Nehemia 10
1 Ame siwo de asi nubabla sia te la woe nye: Nehemia, mɔmefia, Hakalia ƒe vi kple Zedekia,
(This is a list/These are the names) of those who signed the agreement: I, Nehemiah, the governor; and also Zedekiah.
2 Seraya, Azaria, Yeremia,
The priests who signed it were: Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pasur, Amaria, Malkiya,
Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
4 Hatus, Sebania, Maluk,
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremot, Obadia,
Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Gineton, Baruk,
Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Mesulam, Abiya, Miyamin,
Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maazia, Bilgai kple Semaya. Ame siawo katã nye nunɔlawo.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah.
9 Levitɔ siwo de asi nubabla la te la woe nye: Yesua, Azania ƒe vi, Binui, Henadad ƒe vi, Kadmiel,
The [other] descendants of Levi who signed it were: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui from the clan of Henadad, Kadmiel,
10 Sebania, Hodia, Kelita, Pelaya, Hanan,
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Mika, Rehob, Hasabia,
Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zakur, Serebia, Sebania,
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodia, Bani kple Beninu.
Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
14 Dukɔ la ƒe kplɔla siwo de asi ete la woe nye: Paros, Pahat Moab, Elam, Zatu, Bani,
The Israeli leaders who signed it were: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
15 Buni, Azgad, Bebai,
Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adoniya, Bigvai, Adin,
Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hezekia, Azur,
Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
18 Hodia, Hasum, Bezai,
Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Harif, Anatɔt, Nebai,
Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpias, Mesulam, Hezir,
Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Mesezabel, Zadok, Yaɖua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatia, Hanan, Anaya,
Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hosea, Hananiya, Hasub,
Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
24 Halohes, Pilha, Sobek,
Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hasabna, Maaseya,
Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 Ahiya, Hanan, Anan,
Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Maluk, Harim kple Baana.
Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
28 Ame siawoe de asi nubabla la te ɖe dukɔ blibo la nu, elabena dukɔmeviwo, nunɔlawo, Levitɔwo, agbonudzɔlawo, hadzilawo, gbedoxɔmedɔwɔlawo kple ame bubuawo katã, ame siwo srɔ̃wo, viŋutsuwo, vinyɔnuwo, ame siwo tsi ate ŋu ase nu gɔme la, ɖe wo ɖokuiwo ɖe aga tso trɔ̃subɔla siwo le anyigba la dzi gbɔ ale be woasubɔ Mawu.
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 Ame siawo katã wɔ ɖeka kple Israelvi bubumewo, eye woɖe adzɔgbe be Mawu ƒe fiƒode nava wo dzi ne womewɔ Yehowa ƒe Se siwo wòde na wo to Mose, Mawu ƒe dɔla la dzi o, eye woɖe adzɔgbe be woalé Yehowa, woƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe Sewo kple ɖoɖowo katã me ɖe asi.
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 “Míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi hã be míaɖe mɔ na mía vinyɔnuwo woaɖe amedzrowo o, eye nenema ke míaɖe mɔ mía viŋutsuwo hã naɖe wo vinyɔnuwo o.
“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 “Míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi be ne trɔ̃subɔla siwo le anyigba la dzi anɔ adzɔnu kple agblemenuku alo nu bubu aɖe dzram le Dzudzɔgbe alo ŋkeke kɔkɔe bubu aɖe dzi la, míagbe eƒeƒle. Míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi be míawɔ dɔ aɖeke le ƒe adrelia ɖe sia ɖe me o. Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, míate fli ɖe mía nɔvi Yudatɔwo ƒe fe siwo wonyi le mía si la me.
“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 “Míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi be míadzɔ nu ƒe sia ƒe na gbedoxɔ la, ale be ga nasɔ gbɔ ɣe sia ɣi hena mía Mawu la ƒe gbedoxɔ la dzikpɔkpɔ,
“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 elabena míehiã nu tɔxɛwo na Ŋkumeɖobolo, nuɖuvɔsawo kple numevɔsawo na Dzudzɔgbewo, Ɣleti yeye ƒe ŋkekenyuiwo kple Ŋkekenyui siwo míeɖuna ƒe sia ƒe, na vɔsa kɔkɔewo, na avuléle ɖe Israel nu kple dɔwɔwɔ le gbedoxɔ la me.
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 “Míada akɔ be míanya ƒe sia ƒe ƒe ɣeyiɣi si dzi nunɔlawo, Levitɔwo kple kplɔlawo ƒe ƒometɔwo ana nake si ŋu dɔ woawɔ le Yehowa, mía Mawu la ƒe vɔsamlekpui dzi abe ale si woŋlɔe ɖe Se la me ene.
“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 “Míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi hã be míatsɔ míaƒe agblemenuku ɖe sia ɖe ƒe gbãtɔ, eɖanye nu si ɖona le to me alo tsena ɖe kutsetsetiwo kple amitiwo dzi o, ayi Yehowa ƒe aƒe me.
“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 “Abe ale si woŋlɔe ɖe Se la me ene la, míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi be míatsɔ míaƒe viŋutsu tsitsitɔwo kple míaƒe nyiwo, alẽwo kple gbɔ̃wo ƒe ŋgɔgbeviwo ana Yehowa. Míatsɔ wo na nunɔla siwo le subɔsubɔdɔ wɔm le gbedoxɔ la me.
“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 “Kpe ɖe esiawo ŋu la, woatsɔ nuawo adzra ɖo ɖe míaƒe Mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ la me. Nu siawoe nye míaƒe bli kple agblemenuku siwo ɖi bli la ƒe nyuitɔwo, míaƒe nudzɔdzɔwo, míaƒe kutsetse gbãtɔwo kple míaƒe wain yeye kple ami ƒe gbãtɔwo. Míedo ŋugbe be, míatsɔ míaƒe agblemenuku ɖe sia ɖe ƒe ewolia ɖeka na Levitɔwo, ame siwo ƒe dɔ wònye be woaxɔ nu ewoliawo ƒe ɖekawo le ame siwo le du suewo kple kɔƒewo me la si.
“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 Nunɔla Aron ƒe dzidzimevi ɖeka anɔ Levitɔwo gbɔ ne wole nuwo ƒe ewoliawo xɔm, eye Levitɔwo atsɔ nu ewolia si woxɔ la ƒe ewolia ayi gbedoxɔ me, adzra ɖo ɖe nudzraɖoƒe la.
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 Le Se la nu la, ele be Israelviwo kple Levitɔwo natsɔ woƒe nunana siwo nye bli kple bubuawo, wain yeye kple ami la, ayi gbedoxɔ la me, eye woatsɔ wo ade kɔkɔeƒe ƒe nuwo me hena nunɔla siwo le subɔsubɔ wɔm kple agbonudzɔlawo kple hadzilawo ƒe ŋu dɔ wɔwɔ. “Ale mí katã míelɔ̃ ɖe edzi be míagblẽ míaƒe Mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ la ɖi o.”
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].”
