Nehemiah 10
1 Forsothe the seeleris weren Neemye, Athersata, the sone of Achilai,
(This is a list/These are the names) of those who signed the agreement: I, Nehemiah, the governor; and also Zedekiah.
2 and Sedechie, Saraie, Azarie, Jeremye, Phasur,
The priests who signed it were: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Amarie, Melchie,
Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Accus, Sebenye,
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Mellucarem, Nerymuth, Oddie, Danyel,
Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Genton, Baruc, Mosollam, Abia,
Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Mianymy, Mazie, Belga, and Semeie;
Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 these weren prestis.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah.
9 Forsothe dekenes weren Josue, the sone of Azarie, Bennuy, of the sones of Ennadab,
The [other] descendants of Levi who signed it were: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 Cedinyel, and hise britheren, Sethenye, Odenmye, Telita, Phalaie, Anam,
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Myca, Roob, Asebie
Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Serebie, Sabanye,
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Odias, Bany, Hamyn.
Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
14 The heedis of the puple, Phetos, Moab, Elam,
The Israeli leaders who signed it were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Zecu, Banny, Bonny, Azgad, Bebay,
Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Donai, Bogoia, Adyn,
Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ather, Azochie, Azur,
Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Odenye, Assuyn, Bessaie,
Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Ares, Anatoth, Nebai,
Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Methpie, Mosollam, Azir,
Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meizabel, Sadoch, Reddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pheltie, Ananye, Osee,
Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Anaie, Azub, Aloes,
Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
24 Phaleam, Sobeth,
Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
25 Reu, Asebyne, Mathsie,
Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 Ethaie, Anam,
Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Mellucarem, Baana;
Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
28 and othere of the puple, prestis, dekenes, porteris, and syngeris, Natynneis, and alle men that departiden hem silf fro the puplis of londis to the lawe of God, the wyues of hem, and `the sones of hem, and the douytris of hem;
Then the rest of the people also made a solemn agreement. The people who did it included priests, temple gatekeepers, singers, and temple workers. They also included all the men from other countries who had separated themselves from the other foreigners living in Israel. These men, along with their wives, their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand [what they were doing, were people who wanted to obey God’s laws].
29 alle that myyten vndurstonde, bihetynge for her britheren, the principal men of hem, `and thei that camen to biheete, and to swere, that thei schulden go in the lawe of the Lord, which he `hadde youe bi the hond of Moyses, his seruaunt, that thei schulden do and kepe alle the heestis of `oure Lord God, and hise domes, and hise cerymonyes; and that we schulden not yyue
They all joined with their leaders in making this solemn agreement. They agreed to obey all the laws that God had given to Moses. They agreed to obey everything that Yahweh our God had commanded, and all his regulations and instructions. [And this is what they promised to do: ]
30 oure douytris to the puple of the lond, and that we schulden not take her douytris to oure sones.
“We will not allow our daughters to marry people who live in this land [who do not worship Yahweh], and we will not allow our sons to marry them.
31 Also the puplis of the lond, `that bryngen in thingis set to sale, and alle thingis to vss, bi the dai of sabat, for to sille, we schulen not take of hem in the sabat, and in a dai halewid; and we schulen leeue the seuenthe yeer, and the axynge of al hond.
“If people from other countries who live in this land bring us grain or other things to sell to us on Sabbath days or any other sacred day, we will not buy anything from them. And in every seventh year, we will not plant any crops, and we will (cancel all debts/declare that people will no longer have to pay back what they owe us).
32 And we schulen ordeyne comaundementis `on vs, that we yyue the thridde part of a sicle `bi the yeer to the werk of `oure Lord God,
“We also promise that every year we will pay (one-eighth of an ounce/4 grams) of silver for the work of taking care of the temple.
33 to the looues of settyngforth, and to the euerlastynge sacrifice, `and in to brent sacrifice euerlastynge, in sabatis, in calendis, `that is, bigynnyngis of monethis, in solempnytees, in halewid daies, and for synne, that `me preie for Israel, and in to al the vss of the hows of oure God.
With that money they can buy these things: The sacred bread [that is placed before God], the grain that is burned [on the altar] each day, the lambs that were completely burned [on the altar], the sacred offerings for the Sabbath days and for celebrating each new moon and other festivals that God told us to celebrate, and other offerings that are dedicated to God, the animals to be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the Israeli people, and anything else that is needed for the work of taking care of the temple.
34 `Therfor we senten `lottis on the offryng of trees, bitwixe prestis and dekenes and the puple, that tho schulden be brouyt in to the hows of oure God, bi the housis of oure fadris bi tymes, fro the tymes of a yeer `til to a yeer, that `tho schulden brenne on the auter of `oure Lord God, as it is writun in the lawe of Moyses;
“Each year the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi who help the priests, and the rest of us will (cast lots/throw marked stones) to determine [for that year] which clans will provide wood to burn on the altar the sacrifices that are offered to Yahweh our God, in order to do what was written in the laws [God gave to Moses].
35 and that we bringe the firste gendrid thingis of oure lond, and the firste fruytis of al fruyt of ech tree, fro yeer in to yeer,
“We promise that each year each family will take to the temple an offering from the first grain that we harvest and from the first fruit that grows on our trees [that year].
36 in to the hows of the Lord, and the firste gendrid thingis of oure sones, and of oure beestis, as it is writun in the lawe, and the firste gendrid thingis of oure oxis, and of oure scheep, that tho be offrid in the hows of oure God, to prestis that mynystren in the hows of oure God;
“Also, we will take to the priests at the temple our firstborn sons and dedicate them to God. And we will also bring firstborn calves and lambs and baby goats [to be offered as sacrifices]. That is what is written in God’s laws [that we must do].
37 and we schulen brynge the firste fruytis of oure metis, and of oure moiste sacrifices, and the applis of ech tre, and of vendage, and of oile, to `prestis, at the treserie of the Lord, and the tenthe part of oure lond to dekenes; thilke dekenes schulen take tithis of alle the citees of oure werkis.
“We will also take to the priests at the temple the flour made from the first grain [that we harvest each year], and our other offerings of wine, [olive] oil, and fruit. We will also take to the descendants of Levi [who help the priests] the tithes/10% of [the crops that we grow on] our land, because they are the ones who collect the tithes in all the villages where we work/live.
38 Sotheli a prest, the sone of Aaron, schal be with the dekenes in the tithis of dekenes; and the dekenes schulen offre the tenthe part of her tithe in the hows of oure God, `at the tresorie, in the hows of tresour.
The priests who are descendants of Aaron will be with the [other] descendants of Levi and supervise them when they collect the tithes. Then the descendants of Levi must take 10% of the things that people bring and put them in the storerooms in the temple.
39 For the sones of Israel and the sones of Leuy schulen brynge the firste fruytis of wheete, of wiyn, and of oile; and halewid vessels schulen be there, and prestis, and syngeris, and porteris, and mynystris; and we schulen not forsake the hows of `oure God.
The descendants of Levi and [some of] the other Israeli people must take 10% of the offerings of grain, wine, and [olive] oil to the storerooms where the various utensils that are used in the temple are kept. That is the place where the priests who are serving at that time, the temple guards, and those who sing in the temple choir live. [We promise that] we will not neglect [taking care of the temple of our God].”
