< 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,
當日,人念摩西的律法書給百姓聽,遇見書上寫着說,亞捫人和摩押人永不可入上帝的會;
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.
因為他們沒有拿食物和水來迎接以色列人,且雇了巴蘭咒詛他們,但我們的上帝使那咒詛變為祝福。
3 It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
以色列民聽見這律法,就與一切閒雜人絕交。
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,
先是蒙派管理我們上帝殿中庫房的祭司以利亞實與多比雅結親,
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.
便為他預備一間大屋子,就是從前收存素祭、乳香、器皿,和照命令供給利未人、歌唱的、守門的五穀、新酒,和油的十分之一,並歸祭司舉祭的屋子。
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,
那時我不在耶路撒冷;因為巴比倫王亞達薛西三十二年,我回到王那裏。過了多日,我向王告假。
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.
我來到耶路撒冷,就知道以利亞實為多比雅在上帝殿的院內預備屋子的那件惡事。
8 It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room.
我甚惱怒,就把多比雅的一切家具從屋裏都拋出去,
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.
吩咐人潔淨這屋子,遂將上帝殿的器皿和素祭、乳香又搬進去。
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.
我見利未人所當得的分無人供給他們,甚至供職的利未人與歌唱的俱各奔回自己的田地去了。
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.
我就斥責官長說:「為何離棄上帝的殿呢?」我便招聚利未人,使他們照舊供職。
12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries.
猶大眾人就把五穀、新酒,和油的十分之一送入庫房。
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.
我派祭司示利米雅、文士撒督,和利未人毗大雅作庫官管理庫房;副官是哈難。哈難是撒刻的兒子;撒刻是瑪他尼的兒子。這些人都是忠信的,他們的職分是將所供給的分給他們的弟兄。
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.
我的上帝啊,求你因這事記念我,不要塗抹我為上帝的殿與其中的禮節所行的善。
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.
那些日子,我在猶大見有人在安息日醡酒,搬運禾捆馱在驢上,又把酒、葡萄、無花果,和各樣的擔子在安息日擔入耶路撒冷,我就在他們賣食物的那日警戒他們。
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.
又有泰爾人住在耶路撒冷;他們把魚和各樣貨物運進來,在安息日賣給猶大人。
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?
我就斥責猶大的貴冑說:「你們怎麼行這惡事犯了安息日呢?
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.”
從前你們列祖豈不是這樣行,以致我們上帝使一切災禍臨到我們和這城嗎?現在你們還犯安息日,使忿怒越發臨到以色列!」
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.
在安息日的前一日,耶路撒冷城門有黑影的時候,我就吩咐人將門關鎖,不過安息日不准開放。我又派我幾個僕人管理城門,免得有人在安息日擔甚麼擔子進城。
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
於是商人和販賣各樣貨物的,一兩次住宿在耶路撒冷城外。
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.
我就警戒他們說:「你們為何在城外住宿呢?若再這樣,我必下手拿辦你們。」從此以後,他們在安息日不再來了。
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.
我吩咐利未人潔淨自己,來守城門,使安息日為聖。我的上帝啊,求你因這事記念我,照你的大慈愛憐恤我。
23 In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;
那些日子,我也見猶大人娶了亞實突、亞捫、摩押的女子為妻。
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.
他們的兒女說話,一半是亞實突的話,不會說猶大的話,所說的是照着各族的方言。
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.
我就斥責他們,咒詛他們,打了他們幾個人,拔下他們的頭髮,叫他們指着上帝起誓,必不將自己的女兒嫁給外邦人的兒子,也不為自己和兒子娶他們的女兒。
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.
我又說:「以色列王所羅門不是在這樣的事上犯罪嗎?在多國中並沒有一王像他,且蒙他上帝所愛,上帝立他作以色列全國的王;然而連他也被外邦女子引誘犯罪。
27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
如此,我豈聽你們行這大惡,娶外邦女子干犯我們的上帝呢?」
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.
大祭司以利亞實的孫子、耶何耶大的一個兒子是和倫人參巴拉的女婿,我就從我這裏把他趕出去。
29 Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
我的上帝啊,求你記念他們的罪;因為他們玷污了祭司的職任,違背你與祭司利未人所立的約。
30 Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
這樣,我潔淨他們,使他們離絕一切外邦人,派定祭司和利未人的班次,使他們各盡其職。
31 and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
我又派百姓按定期獻柴和初熟的土產。我的上帝啊,求你記念我,施恩與我。