Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.
Je, Solomoni hakutenda dhambi kwa sababu ya wanawake wa namna hiyo? Miongoni mwa mataifa mengi hapakuwepo mfalme kama yeye. Alipendwa na Mungu wake. Naye Mungu alimweka kuwa mfalme juu ya Israeli yote, lakini hata yeye, wanawake wa mataifa mengine walimfanya atende dhambi.
27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
Je, tulazimike sasa kusikia kwamba ninyi pia mmefanya uovu huu mkubwa na kutokuwa waaminifu kwa Mungu wetu kwa kuoa wanawake wa kigeni?”
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.
Mmoja wa wana wa Yoyada mwana wa Eliashibu kuhani mkuu alikuwa mkwewe Sanbalati Mhoroni. Nami nilimfukuza mbele yangu.
29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
Ee Mungu wangu, uwakumbuke, kwa sababu wamenajisi ukuhani, na agano la kikuhani na la Walawi.
30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
Kwa hiyo niliwatakasa makuhani na Walawi kutokana na chochote kilichokuwa cha kigeni, na kuwapa wajibu, kila mmoja katika kazi yake.
31 and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
Pia nilihakikisha kwamba matoleo ya kuni yaliletwa kwa wakati unaopaswa, na malimbuko kwa wakati wake. Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke, unitendee mema.
